lead=yes is a seinen manga about Japanese medical care written by Akira Nagai with illustrations by Taro Nogizaka and medical supervision by Mie Yoshinuma. The series was published in Big Comic Superior between 2002 and 2011. It was adapted into a live action series.
Plot
Ryūtarou Asada is a prodigal surgeon who was exiled from the medical field. He is recruited by Akira Katō, an assistant professor, who wishes to use his skills to complete her thesis on the Batista procedure to promote herself politically in order to change the corruption in the Japanese medical system. Ryūtarou accepts and begins by recruiting a team skilled enough for the surgery.
Characters
;Ryūtarou Asada Ryūtarou is a prodigal surgeon who was framed for medical malpractice and exiled from the medical field. He is recruited by Akira Katō to work in a medical university. He was portrayed in the live action series by Kenji Sakaguchi. ;Miki Satohara Miki is a surgical nurse and Ryūtarou's lover. She is portrayed in the live action series by Asami Mizukawa. ;Akira Katō Akira is an assistant professor who aims to become a professor to change the corrupt Japanese medical system. She is portrayed in the live action series by Izumi Inamori. ;Noboru Ijūin Noboru is a hard working medical intern who is not assimilated into the corrupt Japanese medical system. He is portrayed in the live action series by Teppei Koike. ;Keisuke Fujiyoshi Keisuke is a cardiologist whose priority is for the patient and not the hospital. He is portrayed by Kuranosuke Sasaki. ;Monji Arase Monji is a skilled anesthesiologist who charges high amount for every surgery. He is portrayed in the live action series by Sadao Abe. ;Takeo Noguchi Takeo is the professor of the cardiology department. He values his reputation over the lives of his patients. He is portrayed in the live action series by Ittoku Kishibe. ;Gunji Kirishima Gunji is Miki's half brother and is a strong political figure in the medical field. He was the one who framed Asada for medical malpractice and used his influence to exile him from the medical field. He is portrayed in the live action series by Kazuki Kitamura. ;Naoto Kitō Naoto Kitō is the professor of the emergency department who wants to recruit Ryūtarou into his department. ;Shōko Kitō Shōko Kitō is the professor of the emergency department. She is later the dean of the hospital. She is portrayed in the live action series by Mari Natsuki. ;Kihara Takehiko Kihara Takehiko is Kato's assistant. He is portrayed in the live action series by Ikeda Tetsuhiro.
Media
Manga
Team Medical Dragon is a manga series written by Akira Nagai with illustrations by Taro Nogizaka and medical supervision by Mie Yoshinuma. Nogizaka became the sole author of the series after Nagai's death. The series was published in Big Comic Superior between 2002 and 2011. It received the 50th Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga in 2005. Shogakukan collected the individual chapters into twenty-five Tankōbon volumes released between September 30, 2002 and February 26, 2011.
The manga was adapted into a series of live action dramas by Fuji TV. Directed by both Satoshi Kubota and Naruhide Mizuta, the first season of the live action series was produced by Sōsuke Osabe and Yasuyuki Asuyuki with Koji Hayashi as the scriptwriter. The series ran for 11 episodes which were broadcast on Fuji TV between April 13, 2006 and June 29, 2006. The ending theme for the first season is "Believe" by Ai. Fuji TV released a DVD box set on October 27, 2006. The soundtrack for the series was released by Universal Sigma on June 7, 2006, which was re-released by Universal Sigma on September 18, 2013. Directed by Hiroki Hayama, Kazunari Hoshino and Naruhide Mizuta, the second season of the live action series was produced by Sōsuke Osabe and Reiko Misao with Koji Hayashi as the scriptwriter. The series ran for 11 episodes which were broadcast on Fuji TV between October 11, 2007 and December 20, 2007. The ending theme for the second season is "One" by Ai. Fuji TV released a DVD box set on April 16, 2008. The soundtrack for the series was released by Universal Sigma on November 28, 2007, which was re-released by Universal Sigma on September 18, 2013. Directed by Hiroki Hayama, Ryo Tanaka and Naruhide Mizuta, the third season of the live action series was produced by Tsuneya Watanabe with Koji Hayashi as the scriptwriter. The series ran for 10 episodes which were broadcast on Fuji TV between October 14, 2010 and December 16, 2010. The ending theme for the third season is "Door to the Future" by Deep. Fuji TV released a DVD box set on April 6, 2011. The soundtrack for the series was released by Universal Sigma on December 8, 2010. A fourth season of the drama has been announced. The fourth season of the drama aired January 9, 2014 to March 20, 2014.
