A 2024 "Black Jack" Special

 Just caught the special drama featuring the infamous Tezuka Osamu manga BLACK JACK, that mysterious doctor with almost supernaturally gifted skills in surgery. This was standalone one-shot drama, a real shame because it was SO darn compelling and entertaining!!!

Issei Takahashi stars as the titular Black Jack, complete with fright wig shocked hair and Frankenstein scars, while Yuno Nagao (the actress playing “young” Asami in Brush up Life) plays his miniature assistant Pinoko. When there is a seemingly impossible surgery to be done, Black Jack is the man to call....

Shizuka Ishibashi also stars as Black Jack's nemesis Doctor Kiriko (swapped from a man in the manga to a woman here, (though I guess someone dubbed the “Grim Reaper” really holds no official gender!) Loved the confrontations the two had!

Kai Inowaki appears as a man looking for answers to the supposed suicide of his friend, and whom seems to think this mysterious doctor Black Jack holds the key to the truth, learning little by little about him as he watches him do his miracles to those inflicted by some major malady…and of whom can pay his exorbitant fees!

The Black Jack SP juggled three separate stories and while they were good, I wish I could have seen a whole SEASON of customers and cases. Additionally, the support characters like the aforementioned Dr. Kiriko surely deserved a whole episode all to themselves!  Would have loved to see these things expanded and explored!

I’ve been reading online that fans of the original Tezuka manga series and anime aren’t big on this adaptation, and as someone who has been stung by bad cinematic interpretations of beloved works, I completely understand, but as for me I have no real investment in the source material and I thoroughly enjoyed myself! MORE, PLEASE!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

6-Byoukan no Kiseki: Hanabishi Mochizuki Seitaro no Yuutsu

Under recommendation from hamanosilence, I gave the drama "6-Byoukan no Kiseki: Hanabishi Mochizuki Seitaro no Yuutsu" (The 6-Second Trajectory: Fireworks Expert Mochizuki Seitaro's Melancholy) a peek, and I found it utterly delightful and charming to watch!!

The loose synopsis is the son of a Father-And Son Fireworks business named Seiichiro Mochizuki (Issei Takahashi)  loses his motivation and purpose in life after his Father, Kou (J-drama mainstay Isao Hashizume) passes away, leaving him to take over the failing company.

Before he had passed, Kou had proposed a new idea of offering personal fireworks events for private individuals, an idea which Seiichiro had scoffed at. 

But months after father's death, Seiichiro is shocked to find his Dad had actually gone ahead with his plans before his death, a discovery Seiichiro finds when a young woman shows up at the store's door with one of his flyers for the proposed private fireworks show! 

Her name is Hikari Mizumori (Tsubasa Honda) and she has come to take the business UP on its offer and hire them for a private fireworks show!

Seiichiro is stunned and befuddled by the turn of events...but the BIGGEST shock is yet to come, when he hears fireworks going off from the direction of the factory, and running up to the building....FINDS THE GHOST OF HIS FATHER WAITING FOR HIM! 

Has Seiichiro gone mad? Or is this really his Pops spirit come to guide him? Whatever the case, the client is still waiting for him and, at the goading of his Father's playful spirit who has followed him back home, takes on the task of creating and coordinating Hikari's very own fireworks show...

But there's more on the horizon as the mysterious Hikari soon begs of one more request: to take her in as a LIVE -IN APPRENTICE to the Shop and HIRE HER as an official employee!!! 

Seiichiro can't wrap his head around the concept, but with badgering from both Hikari AND his deceased pop, he gives in! 

And thus this addled young man takes on the multi-task of  teaching his new and quirky apprentice the trade, while dealing with living with a pretty young woman like her...as well as dealing with his rascally rambunctious father's ghost interfering underfoot!

Gotta say, though it sounds like a pretty thin story set-up, I think the real strength of the show is watching how CHARISMATIC and VIBRANT Takahashi and Honda are in their roles- It's almost as if the director told Tsubasa to act her her most quirky "Tsubasa Honda" type character, and told Issei to act in his most eccentric "Issei Takahashi" type character, and then simply let them go at it!!! SO MUCH FUN TO WATCH!

I'm only up to episode 3 of the show, but I already love them DEARLY! Can't WAIT to see more!!!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogpsot.com