Osamu Tezuka’s classic medical manga Black Jack will receive a musical adaptation in the summer of 2025.
The musical will tour to Niigata, Nagoya, Hamamatsu, Sapporo, and Hyogo, beginning with performances at IMM THEATER in Tokyo from June 28 to July 13.
Tezuka’s original manga was serialized in Akita Shoten’s Weekly Shonen Champion magazine from 1973 to 1978. The story follows the activities of Kuroo Hazama, aka Black Jack, a genius surgeon but without a medical license. Even after his death in 1989, it has been adapted into anime, live-action, and stage plays many times.
Tamiya Kuriyama, who has won many awards including the Kinokuniya Theatre Award Individual Award and the Yomiuri Theatre Grand Prize for Best Director, will serve as director. 53-year-old Masayuki Sakamoto, a former member of Johnny & Associates’ boy idol group V6, is cast as the title character, Black Jack. The other cast members include Nako Yabuki as Pinoko, Ryosuke Mikata as Dr. Kiriko, Yuhi Ozora as Mariko, Kiyotaka Imai as Shirakawa.
“I never dreamed that I would be playing the role of that protagonist that I read about as a child,” said Sakamoto. “It is a great honor and I am humbled by the heavy responsibility. I am also happy to be working with the director, Kuriyama-san, again. I believe that this musical will not be something that jumps out from the original manga, but will be filled with each characters’ human touch. 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.”
A teaser visual featuring Sakamoto as Black Jack has been revealed.
