Maria

A story about four sisters who work in medical care. They tend to patients sometimes with no money but at the same time, running the family medical business (in a skyrise in Tokyo/Shinjuku) is taking its toll. Also, it doesn't help when there is another competing clinic out there with up-to-date technology. The story focuses on the four sisters and how each take care of things differently.

[TBS Synopsis]: Sora (Atsuko Asano), the third of four sisters, inherits from her father Sakamoto Medical Practice in Kabukicho, Shinjuku. Sora sees even those with no money and the waiting room is always crowded penniless patients. Keeping the indebted surgery going is tough but Sora manages to carry on with a smile and becomes a popular figure in the neighbourhood. The oldest sister, Umi (Keiko Kishi), is a single doctor researching gene therapy. The second sister, Riku (Kumiko Okae), is the wife of the owner of a large hospital. The fourth sister, Mimi, is a trainee doctor dreaming of becoming famous. The four of them have very different stances on what it means to be a doctor, assuring that every gathering results in a fraternal fight. One day, Umi calls the four sisters together and introduces them to a young girl they have never seen before. It turns out to be Hiyo (Maki Gotoh) their heretofore unknown half-sister from Hokkaido. Hiyo is very sick, her body being invaded by a heavy illness.

STARRING: Asano Atsuko, Gotou Maki, Kikuwa Rei, Okae Kumiko, Azuma Mikihasa, Okada Yoshinori, Sekiguchi Tomohiro, Kishi Keiko, Uehara Misa
DURATION: July 2001 through September 2001
NETWORK: TBS
THEME SONG: "MARIA" by S.E.N.S. & "I will get your kiss" by Nakagawa Akinori
REVIEWS: 

Review needed