is a fictional character created by Osamu Tezuka, introduced in Weekly Shōnen Champion on November 19, 1973. He is the main character in the Black Jack manga franchise.
His odd appearance comes from a childhood incident, in which both he and his mother were terribly injured in an explosion. Although Kurō's mother died from her injuries, and Kurō's own body was nearly torn to shreds, he was rescued, thanks to a miraculous operation by Dr. Honma. Although Kurō survived, part of his hair turned white due to stress and shock. The skin covering the left side of Kurō's face is noticeably darker due to getting a skin graft from his best friend, who is half African. Kurō refused to have plastic surgery to match the skin color as a sign of respect for his friend. Marked by this experience, Kurō decided to become a surgeon himself, taking the name of Black Jack.
Despite his medical genius, Black Jack has chosen not to obtain a surgical license, choosing instead to operate from the shadows, free from rules and the corrupt bureaucratic establishment. Although he usually treats those he meets in chance encounters who have heard of his legendary skills, he occasionally travels to hospitals around the world to covertly assist terminally ill patients.
Name
Black Jack's real name is . In chapter 68, "The Most Beautiful Woman in the World" (published April 14, 1975), Black Jack explains the meaning behind both of his names: "Kurō" is written with the Japanese characters for "black" and "man;" as "Jack" is a common name for a man, he translates his name as "Black Jack." His name in the manga is spelled "Kuro'o". In Volume 10 Chapter 2: "The Mask Chosen," he explains to Pinoko that in Japanese, means black and the second represents a jack in a deck of cards.
Character
Black Jack presents himself as a medical mercenary, selling his skills to whoever will pay his price. He is a shadowy figure, with a black cape, eerie black-and-white hair, and surgical scars snaking all over his body, the most prominent of which being across his face. His appearance and strange, anti-social mannerisms frighten many away from him, but his friends and acquaintances overlook his appearance and idiosyncrasies, knowing him to be principled, skilled, and above all, completely dedicated to the highest ideals of the medical profession.
Although his age is not explicitly stated, he is in his late 20s or 30s. He performs some surgeries at home where he has his own operating room, but he more typically travels the world to meet his patients. (He is able to speak multiple languages, including Spanish and English.) He is often seen driving his black car, matching his usual costume, although he also takes public transportation where he is called upon in the event of an on-board emergency.
Black Jack cures patients indiscriminately, from common folk, to presidents, to yakuza leaders, and even to supernatural beings, from the very poor to the very rich. However, he charges all of his patients shockingly large sums (from 10 million to billions of yen), sometimes even causing them to jump out of their clothes in surprise (in the manga). A colleague even names a disease after him, because of the outrageous fee he charges for the surgery. Even for those who beg for mercy, Black Jack (at least initially) refuses to lower his price. This has given him a reputation for callousness and greed, an image which he cultivates with care.
Contrary to external appearances however, Black Jack possesses a complex personal code. He will cure a patient for free if they move him with the story of their suffering; however, he always establishes a patient's willingness to pay beforehand. If Black Jack cannot discover a redeeming story behind a patient, his fee stands. He also makes exceptions in exigent circumstances, and may change his mind if proven incorrect in his assumptions. He also always ensures that his patients recover completely.
Black Jack gives much of the money he earns to charity, paying for other doctors' surgeries as well as his own, and buying up land to protect nature from commercial development. When his patient is wealthy, he usually increases his fee substantially, and often will attach non-quantifiable conditions to his services, such as an agreement to leave erstwhile victims alone, or to protect the environment. Although he gives back most of his earnings to the community, Black Jack occasionally faces robbers seeking the money they believe he hoards.