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Osamu Tezuka’s renowned manga series, Black Jack, is set to be adapted into a new stage musical in Japan, adding to the franchise’s already impressive collection of adaptations. The musical is scheduled to tour across Japan from June 28 to July 13, 2025, with performances in Tokyo, Niigata, Nagoya, Hamamatsu, Sapporo, and Hyogo.
Production Details
- Director: Tamiya Kuriyama, an award-winning director known for his work in theater, including the Kinokuniya Theatre Award Individual Award and the Yomiuri Theatre Grand Prize for Best Director, will direct the musical.
- Script: Satoshi Suzuki is penning the script for the musical.
- Music: Yasuhiro Kasamatsu is composing the music.
- Tour Dates: The musical will run from June 28 to July 13, 2025, touring across Japan, including stops in Tokyo, Niigata, Nagoya, Hamamatsu, Sapporo, and Hyogo.
Cast
The cast for the Black Jack musical has been announced, featuring:
- Masayuki Sakamoto as Black Jack: A former member of the Johnny & Associates’ boy idol group V6, Sakamoto will take on the lead role. Sakamoto expressed his honor and responsibility in portraying the iconic character he read about as a child.
- Nako Yabuki as Pinoko: Yabuki will play Black Jack’s assistant, Pinoko.
- Ryosuke Mikata as Doctor Kiriko: Mikata will portray the character of Doctor Kiriko.
- Yuhi Ozora as Mariko: Ozora will play Mariko, an up-and-coming actress who develops a mysterious illness.
- Kiyotaka Imai as Shirakawa: Imai will play the role of Shirakawa.
Storyline
The musical will feature a storyline involving Mariko, an up-and-coming actress who comes down with a mysterious illness that makes her unable to eat. The musical aims to explore the human touch of each character, ensuring that both longtime Black Jack fans and newcomers can enjoy the production.
About Black Jack
Black Jack is a medical drama manga series created by Osamu Tezuka. It follows the story of Kuroo Hazama, also known as Black Jack, a gifted but unlicensed surgeon who performs miraculous operations for exorbitant fees. Black Jack lives in a clinic in the wilderness with his assistant, Pinoko, saving patients who have been given up on by other doctors. The manga was serialized in Akita Shoten’s Weekly Shōnen Champion magazine from 1973 to 1984.
Adaptations
Black Jack has inspired multiple adaptations across various media, including:
- Anime: Multiple anime adaptations.
- Live-Action: Several Japanese live-action adaptations, including a film (1977), a series (1981), a video (1996), and specials (2000, 2011). A new live-action series debuted in June 2024.
- Stage Productions:
- Two musical productions by the all-female Takarazuka Revue troupe.
- An opera.
- Several non-musical stage productions.
- A stage play titled “Black Jack Mangeki!! Tezuka Osamu Dai-5-Kan The Fusion of Comics & Theater” ran in Tokyo in March 2024, starring voice actor Akio Ōtsuka.
Reception
Masayuki Sakamoto shared his enthusiasm for the project, stating, “I never dreamed that I would be playing the role of that protagonist that I read about as a child. It is a great honor, and I am humbled by the heavy responsibility… The cast and crew will work together to make sure that not only Black Jack fans but also those who are new to it will enjoy, so please come to the theater.”
