It has been revealed that actor Osamu Mukai will star in the five-episode drama series "MR -Medical Representative-" which will be broadcast and streamed on WOWOW this fall. The series is based on the novel of the same name by Yo Kusakabe, a practicing physician and author (published by Gentosha Bunko). Mukai will play the protagonist, an MR (Medical Representative) for a mid-sized pharmaceutical company, who is torn between patients, doctors, and the pharmaceutical company, while trying to stick to his belief in putting patients first. The series will be a medical business suspense drama that depicts the inner workings of the pharmaceutical industry and the medical field, as well as the struggles of people who confront life and death.
A Medical Representative (MR) is essentially a sales representative for a pharmaceutical company who visits healthcare professionals such as doctors and pharmacists to provide and collect information on prescription drugs and promote their appropriate use. The Japanese pharmaceutical industry has a market size of approximately 10 trillion yen. It takes 10 to 15 years and hundreds of billions of yen in research and development costs to bring a single new drug to market, but the probability of it actually reaching sales is about 1 in 25,000. Pharmaceutical companies are constantly conducting research in order to break through this narrow gate.
The drama offers a glimpse into the realities of the medical industry, where numerous organizations and stakeholders—pharmaceutical companies, university hospitals, doctors, academic societies, guideline selection, and more—are involved in the development of a single drug. It depicts the conflicts between the beliefs of those involved in a "job that deals with lives" and the pressures of sales competition and medical ethics. By including pharmaceutical industry supervision, the drama reflects the current state of the industry and incorporates issues surrounding modern medicine.
Mukai plays Masaki Kionaka, a medical representative (MR). While working tirelessly for his company's new drug, he becomes entangled in the vortex of the massive medical business, facing sabotage from foreign rival companies and allegations of fraud. Eventually, he confronts his own past and finds himself at odds with his own company. He takes on the challenging role of a character who, while struggling between the sales-driven structure of the industry and reality, possesses both calm judgment and passionate conviction.
The director will be Hiroshi Kanai, who has worked on dramas such as "Scandal Eve" (ABEMA, 2025) and the Sunday drama "Caster" (TBS, 2025), and whose film "The Gate of Murder" is scheduled for release. This will be Kanai's first time directing a WOWOW drama.
This marks the third time that one of Kusakabe's novels has been adapted for television by WOWOW, following "Drama W The Third Mistake - First Throw the Stone" (2009), a suspense drama that exposes the dark side of modern medicine with a focus on medical malpractice, and "Continuous Drama W The Hand of God" (2019), which directly addresses the social issue of "the pros and cons of euthanasia in end-of-life care."
◇Story
Masaki Kionaka (Mukai), the head of the third sales office at the Tokyo branch of the mid-sized pharmaceutical company Tenpo Pharmaceuticals and also a medical representative (MR), was working tirelessly to get his company's groundbreaking new drug for type 2 diabetes, "Pansel," designated as the first-line treatment (rated A) in the clinical guidelines. Being selected as the first-line treatment in these guidelines would virtually guarantee that the drug would become a blockbuster—a mega-hit product—with annual sales exceeding 100 billion yen.
However, due to fierce sabotage by Jun Samejima, an MR from the foreign rival company "Taurus," the highly-regarded "Pansel" suddenly finds itself accused of compliance violations at a seminar. Furthermore, it is discovered that "Novelma," a cancer treatment drug from Tenpo Pharmaceuticals that Kionaka himself recommended to patients, has caused deaths due to side effects, putting Tenpo Pharmaceuticals in danger of a drug-induced harm lawsuit and creating division within the company... What will become of Kionaka and others, and of Tenpo Pharmaceuticals, as they are driven into a corner? For whom and how should medicine be made? A battle begins for MRs and those involved, who are torn between their noble mission to heal patients and their desire for profit.
◇Comment from Osamu Mukai
--What were your feelings when you received the offer for this project?
I thought this was a very sensitive topic. The profession of Medical Representative (MR) may not be very well known to the general public, but many of my university classmates became MRs. That's why I think I understand its importance and the confidential nature of the profession. I felt a sense of destiny in this, hoping that my university experiences would be of some use.
--What were your impressions after reading the script?
The drama, emotional moments, and plot development were all very fast-paced. However, since it deals with sensitive issues such as drug-induced harm, I felt that the utmost care was necessary when acting.
--What did you focus on when preparing for the role of Masaki Kionaka that you played this time, and what are your thoughts and impressions of the set after filming was completed?
I focused on portraying a character who doesn't show much emotion and calmly tackles the task at hand, while also highlighting a slight gap when confronting past events. There are hardly any private scenes, making it difficult to understand what he's thinking. However, I believe he's a character with an inner passion for his profession as a medical representative (MR). Contrary to the serious nature of the work, the set was filled with laughter. It had also been a while since I'd worked with the director, and we were able to communicate well from the very beginning of filming.
-- A message to our viewers
There are some difficult technical terms and plot developments, but I tried to convey the current situation through the acting. It may be an unfamiliar profession, but it is a fact that many lives are saved thanks to MRs. Please watch this new medical drama about the people who support healthcare behind the scenes.
◇Comment from the original author, Yo Kusakabe
--What are your thoughts on "MR" being made into a drama on WOWOW?
My novel "MR" depicts the light and shadow of the pharmaceutical industry, and I think it has a surprisingly dramatic plot for me. It was considered difficult to adapt it into a drama on commercial television due to advertising revenue issues, so I am delighted that WOWOW has made it happen (this is my third work with WOWOW, following "The Third Mistake" and "The Hand of God." I am very grateful).
--What are your impressions of the lead actor, Osamu Mukai, and what are your expectations for him?
The main character, Kionaka, is portrayed as having a strong sense of justice, quick wit, patience, and consideration for his subordinates. When I heard that Osamu Mukai was cast in the role, and learned that he had studied genetic engineering at university, I thought he was absolutely perfect. I had been paying close attention to him ever since he played Shigeru Mizuki , whom I greatly admire, in the Asadora "Gegege no Nyobo," so I feel a sense of connection and am very happy.
-- A message to our viewers
Medical representatives (MRs), the pharmaceutical salespeople, face dilemmas such as not being able to sell drugs to patients themselves, and being unable to sell drugs once a patient's illness is cured. The same applies when another company's drug is more effective than their own. I hope that people will learn about the efforts of these MRs who, with the best interests of patients in mind, endure the abuses of doctors and fight on.
◇Comments from Director Hiroshi Kanai
--What are your aspirations for adapting this work into a drama series for WOWOW?
While there are many medical dramas, the profession of "MR" (Medical Representative) has not been given much attention until now. When I read the original work, I felt a deep respect for the struggles and conflicts of those working behind the scenes in the medical field. I hope that this work will convey the work of "MR" to many people and also be enjoyed purely as entertainment.
-- Your impression of the lead actor, Osamu Mukai
The entire cast and crew were overwhelmed by Mukai's flawless delivery of the vast number of unfamiliar drug-related lines. It must have required a considerable amount of effort to prepare behind the scenes, but he showed no sign of it on set. His demeanor was calm, intelligent, and always patient-first, just like the protagonist, Kiyo-chu.
-- A message to our viewers
This isn't just a typical workplace drama; it's a human drama where various senses of justice, beliefs, and motives intertwine. What happens behind the scenes of something as familiar as "medicine"? This is a hard-hitting suspense drama typical of WOWOW, delving into the dark side of the medical industry that can't be touched upon on terrestrial television. I hope you enjoy it.
