Anime may be forever without a strong medical series steeped in realism, but Black Jack has been sitting as the pinnacle of the small collection we do have for decades. Made in the 60’s, Black Jack often mimicked a number of medical procedures in real life, but with a healthy dose of sci-fi added to increase the drama. However, while Black Jack is easy to love, it isn’t such a diligent adaptation of its manga.
Alternative Titles:
- ブラックジャック
Year Anime Premiered: 2004; 1993 (OVAs)
Animation Studio: Tezuka Productions
Number of Seasons: 2 + 2 movies + 2 Spin-offs (Ray, Young Black Jack) + 12 OVAs
Source Material Country of Origin: Japan
Source Material Available: Manga
Entry Last Updated: June 21st, 2024
Where To Start The Black Jack Manga After The Anime?
The only answer that can be given as to where to start the Black Jack manga after the anime is Chapter 1.
Black Jack is often a highly episodic series and the various anime adaptations have all adapted it as such. For example, the first episode of Black Jack 2004 is adapted from Chapter 242 of the manga and it continues to pick and choose random cases throughout the series and into the sequel, Black Jack 21. The OVA is not any better as the first episode of the 1993 OVAs is Chapter 119.
The Black Jack movies are original stories not in the manga.
As an added note, if you are an OVA watcher, the manga is often much more like the 2004 anime in tone. If you want something broodier, then I think Young Black Jack is more your style.
The Young Black Jack anime, however, did stick a little closer to its manga. The anime re-arranged the stories, but did adapt them without skipping anything. So you can technically start the Young Black Jack Manga at Chapter 35 after the anime.
Finally, as for the Ray spin-off, the Ray anime takes the same stance as the Black Jack anime, adapting things as it feels like adapting them from the manga. What’s more, it also makes quite a few changes to the manga chapters it does adapt and kind of changes the tone of the story quite a bit. You should read the Ray manga spin-off from the beginning as well.
Is The Black Jack Manga Over?
The Black Jack manga is complete. It ended in 1983 with Chapter 243.
The Young Black Jack manga is complete. It ended in 2019 with Chapter 142.
The Ray manga is complete. It ended in 2006 with Chapter 34.
Black Jack Spin-Offs
Black Jack is forever.
- Young Black Jack (Manga, Complete, Has an Anime) – About Black Jack as a medical student before he became the chaotic good doctor we know and love.
- Dr. Kirico – Shiroi Shinigami (Manga, Complete) – Spin-off of Young Black Jack about Kiriko.
- Ray (Manga, Complete, Has and Anime) – About a girl saved Black Jack, given sci-fi eyes, and who became a surgeon investigating people form her dark past.
- Ray+ (Manga, Complete) – Single volume of side stories for the Ray manga
- Isekai Black Jack (Manga, Complete) – Isekai comes for all things. Black Jack in a world of fairy tales.
- Black Jack Aoki Mirai (Manga, Complete) – Black Jack is old and mysteriously sick.
- Black Jack Kuroi Ishi (Manga, Complete) – Modern remake of Black Jack with a new artist. It ended after 3 volumes, though.
- Black Jack Neo (Manga, Complete) – Modern reboot of Black Jack with a new artist. It ended after two volumes, though.
- Black Jack Sousaku Hiwa – Tezuka Osamu no Shigotoba kara (Manga, Complete) – Stories about Osamu Tezuka making Black Jack. (As Osamu Tezuka had been dead near 20 years when it was made, it was made by others based off his memoirs/assistant testimony)
- Black Jack M (Manga, Complete) – Black Jack stories by various shoujo/josei mangaka
- Black Jack Real – Kandou no Iryou Taikendan (Manga, Complete) – Tales based on real medical stories created by Tezuka’s assistants to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Black Jack.
- Black Jack Alive (Manga, Complete) – Black Jack stories created by various popular manga artists
