This review may contain spoilers
Truly a hidden gem
I closed off 2024 with this being the last series that I have watched, and I am glad that I made that decision, as this series has me lost for words, but I will try my best to describe it.I started this series in a whim and was captivated by the ML and the supporting cast, especially the children's actors. They portrayed their characters so well that at nearly episodes, I was crying for some of the scenes. The interaction with the kids made Dr. Makino grow as a person besides thinking as a doctor, which is why this made the series more heartwarming for me. His grumpy personality couldn't keep those kids away, as they saw his infirmary as a safe haven for them once they got to know him. He went further than he was called to, as he deeply wanted all the kids to remain healthy.
The child actors stunned me with their acting skills, as I just was not expecting that calibre of acting from them, especially the younger ones. They were able to pull off emotional scenes, getting me to cry at whatever situation the characters were going through at the time.
I would also like to add that sometimes the ending of a series can just upset me. That was not the case with Hokago Karte. It was simple yet impactful (this is what I personally believe), and it gave a wonderful series a good ending.
I do hope that other people give this series a chance, as they are truly missing out on a wonderful series. So grateful that I stumbled on it on Netfix and that I watched it.
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I recommend everyone to see this.
Well, I initially picked and watched this drama because of Matsushita Kouhei + glasses combo.As it is still currently airing (the final episode is in this Saturday) and I continued the watching of the drama (as it's airing each week), I will say the growth of the main character (Makino) from a very cold, weird doctor character (that's the reason why Makino was assigned to a school, as a replacement to the health room teacher at the school he is going to serve, that is going to have maternity leave, by the head of the pediatrics department, due to his often very weird and cold actions) - to a character that is still somehow cold and weird, but started to somehow care about the students/kids on the school he served.
There are many situations that are facing by the elementary school students (and even the teachers in the school) - and somehow the main character Makino was able to grasp and solve it.
The situations are, and can be sometimes sad, but it is just so heartwarming and fun to see this overall over the last few weeks and it is one of the better dramas in this season.
The story in the manga is fun and promising too, so be sure to check it out if you can!
Hoping for a second season soon - there are a lot of potential for further development!
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Dr. Makino's growing pains.
It's been a while since I last watched a jdrama, but Netflix kept pushing Hokago Karte, or After School Doctor, and I figured why not? I needed something wholesome to watch and the story of a hospital's pediatrician sent to work at a primary school sound like the right thing. As per usual, you can always trust any japanese production to deliver on the slice of life genre.Doctor Makino is one of the best pediatricians in the hospital he works at, but his lack of bedside manner with the parents (and sometimes even children) put him in hot water with his boss. So, in order for him to grow as a professional and better connect with his patients, he must work at a primary school for six months. What ensues it's so wonderful, I have a hard time being able to express it, because this drama it's the kind you have to watch to understand. It fills you with good feelings and hope for the future, and about people's best nature.
Of course this is a jdrama, so it's painfully formulaic in its development but After School Doctor does it a little different. Each episode presents a new patient that introduces some sort of medical issue or, because we are dealing with kids, a family conflict. It gets resolved but, at the same time and depending on the case, it doesn't. Because, at the end of the day, these are still kids growing and some health concerns aren't magically resolved, they need time to be treated in long term. These are the episodes that really pull at your heartstrings. If an adult has difficulty explaining what it's happening to them when their mental health is declining, how can a child ask for help?
Doctor Makino comes across, at first glance, as someone who lacks empathy but this could not be a worst assessment of his personality. He is single minded, caring so much about the children's health that he doesn't pay attention to the grown ups. But, hey! Someone has to listen to the kids, right? Through the development of the story it also became obvious that the hospital environment perhaps was not the best option for him to work at. Some doctors are better equipped for it but some are better at private practices or, in this case, as the primary school's physician. Instead of seeing the patience once, with no follow up, by getting involved in the kids every day's school life, Doctor Makino is forced to expand his abilities in order to help them and, in return, win their trust.
Overall, this was a wonderful watch that made me laugh, get teary-eyed and think about everything that entitles a child's happy life. I really recommend it!
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Feels like a warm hug!
This 10-episode dorama radiates warmth and offers valuable insights into children's lives. It tackles not only physical healing but also emotional recovery of the children, and their development as well. The workplace conflicts resonate with adults, even me who is not a doctor or teacher. Although the pacing falters occasionally, the overall result remains unaffected, it still enjoyable till the end.Kouhei Matsushita shines as Makino-sensei, convincingly bringing this well-crafted character to life. This maybe his best performance to date!
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This review may contain spoilers
Worth watching, so far
I agree with the doctor, not necessarily the teachers. Not everyone has an extroverted personality. As long as they perform the job well, they shouldn’t be expected to conform to someone else’s standards. The biggest problem is the teacher that involves herself in everyone else’s business, but basically accomplishes nothing special herself. The fact that she feels she has the right to question a doctor’s methods while having no medical experience herself, makes her seem a bit self righteous. That’s so annoying. Hopefully things get better as the story progresses.Was this review helpful to you?
J-Dorama doing what it does best
This drama was a reminder of why I love J dramas. The premise was straightforward: A grumpy, blunt, tactless paediatrician gets reassigned from the hospital to fill in at an elementary school infirmary after a patient's parent complains about his handling of a case. The basic arc was predictable, but the nature of the journey was still remarkable. Especially in the first six episodes of the drama, the uncompromising, unsentimental and clear-eyed approach to serious health issues faced by the children was outstanding. From a first grader dealing with a congenital heart defect to a sixth grader having self-harm issues, this drama did not flinch. It did not talk down to the children, or about them, and the doctor's blunt honesty didn't change, even as he learned to broaden his perspective on what it took to look after children.The final third of the drama was heart-warming, in the final episode of the drama pulled on so many heartstrings my lacrimal glands were dry by the end. The drama basically did everything right. A male and female lead who both grew from their interactions with each other without a single trace or hint of any kind of romantic interest. And not for the first time, this was a J drama in which the really heavy emotional lifting in terms of acting performances was done by children. I knew after about episode three that this drama was going to be at least a nine, but in the end its balance of clear-eyed honesty and teary-eyed heartfelt sentiment made it a 10.
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Great show, but Ms. Shinoya…
The show was amazing. Most of the characters were well written and the child actors did amazing portraying their characters well.*I’ve only seen this on Netflix so this is based off of that character.*
As I said most of the characters were well written, the character Ms. Shinoya was so annoying. I was getting tired of her on the first episode. I did feel sorry for her when it showed what she was going through and all the school work she was juggling on her own; like dude they could have pitched in before when they saw all those post-it notes on her desk why did they have to wait for her to get sick. Anyways this lady kept putting down Dr. Makino about how he handled the children when it seemed to me he was doing a whole lot better of a job than she was. She was literally letting all those kids bully Nozaki and wasn’t actually doing anything to stop them. It also seemed pretty obvious when something was wrong with the kids in her class while she was right there, but she never did anything to help until Dr. Makino stepped in.
Other than this character flaw everything else about the show was great.
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my heart is so full of LOVE
if i have to be completely honest, i was only here for my dude akira takano at first because you know, i am on a quest to watch every single drama in which someone from toumyu is in.HOWEVER.
this drama is truly a gem. i loved seeing the students grow and i love how deeply makino-sensei and all the teachers cared for the kids. almost made me want to go back to teaching because that's what truly should matter right ?
not only the kids, but the adults also grew a lot throughout the story. i only wish we could have more insights on the teacher's relationships with each other, or on the kids with their friends rather on focusing only on the 'medical' part. like. i cried way too much.
bonus point : akira was really cute in his light blue shirt, and also in his gray cardigan, i might have cried for that too.
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A heartwarming slice of life via the experiences of a grumpy pediatrician
Matsushita Kouhei takes us on a heartwarming journey into the life of a pediatrician turned school nurse when he is banned from his hospital until he learns empathy. He has no choice but to succeed in his temporary new position at a local elementary school and greatly improve his bedside manner or he will not be employed as a pediatrician. This drama has a wonderful cast of young actors that bring you into their stories and health conditions. We all get to watch these young children open the heart of the grinch doctor as he learns to take in a lot more than just their ailments. He eventually learns to take notes of their surroundings, family situations and mindset; how the power of the spirit and mind assist in both getting to the source of the ailment and in the healing process. The children educate him in social awareness and their teachers in seeing who they really are through the doctor. This drama brings you to tears and makes your heart full as the stories and experiences are shared and finally understood. The students and professionals head towards graduation with new purpose and insight as the story is brought full circle. I hope far more people will watch this because it is such a wonderful slice of life drama.Was this review helpful to you?
L'infirmerie, après les cours
Le genre médical, comme le genre school life - GTO like sont exploités depuis des décennies sans jamais que le succès n'en démord. Après tout, on est tous malades et on va tous à l'école. Alors bien sûr, quand on tente de réunir les deux, toute la dramasphère est en émoi. Bon d'accord, c'est surtout moi qui frisonne à découvrir quel angle d'attaque ou quelle originalité va-t-on voir surgir de ce combo... Sauf que tout, dans Hokago Karte respire-le "excusez-moi d'être là, je ne voulais pas déranger". La production, accompagnée de sa musique plan plan, les décors d'une école primaire très commune et des acteurs avec à peine plus de cachet (j'y reviendrai, ne criez pas au scandale tout de suite). Mais cela, tout du moins en façade. Car cette histoire de punition pour médecin trop peu empathique recèle des trésors que seuls les vrais savent déceler et apprécier.Soyons honnête, les débuts sont poussifs. On est loin du punch d'un GTO ou d'un choc à la 3 Nen A Gumi. Matsushita Kouhei n'est pas seulement mal à l'aise face aux enfants, il semble mal à l'aise dans son rôle. Comme si ses trop nombreux dramas passés à faire le joli cœur avaient dépeint sur sa réelle personnalité. L'empêchant, de fait, de faire le méchant. Il est censé être exécrable avec tout le monde, mais on ne nous la fait pas à nous, on sait qu'il est trop chou, malgré ses lunettes de prof de maths de manga. Début poussif aussi parce que (entre autres) Morikawa Aoi surjoue aussi un peu trop le double bénéfique du médecin. Trop gentille avec les enfants et les collègues, elle ira jusqu'à mettre en danger sa santé par servitude. Bref pas vraiment Gen Z comme ambiance, mais plutôt manga des années 80.
En réalité, la bonne surprise viendra des enfants qui sont au centre de(s) l'histoire(s). Alors que, situé la trame dans une école primaire pourrait faire craindre l'ennui (ils ont où les ados rebelles), cette prise de risque va vous prendre droit au cœur. Les élèves ne sont pas seulement attachants, ils sont de très bons acteurs et respire la joie de vivre et honnêteté dans le jeu. Forçant les adultes à améliorer leur jeu au fur et à mesure des épisodes. Chacun met de l'eau dans son vin et s'éloigne des caricatures qu'ils étaient dans le premier épisode. Se développe alors des histoires entre élèves, parents, professeurs... et ce médecin, toutes plus touchantes les unes des autres et qui sonnent justes. Rien d'exceptionnel. Des histoires de tous les jours, imprégnées parfois de la maladie, de l'absence, du rejet ou du handicap que l'on voudrait tellement éviter à nos enfants. Mais qui les rattrape dans la réalité et dans cette série qui devient une vraie leçon de vie, sans nous faire la morale
Matsushita Kouhei ne joue pas les super-héros et remet même ceux qui voudraient le faire à leur place. Il tente de résoudre les problèmes sans artifice, tout comme la production qui s'acharne à des mises en scène cheap, à la "soap opéra". Cela pourrait qui pourrait rendre fade l'ensemble, mais c'est dans sa simplicité qu'on apprécie ce drama. Les sentiments sont ressentis au plus profond de notre cœur, jusqu'au dernier épisode. On comprend alors à quel point les acteurs adultes ont voulu mettre les enfants en avant dans leur retrait. Et les émotions deviennent alors le seul point d'intérêt de l'histoire. Pas de romance, pas de vengeance, mais 10 épisodes qui vous transforment comme cette année scolaire, trouvant évidemment son point d'orgue à la remise des diplômes. On se prend alors pour le professeur quittant ses élèves pour toujours. Clairement, si un ministre de l'Éducation nationale ou de la santé me lit (je sais qu'il y en a, ils sont tellement nombreux) regardez cette série ! vous saurez alors comment donner l'envi à la Génération Z de devenir enseignant/médecin.
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