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| Matsumoto Jun Returns as the Doctor Who Listens – Literally – in “19-Banme no Karte/19番目のカルテ” |
It’s official – Matsumoto Jun is back on our telly this summer, but not with sparkly courtroom drama or Edo-period battles this time. He’s donning the white coat (minus the scalpel) for the upcoming TBS Sunday night drama “19-Banme no Karute/19番目のカルテ” – and trust us, this ain’t your usual medical hero gig.
Based on the manga by Fujiya Katsuhito, this new drama peeks into a lesser-known corner of Japan’s medical world: sougou shinryouka – or general medicine. Sounds bland? Nah. This department's whole thing is treating the whole person, not just ticking off boxes for organs or chucking patients off to the next specialist. It’s kind of like being a detective, therapist, and GP all rolled into one.
Not a Brain Surgeon, But a Mind Reader (Almost)
Matsujun plays Dr. Tokushige Akira – a general physician at a newly opened general medicine department inside Uotora General Hospital. But don’t expect him to be some miracle-surgery god or arrogant prodigy. This guy’s biggest weapon? The interview. Yep, he diagnoses with words. Listening. Really listening. The kind of doctor who looks past the “I’m fine” to catch the stuff patients don’t even realise they’re hiding.
He takes on patients who stump the usual 18 medical specialities – people with vague, tricky symptoms that no one can quite pin down. The drama leans heavily into the human side of things: families hiding struggles, patients too stubborn or ashamed to admit they’re overwhelmed. Dr. Tokushige untangles it all through one-on-one, heart-to-heart chats that cut deeper than any scalpel.
A Drama with No Villains, Just Real People
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With a script penned by Tsubota Fumi (The Naked Director, My Liberation Notes), the show is shaping up to be a gentle but sharp piece of storytelling. No flashy surgeries, no backroom politics – just raw, real moments between doctor and patient. It’s less “House M.D.”, more “listen, breathe, and don’t bottle it up.”
Matsujun, now in his 30th year in the industry (legend behaviour), says this is his first time playing a doctor, and he’s just as intrigued by the role as viewers might be. “I reckon this drama might be the first time people even hear about general medicine as a field,” he said. “It’s a new lens on healthcare in Japan, and I hope it gently nudges people into thinking more openly about how we approach illness and care.”
Fujiya-sensei, the original creator, is equally chuffed: “This story isn’t about genius doctors or shocking surgeries – it’s about the quiet struggle of people trying to save others, and the lives of those barely holding it together. No heroes, no villains – just humans.”
Starts July, Every Sunday at 9 PM (TBS)
It’s been about seven years since Matsujun last led a Sunday TBS drama (99.9 days, anyone?), and nearly two years since his NHK taiga role. So this is a proper telly comeback – and with a role that’s warm, grounded, and deeply human. No stethoscope twirls, no melodrama. Just one man, a chair, and the courage to say, “Tell me everything.”