Black Jack, the classic manga series by the legendary Osamu Tezuka; described as the God of Manga, is having an entirely new chapter produced entirely through AI to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the original manga. The newBlack Jackseries, co-produced by Tezuka Productions and will have the involvement of Macoto Tezka, the son of the original series' author.
AI has been having quite a moment in the anime and manga industry over the past few months with various small projects being created in an attempt to showcase some of the possibilities ofthe use of AI technologylike ChatGPT. The upcoming AI-producedBlack Jackmanga is set for release in Akita Shoten’s Weekly Shōnen Champion magazine this fall, and features as part of the TEZUKA2023 project.
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Black Jackby Osamu Tezuka follows the titular character who is a mysterious unlicensed medical doctor who travels around the world curing rare ailments and selling his expertise to the highest bidder. With incredible surgical ability and immense medical know-how, Black Jack cures people of varying circumstances.
The conception of the character was in lieu with the 40th anniversary of Tezuka’s manga career. The original manga ran for 25 volumes from November 1973 to October 1984. BehindAstro Boy, Black Jack is Osamu Tezuka’s second-most notable work and the character is seen by some as Tezuka’s alter ego; the author’s exploration of his medical background, havingbeen a licensed physician. The series has spawned various adaptations, including several animated series and OVAs, as well as live-action films.
The AI that will be producing the 2023 version ofBlack Jackis based on ChatGPT-4 and features technology developed by NEDO, the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization based in Japan, in collaboration with Keio University’s Faculty of Science and Technology Professor Satoshi Kurihara.
This upcomingBlack Jackproject follows the TEZUKA2020 project, which saw the production ofPaidon, a manga series borne from the attempts of AI to learn Osamu Tezuka’s style.Black Jack2023 is set for release this fall, only a few months after the release of Japan’s first fully AI-produced manga,Cyberpunk: Peach John, which was released in March and made up entirely of imagery created through AI tools like Midjourney and Stable Diffusion. The emergence of AI in the industry has understandablyincited a flurry of criticismfrom fans and artists alike, while many understand it as a tool that ought to be embraced rather than thwarted.
