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J-Drama: ドクターX 3 (Doctor X 3)


(NOTE: ENCORE airing begins on Tuesday, March 22, 2016 — airs Tuesday nights from 9:00p ~ 10:00p)

ENCORE is also aired on:
Early Wednesday mornings, anytime from 1a through 3a
Wednesday mornings from 6:00a ~ 7:00a
Wednesdays from 12:00p ~ 1:00p
Wednesdays from 5:00p ~ 6:00p
Wednesdays from 8:00p ~ 9:00p

UTB 18.2 Thursday Drama: DOCTOR X III

Image

Starts on Thursday, October 8, 2015

Airs on UTB Channel 18.2 on Thursdays from 9:00p ~ 10:00p
(Following the end of Partners XIII)

With English subtitles

Also aired on:
Early Friday mornings, anytime from 1a through 3a
Friday mornings from 6:00a ~ 7:00a
Fridays from 12:00p ~ 1:00p
Fridays from 5:00p ~ 6:00p
Fridays from 8:00p ~ 9:00p

Summary

Daimon Michiko is a freelance surgeon who does not belong to a university hospital's medical department. She goes around various hospitals while affiliated with Kanbara Akira's shady Good Doctors Agency. One day, Michiko is visiting a southern island when she encounters passengers who were injured in a luxury liner accident. One of them is Busujima Ryunosuke, the former hospital director of Teito Medical University’s Third Hospital, which she was sent to at one time. Michiko quickly attends to Busujima. That is when she notices something abnormal. Busujima is later admitted to the National Higher Medical Care Centre, a technologically advanced hospital which the country has staked its prestige on in order to show Japan's medical technology to the world. He has a huge heart tumour as well as a ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma. There is a big upheaval regarding this surgery at a preoperative conference because a futile power struggle between the factions of Totei University Hospital and Saikyo University Hospital, which represent Japan's east and west, is intensifying at the centre. This struggle for supremacy has reached the point that it makes even Tendo Yoshihito, the director of the centre, fret. The two factions naturally fight to be in charge of Busujima's surgery and will not give an inch. Michiko suddenly shows up at this savage conference and boldly declares, "Let me operate. He’s my patient." However, she gets thrown out unceremoniously. Right after that, the situation undergoes a complete change. The men of both factions hire Michiko and contemplate how to tip the power play in their favour. In the end, Michiko is employed as Busujima's attending physician. But of all things, the man himself is dead set against being operated by her … … Following her own conviction to save the lives before her and to keep doing this as long as she lives, Michiko pushes on and starts to shake things up again. —DramaWiki

Freelancer surgeon Michiko (Ryoko Yonekura) visits an island. Due to an accident by a luxury liner, some of its passengers are injured. Among the injured passengers, Michiko finds Ryonosuke (Shiro Ito). Ryonosuke is an ex-hospital director with whom Michiko has worked for in the past. Michiko treats Ryonosuke's wound.

Later, Ryonosuke is hospitalized at the National Center for Advanced Medical Care. He has suffered from a cardiac tumor and hepatocellular carcinoma. At the conference for Ryonosuke’s upcoming surgery, two factions of the National Center for Advanced Medical Care have an intense argument over his surgery. Michiko suddenly appears at the warlike conference and tells them that Ryonosuke is her patient. —AsianWiki

“Autumn Special”
The hit drama Doctor X is coming back for their third season!
Michiko Daimon is a Genius freelance surgeon.She hates group, authority and restraint. Her weapon is only innovative skills and uncompromising confidence. —UTB


Drama Information
Number of Episodes: 11
Genre: Medical drama
Theme song: Ai wo Karada ni Fukikonde by Superfly
Originally aired: 10/9/2014 to 12/18/2014 on TV Asahi

Cast

Yonekura Ryoko as Daimon Michiko, doctor (38)
Endo Kenichi as Ebina Takashi (51)
Uchida Yuki as Jonouchi Hiromi (35)
Katsumura Masanobu as Kaji Hideki (50)
Watanabe Ikkei as Kato Mineji (51)
Makita Sports as Futaba Kenji (45)
Takahashi Kazuya as Ashigara Shintaro (39)
Kinoshita Takayuki (木下隆行) as Achi Shozo (42)
Naito Risa as Sekigahara Tomoko (26)
Shounozaki Ken as Ikawa Masumi (29)
Matsushima Hana as Hashiguchi Aya (25)
Nakao Akira as Kurobe Tetsuya
Ibu Masato as Dangozaki Noboru (58)
Takahata Atsuko as Shiraki Junko (55)
Kishibe Ittoku as Kanbara Akira (67)
Kitaoji Kinya as Tendo Yoshihito (68)
Nishida Toshiyuki as Hiruma Shigekatsu (63)
Furuya Ikko as Hachiya Shuzo (69)
Ito Shiro as Busujima Ryunosuke (70)

Complete cast information (as well as listing of other guest stars and production credits) is available at the DramaWiki website.

Character Correlation Chart

Click to open

Awards
18th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix (Oct-Dec 2014): Best Actress - Yonekura Ryoko

Links
TV Asahi Official Website (Japanese)
DramaWiki
AsianWiki
UTB

Last edited by Hiroshi66, 5/27/2016, 12:02 pm
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Re: J-Drama: ドクターX 3 (Doctor X 3)


<EPISODE 1> (Part 1)

Season 3 is here, and it started off with a bang! (No pun intended...)

Seriously, though, I was a bit shocked by that sudden explosion on the boat. For a second, I was expecting some intricate plan or attempt to kill off Director Busujima to be exposed, but then I forgot that we are no longer watching Partners. LOL! Sure enough, Daimon was there to save the day...

It's interesting that Season 3 of this show has somewhat mixed up the Season 1 and 2 cast members. I guess we're getting the most popular cast members from both seasons in Season 3, which is fine by me. It's going to take some time for me to keep track of all the new factions and alliances. I am sure they will change from episode to episode, given the rampant backstabbing that takes place among this group of doctors. From Part 1 of Episode 1, this seems to be the general group of alliances:

"East" Doctors (represented by doctors native to the Tokyo region, and their allies)
Busujima, Ebina, Kaji (who always calls Daimon Demon)

Western Doctors (represented by doctors native to the Osaka region, and their allies
Hiruma, and a few other new doctors who we have not been introduced to yet

I found it interesting that Hiruma and Ebina are on opposite sides. This makes sense, considering the horrific way Hiruma treated Ebina all of last season. Noticeably absent are Ms. Racehorse and Kondo, the young doctor from Season 2. I actually found them both to be very interesting and it would be intriguing to see whose side they were on this season. They've been replaced by a number of new doctors who seem like they will be bringing the drama. Then we have Michiko, who refuses to be part of either faction.

For the first time, we see both factions trying to hire Michiko and get her on their team. I suppose they want her expertise and that's why they are trying to hire her full-time. We know Michiko refuses to tie herself down with any commitments, but I must say, it was entertaining to watch Ebina come in and meet with Akira with a melon in hand. I guess he thought that would work. LOL!

Who knew that Busujima's surgery would turn so controversial. Do they literally have to have three sets of doctors (West, East, and Michiko - who is on her own) operating on him? I was shocked when the Western group asked him to transfer to another hospital, so his death would not negatively impact the image of the hospital. So much for loyalty...

I suspect this is going to be a very tumultuous season, with constant shifting alliances and backstabbing. Daimon is back in full force and I know she won't take anything negative from anybody! I get the feeling that Kaji is going to be a useful ally to Daimon this season.

Part 2 of Episode 1 airs next week. It's still early, so we have yet to find out who the main players are this season. We shall see!
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Re: J-Drama: ドクターX 3 (Doctor X 3)


<EPISODE 1> (Part 2)

I don't want to jump to any conclusions, but I am having serious second doubts about Akira's character. He made some serious money as a result of Michiko's surgery. However, he tells her later in the public bath that he is disappointed in her because he couldn't make any money this time, and that she needs to "work harder" next time. Is Akira pocketing 100% of the money without giving Michiko her share? If so, what on earth does he need all that money for? Akira doesn't strike me as the type who likes flashy things or spending money frivolously. Maybe he has a gambling habit, or is investing money somewhere? That whole exchange between Akira and Michiko left a bad taste in my mouth.

Then we had that last scene, where Dr. Tendo matter-of-factly tells Michiko that he knows all about her private life. When she asks him how he figured everything out, the camera switches to Akira quickly, and he has a rather nervous expression on his face. Did Akira tell Dr. Tendo everything about Michiko? Was he supportive of this contract with the hospital so he could get 100% of the cut?

I do hope that I am wrong about this and that Akira has Michiko's best interests at heart. After all, he has been somewhat of a father figure to her. At the same time, I've noticed Akira getting more and more greedy with each episode every season. I think he's realized Michiko's talent and genius, and now that she's operating on high-figure individuals, he has figured out that he can make lots of money - money which he may or may not share with her. I don't think Michiko will be too happy when (or if) she finds out.

Another person I'm suspicious of is Dr. Tendo. I'm not buying his righteous and reformist act. Though he tried to portray himself as a fair and honest man who was trying to turn this organization back into a real hospital, I somehow think he might be just as corrupt as the rest of them. Michiko might expose him just as she has exposed others before him.

Dr. Tendo is better than that creep he ended up replacing. I'm glad we don't have to watch him for 10 episodes!

I think Busujima and Hiruma just had a cameo role this season - I don't know if we'll be seeing them as regular cast members. Kaji seems to be back full-time, along with Ebina. Then we have that other doctor who seems to be Ebina's main rival, along with the group of nurses who seem to dislike Michiko.

This season seems like it'll be darker and more serious. Which is fine. I just don't want the plot to be the revelation that Akira has been taking advantage of Michiko all this time. She trusts nobody, but I've always gotten the feeling that the one person she feels that she can be her real self around is Akira. If Akira is really pocketing the money without giving Michiko her fair share, that could all change...

Episode 2 airs next week!
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Re: J-Drama: ドクターX 3 (Doctor X 3)



I was surprised that the episode ended as abruptly as it did, only to discover later that Episode 2 will also be aired in two parts. I don't think they've ever done that for Doctor X - usually only the first and last episodes are extended. I guess there is a first time for everything!

Michiko demonstrates her humanity and kindness yet again in this episode, when she takes the sushi chef's son to take a picture with the physicist. One thing I have always appreciated by Michiko is that she stands up for the underdog. True, she has zero tolerance for politics and kissing up to the higher-up doctors, but when it comes to making regular people happy, she will do whatever it takes. I guess that's why I've found Michiko so likable throughout the seasons, despite her tough exterior when it comes to dealing with the other doctors. Good for her. The scene where she told the sushi chef's son to be proud of his dad, and that his dad makes the best sushi in the world, was also very touching.

I wonder how long it took for the hospital to set up the physicist's hospital room with lights and a glass dry erase board? LOL. Must be nice to have VIP status...

How funny that the secretary of the new combined surgery unit is named "Sekigahara." Did she make that up just for the situation? A funny pun. The Battle of Sekigahara was the big battle in 1600 held between the clans of western Japan (supporting the late Hideyoshi's family and allies) and the clans of eastern Japan (supporting Tokugawa Ieyasu). I guess we are seeing history repeating itself here. LOL!

There are lots of references here to the cultural and linguistic differences between Eastern and Western Japan - such as cuisine, dialect, accent, etc. That's why Michiko is constantly referring to how the accent of the Westerners is different, or why the Eastern doctors were commenting on how the Western doctors were eating rice with foods that normally are not eaten with rice in the East.

I think the Western doctors have a clear advantage in this rivalry. The East just doesn't have the charisma to take the lead. Dr. Ebina is facing the same issues in Season 2. He may be a great doctor but just doesn't have that competitive drive or charisma to engage in a fierce rivalry with the Western doctors. Personally, I think the East would be better off with Kaji taking the lead...

Watching this makes me want to eat sushi. LOL! I do hope Michiko will be able to save the sushi chef's life.

Part 2 of Episode 2 airs next week!
 
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Re: J-Drama: ドクターX 3 (Doctor X 3)


<EPISODE 2> (Part 2)

Good conclusion to Episode 2. I'm glad we'll be going back to shorter episodes starting next week. I really prefer seeing the entire story wrapped up in one hour instead of being divided up into two weeks/parts.

Good for Michiko demonstrating that sometimes the real thing is better than laparoscopic surgery. Not to say that it is better 100% of the time, but I think there is a belief in medical science nowadays that robots are always preferable to having a real surgeon performing the surgery the old fashioned way. Machines fail, and if the surgeon operating the machines doesn't know what he or she is doing, the robot won't be able to do anything! So, I was glad Michiko proved this to the hospital and to the other surgeons.

The Western faction lost one of their main doctors as a result of this incident, so at this point, they are being outnumbered by the Eastern side. I'm already tired of the West v. East power struggle, though. It got very old very fast. I was disgusted when Ebina started doing a happy dance when he realized that the Western doctor had failed the procedure. Shouldn't he be more concerned that the patient should die, and not that the Western side had failed?

Akira made a total of 30 million yen for both surgeries. It makes me wonder how much Michiko is going to get from that, or if she even knows how much money Akira made. I am still wondering if Michiko has any idea how much Akira has made over the years as a result of Michiko. It's something that still confuses me a bit.

I'm still curious about Dr. Tendo's motives. He seems to be very fond of Michiko, but I'm not trusting his act one bit. He is probably just as corrupt as the rest of them. Perhaps he thinks that having Michiko around will diffuse the East v. West power struggle, which was the main purpose of Dr. Tendo being elected CEO. We'll see what his true motives are eventually, should they be revealed.

Glad that the sushi chef is okay! Now that the physicist is going to stay in Japan, I wonder if he will be a recurring character?

Episode 3 airs next week!
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Re: J-Drama: ドクターX 3 (Doctor X 3)


<EPISODE 3>

Season 3 has such a dark feel to it, doesn't it? With the exception of Michiko, there is not a single character who is remotely likable - especially among the other doctors. At least in previous seasons, there were a couple of doctors who were somewhat enjoyable to watch, and who didn't give Michiko such a hard time. This season, even the doctors with a "clean" reputation turn out to be creeps at the very end.

"Mr. Clean" was revealed to be having an affair with the patient herself! For a minute there, I thought the e-mails were fabricated by the Western faction to deal a strategic blow to the Eastern faction, but Mr. Clean's reaction gave it all away. He was lying about his "clean" reputation and was just as perverted and corrupt behind the scenes as the other doctors.

I was also disappointed that Dr. Kaji was having an affair. He grew on me at the end of Season 1, and I always felt like he had Michiko's back when the going went tough. It looks like he's just like the rest of them. No comments about Ebina. He's still as indecisive and spineless as ever! I'm surprised that he is still the head of the Eastern faction, but with Dr. Tendo's streak, who knows how long that will last before he is demoted or fired.

Speaking of which, I have realized that Dr. Tendo is just as untrustworthy as the lot of them. He doesn't play games and removes anybody who even makes a slight mistake or error. No questions asked - they are publicly exposed, reprimanded, humiliated, and then forced to resign. Dr. Tendo hypocritically labeled Ashigara as being "unethical" for having an affair inside the hospital with his patient (no argument here) but proceeds to do the same thing with the patient's grandmother! Now I know what Akira was talking about when he mentioned that Tendo will be getting a much better present than the melon. I was confused at first but that last scene cleared everything up.

I think Tendo is using Michiko to perfect his reputation, but I have no doubt that Tendo will swiftly and decisively dispose of Michiko if she gets a little too comfortable in the hospital. I can see him doing it publicly, as well. Will Michiko be able to save her career if and when Tendo acts? For now, though, he is still working on strengthening his hospital's reputation and Michiko's skills are needed... for the time being.

Michiko has practically no allies this season. If push comes to shove, I doubt any of the doctors would protect or cover for her, like they did in previous seasons. Maybe the Nurse Manager?

Speaking of which, Michiko's reactions when the Nurse Manager goes on one of her crazy, screaming tirades are hilarious! LOL.

On to Episode 4 next week!
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Re: J-Drama: ドクターX 3 (Doctor X 3)


I haven't been able to watch all of each episode and have a question. It might have been answered already, but who is behind Sekigahara, the ever-listening "secretary"?

This season (3) does seem to have a little different air about it. I agree that it seems somewhat darker than the previous seasons. What I've noticed, too, is that Michiko seems to have become more erratic emotionally in her responses to certain situations (not during her surgeries, of course). Sometimes it seems that her personality traits are a little too fractured to be within one person who does not have multiple personality disorder.

It is still an interesting drama in most respects. The first two seasons were more interesting to me. Maybe to keep the audience's interest, the producers are trying to become a little more edgy.
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Re: J-Drama: ドクターX 3 (Doctor X 3)


I think Tendo, the CEO, was the one who hired Sekigahara. She is supposed to be the "secretary" for the two lead physicians (Ebina representing the East and the other one representing the West) but in reality she is constantly listening in on their secret conversations.

Nchristi, I totally agree with what you mean about Michiko behaving more erratically. All the characters seem to have adopted this type of 'over the top' behavior in their actions. In fact, while I was watching this week's episode, someone else who was in the room with me (who doesn't watch J-drama) asked, "Why are their reactions so exaggerated?" LOL! Looks like it's evident to pretty much everyone.

I think it's part of the big push in the last five years in the J-entertainment world to make every single drama/movie/variety show 'feel' like a manga or anime. Characters in anime react in this over the top way because they are animated and not real people, but I guess the powers that be want actors in J-drama to adopt this type of slapstick behavior so that J-drama can be just as popular as manga. I guess even Doctor X is now going this route. Compare J-dramas of today with something like Oshin - the manga-like, slapstick behavior of the characters would never show up in a classic like Oshin!

Oh well. I guess it's the changing times, but I have to say, I miss when J-drama was actually about acting and not an attempt to make the acting more 'manga-like.'
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Re: J-Drama: ドクターX 3 (Doctor X 3)


Thanks for answering my question, Hiroshi.

Ah... Very good point, Hiroshi. I hadn't mentally made the connection about the trend to manga, but you are spot on in that observation/remark. I keep thinking back to dramas like "Love Shuffle" and others that were simply great dramas—without any gimmick added, such as manga influence. (Older generation speaking here! emoticon ) At least we still have the Taigas remaining true to form.

Pretty soon our societies won't be able to read or write. I remember being a little shocked back in the day when McDonald's changed their cash registers from monetary numbers to pressing pictures of the different food items. Now it seems that cursive writing will no longer be taught in schools. (What will become of personal signatures? Or the ability to read many older documents, writings?) On the news yesterday, there was a story about how electronic devices have become so important in daily life that most 3-year olds are now proficient in using electronics: phones, computer type toys, keyboards, and so forth.

Maybe humans will evolve into potato bodies with giant eyeballs and hands, each with a humongous thumb! emoticon

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Re: J-Drama: ドクターX 3 (Doctor X 3)


You're welcome, Nchristi! emoticon

Yes, I always think back to gems like Love Shuffle and Love Letter, which is before the 'dramanga' genre infiltrated J-drama. Back then, we had several stories which would develop and play out over the course of 9 or 10 episodes. Now, thanks to the advent of dramanga, the writers give us one general plot and then divide the drama into a series of episode-long vignettes, which can often be watched in any order.

That concept of characters and plots which develop throughout the course of the entire series are pretty much gone.and are replaced with over-the-top characters and exaggerated slapstick antics. Even the asadora morning dramas have adopted this same style! One reason I stopped watching Amachan was because of some of the characters who would start screaming (not talking) every time he came on screen. Not funny and not entertaining. I miss when J-drama was actually J-drama and not a mix of manga influences. Leave dramas for dramas and mangas for mangas!

Yes, I guess this is what happens when we've watched J-dramas for over 10 years - nostalgia for the good ol' days of drama! emoticon

LOL at your giant potato body reference - I think that is coming sooner than we think! I recently had a student who asked me if the word "your" was spelled as "yor" or "ur." With the advent of texting, I think the millennial generation is forgetting (or perhaps never learning) how words are actually spelled. It's happening in Japan, too! I heard many young Japanese students are forgetting how to write Chinese characters (kanji) because they never have chances to handwrite anything, anymore.
 
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