Kenso Tenma is a skilled Japanese surgeon working in a German hospital. He soon discovers that, in the academic world, talent and skill matter less than politics when it comes to moving up the ladder. When a young boy is brought in with a gunshot wound to the head, Tenma disobeys his boss and operates on him, saving his life. It will turn out to be a decision with serious consequences—quickly for Tenma’s career, and more gradually for the families whose lives become entangled with the boy and his twin sister. Widely praised as an excellent manga, I really enjoyed the setting, particularly the academic world, which I know very well. It was satisfying to see some of its realities portrayed so accurately. I’m also very intrigued to see where the story goes from here.
“What did I tell you? Medicine is all politics, you’ve got to play the game! If you’da played your card right, you’da had it made, kid. But you had to go and blow it all! Well, welcome to my world. At least guys like us don’t have to scramble! Making it to the top ain’t everything in this world, Dr. Telma. Just being a doctor is good enough for a lot of women!”
