Ray the Animation is a science fiction

Science fiction

Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...

 anime

Anime

is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....

 television series based on a manga by Yoshitomi Akihito. It ran from April 6, 2006 through June 29, 2006.

Plot

The story takes place in the near future, and describes a young girl living in an institution that raised children in order to sell their organs on the black organ transplant

Organ transplant

Organ transplantation is the moving of an organ from one body to another or from a donor site on the patient's own body, for the purpose of replacing the recipient's damaged or absent organ. The emerging field of regenerative medicine is allowing scientists and engineers to create organs to be...

 market. Because the identifying numbers on her back equal zero when subtracted (075 - 1 - 74), the girl had christened herself "Ray" since Rei is the Japanese word for zero. After losing her original eyes she was rescued and outfitted with a pair of new X-Ray

X-ray

X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...

 eyes by the underground doctor Black Jack

Black Jack (character)

is a fictional character created by Osamu Tezuka, introduced in Weekly Shōnen Champion on November 19, 1973.-Character:Black Jack is a medical mercenary, selling his skills to the highest bidder. He is a shadowy figure, with a black cape, eerie black-and-white hair, and stitched-up scars worming...

 and was adopted by a surgeon named Dr. Kasugano. Upon receiving her sight back Ray was told that her life was now hers to live as she wished.

Ten years later Ray has taken up her mother's profession and become a well known and respected surgeon

Surgeon

In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...

 because of her unique abilities and sharp skill. After beginning work at a less-than-typical hospital, Ray is faced with bizarre cases that require her specials skills; ranging from a dangerous pathogen

Pathogen

A pathogen gignomai "I give birth to") or infectious agent — colloquially, a germ — is a microbe or microorganism such as a virus, bacterium, prion, or fungus that causes disease in its animal or plant host...

 that requires her to perform surgery underwater to a girl seemingly possessed by a malignant entity. In the second half of the series she begins to uncover details about the organization that removed her eyes and the whereabouts of the other children she was raised with, and the storyline takes up bioethical issues such as organ donation

Organ donation

Organ donation is the donation of biological tissue or an organ of the human body, from a living or dead person to a living recipient in need of a transplantation. Transplantable organs and tissues are removed in a surgical procedure following a determination, based on the donor's medical and...

, human cloning

Human cloning

Human cloning is the creation of a genetically identical copy of a human. It does not usually refer to monozygotic multiple births nor the reproduction of human cells or tissue. The ethics of cloning is an extremely controversial issue...

 and even reincarnation

Reincarnation

Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...

.

Like its counterpart Black Jack 21, the show favors science-fiction elements in place of realism, with cases often resembling actual medical conditions but with fantastical elements added to heighten drama.

Cultural references

• Because of copyright reasons, Black Jack
  Black Jack (character)
  is a fictional character created by Osamu Tezuka, introduced in Weekly Shōnen Champion on November 19, 1973.-Character:Black Jack is a medical mercenary, selling his skills to the highest bidder. He is a shadowy figure, with a black cape, eerie black-and-white hair, and stitched-up scars worming...
  
   was only alluded to as BJ and never seen fully in the original manga, but because the anime was produced by Osamu Tezuka
  Osamu Tezuka
  was a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, animator, producer, activist and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Black Jack...
  
  's own studio he is able to appear fully in the anime (though still somewhat obscured) and be referred to by his original name. Interestingly, in Black Jack 21, the sequel to the Black Jack anime, Black Jack was referred to as "BJ" by the assassins hell bent on killing him.
• At the end of episode 12 and throughout episode 13 the bandage over Ray's damaged eye may be a visual reference to another famous anime character with the same name; being Rei Ayanami
  Rei Ayanami
  is a fictional character from the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise, a Japanese anime from Gainax. She is the First Child and pilot of the Evangelion Unit 00....
  
   of Neon Genesis Evangelion
  Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise
  The franchise is an umbrella of Japanese media properties generally owned by the anime studio Gainax. It has grossed over 150 billion yen since 1995. The central works of the franchise feature an apocalyptic mecha action story which revolves around the efforts by the paramilitary organization...
  
  , who appears several times with a bandage over her right eye. The two characters also share the same red-colored eyes and distant personalities, as well as some elements of their unique origins.

Crew

Director - Naohito Takahashi (高橋 ナオヒト)

Series Composition - Atsuhiro Tomioka (富岡 淳広)

Script - Shuichi Kamiyama, Atsuhiro Tomioka, Yuuji Hosono

Music - GodSpeed, Masami Okui

Masami Okui

is a Rock/Pop/Anison singer who was born in Itami, Hyōgo, Japan. She began her professional musical career at age 21 as a concert backup singer.From almost the very beginning of her career, Masami has sung themes for anime TV and movies...

 (奥井 雅美)

Character Design - Hisashi Kagawa (香川 久)

Art Director - Osamu Imai (今井 修)

Art Supervision - Shichiro Kobayashi (小林 七郎)

Sound Director - Keiichiro Miyoshi (三好 慶一郎)

Cast

Ray - Sakura Nogawa

Sakura Nogawa

' is a voice actress born in Toyohashi, Aichi on March 1, 1978. Her height is 153 cm and her weight is 54 kg.-Notable voice roles:*Ryunmei Ranka in Arad Senki: Slap Up Party*Tsubasa in Angel Tales*Misha Arsellec Lune in Ar tonelico...

 (野川 さくら)

Shinoyama - Hiroki Takahashi

Hiroki Takahashi

is a Japanese voice actor best known for the role of Eiji Kikumaru in The Prince of Tennis, Kenji Harima in School Rumble and Katsuya Jonouchi in Yu-Gi-Oh. He works at Big Shot/Interchannel. He also has voice acted in some yaoi Drama CD's such as Love Neco, and Koi cha no Osahou...

 (高橋 広樹)

Red Ribbon - Ui Miyazaki

Ui Miyazaki

is a female Japanese voice actor and singer from Tokyo, Japan.-Anime cast in:*Ar tonelico as Aurica Nestmile*Chaos;Head as Nanami Nishijō*D.C.S.S...

 (宮崎 羽衣)

Director Sawa - Yuusaku Yara (屋良 有作)

Misato - Youko Honna (本名 陽子)

Mami - Satomi Arai

Satomi Arai

is a Japanese voice actress from Saitama Prefecture affiliated with Yūrin Pro.-Television Animation:2003*Digimon Frontier *Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch 2004*Fafner in the Azure...

 (新井 里美)

Rie - Hitomi Nabatame

Hitomi Nabatame

is a Japanese voice actress. She is affiliated with Ken Production. When voicing adult games, she is known as , , , or . She also sings opening themes for Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu under the name Miran Himemiya and Chocolate Rockers.-Anime:...

 (生天目 仁美)

Rumi - Shiho Kawaragi

Shiho Kawaragi

, is a Japanese voice actor who works for Kenyu-Office.-Notable voice roles:Note: Main character role in bold letters.*Aisling in The Secret of Kells*Aki Aoi in Aki Sora*Barou Esharotto in Law of Ueki...

 (河原木 志穂)

H Ring Man - Jin Yamanoi

Jin Yamanoi

is a Japanese voice actor.-Anime:* Legend of the Galactic Heroes , Hauf * Slam Dunk , Mikoshiba* Dirty Pair Flash , Transvestite * Romeo and the Black Brothers , Lanbert...

 (山野井 仁)

One - Tomoe Ōmi - (近江 知永)

Koichi - Daisuke Namikawa

Daisuke Namikawa

is a Japanese voice actor who is affiliated with Across Entertainment.He started acting in 1984. He is sometimes mistaken for fellow voice actor Daisuke Hirakawa, as their names only differ by one character when written in kanji. Despite his wide range of voice casting, he is usually cast as young,...

 (浪川 大輔)

Sumire - Yui Horie

Yui Horie

is a popular Japanese singer and voice actress. She is sometimes affectionately nicknamed by her Japanese fans.She hosts a radio show called and is the founding member of the singing group, Aice5. She is also a member of the band Kurobara Hozonkai, with the name YUIEL...

 (堀江 由衣)

Black Jack - Akio Ōtsuka  (大塚 明夫)

Opening and Ending Themes

Opening: zero-G- by Masami Okui

Masami Okui

is a Rock/Pop/Anison singer who was born in Itami, Hyōgo, Japan. She began her professional musical career at age 21 as a concert backup singer.From almost the very beginning of her career, Masami has sung themes for anime TV and movies...

Ending: Yuunagi by Tomoe Ōmi