is a manga

Manga

Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...

 series by Takatoshi Yamada that was serialized in Shogakukan

Shogakukan

is a Japanese publisher of dictionaries, literature, manga, non-fiction, DVDs, and other media in Japan.Shogakukan founded Shueisha which founded Hakusensha. These are three separate companies, but are together called the Hitotsubashi Group, one of the largest publishing groups in Japan...

's Weekly Young Sunday

Weekly Young Sunday

was a weekly manga magazine published by Shogakukan in Japan since the first issue on April 10, 1987. It replaced Shōnen Big Comic in Shogakukan's lineup of shōnen titles, and many of the titles in Shōnen Big Comic were continued in Young Sunday...

until the magazines cancellation, at that point it moved to Big Comic Original

Big Comic Original

is a Japanese seinen manga magazine published by Shogakukan, aimed at an older adult and mostly male audience. It is a sister magazine to Big Comic, the biggest difference being that it goes on sale twice a month in the weeks Big Comic doesn't. Cover artwork usually features a dog or cat, and a haiku...

 in 2008.

In 2004, it won the Shogakukan Manga Award

Shogakukan Manga Award

The is one of Japan's major manga awards, sponsored by Shogakukan Publishing. It has been awarded annually for serialized manga since 1955 and features candidates from a number of publishers.The current award categories are:...

 for general manga. The series was adapted as a live-action Japanese television drama

Japanese television drama

, also called , are a staple of Japanese television and are broadcast daily. All major TV networks in Japan produce a variety of drama series including murder romance, comedy, detective stories, horror, and many others...

 series, titled in English as Dr. Coto's Clinic, which aired between 2003 and 2006 on Fuji Television

Fuji Television

is a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....

.

Characters

Drama role by: Hidetaka Yoshioka

Hidetaka Yoshioka

', is a Japanese actor known for his performance in several movies as a child and lately the award-winning TV drama Dr. Koto Shinryojo. He notably played the part of Tora-san's little nephew in the "Otoko wa Tsurai yo" film series, and he appeared in Akira Kurosawa's "Rhapsody in August" and...

A young, prominent 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...

, who left a prestigious hospital in Tokyo and moved to an isolated island

Island

An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...

 in the southern part of Japan. He works at a clinic there as the only doctor on the island. He was not necessarily welcomed by the islanders first as they had negative experience with former doctors at the clinic. But with his sincere attitude toward the patients and commitment to his work, Kensuke gradually developed good rapport with his patients. "Koto", his nickname, was given to him by a child who met him while on the ferry that took him to the island.

Drama role by: Kou Shibasaki

Kou Shibasaki

, born Yukie Yamamura, on August 5, 1981 in Toshima, Tokyo, Japan is a Japanese singer and actress.-Music career:Shibasaki made her debut in the music industry in 2002 with her first single Trust My Feelings, but she became recognized for her second single Tsuki no shizuku which was used for the...

Nurse at Dr. Koto's clinic

Drama role by: Toshio Kakei

Toshio Kakei

is a Japanese actor. He had major roles in several TV drama series such as Bayside Shakedown.Kakei graduated from Osaka University of Arts.- External links :*...

A staff member at the clinic

Drama role by: Shigeru Izumiya

Shigeru Izumiya

Shigeru Izumiya is a Japanese poet, folk singer, actor, tarento. He established record company "For Life Records" with Takuro Yoshida, Yosui Inoue, Hitoshi Komuro in 1975...

The leader of the fishermen on the island

Drama role by: Ryo Tomioka

A boy who respects Dr. Goto and wants to be a doctor

Drama role by: Saburo Tokito

Saburō Tokitō

is a Japanese actor. He won the award for best actor at the 9th Yokohama Film Festival for Eien no 1/2 and at the 9th Hochi Film Award for The Miracle of Joe Petrel.-References:...

Fisherman and Takehiro's father.

Shoichi Hoshino

Drama role by: Kaoru Kobayashi

A worker at the Town Office