Sunday Drama: Jin

I haven’t done a Sunday drama review in ages so thought I should on top of that so this week I’m reviewing one of the most beloved Japanese dramas ever – Jin.  A second season of this is starting soon and I’m so excited.

Now maybe there are people out there who don’t think the whole concept of a brain surgeon (Minakara Jin – played by Osawa Takao) travelling back in time to the Edo period where he performs brain surgery with HAND TOOLS isn’t awesome but I’m not one of them.  Performing brain surgery with hand tools is not only awesome, it’s also inspiring.  I was totally on to the idea of trying this on my sister but strangely, she was not enthusiastic.  If I’d not had to move to Japan, I could have probably tried it in her sleep without her notices cos she’s not so bright.

Of course there are some bits that aren’t so awesome, like when he’s staring out the rainy windows (figuratively since they didn’t have glass in the Edo period), thinking that maybe it’s going to ruin the fabric of time if he cures cholera before the actual cholera cure is invented.    And lots of running through Ye Olde Edo Town (I so need to find where these things are filmed so I can go there).

In between doctoring, he becomes friends with Sakamoto Ryomo (Uchino Masaaki), who is a real Edo period famous dude, who lead the movement to overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate and thus bringing about the Meiji restoration that made Tokyo what it is today.  Of course Minakata Jin is fully aware of his friend’s significance in history and therefore feels the need to protect and prevent a tear in the fabric of time.



And a drama isn’t a drama without a love interest really is it.  And to make it better, the love interest is played by Ayase Haruka who I absolutely love and every time I see the SKII ad where she says “unbelieveable” I want to go out and buy it.  Of course, she’s not just a pretty face.  She gives up her being a spoilt daughter of a fancy family life to assist him in his doctoring and learn medicine.



Anyway, you should watch it because it’s not only awesome but also educational because you learn stuff about the Edo period and performing surgery and other things.