Dr. Kotō Shinryōjo (Dr.コトー診療所) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Takatoshi Yamada. It was serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Young Sunday from 2000 until the magazine's demise in 2008, at which point it moved to Big Comic Original. Shogakukan has compiled its chapters into 25 tankōbon volumes as of June 2010. The series was adapted as a Japanese television drama series which aired between 2003 and 2006 on Fuji TV. By June 2022, Dr. Kotō Shinryōjo had over 12 million copies in circulation. In 2004, the manga won the 49th Shogakukan Manga Award for the general category.

Plot

Kensuke Goto is an excellent doctor who used to work at a university hospital in Tokyo, but for some reason he is transferred to a clinic on the remote island of Koshikijima. The island has been without a doctor for three months, and he was not very welcomed. In addition, Ayaka Hoshino, a nurse who has been on the island for 4 months, tells him that there are few patients who come to the clinic, and even if they do, they will only receive first aid and then go to a hospital on the mainland, which takes 6 hours by boat. Since then, Goto has earned the trust of the islanders through the treatment of many patients and his personality.

Characters

Media

Manga

Dr. Kotō Shinryōjo is written and illustrated by Takatoshi Yamada. It was serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Young Sunday from 2000 to 2008; when the magazine ceased its publication, it was then transferred to Big Comic Original. The manga has been on hiatus since October 2010. In October 2017, Yamada posted on his Facebook that he planned to resume his work. Shogakukan has compiled its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was published on November 4, 2000. As of June 30, 2010, twenty-five volumes have been released.

Volume list

Drama

The manga was adapted into a Japanese television drama which aired for eleven episodes on Fuji TV from July 3 to September 11, 2003. It was filmed on the Japanese Archipelago island Yonaguni. A 2-episode special was broadcast on November 12 and 13, 2004. A second season aired for eleven episodes from October 12 to December 21, 2006.

Reception

By June 2022, Dr. Kotō Shinryōjo had over 12 million copies in circulation. In 2004, the manga won the 49th Shogakukan Manga Award in the general category.