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The characters, while not entirely realistic in the real world, are incredibly intriguing within the context of the manga. They exhibit very human-like qualities, both mentally and emotionally.
The enjoyment factor feels akin to watching a popular Asian drama unfold. I did experience excitement at times, along with a range of emotions, possibly because some scenes resonated with events from my past.
In conclusion, this isn't for fantasy enthusiasts. It's high drama with a strong connection to the American series "House," except it revolves around surgery.
"Iryuu" is a must-read if you're into realistic fiction. The story strikes a balance between plausible events and just enough suspension of disbelief to make it engaging. The characters' motivations are understandable, even if not always admirable, and their interactions blend realism with fun.
Something I only noticed after reading it was how rarely, if ever, we're given insight into Asada's internal thoughts, despite him being the main character and nearly everyone else having their inner voices revealed. This unconventional choice highlights the authors' understanding of Asada's role. Asada's personality is static and unyielding, adhering to a philosophy that works for him and would compromise his character if altered. Thus, the story focuses on how others change through their interactions with him.
Because of this, a character's "strength" doesn't hold much weight on its own. In fact, Asada isn't the central focus but rather a tool to showcase other characters—flipping the typical structure where supporting characters highlight the protagonist.
A prime example is Kihara's storyline. He resents Asada for outshining him both as a surgeon and in his personal life. However, when his mother is rushed in for surgery, he sets aside his resentment to plead with Asada to abandon his own procedure and save his mother instead. Here, Asada, simply acting as a skilled surgeon, brings Kihara's envy and shamelessness to light. Yet, the audience can empathize because we've seen how much his mother means to him. Through Asada's passive role, an entire narrative unfolds.
Even characters who initially seem anti-entertainment, like Ijuuin, are crucial to the manga's appeal. His frustration with Asada for causing chaos in the department and jeopardizing his career prospects is entirely reasonable. As his situation worsens, his misfortune becomes almost comedic as he's continually dragged into Asada's antics. Of course, these coincidences follow the same realistic/suspension of disbelief pattern.
The weakest parts of the manga, in my opinion, were some sections of the candidacy story, which felt drawn out. The final large event also seemed a bit contrived, though I understand the desire for a dramatic conclusion.
Overall, this is a fantastic manga that I'll definitely revisit in the future.
But before diving into the main part of the review, I think I’ll share a somewhat extended introduction to my personal experience with Team Medical Dragon.
Team Medical Dragon has been a unique experience for me, someone who isn't very familiar with seinen anime/manga. I used to be more into anime, primarily enjoying those classic shounen rom-com action series. It all started with Naruto, moving on to Bleach, and eventually exploring lesser-known titles. Some of my top favorites include the epic Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann and the underrated Eureka Seven.
The truth is, I haven’t had much exposure to seinen anime/manga. There are many reasons why I didn’t watch it, but the most significant one is probably because I found seinen to be more "involved" and emotionally intense compared to shounen. Instead of episodic/arc-based action plots, seinen focuses on serious, concrete stories. I see it as the difference between the adrenaline-pumping shounen battles and the heavier seinen narratives.
To avoid the "deep" nature of seinen, I stuck to shounen series, which seemed perfect at first. Watching Naruto and Bleach was great for a few years, but my interest in shounen gradually waned. Series became repetitive, and I lost interest, dropping them without admitting it. My anime and manga lists reflect this, with hundreds of partially watched/read series—99% of which I've likely abandoned. So, after my shounen phase faded, I began exploring other genres, trying new things, including shoujo and eventually seinen.
And what an invigorating experience Team Medical Dragon has been! It was so rewarding that I decided to binge-watch/read it through the night.
In many ways, Team Medical Dragon could pass as a shounen. It has plenty of action, some romance, comedy, and drama. You’ve got your badass main characters and their supporting medical team. And like shounen, there’s a desire to fight against evil, challenging corrupt rulers.
However, despite its similarities to shounen, Team Medical Dragon is far from a hopeful adventure story. At its core, it’s an intense, gut-wrenching series that delivers powerfully. It isn’t a simple 2000-chapter joyride ending in absolute victory. While there’s hope, happiness, and positivity, there’s always an underlying sense of hopelessness, cruelty, and negativity.
And honestly, I love it! As much as I enjoy the optimistic nature of shounen, the edge of bleakness that Team Medical Dragon offers creates a wonderful balance between good and bad. It forces me to confront evil in a way I hadn’t before.
This contrasting nature provides and nurtures something greater than a simple good vs. evil story. The people, characters, interactions, dialogue, and even the setting feel more alive. It isn’t just about “I’M-THE-BAD-GUY” or “I’M-THE-HERO”; there’s a lot more gray area. This adds a stronger sense of realism, showing readers not just character interactions, but real human connections.
The result is clever and realistic character interactions. While characters are based on archetypes, none are bland stereotypes. The main characters, secondary characters, villains, and heroes are all shaped by both good and evil. They aren’t created out of thin air but are crafted from their experiences with both sides. Through these developments, we’re given rich, original, and realistic characters.
Now, imagine putting a large cast of these characters into a medical story, and you get the well-rounded Team Medical Dragon. Worried about understanding medical terms? Don’t be. I’m no doctor; I know little about medicine; I just read manga in my spare time. But you don’t need much prior knowledge to follow the story. Team Medical Dragon presents the medical world in a way that’s easy to understand.
For one, it’s not heavily focused on medicine. The main conflict is about corruption, not learning medical jargon. Don’t understand the complex surgical terms? Who cares, just focus on the exciting action happening on the operating table.
The emphasis is more on plot progression, character interactions, and personality development rather than medical aspects. It’s not a big issue. With footnotes, Google, and outstanding visuals, you have plenty of resources to help.
I must commend the artist for their incredible depictions of the body and organs. As someone who dabbles in drawing—though I’m nowhere near skilled—organs are something I’ve never attempted, but they stand out in this series. Expect to see a lot of organs; it is a medical series after all. But beyond accurate anatomy, the details of blood vessels and, of course, BLOOD make for detailed drawings that are both informative and enjoyable. If you’re into medicine, you’ll appreciate this manga, or if you’re like me, just enjoy the sharp tools doing their work.
In conclusion, Team Medical Dragon has been a fantastic, refreshing experience for my shounen-loving self. It’s really changed my genre preferences, and I look forward to reading more Team Medical Dragon and other seinen works. I love the sense of evil that Team Medical Dragon, and probably other good seinen series, brings, offering not only a more realistic and engaging storyline but also a realistic and original cast. And let’s not forget the medical elements. While some parts can be confusing—though research or footnotes can clarify everything—the visuals do an amazing job of supporting the story.
Really, I thoroughly enjoyed my current read.
As for my score, I’m strongly considering a solid 10 due to the depth and impact of the story. However, because I haven’t finished reading, along with some minor issues with medical jargon and plot points (I won’t spoil anything), I’ll give it a 9 for now.
As for my plans with this manga, I’ll let the scanlations catch up before resuming my marathon.
The manga follows Ryutarou Asada, a brilliant surgeon recruited by Akira Katou, vice professor of the cardiothoracic department at Meishin University Hospital, to join her Batista research team aiming to secure her leadership position. The Batista procedure is an experimental heart surgery with a low success rate designed to address dilated cardiomyopathy.
"Iryuu: Team Medical Dragon" treats its medical subject matter with great seriousness. This is evident not only in the detailed procedures and techniques but also in the intense discussions among doctors. Mangaka Akira Nagai, a successful doctor himself, masterfully blends fiction and education without making it overly technical. The educational aspect deepens as readers recognize previously seen techniques, enhancing the learning experience. Asada, a confident and carefree surgeon, serves as our guide into the hospital workplace dynamics. His character is intriguing due to the intentional portrayal of how prodigious individuals are perceived.
In the hospital, Asada is revered, almost mythic, to the intern he partners with. Unlike typical portrayals, Asada isn't depicted as fraudulent or troubled. Instead, his flawless nature elevates him beyond a mere protagonist, becoming a pivotal narrative device influencing those around him. The compelling character writing explores hypotheticals during surgeries and their impacts on the team. The emphasis on teamwork dominates the first half, positioning the Batista team under Asada's leadership. Consequently, the team itself becomes the main focus, with regular shifts in spotlight creating an engaging ensemble cast.
Away from surgical jargon, the manga delves into hospital politics, highlighting the financial burdens on patients and overlooked malpractice that Katou seeks to reform. Although the power struggle arc could be condensed, it proves valuable. Nagai reveals the corrupt nature of centralized healthcare systems beyond patient-doctor interactions. This arc introduces a significant reflection on career progression, rarely explored accurately. For someone like Asada, promotions might lack appeal. The dialogue addressing stifled medical careers and student limitations represents the narrative's most societally dense part, channeled through an intern's perspective.
Tarou Nogizaka's art consistently excels, particularly in shading, enhancing climactic expressions. Cross-hatching techniques distinguish characters' faces effectively. Metaphoric imagery isolates surgical precision within panels, complemented by the story's genuine optimism, making the manga life-affirming. Antagonists remain plausible, and medical procedures, though coincidental, align with real-life miracles performed by doctors. A captivating critique of healthcare, "Iryuu: Team Medical Dragon" avoids sentimentality through its positive tone.
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