Details
Title: 白い巨塔
Title (romaji): Shiroi Kyoto
Also known as: [The] Great White Tower
Format: Renzoku
Genre: Medical, legal
Episodes: 21 + 1 special
Viewership rating: 23.7
Broadcast network: Fuji TV
Broadcast period: 2003-Oct-09 to 2004-Mar-18
Air time: Thursday 22:00
Theme song: Amazing Grace by Hayley Westenra
Related TV shows: Shiroi Kyoto (1978), White Tower
Synopsis
Goro Zaizen and Shuji Satomi are assistant professors at Naniwa University Hospital. Goro is a brilliant surgeon who will do anything to make his way up the corporate ladder. On the other hand, Shuji is a physician who earnestly devotes himself to medical research. Though the two doctors have contrasting personalities and are considered to be rivals, they highly recognize each other's skills.
The entire medical department is restless while preparing for the election to choose a new Surgical Department Professor. All Goro has on his mind, is how to win the election. Meanwhile, Shuji is looking after a patient who apparently has pancreatic cancer. He carries out tests on the patient cautiously, and is very careful in telling the patient of the cancer. However, Goro barges in on their conversation, and out of the blue, tells the patient he has cancer, and that he needs an operation right away. Shuji is furious at Goro's rude attitude, and yells, "Doctors are not God!" Goro ignores this, and starts laying the groundwork for the operation. But when Goro finds out that the Director of the Medical Department has already given a diagnosis of stomach cancer, he cancels the operation. He feels that pointing out his boss's misdiagnosis will only hurt him in the upcoming election. Shuji however, is determined to save the patient's life and go on with the operation. -- JDorama.com
Cast
Karasawa Toshiaki as Zaizen Goro (1 Surgical Department, Assistant Professor)
Eguchi Yosuke as Satomi Shuji (1 Internal Medicine, Assistant Professor)
Kuroki Hitomi as Hanamori Keiko (Club Aladdin's mamasan)
Yada Akiko as Azuma Saeko (Azuma's daughter)
Takahata Atsuko as Azuma Masako (Azuma's wife)
Mizuno Maki as Satomi Michiyo (Satomi's wife)
Nishida Toshiyuki as Zaizen Matachi (director of Zaizen Maternity Clinic, Zaizen's father-in-law)
Ishizaka Koji as Azuma Teizo (1 Surgical Department, Professor)
Ibu Masato as Ugai Ryouichi (1 Internal Medicine, Professor)
Shinagawa Toru as Ookouichi Seisaku (Medical Research, Professor)
Yamada Meikyo as Imaji Shoji (2 Surgical Department, Professor)
Watanabe Kenkichi (渡辺憲吉) as Hayama Masao (Maternity and gynaecology, Professor)
Yamagami Kenji (山上賢治) as Nosaka Kouichiro (Plastic surgery, Professor)
Soganoya Bundou (曾我廼家文童) as Iwada Juukichi (medical board chairman)
Nakahara Takeo as Funao Satoru (Tohto University, Medical Department, Professor)
Sawamura Ikki as Kikukawa Noboru (Ishikawa University professor)
Okuda Tatsuhiko (奥田達士) as Kanai Tatsuo (1 Surgical Department, lecturer)
Kataoka Takataro as 佃友博 (1 Surgical Department, head of medical office)
Kobayashi Masahiro as Anzai Shinya (1 Surgical Department, deputy head of medical office)
Ito Hideaki as Yanagihara Hiroshi (1 Surgical Department, doctor)
Nishida Naomi as Kameyama Kimiko (1 Surgical Department ward, nurse)
Kamikawa Takaya as Sekiguchi (plaintiff's lawyer)
Oikawa Mitsuhiro as Kunihira (Zaizen's lawyer)
Wakamura Mayumi as Zaizen Kyoko (Zaizen's wife)
Nogawa Yumiko as Ugai Norie (Ugai's wife)
Ikeuchi Junko as Kurokawa Kinu (Zaizen's mother)
Katase Rino as Sasaki Yoshie (the plaintiff)
Tayama Ryosei as Sasaki Youhei
Nakamura Shunta as Sasaki Youichi
Sasaki Kuranosuke as Takeuchi Yuuta (assistant to Satomi)
Kimura Tae
Miura Rieko
Tachikawa Eri
Sasaki Mao (ep1-2)
Umezawa Masayo (ep8&15)
Production Credits
Original writing (novel): Shiroi Kyoto by Yamazaki Toyoko
Screenwriter: Inoue Yumiko
Producers: Takahashi Kazuhiko (高橋萬彦), Kawakami Kazuo (川上一夫)
Directors: Nishitani Hiroshi, Kono Keita
Awards
40th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Drama
40th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Screenwriter
40th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Director
7th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix (03-04): Best Supporting Actor - Kamikawa Takaya
