Black Jack Karte V The Owl of Saint Merida - A thorough analysis of the moving story and profound themes

Black Jack Chart V The Owl of Saint Merida - The Profound Dream and the Art of Surgery

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

comics

■ Release date

March 21, 1995

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

・Original work: Osamu Tezuka

■ Director

・Director: Osamu Dezaki

■ Production

Tezuka Productions BJ Production Executive Committee

■Works

© Tezuka Productions, Akita Shoten, Nippon Columbia (episodes 1-7)
© Tezuka Productions, Akita Shoten, Bandai Visual (episodes 8-10)

■ Story

A story inspired by the original novel, "A Moment Gone By." A young Englishman, plagued by nightmares and hallucinations, has artistic surgical scars on his body that amaze Black Jack. What is the true nature of the dreams the young man has every night, in which the same woman is murdered, and what thread connects these dreams to the magnificent surgical scars? Who is the man with surgical skills that surpass Black Jack's?

■Explanation

This original video animation series is based on the popular manga of the same name by Tezuka Osamu, but uses the original setting to create new works. Each work is a new story inspired by each episode of the original manga. The characters are not drawn by Tezuka Osamu, but are designed by Akio Sugino.

■Cast

・Black Jack/Akio Otsuka
・Pinoco/Yuko Mizutani
・Crossword by Norio Otsuka
Ernest/Yoshimasa Sakaguchi
・Dr. Kiriko/Kazuhiro Yamaji
・Leslie/Toru Furuya
・Saburozaemon Taneda/Wheat man
・Shirabyō/Yū Mizushima
Lawrence/Miki Nagasawa
・Koichiro/Hideyuki Hori
・Tsukiko/Fumiko Orihara

■ Main staff

・Original work: Osamu Tezuka
・Director: Osamu Dezaki
・Chief animation director: Akio Sugino
Music: Osamu Tokai (Charts 1-5), Eiji Kawamura (Chart 6)
・ Medical Supervision/Akira Nagai
・Planning: Takayuki Matsutani, Yoshihiro Shimizu
・Character design: Akio Sugino
Art Director: Kazuo Okada (Charts 1-5), Masami Saito (Charts 1-3, 6)
Edited by Seiji Morita (Morita Editorial Office)
Director of photography: Hirotaka Takahashi (Charts 1-6), Hajime Noguchi (Charts 5-6)
・Sound Director: Etsuji Yamada (Chart 1-5), Tomoaki Yamada (Chart 6)
Medical cooperation: Toshitaka Takeshita (medical records 1-3, 5), Yasumasa Shiratori (medical record 5)
Producers: Minoru Kubota, Sumio Udagawa
・Music Director: Seiji Suzuki
・Music producer/Kumada Kazuo

■Detailed evaluation

"Black Jack Karte V: The Owl of Saint Merida" is one of the OVA series based on Tezuka Osamu's masterpiece "Black Jack," and depicts a new story inspired by the original episode "A Moment That Passed By." As the boundary between dreams and reality becomes blurred, the work depicts the complex surgeries and mysterious cases that Black Jack faces, leaving viewers deeply moved and thinking.

The story centers around a young British man named Leslie. Every night, he is plagued by dreams in which the same woman is murdered, and as a result, he begins to have hallucinations in real life. Leslie's body bears artistic surgical scars that even Black Jack is astonished by, and the connection between these scars and his dreams is at the heart of the story. In order to unravel the mystery behind Leslie's dreams, Black Jack must use his medical knowledge and insight to uncover the truth behind the incident.

One of the attractions of this work is the depth and humanity of the character Black Jack. While Black Jack seeks monetary rewards, he is also willing to face any difficulties to save his patients' lives. His actions depict the conflict between his ethical sense as a doctor and practical issues, evoking deep empathy from viewers. Sub-characters such as Pinoko and Crossword also play an important role in highlighting Black Jack's humanity.

Director Osamu Dezaki has succeeded in depicting the story from a new perspective while still respecting the atmosphere of the original work. In particular, the scenes depicting the boundary between dreams and reality are visually striking, with their ingenious use of cinematography. Additionally, Akio Sugino's character designs provide a fresh impression that is different from Tezuka Osamu's original work, while still expressing the individuality of the characters.

Music is also an important element that enhances the appeal of this work. Osamu Tokai's music effectively creates tension and emotion in the story, stirring the emotions of the viewer. In particular, the music in Leslie's dream scene expresses the eeriness and beauty of the dream at the same time, leaving a deep impression on the viewer's mind.

■Recommendation details

"Black Jack Karte V: The Owl of Saint Merida" is highly recommended not only for fans of Osamu Tezuka's original work, but also for viewers who enjoy medical dramas and mysteries. This is a particularly enjoyable work for those who are interested in the character of Black Jack and the difficult surgeries and mysteries he faces. It is also recommended for those who enjoy the visual expression that depicts the boundary between dreams and reality, and the beauty of the music.

If you watch this work, you can get a deeper understanding of the background of the story and the relationships between the characters by reading the original work "A moment that has passed" beforehand. Also, by watching the other "Black Jack Karte" series, you can enjoy the world of Black Jack more widely.

Furthermore, to gain a deeper understanding of this work, it is also recommended to watch medical dramas and mystery works. For example, medical dramas such as "Code Blue -Doctor Heli Emergency Lifesaving-" and "Grey's Anatomy" and mystery works such as "Detective Conan" and "Death Note" are highly relevant works. By watching these works, you will be able to feel the appeal of "Black Jack Karte V: The Owl of Saint Merida" more deeply.

Finally, to get the most out of this work, we recommend that you pay attention to your viewing environment. Consider using a 4K TV or surround sound system to enjoy high-quality images and sound. After viewing, you can also share your impressions with friends and family to gain a deeper understanding and enjoyment.