Excellent Medical Drama About Integrity and Values
8 / 10Sakebitosan · 2017
[Available on Crunchyroll under the somewhat cheesy title "Doctors' Affairs."]
It's been a long, long time since I last saw a more potent homage to the brilliant, life-saving competence of medical professionals. This one has a minor soap-opera-ish feel to it - some contrivance in the various characters' circumstances and in implausible parallels between them - but along with the sappy romance there is a **lot** of realistic O.R. action, and a stunning focus on professional competency throughout. The theme, which plays as kind of a minor key throughout the series, is about the conflict of career vs. romance and the role of integrity in both - with a stunning exposition of their central role in life, and a nice resolution.
The hero, Morita-sensei, not only lives and breathes professinoal integrity, he inspires the people around him - even one doctor who had allowed himself to slide into incompetence - to lift themselves to a greater level of excellence, against constant pressure to cut corners.
The villain is a stock "CEO who cares more about profits than patients," but on balance a minor negative. Even he harbors a mitigating secret - though his sudden transformation is a little implausible.
Bottom line: An uplifting and inspiring look inside the lives of medical professionals. The central romance is not only about mutual admiration of talent and integrity, it's **explicitly stated** as such. That is as rare as it is awe-inspiring.
Just an excellent, inspiring show and time well spent.