Per wiki policy, Spoilers Off applies here and all spoilers are unmarked. You Have Been Warned.
Many, MANY stories are very heartbreaking.
- Black Jack’s backstory is incredibly tragic: he and his mother were caught in a land mine explosion, both survived but his mother was made a vegetable and Black Jack had to endure a long and painful rehabilitation in order to get his limbs moving again. His father abandoned him so he had no one to turn to, essentially having to grow up alone. When he became an adult, he lived most of his years alone. And then Dr. Honma, the kindly doctor who healed Black Jack and who became the father Black Jack never had, dies before Black Jack’s eyes as he tries to heal him. To say poor Black Jack has been put through the wringer is an understatement, though thankfully taking in Pinoko would be the start of his life becoming brighter.
- The storyline where we meet Black Jack's half-sister, who may be a Rich Bitch, but turned out to have a set of morals to be infuriated with her mother ordering a hit on the half-brother. When she rushes to save him from an assassin, she's fatally shot. When asked if he knew the woman, Black Jack claims to not know her, implying that he rejects being a part of her family. But the illustration also depicts him as so quietly devastated, implying that he does wish he knew her.
- The story of violinist Morozov; he had lost his violin to a blizzard and in desperation he looked for it, nearing freezing to death and utterly killing his fingers. Despite Black Jack's efforts, Morozov loses his fingers, meaning his long musical career has been brought to a sudden end. This is alleviated a bit by Morozov taking his loss in stride, admitting he did something reckless and must now pay for it. He is also still able to pass on his love of music by becoming a tutor.
- The whole deal with Nadare the intelligent deer. Nadare is made intelligent enough to be able to feel emotions exclusive to humans like true love… But this also includes feelings like envy and hatred. When Nadare finds out his master is getting married, the deer enters a murderous rage and attacks the bride-to-be. His master is then forced to shoot and kill Nadare, the deer he had raised like a son.
- The case where a cute cashier with her eyes damaged by a bomb can only be operated on to see again for five minutes so she can identify the man who detonated the bomb AND blinded her in the first place. The woman is able to identify the criminal and is happy to have helped, but she is also clearly devastated when her sight slowly goes away again.
- There is the story with another teratoid cystoma like Pinoko. When you see him, you can't help but want him to also be saved like Pinoko, but then he was put in a jar to be an exhibit. That can make any fans weep.
- The story where Pinoko's sister showed up at Black Jack's house and stayed there because of her amnesia. Seeing her and Pinoko getting along so well, you would want her to just stay there. But then, being Pinoko's sister, after remembering everything, she would just leave on her own, and not before scowling at Pinoko's face. So Black Jack decided to call her personal doctor to get her, and didn't reveal anything. It was indeed both ironic and sad.
- In the animated film, The Two Doctors of Darkness, while Black Jack is put to sleep by Kiriko, he sees visions of the people that he recently met, such as the family from the beginning of the film, and the man who helps creates Black Jack's sharp scalpels. What makes it heartbreaking is the scene where Black Jack revisits the memory of his mother dying, only this time, he's an adult.Black Jack: Mom!Mio: Kuroo...I've missed you so much.Black Jack: We can stay together now. Let's settle down and be a family again.
- Pinoko trying to go to college and having to drop out because her body can’t handle the stress and then being unable to fit in at an elementary school can really hit a soft sport for folk who have been in either situation. Even Black Jack is affected, with the story ending with him hanging his head in shame over being unable to help Pinoko reach her goals of getting an education.
