Doctor-X 2 Review

Title: Doctor-X 2

AKA: Doctor-X Season 2

Genre: Medical

Episodes: 9

Broadcast period: 2013-Oct to 2013-Dec

Cast: Yonekura Ryoko, Fujiki Naohito, Uchida Yuki and Endo Kenichi.

“This is the story of a lone wolf woman doctor.  University hospitals' medical offices were losing power, and even medical care which engages in life plunged into an era where the law of jungle prevailed. To fill the critical shortage in the medical field, freelance - that is, lone wolf - doctors emerged.  For example, this woman. Averse to groups, averse to authority, averse to constraints, a medical specialist's license and her self-honed skill are her only weapons. Surgeon Daimon Michiko. Also known as Doctor X.” (Intro of the drama)

After leaving her last hospital freelancer Daimon Michiko (Yonekura Ryoko) is out of work. This all changes when she saves a horse owned by a wealthy physician Mabuchi Ichida (Mita Yoshiko) by performing surgery. Mabuchi decides to hire Daimon in order to perform surgery on a VIP patient with a condition, if left unfixed will leave the patient paralyzed.

When Daimon arrives at the hospital, she is met with the rules and system that makes doctors greedy and arrogant. So she announces that she will not do anything that hasn’t to do with a medical license, including listening to the chief. This does not lie well with the head of surgery, who wants to throw her out of the hospital and keep his position as the head…

This drama continues with Daimon Michiko from season one, and to be honest it did not change much. It is quite simply one of those dramas where you have a great doctor fight the corrupt and mean system. Even though premise is good, the general storyline kind of sucks. I don’t really like these types of characters, they are just not my type. The fact that they don’t have any flaws annoys me the most, and makes the characters unrealistic hence unlikeable. As the storyline goes, we have heard it before and it is kind of the same as season 1. The main actress is okay, and so is the rest, but I just watched it because of the medical part – and that wasn’t all that good. It’s not bad, it’s just so repetitive, so I don’t know why they did a season 2.

If you really enjoyed season 1 I would recommend season 2, but else not really.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hears

Doctor-X Review

Title: Doctor-X

Genre: Medical

Episodes: 8

Broadcast period: 2012-Oct to 2012-Dec

Cast: Yonekura Ryoko, Tanaka Kei, Uchida Yuki and Katsumura Masanobu.

Japan’s hospitals have lost their values as they are dealt with as business: patients are customers, VIP patients are more important (as they pay more), and patients are always right – even if the doctor has to lie about the condition they're in. As a result many doctors have quit their jobs, in pursuit of positions that will give them not only money but also comfort. This leads to a new set type of doctors: freelancers. They work specific hours and only work part time. One of these freelancers is Daimon Michiko (Yonekura Ryoko), who doesn’t do any of the ‘business’ driven things these hospitals are doing, such as dinner parties, helping professors with their research papers and director rounds. She only does the things that require a medical license, which also includes her not having any respect for hierarchy. But due to her amazing surgical abilities she is hired, and slowly the hospital system is crumbling…

Hmm, I like medical dramas, especially Japanese ones, but this is just weird. First of all I get the problematic of the entire ‘business’ aspect and the ridiculous ‘better keep the customers happy so we won’t get sued’, but I have no idea what her point of being there has to do anything with this. Yeah she makes everyone angry, and she defies everyone. She also is amazing at her job, and she is the best blah blah blah.. Reminds me why I didn’t like Code Blue. It’s not bad, just not that good (I’m using that sentence a lot I know).  The main actress didn’t really grow, and the general hospital staff (all other actors) were just like a group of fighting bulls – if you get the idea. And it is good acted, just without really being an interesting storyline. Or to say it simply, I didn’t find it interesting. The medical part was very weak to be honest, but that might just be me.

All in all: okay to watch, but not that interesting.

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Iryu 2 Review

Title: Iryu 2

AKA: Dragon Medical Team 2 / Dragon Team 2

Genre: Medical

Episodes: 11

Broadcast period: 2007-Oct to 2007-Dec

Cast: Sakaguchi Kenji, Uchida Yuki, Mizukawa Asami and Koike Teppei.

After Dr. Asada (Sakguchi Kenji) had left Japan, Meishii University Hospital has come to a downfall where the new professors don’t even have practical knowledge making life hard for the interns. Tying to sustain his honor as a doctor Ijyuuin Noboru (Koike Teppei) has a hard time respecting the professors, and with Dr. Fujiyoshi (Sasaki Kuranosuke) transferred to Fukuoka, his allies have decreased. When every prior member of the dragon team gets a letter telling the dragon team to assemble, all members return to Meishii. Dr. Asada returns to just in time to save Kataoka Kazumi (Uchida Yuki) a hit-and-run patient, and joins the team. To their surprise no one seems to know who sent the letter, but as they find out, the team is split and Ijyuuin, Asada and Fujiyoshi are labeled as bad and shipped to a sister hospital that is sure to be failed with only outcasts. Now begins the fight to save the reputation of the newly built dragon team…

Hmm, compared to season 1 this is better, though a bit more focused on the business part of the medicine. I think it is because of the new character which makes the drama fresher, but still changes the overall feel. I have a thing for Arase (the blonde dude) and I have no idea why. I seriously get more excited seeing him appear than the main lead, even though he isn’t that much on. The cast is great and the storyline is also better - which is hard and rare for a serial which has a good first season. The amazing part is that I felt tired after finishing this drama, not because it was hard, stuffy or annoying, but because I was so focused, it felt like I was having lectures on heart surgery. Lol, but besides that it really is interesting - even though the clichés and repeats are a bit annoying you still are able to like them… and expect them.

All in all, good watch!

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Dare Yori Mo Mama Wo Aisu Review

Title: Dare Yori mo Mama wo Aisu
AKA: I Love Mama More Than Anyone
Genre: Family, romance, comedy
Episodes: 11
Broadcast period: 2006-Jul to 2006-Sep
Theme song: Wakusei Timer by Fukumimi
Cast: Tamura Masakazu, Uchida Yuki, Tamayama Tetsuji, Nagashima Mitsuki and Ito Ran

This story revolves around a family that is a bit different than the average Japanese family; “Boku“ Kamon Kaoru (Nagashima Mitsuki) is our story teller, he tells us about his family, and how people around him tell him that his parents are weird and siblings unusual. “Papa” Kamon Kazoo (Tamura Masukaza) is the father, he works at home as at-home-dad. “Mama” Kamon Chiyo (Ito Ran) is the mother, she works as a lawyer and is rarely home. “Oneesan” Kamon Yuki (Uchida Yuki) is the oldest sister, she is unable to keep a job, dreams of getting married to a rich man, and is pretty violent by nature. “Oniisan” Kamon Akira, is a hairdresser unable to say no to girls, but is also unable to be mean to anyone.
It follows their everyday life and how this particular family handles them…

This is a sweet and heartfelt story about a family that is different from everyone else; The girlish big brother, the violent big sister, workaholic of a mother and loving at home dada, make it a sweet watch. Even though there isn’t much happening it’s heart-warming, even makes you jealous time to time, of how good this family is.
To be honest I started this drama because of Tamayama Tetsuji, after watching him in Sunao ni Narenakute, wanted to see him in a different drama with different character, but it looks like he only does these kinds of dramas…
I don’t want to spoil anything, if you feel like watching, but I can’t say it’s COMEPLETELY recommendable. It really is not that action packed, and the family is not that different than the usual Danish families in Denmark… Just saying…

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3,5 out of 5 hearts