Black Jack Karte Ⅹ The Sinking Woman - A Tale of the Abyss and its Evaluation

Black Jack Karte Ⅹ The Sinking Woman - A deeply insightful and moving story

■Overview of the work

"Black Jack Karte Ⅹ: The Sinking Woman" is one of the OVA series based on Tezuka Osamu's classic manga "Black Jack". It was released on July 25, 2000 and consists of one 30-minute episode. It was directed by Dezaki Osamu, produced by Tezuka Productions and the BJ Production Executive Committee, and the copyright is shared between Tezuka Productions, Akita Shoten, and Bandai Visual. This work develops a new story based on the original episode "The Sinking Woman".

■ Story

The Mikagetsu Disease was a pollution-related disease that caused various symptoms in the bodies of local residents who ate fish caught in Mikagetsu Bay. The cause was a group of factories that had been attracted to the middle reaches of the Mangetsu River, and the factory wastewater from the river flowed into the sea. The government established the Mikagetsu Disease Relief Committee, and Fox, a member of the committee's doctor group, asked Black Jack to join as a special brain. Black Jack used his medical skills and knowledge to fight against this incurable disease.

■Explanation

"Black Jack Karte Ⅹ: The Sinking Woman" is one of the original video animation series based on the popular manga of the same name by Tezuka Osamu, but uses only the original setting to create a new work. A new story is developed inspired by each episode of the original manga, and the characters are not drawn by Tezuka Osamu, but are designed by Akio Sugino. This work depicts Black Jack's humanity and his sense of mission as a doctor against the backdrop of the social problem of pollution-related diseases.

■Cast

・Black Jack / Akio Otsuka・Pinoco / Yuko Mizutani・Crossword / Norio Otsuka・Ernesto / Yoshimasa Sakaguchi・Dr. Kiriko / Kazuhiro Yamaji・Leslie / Toru Furuya・Saburozaemon Taneda /Mugihito・Shirabyoshi / Yu Mizushima・Lawrence / Miki Nagasawa・Koichiro / Hideyuki Hori・Tsukiko / Fumiko Orihara

■ Main staff

Original story by Tezuka Osamu; Director by Dezaki Osamu; Animation director by Sugino Akio; Music by Toji Osamu (Charts 1-5), Kawamura Eiji (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: Kazuo Kumada

■Detailed story and character analysis

"Black Jack Karte Ⅹ: The Sinking Woman" is based on the theme of the pollution disease "Mikagatsu Disease." This disease is caused by wastewater discharged from a group of factories that were attracted to the middle reaches of the Mangetsu River, and it causes various symptoms in residents who eat fish caught in Mikagatsu Bay. In order to deal with this problem, the government establishes the Mikagatsu Disease Relief Committee and asks Black Jack to participate as a special brain.

Black Jack uses his medical skills and knowledge to fight this incurable disease. His character is calm and rational, yet has a deep humanity and a sense of mission. This work portrays his professionalism as a doctor and his strong sense of responsibility towards social issues. Sub-characters such as Pinoko and Crossword also support his actions and enrich the story.

■ Background and significance of production

This work is based on the original work by Osamu Tezuka, but by creating a new story and characters, it is being developed as an original OVA series. Director Osamu Dezaki has created a story that reflects modern social issues while retaining the essence of the original work. In addition, Akio Sugino's character design provides fresh visuals that are different from Osamu Tezuka's style, enhancing the appeal of the work.

"Black Jack Karte Ⅹ: The Sinking Woman" depicts the sense of mission and humanity of a doctor against the backdrop of the social problem of pollution-related illness, providing viewers with deep insight and inspiration. This work will appeal not only to fans of Osamu Tezuka's original work, but also to those interested in social issues.

■Music and video

The music, composed by Osamu Toji and Eiji Kawamura, plays an important role in enhancing the atmosphere of the story. In particular, music is used effectively in scenes expressing Black Jack's actions and emotions, enhancing the viewers' emotions. In addition, Akio Sugino's character designs and the visual beauty of director Osamu Dezaki enrich the worldview of the work and provide visual appeal.

■ Evaluation and recommendation

"Black Jack Karte Ⅹ: The Sinking Woman" is one of the OVA series based on Tezuka Osamu's original work that has been highly praised for its socially-themed theme. The portrayal of Black Jack's character and his sense of mission as a doctor gives viewers deep emotion and insight. This work is highly recommended not only for fans of Tezuka Osamu, but also for those interested in social issues. It is also recommended for those who like medical dramas and socially-conscious anime.

■ Related works and series

"Black Jack Karte Ⅹ: The Sinking Woman" is one of the OVA series based on the original work by Osamu Tezuka. There are many other episodes in this series, each of which develops a new story based on an episode from the original work. In particular, throughout the Karte series, Black Jack's humanity and sense of mission as a doctor are depicted, deeply moving viewers. In addition, many of Osamu Tezuka's other works also have themes of social issues and humanity, so I recommend that people who are interested check them out.

■ How to watch and obtain

"Black Jack Karte Ⅹ: The Sinking Woman" is available on DVD and Blu-ray. It may also be available on streaming services. You'll likely find it on platforms that stock a lot of Tezuka Osamu's work. If you're watching it, you may want to read the original episode "The Sinking Woman" to gain a deeper understanding of the work.

Conclusion

"Black Jack Karte Ⅹ: The Sinking Woman" is one of the OVA series based on Tezuka Osamu's original work that has been highly praised as a work that focuses on social issues. The portrayal of Black Jack's character and his sense of mission as a doctor gives viewers deep emotion and insight. This work is highly recommended not only for fans of Tezuka Osamu, but also for people who are interested in social issues. It is also recommended for people who like medical dramas and socially conscious anime. Please watch this work and experience the world of Black Jack.