S. Yue Michaelis

Asagao (Juri Ueno) continues her work as a forensic scientist at a university forensic medicine class in Kanagawa Prefecture. Her father Taira (Saburo Tokito) and her husband Shinya (Shunsuke Kazama) are busy with their work as detectives. Her daughter Tsugumi (Yuzuna Kato) insists on having a younger sibling. Asagao spends ordinary days with her family, but, due to a reason, Asagao visits the Tohoku Region alone to find her mother’s dead body. (asianwiki-2020)


Can't believe we had the pleasure to watch TWENTY episodes of this drama. It didn't feel long at all, in fact, it can have easily stretch for more if possible. But with how things ended, I doubt we will have a 3rd season at all :(

I think Asagao is one of the strongest female character I've seen so far. And I am not talking about strong personality or being a tough woman. No, she has to go through so many hard things and she is never complaining nor taking pity of herself. First of all, the disappearance of her mother in the 2011 tsunami. I cried every time she and her family through any memory with the mother, before and after the tsunami. I can't even imagine the pain of the people who had to go through this in real life, breaks my heart. Ueno Juri was sooo good playing her, although I do miss her old haircolor ^_^

Second, her father suffering from early Alzheimer. Not only she lost her dear mama in a horrific way, but to start losing your father.... breaks my heart again. I kept imagining my own father losing his memories and it is just too heartbreaking. And she was so close to him :( in a quiet way.

Then, her old grandpa. Who just wanted to know what happened of his daughter's body :( to think he cried to piteously asking Asagao to find out the truth about the tooth :(

Her own family... little Tsugumi disappearing in one episode (the only episode where Asagao truly cried) and the false accusation against her husband... which I admit, wasn't my favorite episode (or episodes.. there were TWO!). TBH, this arc + Chako-sensei leaving out of nowhere + a couple of cases are the reason I don't rate this a 10. I honestly don't understand why Chako-sensei left Asagao when Asagao needed her the most. It was so ??? And Kuwahara-kun acting so suspicious at first, just to mislead, like he was having an affair... hmmmm

But generally speaking, most cases were interesting and very human, the kind I like to watch. The script was good, the chemistry between all the cast felt natural (I am specially impressed by cute Tsugumi, she felt so at ease with her family! and she was well-spoken, unlike many child-actors who love to scream).

I may have cried 90% of the episodes... it was really sad (her story with her family). It is a beautiful and very underrated drama, I loved it and I will miss it. The ED song makes me cry like a baby too :(

Minato Shindo (Kento Yamazaki) has savant syndrome. His memory is amazing, but he has difficulty communicating with other people.

When Minato Shindo was little, he dreamed of becoming a doctor. He met Doctor Akira Shiga and he wanted to become a paediatric surgeon. Akira Shiga was surprised by the 7-year-old's memory of the human organs and he decided to support Minato Shindo in achieving his dream. Eventually, Minato Shindo graduated from medical school and passed the national exam for medical practitioners.

Now, Akira Shiga works as a director at a large hospital. He suggests to Minato Shindo to work in the pediatric surgery department at the hospital where he works. (asiawiki-2018)

If it wasn't because a regular subber started working on this sub, I wouldn't have picked it. Boy, am I glad I watched this! One of my favorite dramas of this season. It was sweet, with a wonderful cast, soothing OST, and amazing script. Like Kounodori S.1. Medical dramas in the pediatrician department is usually more moving, and it always depend on the scriptwriter to not make it corny, and it worked with GD.

I have to apologize to Yamazaki Kento, since when I've read he was going to be the lead, I wasn't interested. He is OK, but that's all for me. But he was amazing as Minato-sensei, since the very first episode. Portrayed wonderfully a sweet guy with Autism and Savant Syndrome (I've read that he did a research over the subject, so he was well prepared). I have not seen Freddie Highmore's version so I can't compare.

Of course, to me the MVP was Ueno Juri, such an amazing actress. Very natural, and looked very comfortable working with YamaKen.

I think I shed tears in every episode. I loved each one of them. Every episode was heartwarming, emotional and to the point.

Sakura Konotori (Gou Ayano) is a gynecologist and also a pianist known as "Baby." He is the leader of a ob-gyn team and respected by his peers.

One day, he begins to play the piano at a club in Tokyo. 10 minutes later, he stops playing and takes a call from the hospital on whether to accept a pregnant woman. He rushes to the hospital. The pregnant woman has never had an examination and the hospital isn't even sure how many months she has been pregnant. Sakura decides to accept the pregnant woman even though there is high risk. He asks the Neonatology team for help. Takayuki Imahashi (Nao Omori) is the leader of the Neonatology team and he prepares for the woman to give birth. (asiawiki-2015)


OMG I adored the manga. I cried, I laughed, I was constantly moved by the stories. So I knew that I was going to like the dorama; it was impossible that they made a crappy adaptation. Still, I did not expect to loved it!

Story: 10/10

This is a very realistic manga/live action, about obstetricians and midwives and mothers and new-born babies. About the miracle of life and the sadness of death and being an orphan. It is an episodic drama, where we meet mothers-to-be in every episode. Some of them have their HEA with their babies, some of them doesn't, which was very sad. So sad to make the audience cry. All episodes were excellent, but there is one that was special, and that is Episode 5. I cried like a baby. Not only it is about a teenager mom who decides to give her baby in adoption, but it is also about Kounodori-sensei and his story, how he was separate from his first mama in the orphanage. My, the little boy being taken away while shouting his mama's name... just remembering about it makes me cry. Kounodori-sensei tells to a mother in an episode that life as an orphan has it ups and downs, and that episode made me see the downs... poor boys, all alone in the world, having a caretaker for all of them (when all they need is the love of a mother) and then being separated to go to another orphanage again. At least Dr. Kounodori did have 2 wonderful mamas, but still, his past was truly moving. And then, the teenager girl was such a good actress! It was like she was truly having a birth, and it was like she was truly giving up her baby. It was very sad, but at the same time, realistic (in the manga, her story has a HEA)

And the last case, with the little boy Naoto-kun having an extra chromosome (it was Trisomy 16 maybe?). OMG, I loved that little guy, I wanted to go in there and hug him. Poor baby, and his parents did not want him at first. It was sad seeing him, because I am sure in real life the little baby really had this syndrome. One of the other positive things about this drama is that they truly have premature babies, babies with problems, newborn babies, so it made everything more real.


Acting/Cast: 10/10

This is one of the few dramas that I watch for the story instead of the cast. I only knew a couple of the actors. Like Ayano Go, who I dislike. Or used to, because after this dorama, I can't see him as a douche anymore. Because he has the face of a criminal (sorry!) but in this dorama, he was always so calm, and nice, and such a good doctor, and no overacting at all, I ended up liking him. I thought at first that anyone could have played the doctor, why it had to be him? But he was so good I can't complain anymore. His friends, Dr. Shinomiya (Hoshino Gen) who was a blank-face guy at first, but who I liked so much by the end (his story was also kind of pathetic, and very sad) and Yoshida Yo, who looked so much like manga-Komatsu (except that the actress was taller). The 2 young actors, Matsuoka Mayu and Sakaguchi Kentaro, were adorable, although comparing to the other actors, they did overreact a couple of times. But all in all, I loved the cast, and also the guest stars. I mean, all the mothers when they cried looked so real! They were all marvelous, although the teenager mother could be my favorite. And the mother whose baby died because of the no-brain. Her case was also so sad :(

Oguri Shun, who is everywhere, has a role for about half of the drama. His daughter has some scenes in the last episode, and she is so cute! She looks so much like her parents. First it was "oh, the image of Oguri Shun!", but then, "oh, she looks so much like her mother!".


Music: 9/10

The music was nice and sweet, and the ending song was good, but it did not leave a big impact on me, as the musics in dorama I really love do. Some of the music the doctor plays at the piano were good and tender.


Rewatch value: 10/10

I would totally rewatch this! Nice story (never slow, never overdramatic, never "preachy" as some people like to say over doramas), nice cast (main and supportive), what is not to love? I would recommend this to anyone really, even to people who don't watch J-dorama. I wish I could find other one like this: human stories, real stories, with likeable characters and great acting.

The story follows a brain surgeon named, Minakata Jin, who has spent the last two years in anguish, as his fiancee lies in a vegetative state after an operation he performed. One day, he faints at the hospital and awakens to find himself transported back in time to the Edo period. He is soon attacked by a samurai, but he escapes with the help of a man named Kyotaro. Kyotaro suffers a serious injury to the head while trying to protect him, but Jin manages to save his life despite a lack of proper medical equipment. Because of that, Kyotaro's sister Saki begins taking an interest in Jin and becomes his assistant. Meanwhile, Jin is determined to find a way back to the present. (dramawiki)


Amazing drama. AMAZING. I was hooked from the very beginning. And what it is best, the last 3 or 2 episodes are not boring or dragging at all (something that I've been dealing with with the last doramas I've watched). Everything was excellent in this dorama. Excellent. I am currently downloading the second season.

This is the first time I see a period drama (a Japanese period drama, that is). I learned so much. First, this character, Sakamoto Ryoma, who is one of Japan's hero (although you would not believe it in this show... he was more like a comedy relief, but I've read some text about him to be more informed). And then, their life styles. This is the 1862 year.

Top-notch things about this wonderful dorama:

- Cast: many familiar faces, but also some new ones. Ayase Haruka has never failed me. She is amazing in everything she does. I think I will like whatever she is in. She plays the daughter of an important family, and she wants to be a doctor (which was not possible in that time, for a woman). Needless to say, she looked gorgeous as Saki-sama, in her kimono and fancy hairdo. Her brother is Koide Keisuke, another actor that has never failed me. He may be a little to tamed here, but I liked him so much he could have said two words in the entire show and I would have still liked him. Other actor that I've recently started to like is Kiritani Kenta (as the doctor Saburi). He has such a funny face, and boy he can act! He was wonderful as the new doctor who practiced his studies with prostitutes. And then it is Nakatani Miki, as Miki and the courtesan Nokaze. WOW, what a pretty, elegant lady. I have seen her only in one movie ("Densha Otoko") and I wasn't impressed. She was too plain, in looks and in acting. Boy did I change my mind! She is beautiful, she moved me with her acting as both Nokaze and Miki. She was so elegant and lady-like as the courtesan. Everything, from her voice to her little movements, were majestic. OMG, even her little feet were elegant. I love her smile, I can't believe I once thought she was plain.

The new faces, for me, were first, Ozawa Takao as Jin. Excellent his role as the doctor. I don't think I will be able to see him in another role, he WAS Dr. Jin. He traveled in time, from present time to Edo time. It was not hard to put into his shoes. Everything he did -every life he saved, every person he met- could change history, and he was afraid of it. But more than anything, he was a doctor, so of course he changed perspectives; his and the people he met. I could understand why two strong females, like Saki and Nokaze, fall in love with him. He was just, he was kind, he was skillful. On the other hand, I could not take sides. I loved Saki, she was an independent woman who was interested in medicine. I loved Nokaze, who had a very sad past and wanted her freedom. I loved Miki, Nokaze's great-great-great-granddaughter and present girlfriend. I could understand why Jin was so aware of the little photograph he took with him (where he and Miki were posing. With every change he made into history, the photograph changed). I don't know how this will end... and although I hate love triangles -or love squares- I wish Jin all the happiness and wisdom to chose a woman among these wonderful women.

At first I thought the actor had a funny face... a bit weird, since his eyes are very apart. But with every laugh I liked him more. He had those tiny wrinkles that made him attractive, he has a nice body and nice teeth. On the other hand, he has a huge Adam's apple (is it weird to take notice of that??)

The actor who played Dr. Ogata was also wonderful. First time I see this man. He did a good job playing the most important doctor in this little town. I was moved by his tears. And I was convinced of his importance and intelligence.

The little boy... waaa, I had tears in my eyes when he was crying for his mother. At first I thought he was a bit annoying and not a good actor, but he proved me wrong with the scene with his mother.

Oh, and Kohinata Fumiyo has a small role as well! He was, of course, wonderful. WOW the number of roles he played so far! One of the most prolific Japanese actors.

The man who played Ryoma-san was good, first time I see him. I just did not like his role that much, mainly because of the way he talked, and also because I just couldn't make up my mind that a guy like him has been the most important guy in Japan history. He was just too... he took things like a joke, which is fine of course, but as Ryoma-san... not so much I guess.


- Setting: the backgrounds were beautiful. The houses -so Japanese-, the gardens! The little red district... the trees! Houses were wide and so clean.

- Costumes: Saki's kimonos and Nokaze's... O_O WOW, beyond gorgeous. Their hairstyles, Nokaze's high shoes, her make-up. I loved one of Saki's kimono which was pink. Or another that was blue with little flowers. Scratch that, I loved ALL her kimonos! From the top of their heads to their tiny feet... everything was pretty.

- The surgeries: I am one of those people that cannot see blood... and since Jin is a doctor who has to perform surgeries -brain surgery, skin surgery, breast surgery...- everything looked very real. I was like O_O OMG. And of course, praying that Jin could save his or her life. It did not always happen -obviously- but I was so happy when he did.

- Soundtrack: the ending song not so much. But the opening and the one that accompanied the most important scenes (by Takami Yu). It was sweet and a bit sad and just beautiful. I loved it and I am currently searching it to have it on my playlist. One of my favorite dorama songs.

Before I decided to watch it, I've read several reviews in order to decide. Most of the reviews said that the end was not good. I think it was good, a bit of a cliffhanger but not a life-or-death problem. It ended like it was supposed to end. Some get their happy ending, some get a HFN. A perfect way to continue a 2nd season, but for people who did not like it so much, it can also end here. Overall, it was satisfying.