It became known on the 13th that cartoonist Osamu Tezuka’s masterpiece, "Black Jack" is to be serially animated. 30 years after its creation, its broadcast on TV Japan (production by Yomiuri TV) will mark its first animated serialization. Tezuka’s eldest son, Tezuka Makoto will be in charge of direction. This is an exciting development for fans.

It has been 30 years since the series was first published in the comic magazine "Shonen Champion". This particular favorite of passionate Tezuka fans has been revived for audiences of the 21st century.

"Black Jack" is a drama depicting the ventures of a gifted but unlicensed surgeon, and is said to be a portrayal of Tezuka’s ideal doctor. Tezuka himself was an avid student of medicine, and was a licensed physician. The series ran for roughly 5 years through 230 episodes, and is a favorite among fans. Previously it has been remade into a live action drama, "Yuzo Kayama’s Black Jack" (Asahi TV, 1981).

Last December, the producer of popular anime such as "Detective Conan" and "Inuyasha" aired a 2 hour animated special of Black Jack. The success of this special lead to the decision of its serialization.

Director Makoto notes, "For those of you that cringe at the thought of "Black Jack" airing during dinner time, not to worry. Without losing the flavor of the original series, we’ve tailored the anime to suit our tv audiences. I believe everyone from children to adults will thoroughly enjoy the show." Realistic depictions of operation scenes have been avoided, and a sense of entertainment has been added with the use of the latest digital technology. Aside from the main character Black Jack and his companion Pinoko, new characters with more appeal to younger children will be added as well.

The storyline for 3 episodes have already been decided. The opening song will be by rock band "Joan d’arc," and the ending will be by Ai Otsuka.