Rough Cut Reviews

The latest cinematic instalment of the popular medical drama, TOKYO MER: Mobile Emergency Room, is proving to be a box office sensation in Japan. Released on the 1st of August, the new film, titled Nankai Mission, has captured the nation’s attention, drawing in an impressive 2.9 million cinemagoers and surpassing ¥3.9 billion in box office revenue in just 24 days.

The Genesis of a Mobile Emergency Room

The TOKYO MER series follows the high-stakes operations of an elite medical team that responds to major accidents and disasters in a state-of-the-art mobile emergency room housed within a large vehicle (the ER car). This innovative concept was conceived by screenwriter Tsutomu Kuroiwa. Although the organisation feels authentic, MER is, for now, a fictional creation.

“While I had previously adapted a novel about pharmacists for a television drama, this was my first time writing an original medical series from scratch,” Kuroiwa explains. “I had always wanted to tackle the genre, and TBS approached me with the idea of focusing on emergency and critical care. However, there are countless masterpieces in this field, both in Japan and internationally. I knew that simply creating new characters or a unique hospital setting wouldn’t be enough to stand out. A fresh angle was essential.”

Kuroiwa’s breakthrough came from shifting the setting. “The first idea that came to mind was to base the action outside the hospital. I wanted to craft a story about a team that rushes to the scene of a disaster, sets up a tent, and performs surgery right there. During my research with doctors, one mentioned that ‘something like a mobile operating theatre would be ideal.’ That was the spark. I decided to write about a mobile emergency room. When I saw the final design for the ER car, it was even more impressive than I had imagined, and I was confident we were creating a new kind of medical drama.”

A Message of Hope During a Pandemic

One of the series’ most iconic and recurring lines, “There are zero deaths,” has its roots in the COVID-19 pandemic, which coincided with the original drama’s production and broadcast in 2021.

“At the time, newspapers, television, and online news were reporting figures like ‘hundreds of deaths’ every day. I found the situation terrifying,” Kuroiwa recalls. “Behind every number is an individual’s life, their family, and their friends. There is an episode in the series where the protagonist’s sister, Suzuka, is the sole fatality in an incident. This was born from a desire to portray the profound weight of a single death. At the same time, by having the team report ‘zero deaths,’ we wanted to offer a small measure of encouragement to the world.”

Building on Blockbuster Success

The original television series was a huge success, and a 2023 feature film followed, earning over ¥4.53 billion at the box office. The immense popularity and calls from fans led directly to the production of the current hit, Nankai Mission.

For this second film, Kuroiwa felt a new sense of responsibility. “I approached it with a mindset similar to adapting a beloved original work; the top priority was not to let the fans down,” he states. “We have to meet their expectations, but simply meeting them is not enough. I felt we had to honour their expectations while simultaneously pushing beyond them. With a summer release date, the idea of the team heading to the southern seas by ship felt exciting, which led to the creation of ‘Nankai MER,’ a new team that provides medical care to remote islands by sea.”

A New Mission with a Focus on Community

In the new film, TOKYO MER’s chief doctor, Kitami Kota (Ryohei Suzuki), and nurse Kuramae Natsume (Nanao) are dispatched to mentor the newly formed Nankai MER. After six months with no call-outs, a major medical crisis erupts on a remote island, and the team is deployed to save all 79 people stranded there.

“By focusing on remote island medicine, I wanted to explore the strength of small, tight-knit communities in a way that wouldn’t be possible in a city,” Kuroiwa says. “The theme of the work really lies in seeing people come together to help one another in a crisis. Of course, it’s enough for people to enjoy it as entertainment, but I hope they also feel the power of human connection and cooperation beneath the surface.”

A Deep-Seated Respect for Medical Professionals

Kuroiwa attributes the series’ enduring appeal to the combined efforts of the cast and crew. “The director, Aya Matsuki, and the entire production team are phenomenal, but ultimately, it’s the powerful and convincing performances from the actors that have truly captured the hearts of the audience.”

A core element that resonates strongly with viewers is the profound respect shown for healthcare workers. Kuroiwa is adamant on this point. “One rule I established was to never feature a medical professional as a villain. While they have their own personalities and may clash over opinions, their fundamental desire to save lives is universal. That is a principle from which we have never wavered.”

The Hitmaker Behind the Scenes

As an acclaimed screenwriter, Kuroiwa’s original television dramas such as Grand Maison Tokyo and Last Man: The Blind Profiler are frequently adapted into successful films. His prolific career spans genres, from live-action adaptations of hit manga like Kingdom and Golden Kamuy to blockbuster anime films, including One Piece Film: Gold and One Piece Film: Red.

“It’s difficult to pinpoint a single origin for my storytelling, but the countless films I watched in my student years are undoubtedly the foundation,” he reflects. “The first Die Hard film, in particular, has a flawless script that I admire no matter how many times I watch it. I also feel that I learn more from the act of creating than from consuming. I have a strong desire to see things that haven’t been seen before, so it’s incredibly rewarding when people ask, ‘How do you come up with these ideas?’ for an original story.”

Kuroiwa finds joy in every stage of the writing process. “From the initial concept, to plotting how characters will escape a disaster, to refining the final lines of dialogue and imagining the actors delivering them—every part is challenging, but also incredibly fun. Seeing it all come to life on screen in a way that surpasses what I wrote is the greatest reward.”

As for the future of the TOKYO MER franchise, he remains hopeful. “It’s a genuine honour to be able to continue a series based on an original concept. This is only possible because the cast, crew, and audience are all on this journey with us, and for that, I am truly grateful. I don’t know what comes next, but I would personally love to see the MER team continue their work, and if the opportunity arises, I would certainly want to write it.”