It was revealed on May 26th that actress Manami Higa will star in the NTV Wednesday drama "First Cry: Mother and Child Emergency Medical Team," which will begin airing in July (Wednesdays at 10 PM). This will be Higa's first time starring in a prime-time drama on the network. The drama is a medical entertainment piece about obstetricians who protect new lives behind the scenes of a glamorous celebrity hospital, and Higa will play Aki Mitsui, the obstetrician who works tirelessly to hear a baby's first cry.
The story is set in St. Fiona Hospital, one of Japan's most prestigious hospitals for celebrities. There, a secretly formed maternal and child emergency medical team struggles to protect pregnant women who have nowhere else to go and the "new lives" that are about to be born. At the heart of the story are the medical professionals who take on high-risk "life-or-death situations." These individuals, each with different personalities and values, face various circumstances and motives, but they sincerely confront the lives of the mothers and children before them.
Higa plays Mitsui Aki, a self-made specialist with congenital hearing loss in one ear who is obsessed with hearing a baby's first cry more than anyone else. Her skills, honed in overseas medical settings, led to her being hired at St. Fiona Hospital. She is a highly skilled doctor, but also has a bright and cheerful personality, and a side to her that says, "I love delicious food and alcohol." Behind Mitsui's cheerfulness lies the "emotional pain" related to her own birth... As the story progresses, Mitsui's past will also be revealed.
Regarding her first leading role in a prime-time drama on the network, Higa said, "I feel a sense of responsibility as I've been given the important task of being the lead. I've played many roles as a medical professional up until now, but this time I'll be playing an obstetrician, a role I've never played before, so I'm really looking forward to it."
The script will be written by Hideya Hamada, who has worked on popular dramas such as "Ichikei no Karasu," "Blue Moment," and the "Absolute Zero" series (all on Fuji TV). The cast of the unique mother-child rescue team surrounding the protagonist will be announced at a later date.
The comments from Higa and others are as follows:
◇Comment from lead actress Manami Higa
--What were your thoughts when you received the offer for this project?
I've been acting for nearly 20 years now, and I'm always grateful to be asked to take on roles. This time, I've been given the important task of being the "lead," and I feel a great sense of responsibility. I've played many roles as a medical professional up until now, but this time I'll be playing an obstetrician-gynecologist, a role I've never played before, so I'm really looking forward to it.
--About the character of Mitsui Aki that you play in this work.
The character I play, Mitsui, is someone who usually treats herself to drinks and snacks after work and loves them dearly. However, when faced with a life-or-death situation, her personality completely changes, and she saves pregnant women and babies with her quick judgment and reliable skills. I think she's a person with a strong core. She's a carefree character with quite a bit of comedic elements, and it's a role I've never played before, so I'm both excited and nervous.
I myself am quite easygoing, I like to joke around a lot, and I'm always looking for something interesting, so I feel like I might have some similarities with Mitsui.
--What are the appealing aspects of this work?
First of all, the script is fascinating. When I received the script, I was struck by the tension of the life-saving scene, where people are fighting to save pregnant women and babies, and I found it so interesting that I read it all in one go. I didn't know much about obstetrics and gynecology myself, but it turns out that not only doctors, but also midwives, nurses... so many medical professionals are involved. It's not just one super doctor tackling the problem with their skills alone, but rather it's built on "team medicine," and the drama clearly depicts how important each person's role and coordination are. What I find most wonderful, above all else, is how it focuses so firmly on the "preciousness of the birth of a life." I hope that this drama will encourage people to learn about the realities and behind-the-scenes aspects of obstetrics and gynecology.
--Regarding the title.
The title, "First Cry," means "the first cry of a newborn." When a baby is born and lets out its first cry, all the medical professionals involved feel a sense of relief. The obstetrician-gynecologist who is serving as medical supervisor for this production said, "Among all the medical specialties, obstetrics and gynecology is unique in that we can say 'Congratulations,' making it a precious and wonderful field." I want to cherish that sentiment and perform with conviction.
--A message to our viewers.
"First Cry: Maternal and Child Emergency Medical Team" highlights the strong bond that comes from team medicine involving obstetricians, neonatologists, anesthesiologists, and midwives, as well as the immersive experience of facing life-or-death situations. With obstetric care currently under immense pressure, I myself have come to deeply appreciate the preciousness of new life being born through this work. I will do my best to make this a wonderful work so that the "first cry" can be clearly heard by everyone, so please look forward to it.
◇Comment from producer Arisa Mori (Nippon Television)
"The birthing room is the purest space in the world, where everyone prays only for the safety of the mother and baby"... These are the words I heard from an obstetrician during an interview.
The highlight of this film is seeing how the medical professionals, embodying that sentiment, "never give up until the baby's first cry is heard," and how they unite and fight to save the lives of mothers and babies.
Obstetricians, neonatologists, anesthesiologists, midwives, and hospital concierges—these professionals, each with their own sense of pride, clash at times, but gradually come to respect each other and become a unified team. Their journey is sure to warm your heart!
The linchpin of the team is the protagonist, Aki Manami Higa Higa. She is a highly skilled doctor who is not afraid of taking risks, yet she is also innocent, honest, and fearless.
With her undeniable acting skills, dignified aura, and cheerful personality that brings smiles to those around her, Ms. Higa is truly a perfect fit for this role!
We hope that this "hero of a new era," who will energize you just by looking at him, will brighten your hearts.
This medical entertainment will make you laugh, cry, feel thrilled and excited, and leave you with a warm sense of hope after you finish watching. I hope you will all feel like you are a part of the mother and child emergency medical team and witness the moment when the baby's first cry rings out.
