A special thanks to Kodansha and NetGalley for the ARC.
Our latest review brings us face-to-face with one of Osamu Tezuka’s most iconic creations: the rogue genius surgeon known as Black Jack. Widely considered Tezuka’s third most recognizable series behind Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion, it stands as a masterclass in manga storytelling.
PLEASE NOTE: A quick note for longtime fans: This volume collects a variety of stories from across the series (primarily those first printed in color) instead of beginning at Chapter 1 in publication order. It’s a curated introduction with restored color pages and extras.
He is a genius surgeon, who miraculously saves patients’ lives, no matter how seriously ill they are. Despite being shunned by Medical society, Black Jack practices quietly at his small clinic located in the deserted land together with his assistant Pinoko, who he voluntarily saved before. Yet patients diagnosed helpless by other doctors visit him with a slightest hope.
When approaching a series like Black Jack, I found myself re-reading the material carefully to ensure this review is truthful and accurate. In a way, it’s how a doctor (like Black Jack himself) approaches his patients—with care and precision. That same careful craftsmanship is evident in how well this Deluxe Edition has been published. It’s curated with selected chapters that introduce readers to the character, accompanied by a treasure trove of archival material that any Osamu Tezuka fan would admire.
It is astounding how well-crafted each story is in its medical atmosphere. For those unfamiliar with Tezuka’s background, he was accepted into the medical program at Osaka University in 1945 and graduated from the Osaka University School of Medicine in 1951. His deep knowledge of medicine is remarkable, and Black Jack demonstrates striking accuracy in its portrayal of medical ethics, medical politics, and human mortality.
The artwork continues to stand out for its distinctive medical detail, especially in the realistic depiction of patients’ illnesses and the carefully rendered surgical scenes. Tezuka clearly devoted significant research to illustrating medical procedures with accuracy and restraint. While the stories themselves largely hold up well today, some character portrayals may feel dated to modern readers. This is not a call for any alterations to the work; rather, I simply encourage new readers to approach these elements with an open mind.
As a new reader, I was previously unfamiliar with Pinoko, a character many fans consider one of Tezuka’s more intriguing creations—a figure trapped in an unaging body. Finally, I would like to focus on the extras included in this Deluxe Edition. The volume features sketches and thumbnails that offer insight into Tezuka’s creative process when developing new chapters, along with several promotional pieces. Particularly noteworthy is a special Astro Boy anime script depicting a meeting between Astro and Black Jack. While this first Deluxe Edition effectively introduces Black Jack to new readers, it inevitably leaves many aspects of his larger story unexplored.
BLACK JACK: Deluxe Edition Vol. One arrives in book stores and online on November 3rd, 2026. If you would like to own a copy, click here to pre-order.
Final Grade:
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