Say Hello to Black Jack

STORY

Ejiro Saito, the main character, has obtained a medical license and started working at Eiroku University Medical School Hospital as a trainee doctor.
Due to the cheap salary, he is forced to have a part-time-job at another hospital with a role of doctor on call.
There he bears off the reality with dreaming that his ideal medical age comes.
In the meantime, he first receives an offer taking charge of patient.
Unfortunately however, the patient is an old man who was already decided to abandon the life-sustaining treatment.
Although Ejiro tries to treat the patient by some different ways, his attending insists of ‘no need of the treatment to the patient.’
Like this, Ejiro faces absurdity existing in Japanese medical front.
Thereafter he experiences internal, NICU, pediatric and oncology, and fight against the contradictions he faces, along with the difference from his ideal.

(Shuho Sato/2002-2010/13 books/Shogakukan)

COMMENT by Shun

This cartoon is focusing on a young medical trainee.
Generally speaking, in most of medical cartoons, typical pattern is set up that a genius doctor saves any patients.
But, this cartoon is different as Ejiro faces several medical issues and grows up with bearing the contradictions.
Those picked up issues captured here are not the top-billed themes such as brain operation or Batista procedure, rather be cancer notification or juvenile major decease.
And I think, that’s why those themes make you think of life and those corresponding problems more seriously.
When I first read this comic, I was completely drawn by such themes and Ejiro’s straight personality.
But, after heavier themes such as mental disorders and implantation come up, because it is too difficult to solve them for a trainee and the story goes on with stagnated atmosphere, a sort of ‘heaviness and murkiness’ feelings are only left.
However, I believe those ‘heaviness and murkiness’ are unavoidable when spotting on the real medical condition.
If I make a valuation on this cartoon only valuating the amusingness, I would give ‘6’ on this, but I strongly recommend many of you to read this.
Although I’m taking a serious role here, also time is limited as you know.
If you haven’t read Slum Dunk, you better read it first!

Shun's Score 6