Review: Young Black Jack, Episode 8: Painless Revolution Part 2

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/young-black-jack/episode-8-painless-revolution-part-2-686199

Review:

Yabu has returned from Vietnam with an American soldier who is suffering from PTSD. When the pair goes to the hospital for the soldier to be examined, Yabu is surprised to run into Hazama, who has exhausted himself by searching for a cure to Johnny’s analgesia. While Hazama and Yabu talk, Tommy, the soldier with Yabu, goes elsewhere, only to return later and mention that he ran into Johnny, who was a former comrade of Tommy’s. During their conversation, Hazama finds out that Johnny never actually went to Vietnam, contrary to what Johnny had divulged. Realizing that he has been lied to, Hazama returns to Johnny’s room and uses scare tactics to drag the truth out of the injured man. Elsewhere, Professor Risenberg meets with a CIA operative, where they discuss the true causes of Johnny’s analgesia, Risenberg’s secret past, and the implications for Johnny’s future. Afterward, Risenburg approaches Hazama on the roof of the hospital and tears up Johnny’s test results, commenting that Hazama will no longer need them since he is returning to Japan. Risenberg later injects Johnny with a sedative before hooking him up to a machine that restores his ability to feel. Back in Japan, Hazama laments that he was not the one to heal Johnny before finding out that Johnny has now retired from civil disobedience movements.

This episode is unique in the series thus far, as it is the only one to not feature Hazama involving himself in a surgery of some sort. Instead, the focus shifts more to Johnny and Professor Risenberg, with Hazama actually serving as more of a plot element than anything this time around. Instead, the more shocking revelations come in the form of Risenberg’s true personality and the truth behind Johnny’s lack of pain recognition. These revelations, combined with the attitude of the CIA agent, do make one question what the Japanese (or at least the writers of this show) think about Americans.

It is also interesting that everything beyond the first two episodes has stemmed from the Vietnam War (and even the second episode provided the resource needed to get Hazama to Vietnam). While the episodes themselves are largely self-contained (minus the trilogy and duology aspects), this common theme does serve to provide a sense of unity for the series, and the weight of the Vietnam War as a backdrop continues to give the series a historical perspective. This particular episode manages to capture the type of drama you’d expect to find in a live-action medical drama such as House without losing its originality, and it also raises the question of whether previous events will continue to culminate in future plot developments. After all, we did see the return of the CIA agent who is familiar with Hazama’s skills this time around. Young Black Jack has successfully managed to defy our expectations in this installment by following a different path than normal, but whether or not this pattern will continue has yet to be seen.

A Christian Perspective:

The first idea I had was to compare Professor Risenberg to the apostle Paul. After all, both appear to have a murderous background (Risenberg seems to have worked for the Nazis while Paul was a Pharisee who executed the early Christians) prior to changing their lives around and ultimately using them to help people. On the surface, this seems like a good comparison; however, it quickly falls apart with a little thought. For one, we have to consider the culture: Paul’s murdering of Christians was legal, at least by the worldly authority of the Pharisees, whereas Risenberg’s murdering of Jews was seen as a heinous crime. While turning from murder is obviously right in God’s eyes, Paul’s transformation actually went against the governmental authority he was under, so him facing worldly punishment for his crimes was not realistic. Risenberg, on the other hand, should have faced justice, but instead was harbored by the American government in exchange for his research. This is also an abdication of duty by the American government, as they failed to administer appropriate justice when presented with the knowledge of Risenberg’s crimes, and instead profited off of that information. Let’s not forget that God is the One who gives authority (Romans 13:1), though humans do have a tendency to abuse their authority. In the end, Risenberg at least makes some form of repentance by choosing to use his knowledge to reverse Johnny’s analgesia and save the young man’s life, but one must wonder if this is really enough to make up for the fact that he never faced justice for all the lives he took.

In summary, while Risenberg and Paul appear to have similar stories at first, that comparison quickly falls apart when we realize that Paul was murdering with the full support of his government before turning against that to spread the true Gospel, while Risenberg was murdering and committing acts that were considered a crime by pretty much the rest of the human race before turning from those actions and being harbored under a false identity. Paul never hid who he was—everyone knew his past and the miraculous work God did in his life. The same cannot be said of Risenberg.

Content Guide:

Language: 1 “sh*t”; 1 “swear to G*d”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: None

Violence: Scenes of gunfire and explosions are shown; a flashback shows Johnny having his leg broken by a police baton; Johnny is beaten by several police officers

Blood/Gore: None

Other: Scenes are shown to indicate people being killed by poison gas, but they are represented by shadowy figures

Review: Young Black Jack, Episode 7: Painless Revolution Part 1

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/young-black-jack/episode-7-painless-revolution-part-1-686197

Review:

Maiko and Hazama take a trip to Chicago in order to watch an acclaimed doctor perform a surgery. While there, they run into an old friend of Maiko’s named Tiara, and they encounter a young man named Johnny who is a big name in the ongoing Civil Rights Movement, a practitioner of peace in a time when activists were resorting to violence. When two violent activists try to force Johnny to join them, things go bad and Tiara ends up shot while Johnny ends up with a broken arm. While Tiara’s wound ends up being non-fatal, Johnny’s opens up a new world of questions when it is discovered that he cannot feel pain. Maiko expects Hazama to seek a solution to the problem, an idea that Hazama has no interest in until it is discovered that Johnny’s condition is not genetic. With only three days left in Chicago, Hazama challenges Johnny to let him find a cure. Elsewhere, Yabu and an unknown man also land in the city.

It is amazing to see an anime tackle historical issues like Young Black Jack has. From the Vietnam War to 60’s Civil Rights, the show has expanded its focus beyond Japan, which is rare in anime. Old school fans may remember Chicago-based anime Gunsmith Cats, but that’s honestly the only name that sticks out immediately. To see an anime depict a cultural struggle in another country is quite frankly different and refreshing. The lack of a stereotypical portrayal of black people is also a nice touch. Many anime seem to fail in this regard (I’m looking at you, Mr. Popo). While the general focus of the episode still remains as Hazama finding a new medical mystery (this is basically House: Anime Edition, after all), the Civil Rights Movement serves as a different back drop, and is given the appropriate respect it deserves as a struggle for fair treatment. The writers even manage to capture some of the tension that would have been prevalent during that time when the four main characters sit in a restaurant where the white patrons clearly are not happy to have them.

While it was previously stated that the episode still ultimately revolved around Hazama discovering a new medical situation, the episode does stray from that a bit. True, it is the penultimate conclusion to this installment (and will probably form the major focus of the next) but there is quite a bit of character drama and development that goes on in between. Finding out that Hazama has a limit to what he will try to “fix” was surprising, to say the least. Of course, the episode isn’t without its shortcomings. A big name doctor allowing two people he doesn’t even know to assist him in surgery (one of whom is still a student, which the doctor makes no effort to discern) kind of puts a chink in the armor of the episode’s believability, and one must wonder if the airplanes shown at the end of the episode are really circa-1960’s. Still, the episode gets far more right than it does wrong, and it may be one of the best installments in the series thus far.

A Christian Perspective:

Matthew 5:9 – Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

I was honestly having a hard time coming up with a Perspective for this episode. Certainly a lot can be said about the Civil Rights Movement, the events leading up to it, and the reason why discrimination is biblically wrong, but honestly that wouldn’t really be unique to this anime, and much has likely been said about these things by men wiser, smarter, more spiritual, and more devoted than I. The best reflection I can come up with is to compare Johnny’s desire to be a peaceful activist as opposed to others who would rather resort to violence with the words of Jesus in the above Scripture. Granted, the reasons for Johnny choosing to be peaceful could be questionable, but whatever the case he has made a decision to not pay back violence with more violence. It seems like such a simple concept, and yet most people seem to not realize that if you respond to violence with violence, it will only lead to even more violence as each side gets more and more angered by each subsequent attack. Staying peaceful in the face of someone being violent towards you is certainly hard, but at some point the cycle needs to be broken.

Content Guide:

Spiritual Content: A woman calls a surgeon’s skills an “advent of God”

Language: 1 “d*mn”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: A flashback shows Hazama shirtless; Maiko’s dress shows a little cleavage

Violence: Hazama throws a knife into a man’s hand; a man fires a gun; flashbacks to Hazama being beaten in Vietnam and to war time violence; Johnny is punched many times; Tiara has a gun put to her head; Tiara is shot

Blood/Gore: Tiara’s gunshot wound bleeds, and blood pools next to her; Johnny’s arm is shown mangled and twisted

Review: Young Black Jack, Episode 6: Vietnam Part 3

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/young-black-jack/episode-6-in-vietnam-part-3-686195

 

Review:

Hazama and Kiriko operate on a patient with the threat of bombing looming over their heads, determined to complete their surgery. Shortly after, the episode’s timeline rewinds to show the primary characters from this trilogy of episodes going about their lives in the village. Dr. Kiriko helps out with an old man in the village while Bob stands vigil over Steve, with Phan reassuring him that Steve will be okay. While he is alone, Steve wakes up and begins to panic, not knowing where he is, and ultimately wandering off into the fields near the village. Hazama, Bob, and Phan rush off to look for him, and when they find him Bob calls out. Steve, happy to know that everything will be okay, begins moving towards Bob, before stepping on a landmine and being blown up. This throws Bob into a state of mental decline (likely Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), causing him to initially deny Steve’s death, then to blame the Viet Cong. When an injured Viet Cong boy is brought into the village, Hazama, Kiriko, and Yabu discuss performing surgery, which angers Bob, and learning that this boy was the one who made it possible for Hazama and company to escape confinement does little to assuage Bob’s anger. While the doctors take the boy into surgery, Bob makes a call to the Army, ordering an air strike on the village. After placing Steve’s remains into a bag, Bob wanders off, and Phan works with the photographer to evacuate the village. The trio of doctors decides to continue operating, racing against the clock as the U.S. air strike looms ever closer….

As has been the case during this trilogy, this episode again exhibits the horror and unpredictable nature of war. The end of the previous episode certainly left us with an apparently false sense of security about Steve’s fate, and although the idea that Steve would die was pretty obvious when his rambling in the field begins, the manner in which he died managed to catch this reviewer off guard. Bob’s subsequent mental decline shows the effects of war on soldiers, though the accuracy of the symptoms shown are likely lost on those with no real knowledge of psychiatry and other related fields. Still, we know historically that soldiers have suffered from PTSD, and that reality seems to be accurately reflected here. While an animated show probably can’t produce the same effect that meeting a real soldier with PTSD could, it is still eye-opening and shocking to see the lengths that Bob is pushed to by his mental condition (which is possibly accelerated by racial tensions already existing from the war).

Of course, it wouldn’t be an episode of Black Jack without a surgery, and though this formula has undoubtedly gotten repetitive, the writers at least manage to make the circumstances surrounding the surgeries (and the conditions during the surgeries) diverse enough to continuously create tension, though it is the circumstances that tend to provide more entertainment than the surgeries themselves, at least in this case. Still, the banter between Hazama and Kiriko make for a moment of amusement, and it adds to the sadness of the short statement about their futures at the end of the episode. Unfortunately, the fact that this is a prequel series does manage to take away from some of the tension brought on by the doctors’ operating under a time limit before the air strike happens; after all, Hazama can’t be blown up in Young Black Jack if it’s the prequel to the Black Jack series.

At the end of the day, the fictitious aspect of the series cannot be overlooked. Even someone with no medical knowledge whatsoever can probably deduce that complicated surgeries being performed in thirty minutes or less is not realistic, but as with most medical or crime dramas a little suspension of disbelief goes a long way in enjoying Young Black Jack. Fans of the original Black Jack manga will also find this episode’s reveal of the parachuting doctor’s identity shocking. Overall, Young Black Jack manages to maintain its enjoyability due to its stellar characters and writing.

A Christian Perspective:

Galatians 3:28 – There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

The verse above speaks to how those of us who are in Jesus are all one, and that the things that the world defines us by are not to define our true identities. Truly, a diverse background of ethnicities and cultures comprises the body of Christ, from the middle class salaryman in America to the tribesman wandering the plains of Africa, yet should the two ever meet they would see themselves on the same plane as brothers in Christ (or at least, they should). I’m sure we’ve all heard the saying that when God looks at those of us who are in Christ, He no longer sees us, but Christ. Given that idea, it further drives home the idea that is expressed in the Galatians verse, as it would mean that God literally sees no difference between any of us.

Likewise, Hazama, Kiriko, and Yabu present a similar viewpoint in this episode. When Ahn is brought into the village, the three doctors immediately begin to examine him and discuss surgery. Bob, angered by the Viet Cong’s mine killing Steve, finds himself appalled by the fact that these doctors would want to help an “enemy”, especially after several of those involved had been imprisoned by the Viet Cong. The revelation that the boy before him aided in he and his comrades’ escape—and that he was probably injured because he was found out—seems to have little impact on Bob, but the doctors refuse to back down. To them, it doesn’t matter if this man is Viet Cong or American, friend or foe. He is a patient, they are doctors, and he is in need of their care. May we take such a view of our brothers and sisters in Christ, not defining them by their ethnicity, background, financial status, or any other characteristic by which the world divides us, but rather by our mutual relationship with Christ.

Content Guide:

Language: 2 “b*stards”, 3 “b*stard”, 4 “sh*t”, 1 “h*ll”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: Two men are shown shirtless

Violence: Scenes of war; Steve remembers being shot at; a man steps on a landmine and is blown up; a village is bombed; a man is punched in the episode preview

Blood/Gore: Steve’s wound is shown, and there appears to be blood around it; a blanket is shown with bloody spots on it; a man is shown with blood on his body; a doctor has blood on his glove; a bed and bag are shown with blood on them; a blood bag is shown

Review: Young Black Jack, Episode 5: Vietnam Part 2

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/young-black-jack/episode-5-vietnam-part-2-686193

Review:

Hazama and company are taken to a village by their captors, where they are subjected to torture and eventual imprisonment. The situation looks bleak for all involved, and especially for Steve, who is in great need of proper surgery to repair the damage to his neck. A particularly gross scene shows Hazama flicking maggots away from the wound. When Phan is drug away by the villagers, Bob begins to despair; however, her torture is postponed as the soldiers are called away from the village. In a particularly fortunate turn of events, one of the would-be torturers who had a previously positive experience with Phan slips her a key, which she uses to free herself and her co-captives, enabling them to flee into the jungle. As time passes and the jungle environment takes its toll on the party, they begin to drop into despair before passing out, but are thankfully saved by Yabu, who takes them to a nearby village where he is staying. There, Steve is finally able to get the help he needs from a doctor who answers a radio call for help. While there is some tension between this new doctor and Hazama (who is adamant that Steve is his patient), the two ultimately work together in the surgery before sharing a peaceful moment together.

While the historical accuracy of the scenes shown are up for debate (this reviewer knows nothing about the methods or attitudes of the Viet Cong to determine whether the torture and treatment of Hazama and his cohorts was accurate), it can certainly be said that the episode keeps viewers on their toes. From the beginning, we are left with this question of how the characters would make it out of their captors’ hands, or even if they would. Granted, we know that Hazama would at least make it out since this is a prequel series, but the others were certainly expendable. Even when they do get out, they are left in an “out of the frying pan, into the fire” situation as they wander the jungle with no apparent sign of help. It could be argued that Yabu being the one to find them was a bit of convenient writing, but on the other hand it could also be argued that stretching the search for Yabu out for too long could have become tedious and uninteresting. Prior to this, Young Black Jack had been a fairly concise series with self-contained episodes, so a two-part (going onto three-part) is already a departure from the norm. Having Yabu be the one to ultimately rescue the group would seem to be the best way to resolve the current conflict without dragging out the overall plot for too long.

The episode also deserves credit for managing to display some of the horrors of the main characters’ imprisonment without being overly disgusting. Specifically, the photographer is shown shackled between the other characters and needing to use the bathroom. While he ultimately reaches the point of not being able to hold his bladder, this isn’t explicitly shown, though there may have been sound effects. In fact, the worst thing shown is probably the maggots around Steve’s wound which, admittedly, is a disgusting scene. Granted, there is something to be said for authenticity, but there is also something to be said for being able to convey the horror of a situation without having to descend into disgusting imagery to get the point across. Young Black Jack chooses the latter, and in doing so probably creates an episode that is more accessible to a wider range of viewers.

In discussing this episode, one cannot neglect to mention the doctor introduced near the end, a doctor who seems to be just as fanatical about operating as Hazama himself. While his initial introduction seems to suggest a rival role (Hazama argues that Steve is his patient while the new doctor tells Hazama to get out of the way), the end result suggests something of a friendly relationship between the two. Perhaps this new character will even serve as a mentor to Hazama in episodes to come. As of now, his role is unclear, but Hazama certainly recognizes the other doctor’s skills, and it would seem to be a waste to introduce a highly skilled doctor and not have him play some role in Hazama’s growth. Only time will tell, but that’s one thing that Young Black Jack does well—it leaves you with questions that draw you back for the next episode.

A Christian Perspective:

1 Peter 5:5 – In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

Hazama’s behavior when confronted by the new doctor ultimately, if imperfectly, exhibits the qualities shown in this verse from 1 Peter. At first, Hazama certainly seems intent on being the one to perform Steve’s surgery; however, he never seems to pose much of a roadblock to the new doctor getting into the operation. While Hazama does insist on being in the operating room because Steve is “his patient”, he willingly stands back and only gets involved when asked, all the while marveling at the new doctor’s skills. When it all is said and done, the two actually seem to exhibit something resembling friendship, a result that would not have happened had Hazama not humbled himself and instead insisted on his own way.

Much like Hazama, we may sometimes feel like we deserve to be the ones to do something or serve some role within the church, but a church elder may feel that we aren’t qualified for it yet or that someone else is more qualified. We may feel slighted, and feel as though the elder does not know what they are doing. Nevertheless, Peter makes it clear that we are to submit to the elder, although it may not be unreasonable to politely ask the elder to explain why the particular decision was made. The point is to not pridefully insist upon our own way, because that could lead to more problems, much like if Hazama had insisted on his own way with Steve’s surgery. Now, I feel there is probably something to be said if an elder teaches something that is clearly unbiblical, but that is probably a topic for another day.

Content Guide:

Language: 1 “bullsh*t”, 2 “cr*p”, 3 “sh*t”, 1 “b*tch”, 1 “d*mn”

Alcohol/Drug Use: Hazama and the new doctor drink something at the end of the episode, but it may just be water

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: Hazama is shown shirtless; other men are shown shirtless; Phan’s top shows cleavage

Violence: Hazama is tortured; a man is hit with a rifle; Phan is beaten

Blood/Gore: Steve is shown with blood on his bandage; Hazama vomits; Steve’s bloodied wound is shown, and Hazama is shown flicking maggots away from it; a simulaiton of maggot therapy is shown; Steve’s wound is shown in the operating room; droplets of blood are shown as another doctor cuts into Steve’s neck; two ends of a vein are shown while they are operated on; blood is shown rushing through a vein; the episode preview shows a bloody man

Review: Young Black Jack, Episode 4: Vietnam Part 1

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/young-black-jack/episode-4-vietnam-part-1-686191

Review:

The episode opens on a war scene. Hazama is thrown by the force of an exploding vehicle, landing some distance away, only to see a soldier get shot in the throat a few moments later. As Hazama’s doctor instincts kick in, he quickly picks himself up, retrieves his bag, and rushes to the man’s aid. At this point, time is turned back to show us how Hazama got himself in this predicament. Apparently Yabu, inspired by Hazama’s achievements, had decided to go to Vietnam and offer his services as a doctor so that he could actually do something productive with his life. Upon hearing news of Yabu’s hospital being destroyed, Hazama takes off to Vietnam to search for his friend, where he meets a freelance photographer. After spending some time with said photographer, Hazama manages to hitch a ride with some U.S. Army soldiers heading to a base in the region where Yabu was last seen. On their way, they are attacked by Viet Cong troops, ultimately bringing the story back to the episode’s beginning. While Hazama ultimately manages to save the soldier, it causes him to be taken prisoner.

Well, it appears that the previous review’s theory that Hazama would end up in Vietnam as a result of his operation on the CIA agent was wrong. As has been the trend thus far, this episode stands apart from any on-going plot, although reference is made to previous episode, and Hazama’s ploy from the second episode does play a role in getting him to Vietnam. A bit of research shows that the original Black Jack manga seemed to also be based around self-contained stories, so it makes sense that “Young Black Jack” would follow the same pattern, though at the same time it clearly combines elements from previous stories, which sort of awards viewers who have been in it for the long haul.

One thing that should be said for this episode is that it does not shy away from the realities of the Vietnam War. While not as graphic or violent as it could be (since war and violence were not the primary focus of the show), there is still plenty of gunfire and blood to put you right in the horror of the Vietnam War, and if you are someone who is sensitive to scenes of war violence then this may not be a pleasant episode for you; otherwise, it is an intense episode that captures the tension of the greater situation while also bringing that same tension in to the more immediate concern: what happened to Yabu. One of the only criticisms that can be leveled at the episode comes in the form of U.S. Soldier Bob, who is initially presented as if he does not speak Japanese based on his short English phrases (spoken by a Japanese V.A., meaning it comes across a bit Engrishy) and need for a translator, only to be shown speaking in Japanese a few scenes later. It’s a minor detail, but still an inconsistency.

Outside of that, there aren’t really any complaints in regards to this episode. The writers have managed to create a situation where we truly care about the fate of the characters involved, and they have also broken the mold that the show has followed up until this point. While Hazama still performs a surgery, the surgery was not the focal point of the episode itself, and the story behind the episode did not neatly wrap up by the end. While Hazama’s survival is not a question (there wouldn’t be a “Black Jack” series if Hazama died in Young Black Jack, after all), it will still be interesting to see how he and his companions will gain their freedom.

A Christian Perspective:

Hebrews 10:24 – And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,

As the episode explores the events that ultimately brought Hazama to Vietnam, it reaches a point where it shows Yabu expressing his desire to put his skills to use and not to simply be a doctor who faints at the sight of blood. He expresses that watching Hazama work to help others was his source of inspiration, and that is ultimately what inspired him to go to Vietnam. While Hazama may not have been intending to lead Yabu in that direction, his life and actions set an example that his older friend simply could not ignore. In the same way, the author of Hebrews tells us that we should spur one another on toward love and good deeds. The major difference is that the author seems to be saying that we should do this intentionally—we should “consider” how we may do this. That’s not to say that we may not spur others on unintentionally; after all, a brother or sister in Christ (or a co-worker, family member, friend, etc) could see us doing our best at whatever task we are working on and be inspired by our example to also do their best, but we shouldn’t simply hope that someone will follow our lead. Instead, we should seek to identify the ways in which we can actually spur others on.

Another thing that stuck out to me in this episode was how Hazama worked with a single-minded focus to help the soldier on the battlefield to the point of not being bothered by the bullets flying by or his doctor bag being destroyed. He doesn’t even realize that he is being taken prisoner until a gun is shoved in his face to snap him back to the world around him. This focus reminded me of the single-minded focus we as believers are called to have in our service and commitment to Christ. True, we may often fall short of this, but we are still called to be focused on Him entirely even when life throws temptations, threats, dangers, heartaches, grief, and anything else at us. It is easy—oh so easy—to lose our focus when the bullets of life come flying at us, and in doing so we lose our peace, our focus, and our goal. If Hazama had lost his focus due to the bullets, a soldier would have died. If we lose our focus, then we put ourselves at risk of falling away from the purpose for which we were created and potentially falling out of our communion with Jesus. In either case, the stakes are high, and we should consider the importance of maintaining our focus even in the most difficult of circumstances.

Content Guide:

Language: 2 “sh*t”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: None

Violence: A tank is hit with a shell and explodes; men fire guns; a soldier is shot; two people are executed off screen; a soldier hits a man with the butt of his rifle; fighting breaks out between the American and Viet Cong troops complete with gunfire, rocket launchers, and explosions; men are shot

Blood/Gore: A man is shot and blood sprays out; a man has blood coming from the corner of his mouth; Hazama operates on a man, resulting in bloody hands and lots of bloody gauze

Review: Mobile Suit Gundam Iron Blooded Orphans, Episode 8: The Form of Closeness

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/mobile-suit-gundam-iron-blooded-orphans/episode-8-the-form-of-closeness-687759

Review:

With Tekkadan achieving a decisive victory over the Hammerhead, Naze agrees to hear them out, ultimately siding with the young soldiers and consigning Arkay to work on a Teiwaz installation to pay off the debts he incurred. Afterwards, Orga holds several meetings with Naze, securing a transport route while also requesting that Tekkadan be made a subsidiary of Teiwaz. Orga’s second request requires approval that Naze can’t give, leading them to head to a larger Teiwaz ship. Meanwhile, both Akihiro and Mikazuki devote themselves to improving their combat skills while Atra and Kudelia play with Naze’s children. We are also given a deeper look into the bond that exists amongst the members of Tekkadan, as Naze confronts Orga about it and demands an answer. By the end of the episode, the Teiwaz ship that they are headed for is in sight, meaning that Tekkadan’s next ordeal is about to begin.

The previous episode wrapped up rather swiftly, with Tekkadan shown boarding the Hammerhead and Naze conceding defeat. This episode starts with an extended look at Tekkadan’s infiltration tactics and the methods by which they actually achieved victory. While not a crucial bit of information, the writers certainly deserve credit for fleshing out the details, especially because it helps to make the victory feel more believable. Beyond these opening scenes the episode is pretty much devoid of action, but it still carries itself well and remains interesting despite that, which is something that has sort of become a trademark for this show.

We get to see some subtle growth in our main characters this time around, with both Akihiro and Mikazuki seeming to be a bit humbled by their recent battles. At least, that is the conclusion that one could come to given the fact that they both realize their need for training, and by Mikazuki’s melancholic attitude during his post-battle meal. As the Gundam pilot for this series, Mikazuki is interesting in his own right, as he does not fall into either extreme that seems to be popular in the Gundam franchise—he is neither proud and cocky nor depressive and fatalistic. In fact, Mikazuki’s personality still feels a bit mysterious, though we at least see that he does regret causing problems for others to some extent.

Elsewhere, the dealings between Naze and Orga (and later Orga’s explanation of Tekkadan’s bond) serve as a great way to introduce Naze’s character without it feeling forced while also expanding upon Orga’s character. Although we had some sense of this beforehand, we can definitely say now that Orga was not simply some power-hungry youngster seeking his own fame and glory. His devotion to and care for his fellow members of Tekkadan prove that, although by his own admission he is still a bit childish in his approach, or at least that’s how he ends up presenting himself to Naze. Still, these little character flaws are what make for interesting characters, as we will hopefully get to see Orga, Mikazuki, and the others grow as the series progresses. Whether they grow past these flaws or learn to navigate around them will remain to be seen.

A Christian Perspective:

Matthew 19:5 – And he said, ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ (NLT)

I wanted to do something a bit different with this Christian Perspective and talk about marriage. As we find out in this episode, Naze has A LOT of wives. We’re not told how many, but we know that it’s enough to staff his entire ship, so he seems to have sown his oats quite a bit. Certainly we’ve all heard people make comments throughout our lives to suggest the “benefits” of multiple partners, such as the idea that having one woman for the rest of our lives is like having one flavor of ice cream forever while having multiple partners provides a “variety”. As we can see from Jesus’ description of marriage above, though, the God-ordained marriage is one man and one woman, period. It is easy to fall victim to the worldly mentality, especially when you don’t know the truth of God’s Word; I should know, as I speak from experience. Most of my life was spent in sexual immorality, and though I never had multiple sexual partners (thank God for that now), the thought was certainly appealing. It’s not until you see things from God’s perspective (read: the only correct perspective) that you begin to realize the beauty of marriage and having one man and one woman together forever. Without being too graphic or inappropriate, lets just say that when you have one person who knows you better than anyone else, the experience is simply amazing. It’s true that I can’t speak for the idea of having multiple partners, but as a married man I can speak for the idea of having one partner who knows me on an incredibly intimate level, and it is truly an amazing experience.

Content Guide:

Language: None

Alcohol/Drug Use: Characters drink alcohol in the episode preview

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: Women wear cleavage revealing tops

Violence: Ships fire at each other; Orga’s forces fire gas; Naze flicks Orga in the face

Blood/Gore: None

Review: Mobile Suit Gundam Iron Blooded Orphans, Episode 7: Whaling

http://www.crunchyroll.com/mobile-suit-gundam-iron-blooded-orphans/episode-7-whaling-687757

Review:

Tekkadan learns that their new nemesis is Maruba Arkay, the president of the now defunct CGS, who is demanding the return of his ship. To make matters worse, he has hired Teiwaz—the very organization with whom Tekkadan desires to do business—to work on his behalf. While Naze Turbine, a member of Teiwaz and captain of the ship Hammerhead, desires to assimilate Tekkadan rather than fighting them, Orga flat-out refuses and pitches his own need for Teiwaz’s assistance with the current mission. This request is, of course, declined, which leads to the two sides going hostile, with Mikazuki and Akihiro launching for Tekkadan while the Hammerhead launches its own crew of initially two—but eventually three—female pilots while the two battleships also engage in combat. The battle proves to be more challenging than either side had wagered, but Tekkadan’s strategy ultimately prevails, seemingly earning them the respect of Turbine while simultaneously sparing the lives of Akihiro and one of the Hammerhead pilots.

This episode continues to follow what appears to be an established pattern of alternating between calm episodes and action-oriented ones. While the previous episode was built around exploring some of the main (and side) characters, this one leaves little room for character development (other than the fact that Kudelia can’t put on a space suit by herself) in favor of brutal mobile suit combat. It is, of course, convenient story-telling that Tekkadan’s new opponent should be the very organization with whom they wish to do business (meaning that they don’t have to sniff out Teiwaz anymore, just convince them to actually provide assistance), but at the same time the writers do manage to bring this turn of events back around to previous actions, so at least the appearance of Teiwaz doesn’t come from out of the blue. It should have been expected that taking over CGS would have left at least some hostility, and that comes to fruition this time around.

Story aspects aside, the combat in this episode is truly intense and satisfying, although the way Mikazuki gets fairly well beaten down in the Barbatos does cause one to question what is supposed to be so special about the Gundam unit in this series. While a previous review has praised the fact that the Gundam doesn’t seem to be over-powered this time around—and while that point still stands—it also seems like there isn’t a whole lot to set it apart, when traditionally the Gundam unit(s) is/are specialized suit(s) that outshine all of the others. Granted, the Barbatos does survive a hit that was thought to be deadly this time around, so therein may lie the answer, but the struggle does leave one scratching his head as to why the Gundam should be feared this time around. On the other hand, there is a nod of respect to the realism shown—for all intents and purposes, Tekkadan is still new to this whole world, especially in regards to mobile suit piloting, while their adversaries thus far have been much more experienced. While it seems the Alaya-Vijnana system does give them an edge over foes without that equipment, it is possible that the inexperience of the Tekkadan soldiers means that the system just gives them a fighting chance instead of them simply being slaughtered by more seasoned enemies.

In any event, if you enjoy mobile suits beating the living tar out of each other and holding your breath to see how the protagonists will get themselves out of their current situation, then you will undoubtedly enjoy this episode. There is no easy victory to this battle, and the method by which the battle is decided is not easily predictable. Yet again the series also does a good job of raising as many questions as it answers (at least if you take some time to think), because it certainly isn’t clear where Tekkadan will get all of the resources it will need to repair the damage done in this battle. All-in-all, the series continues to progress nicely without feeling rushed, and it leaves enough to bring viewers back next time.

A Christian Perspective:

Proverbs 16:18 – Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Pretty much every combatant in this episode embodies this proverb. Mikazuki and Akihiro seemed to be overly confident in their own abilities while the Hammerhead pilots appeared to believe that they would have no problem wiping the floor with the young Tekkadan pilots. This shared cockiness turns disastrous for both sides, as the Hammerhead forces appear to have the upperhand at first, with Akihiro being pinned by the two initial pilots while Mikazuki ulatimely underestimates the third pilot that joins the fray. It doesn’t take long for Akihiro to show his true strength, though, which puts both of his opponents in danger (though Akihiro appears to come close to losing his life), and while Mikazuki initially underestimates his opponent, she seems to do the same to him, assuming that he must have been defeated, which allows Mikazuki to put her into a position that would have resulted in her death had the battle not been called off in the nick of time. The point is that both sides showed an unhealthy amount of pride in this battle, and as a result they both faced death during their skirmish.

The application to real life seems pretty simple here: many times we approach situations with too much pride or confidence in our own abilities, assuming that success or victory will come easy because we are “just that good”, only to find ourselves defeated or, possibly, in sin, because we didn’t rely on God or we took for granted the gifts He gave us and took credit for them ourselves. It is an easy trap to fall into, and we’ve probably all been there several times in our lives. Learning to rely on God can be a difficult thing, and learning to approach situations with humility can be even harder, especially when we are faced with something that we are quick to classify as “easy”, “simple”, or “a decisive victory”. Instead, we should approach situations with humility, acknowledging our own limits and the fact that we don’t know everything that we are getting into.

Content Guide:

Language: 4 “d*rn”, 1 “g*sh”

Alcohol/Drug Use: Two men are shown sitting in a bar with what are likely alcoholic drinks in front of him; Turbine smokes

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: A woman is shown polishing her nails in the episode’s beginning—her top shows a little cleavage, and there are some risque camera angles; a woman in a skimpy outfit is shown next to Turbine—the top of her buttcrack sticks out from her jeans, and her top exposes much of her belly and cleavage; two other women on Turbine’s ship are shown in cleavage-revealing bikini tops; Kudelia is shown in her bra and underwear as she tries to get a space suit on—her top shows cleavage; Atra’s bra is also briefly seen as she zips up her suit; Akihiro is shirtless inside his mobile suit

Violence: Turbine’s ship engages in combat with Tekkadan’s ship; typical Gundam violence—ships are hit with missles and gunfire, mobile suits fire at each other and engage in melee combat, etc.

Blood/Gore: None

Review: Young Black Jack, Episode 4: Vietnam Part 1

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/young-black-jack/episode-4-vietnam-part-1-686191

Review:

The episode opens on a war scene. Hazama is thrown by the force of an exploding vehicle, landing some distance away, only to see a soldier get shot in the throat a few moments later. As Hazama’s doctor instincts kick in, he quickly picks himself up, retrieves his bag, and rushes to the man’s aid. At this point, time is turned back to show us how Hazama got himself in this predicament. Apparently Yabu, inspired by Hazama’s achievements, had decided to go to Vietnam and offer his services as a doctor so that he could actually do something productive with his life. Upon hearing news of Yabu’s hospital being destroyed, Hazama takes off to Vietnam to search for his friend, where he meets a freelance photographer. After spending some time with said photographer, Hazama manages to hitch a ride with some U.S. Army soldiers heading to a base in the region where Yabu was last seen. On their way, they are attacked by Viet Cong troops, ultimately bringing the story back to the episode’s beginning. While Hazama ultimately manages to save the soldier, it causes him to be taken prisoner.

Well, it appears that the previous review’s theory that Hazama would end up in Vietnam as a result of his operation on the CIA agent was wrong. As has been the trend thus far, this episode stands apart from any on-going plot, although reference is made to previous episode, and Hazama’s ploy from the second episode does play a role in getting him to Vietnam. A bit of research shows that the original Black Jack manga seemed to also be based around self-contained stories, so it makes sense that “Young Black Jack” would follow the same pattern, though at the same time it clearly combines elements from previous stories, which sort of awards viewers who have been in it for the long haul.

One thing that should be said for this episode is that it does not shy away from the realities of the Vietnam War. While not as graphic or violent as it could be (since war and violence were not the primary focus of the show), there is still plenty of gunfire and blood to put you right in the horror of the Vietnam War, and if you are someone who is sensitive to scenes of war violence then this may not be a pleasant episode for you; otherwise, it is an intense episode that captures the tension of the greater situation while also bringing that same tension in to the more immediate concern: what happened to Yabu. One of the only criticisms that can be leveled at the episode comes in the form of U.S. Soldier Bob, who is initially presented as if he does not speak Japanese based on his short English phrases (spoken by a Japanese V.A., meaning it comes across a bit Engrishy) and need for a translator, only to be shown speaking in Japanese a few scenes later. It’s a minor detail, but still an inconsistency.

Outside of that, there aren’t really any complaints in regards to this episode. The writers have managed to create a situation where we truly care about the fate of the characters involved, and they have also broken the mold that the show has followed up until this point. While Hazama still performs a surgery, the surgery was not the focal point of the episode itself, and the story behind the episode did not neatly wrap up by the end. While Hazama’s survival is not a question (there wouldn’t be a “Black Jack” series if Hazama died in Young Black Jack, after all), it will still be interesting to see how he and his companions will gain their freedom.

A Christian Perspective:

Hebrews 10:24 – And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,

As the episode explores the events that ultimately brought Hazama to Vietnam, it reaches a point where it shows Yabu expressing his desire to put his skills to use and not to simply be a doctor who faints at the sight of blood. He expresses that watching Hazama work to help others was his source of inspiration, and that is ultimately what inspired him to go to Vietnam. While Hazama may not have been intending to lead Yabu in that direction, his life and actions set an example that his older friend simply could not ignore. In the same way, the author of Hebrews tells us that we should spur one another on toward love and good deeds. The major difference is that the author seems to be saying that we should do this intentionally—we should “consider” how we may do this. That’s not to say that we may not spur others on unintentionally; after all, a brother or sister in Christ (or a co-worker, family member, friend, etc) could see us doing our best at whatever task we are working on and be inspired by our example to also do their best, but we shouldn’t simply hope that someone will follow our lead. Instead, we should seek to identify the ways in which we can actually spur others on.

Another thing that stuck out to me in this episode was how Hazama worked with a single-minded focus to help the soldier on the battlefield to the point of not being bothered by the bullets flying by or his doctor bag being destroyed. He doesn’t even realize that he is being taken prisoner until a gun is shoved in his face to snap him back to the world around him. This focus reminded me of the single-minded focus we as believers are called to have in our service and commitment to Christ. True, we may often fall short of this, but we are still called to be focused on Him entirely even when life throws temptations, threats, dangers, heartaches, grief, and anything else at us. It is easy—oh so easy—to lose our focus when the bullets of life come flying at us, and in doing so we lose our peace, our focus, and our goal. If Hazama had lost his focus due to the bullets, a soldier would have died. If we lose our focus, then we put ourselves at risk of falling away from the purpose for which we were created and potentially falling out of our communion with Jesus. In either case, the stakes are high, and we should consider the importance of maintaining our focus even in the most difficult of circumstances.

Content Guide:

Language: 2 “sh*t”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: None

Violence: A tank is hit with a shell and explodes; men fire guns; a soldier is shot; two people are executed off screen; a soldier hits a man with the butt of his rifle; fighting breaks out between the American and Viet Cong troops complete with gunfire, rocket launchers, and explosions; men are shot

Blood/Gore: A man is shot and blood sprays out; a man has blood coming from the corner of his mouth; Hazama operates on a man, resulting in bloody hands and lots of bloody gauze

Review: Young Black Jack, Episode 3: Deserters

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/young-black-jack/episode-3-deserters-686189

Review:

On an unspecified evening, Hazama is preparing his dinner while Okamoto pokes around his apartment, seeking to discover the secret to Hazama’s surgical prowess. While she only discovers some fish that he has practiced on and some pigs’ feet, both of them stumble into an unexpected situation when they hear a loud noise from another apartment. Upon investigating, they find to defectors from the U.S. Army being harbored in another apartment. One of the men is suffering from severe head pain, which is the source of the yelling. The man and woman harboring the soldiers try to pressure Hazama into investigating the source of the man’s headache, but he adamantly refuses and storms out, only to be confronted by his own morals, which ultimately lead him to look into the source of the soldier’s headache. There is pressure on the man’s brain that requires a piece of his skull to be removed, and though Hazama (again) protests against doing the procedure, he ultimately gives in and does the surgery. Afterward, it is discovered that the man was actually working undercover for the American government, and that Hazama’s involvement is known. After being briefly detained, Hazama is released and his medical bag returned.

Determining the continuity of Young Black Jack is difficult. We know that this is definitely after the events of the previous episodes, as references are made to both surgeries, but how much time has passed and what the nature of Hazama and Okamoto’s relationship is are a couple topics that are not expounded upon. There does seem to be some type of plot continuity as well, since the couple harboring the fugitives knew of Hazama’s fame, and on top of that the next episode appears to have Hazama in Vietnam, which could likely be the result of him being identified as the one who performed the surgery in this episode. All of this is to say that, while the episodes themselves are entertaining and well-written, it would be nice to have a slightly better idea of how they all tie together into the general plot.

The episode also manages to raise some questions about Hazama’s character: namely, why did he suddenly have such an aversion to doing this surgery? The immediate thought would be that it’s because the surgery is being forced upon him; however, the previous episode’s surgery was technically forced upon him by the cult, as well, although in that situation Hazama technically had something to gain (the preservation of his life, as well as his desire to perform a heart surgery). Whatever the case may be, we see something deeper ultimately come into play this time around: namely, Hazama’s conscience. This provides a look into why Hazama is the way he is, and may have an impact on his ultimate transformation into Black Jack.

Ultimately, the episode follows the same general guidelines as the previous two: Hazama is presented with a medical emergency, Hazama performs the surgery, and we see what happens post-surgery. Much like the first episode, Hazama ends up getting the short end of the stick when everything is said and done, but where this leads him (apparently Vietnam, if the events of this episode have any connection to that) could prove interesting for his character development. Also interesting will be seeing where the relationship between Hazama and Okamoto goes, if anywhere.

A Christian Perspective:

*Review Romans 14*

If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, you’ve probably come across the Romans 14 principle of acting within the confines of your conscience. The chapter speaks about there being things that aren’t inherently sinful by themselves, but if a person feels they are sinful then to that person those things are sin and the individual should avoid them. While this episode of Young Black Jack does not speak about sin, it does show Hazama being faced with a situation that he does not want to be involved with, yet his conscience eventually kicks in, reminding him of his conviction to save lives. Although he doesn’t like the idea of being coerced into performing a surgery (whether as a result of pride or something else), he recognizes that to not help the patient would be a violation of his own personal moral code, and ultimately performs the surgery.

In the same sense, we as Christians should be prepared to do (or not do) things in accordance with our own consciences, even if they are things we do/don’t want to do. For example, a friend may be perfectly fine with watching an anime that depicts blood and violence, while you may feel uncomfortable and convicted by the same anime. The fact that your friend is okay with the anime should not cause you to justify violating your conscience by watching it.

Content Guide:

Language: 2 “j**z”, 1”hell”, 1 “*ss”, 1 “sh*t”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: None

Violence: Hazama punches a woman and grabs her face; scenes of war in the episode preview

Blood/Gore: The inside of a man’s skin is shown as it is peeled back from his skull; a chunk of a man’s skull is shown being removed; blood is shown several times in the episode preview

Review: Mobile Suit Gundam Iron Blooded Orphans, Episode 6: As For Them

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/mobile-suit-gundam-iron-blooded-orphans/episode-6-as-for-them-687755

Review:

In the aftermath of their first encounter in space, Tekkadan plans their next move to acquire a new guide to Earth. They ultimately decide to approach a mafia-esque group based out of Jupiter, and alter their course accordingly. In the meantime, they discover that Fumitan has some experience and skill with communications when she manages to patch the ship through to the base on Mars, and Kudelia begins teaching Mikazuki and some of the other boys how to read and write (with Atra’s help). Orga also reflects on why he continues to work as hard as he does. Elsewhere, on a Gjallarhorn ship, Ein asks one of the inspectors to allow him to continue in their service to redeem himself for his previous failures.

As usual, an action-oriented episode is followed up by a more mellow, relaxing episode where the tension is more focused on the establishment of new plans for the organization. Even there, we have little idea of what the characters are getting themselves into, because not much seems to be known about the new organization that they are seeking to work with. It leaves an air of mystery which we get to sail into with the characters. Perhaps the more interesting aspect of the episode is the journey into why most of the characters are illiterate, and their ultimate interest in overcoming that shortcoming. Kudelia’s care for their development is also touching, and helps to further establish her character.

For the most part, this is simply a relaxing episode that provides a little more character background and development for some of the main cast while also establishing a direction for the next arc of the series. Where the story will go and how it will unfold should prove to be entertaining, and where the end of the episode will ultimately lead (and who the man claiming to own Tekkadan’s ship is) will have to wait to be seen.

A Christian Perspective:

1 John 3:18 – Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Kudelia emulates this idea very well in this episode. While we can certainly make a good case that she was already loving with actions by putting her life on the line to go to Earth and fight for the freedom of Mars, she shows an even deeper love in this episode when she takes a deeper interest in the individual lives of the young boys who are fighting to protect her. Her original goal could be argued to have political purposes, but her willingness to teach Mikazuki and the other boys how to read and write takes her care to a personal level as she seeks to enrich and improve the lives of individuals. In the same way we, as Christians, shouldn’t just say that we love God or others, but should rather show it by our actions and our lives.

Content Guide:

Language: 1 “g**z”

Alcohol/Drug Use: A man is shown smoking a cigar

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: The intro features a woman in a cleavage-revealing top; a man is shown with his jacket unbuttoned; Akihiro is shown exercising shirtless

Violence: Eugene destroys an anchor; a ship collides with another

Blood/Gore: A still frame shows men being executed, with some blood on the ground