Kounodori (2015)

First off, I LOVE THIS DRAMA. I accidentally found this drama when I was searching for something else. I almost didn't watch it--it didn't seem that interesting--but then I saw Oguri Shun was in it. I'm so glad I decided to watch it!

The scripts were fantastically written. So many babies!! Each episode has a new storyline (a birth) as its central theme, so you get a complete "story" in each episode. Then, there is the cast. Such great acting! As the drama unfolded, I got to learn about many of the characters' back stories, so, over time, I started to care about them. The actors themselves did an amazing job and complemented each other well. What can I say about the main actor, Ayano Go? Not enough good things! I didn't know much about this actor (apparently, he's had small parts in some of my other dramas), but his acting in this drama was superb! As Dr. Kounodori/Baby, he was believable, and I developed a lot of empathy for him as a person...not to mention the way he treated his patients--like I said this character was very real, and very approachable. I look forward to watching more of his dramas, and those of other cast members.

The music was another wonderful aspect of this drama. Not only was the drama music soothing, the piano playing was amazing as well. This is one of those dramas where I would really like to own the OST--it'd be worth it.

Very important: There is a bit of a mystery in the last episode...something where I needed to do a bit of research. A cute piece of information I was able to discern by having eagle eyes. Good luck!

Lastly, and this is a biggie, be prepared to shed tears. This is a drama in a true sense of the word, with so many heart-breaking and heart-warming moments--sometimes both in each episode! I needed tissues for all 10 episodes! Really, this drama brings up so many emotions; it's just an overall feel-good series.

Keeping my fingers crossed for a second season!!!!

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I enjoyed this drama and learn too. Why should you watch this drama?
The music is excellent, the acting is superb, surpassing Japanese drama normal acting standards, the story topic addresses a needed outreach. The whole show was carried out very well, props to the director.

I highly recommend this drama to everyone. There were many good lessons, and episodes, but what really struck me is how well the drama did to show how not to be judgmental. Its really hard not to judge people and let that show, but this drama does well to illustrate how its done. Its such a powerful lesson to the rest of the world, especially japan, since embedded in the culture is to judge others.

I hope this drama gets a chance, its powerful, yet soothing, a real gem.

Thank you for reading.

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Beautiful, Heartfelt, Emotional

This was such a heartwarming (and at times heartbreaking) medical drama! There were episodes where I had tears flowing down my cheeks with a smile on my face – especially in the last one – and there were others where I just wanted to put it on pause for a while and cry and reflect. This is such a marvel of a show! The characters, each one of them, had something valuable to give to the patients as well as to us, the viewers. Even characters that might seem a little cold at first, once we get to know their story, we can empathise with them and root for them. Ayano Go san as Kounodori Sensei was so perfect! How he deals with his patients – being so patient and honest with them with a smile on his face – was so endearing and inspiring to watch🤍 Also, the babies. The BABIES!!! Be prepared to have your heart melt into mush by so many kawaii babies🥰🥰🥰

I'm so glad we have a second season! I have already started missing all of them even though I just finished the series(⁠〒⁠﹏⁠〒⁠) I'm also thinking of checking out the manga (Dr. Storks in English) on which this dorama is based. I haven't watched a lot of medical jdramas, but this one will indeed remain one of my favourites of all time❤️

If you're thinking of watching it, go ahead and give it a shot, you won't regret!!

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OMG I adored the manga. I cried, I laughed, I was constantly moved by the stories. So I knew that I was going to like the dorama; it was impossible that they made a crappy adaptation. Still, I did not expect to loved it!

Story: 10/10

This is a very realistic manga/live action, about obstetricians and midwives and mothers and new-born babies. About the miracle of life and the sadness of death and being an orphan. It is an episodic drama, where we meet mothers-to-be in every episode. Some of them have their HEA with their babies, some of them doesn't, which was very sad. So sad to make the audience cry. All episodes were excellent, but there is one that was special, and that is Episode 5. I cried like a baby. Not only it is about a teenager mom who decides to give her baby in adoption, but it is also about Kounodori-sensei and his story, how he was separated from his first mama in the orphanage. My, the little boy being taken away while shouting his mama's name... just remembering about it makes me cry. Kounodori-sensei tells to a mother in an episode that life as an orphan has it ups and downs, and that episode made me see the downs... poor boys, all alone in the world, having a caretaker for all of them (when all they need is the love of a mother) and then being separated to go to another orphanage again. At least Dr. Kounodori did have 2 wonderful mamas, but still, his past was truly moving. And then, the teenager girl was such a good actress! It was like she was truly having a birth, and it was like she was truly giving up her baby. It was very sad, but at the same time, realistic (in the manga, her story has a HEA)

And the last case, with the little boy Naoto-kun having an extra chromosome (it was Trisomy 16 maybe?). OMG, I loved that little guy, I wanted to go in there and hug him. Poor baby, and his parents did not want him at first. It was sad seeing him, because I am sure in real life the little baby really had this syndrome. One of the other positive things about this drama is that they truly have premature babies, babies with problems, newborn babies, so it made everything more real.


Acting/Cast: 10/10

This is one of the few dramas that I watch for the story instead of the cast. I only knew a couple of the actors. Like Ayano Go, who I dislike. Or used to, because after this dorama, I can't see him as a douche anymore. Because he has the face of a criminal (sorry!) but in this dorama, he was always so calm, and nice, and such a good doctor, and no overacting at all, I ended up liking him. I thought at first that anyone could have played the doctor, why it had to be him? But he was so good I can't complain anymore. His friends, Dr. Shinomiya (Hoshino Gen) who was a blank-face guy at first, but who I liked so much by the end (his story was also kind of pathetic, and very sad) and Yoshida Yo, who looked so much like manga-Komatsu (except that the actress was taller). The 2 young actors, Matsuoka Mayu and Sakaguchi Kentaro, were adorable, although comparing to the other actors, they did overreact a couple of times. But all in all, I loved the cast, and also the guest stars. I mean, all the mothers when they cried looked so real! They were all marvelous, although the teenager mother could be my favorite. And the mother whose baby died because of the no-brain. Her case was also so sad :(

Oguri Shun, who is everywhere, has a role for about half of the drama. His daughter has some scenes in the last episode, and she is so cute! She looks so much like her parents. First it was "oh, the image of Oguri Shun!", but then, "oh, she looks so much like her mother!".


Music: 9/10

The music was nice and sweet, and the ending song was good, but it did not leave a big impact on me, as the musics in dorama I really love do. Some of the music the doctor plays at the piano were good and tender.


Rewatch value: 10/10

I would totally rewatch this! Nice story (never slow, never overdramatic, never "preachy" as some people like to say over doramas), nice cast (main and supportive), what is not to love? I would recommend this to anyone really, even to people who don't watch J-dorama. I wish I could find other one like this: human stories, real stories, with likeable characters and great acting.

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How and why it took me this long to watch this series I will never know!!

Each moment of this show is filled with so many different stories of precious moments that may seem to focus only on what's going on within the hospital but if you pay attention you can and will catch every single second of a wonderful series that tells the story of each unique birth.

The actors, actresses, guests, and of course, the babies have all done a spectacular job to bring the realities, love and fear, hopes for the future, as well as tears and laughter to the screen. It's almost tangible and as if the viewers are watching a reality camera show within a hospital. Though that wouldn't be possible considering all the risks.

I don't think this is an underrated show, I've always seen a lot of people comment or review their love for this story. Though, I do wish more people would watch and fall in love with this series! Each story is so real, and sometimes scary, that the only thing I regret while watching is not having enough tissues!

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Best drama

To be honest this is my first time writing a proper review so sorry if I seem biased.

STORY : Okay from the summary you all might have got the idea already. The doctor konotori sakura loves piano and babies. His entre goal through out the series is to protect and save the babies. I have zero knowledge about medical science but thanks to this drama I got to know how I was born and how beautiful is birth. If you love medical drama this one is surely for you as each episode shows different case about different mother and is really realistic. There might be some times that the baby or the mother cannot be saved.

ACTING : Other than Konotori Sakura; others actors played their part well. They performed their characters so well it seemed real. i don't know much about acting but it was really good inn my opinion.

MUSIC: The Ost was very beautiful also the piano played by the doctor was really soothing as well.

REWATCH VALUE: I am gonna surely watch this drama again but first I will complete watching season 2 and then in a month or two a gonna watch both of them together.

Here I will end my review. Sorry if there are any mistakes in my vocabulary.

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Dr Storks protect and assist the miracles

Dr Storks followed the trials, joys, and frustrations of the medical personnel in the labor and delivery portion of a hospital as well as those in the NICU. Dr. Konotori worked to help mothers share the gift of life during the miracle of birth. Pregnancy is not an illness but as the drama showed, it is not without risks. The doctors and midwives fought alongside the parents and newborn infants as they dug deep to find their courage to succeed and survive.

The main OB/Gyns were Drs. Konotori and Shinomiya, both devoted to their patients but as different as night and day. Friendly and talkative Konotori was willing to risk a mother’s life to save her uterus while harsh speaking and quiet Dr. Shinomiya was ready to perform a hysterectomy at the drop of a hat. Made for an interesting balance. For anyone wanting to watch the drama for Hoshino Gen, he was only in each episode for a few minutes. This was Ayano Go’s starring role and he made the most of it. I thoroughly enjoyed his piano performances in disguise as the pianist "Baby". Some doctors had character growth and others broke down. In my country the majority of OB/Gyns are women so it was odd seeing the majority of doctors as male. The female doctors weren’t very well represented. One female doctor was easily excitable and distracted while the other was a walking burnout. Both came across as fragile. The doctor I would want in my corner was the older NICU doc. He saw the big picture and was steady emotionally.

Each episode had different medical crises and subjects---teen pregnancy, adoption, abortion, Rubella, birth defects, maternal and infant deaths, IVF, smoking, preservation of the uterus, midwives, pregnancy and sexual discrimination, as well as discrimination against single parents and working women with children, postpartum depression, and more—whew! A few of the topics came across as strange to me. Adoption seemed to be a new concept and there were misconceptions about the availability of pregnancy care in Hawaii. Members of the staff also had very callous attitudes toward certain patients which seemed the opposite of how they should have approached patient care. The gut-wrenching stories involved parents and spouses faced with traumatic decisions that no one would ever want to make. Some parents handled bad news better than others. As in real life, there were parents who would do whatever was needed for their baby and others who wouldn’t visit a child fighting for its life. A few of the topics were handled with the subtlety of an afternoon school special while others were quite well done. I hate to admit that I became teary during two or three of the stories. It wasn't all tears, there were lovely heartwarming stories as well.

The cinematography and lighting were rudimentary and could be distracting. At times the music blared over the dialogue which was also distracting. What Dr. Storks had going for it were the compelling stories of life, death, and the medical personnel who fought for happy healthy outcomes for everyone even when it wasn’t possible. The doctors realized they were often powerless and that “things don’t always go as planned,” but that didn’t stop them from giving their all to the women and tiny lives entrusted to them.

4 Jan 2024

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I found Doctor storks or Kounodori by chance really when I was reading the synopsis it peaked my interest because doing a show about medical stuff is hard enough to get stuff right but the fact that they did their research about certain procedures, prevention, and other thing that make you asked questions of how far the story writers did their homework, I really liked episode 5 for me it will never get old from now and the future, sure the show came out in 2015 but their is a lot to learn whether you are a sucker for medical drama's or trying to learn something from a show and apply it towards life, I could recommend watching this show the story is pretty straight forward and for someone who's been watching drama's from 2021 I can firmly say it easy to digest even if you are busy through out the day.

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