Children of Hippocrates is the second series published in France by the talented Toshiya Higashimoto, author of the excellent Ship of Theseus (Vega). Are you a fan of Dr House? Did Shaun Murphy's humanity in The Good Doctor give you chills? Then this manga is for you!
The story
Is the dedication of health professionals fully appreciated? While at present, medical practice tends to espouse the model of profitability demanded by society, some practitioners see their values trampled underfoot. At the same time, overprotective parents demand immediate results or challenge the competence of caregivers… However, all this is far from discouraging Maco Suzukake! This young practitioner in the making devotes himself body and soul to his profession. With him, the little patients of the pediatric department are in good hands! Follow his daily life between small injuries and serious illnesses, at the bedside of children but also their parents!
Children of Hippocrates: ready for an immersion internship?
The Children of Hippocrates is captivating from the first pages. Toshiya Higashimoto shows us once again his graphic mastery, both of the sets and the characters. These first two volumes take us to meet the young pediatrician Maco Suzukake, whose unconventional style seems to irritate his colleagues. Nevertheless, Maco is much more than a slightly eccentric young man: he is a brilliant doctor. In the manner of Sherlock Holmes (BBC version), Higashimoto offers us in inlay the thread of his thoughts, until the diagnosis of the diseases that his patients face. Like the cult Black Jack, Osamu Tezuka, or Give my regards to Black Jack (Shuto Satô), the reality on the ground is not spared. From daily bobology to oncology, the mangaka reveals a demanding, sometimes harsh clinic. It is in these precise moments that Maco's kindness and enthusiasm helps to bring down the pressure.
The Children of Hippocrates: portrait of an era
Where Toshiya Higashimoto also excels is in the psychology of his characters. As the pages progress, their complexity is revealed and questions the intimate relationship of parenthood. These first two volumes are an opportunity to discover some elements of Maco's past, and his reunion with his father brings back painful memories. Similarly, when a child falls ill, it is often an opportunity for the parental couple to realize their difficulties, shortcomings or expectations. Higashimoto reminds us that the symptom is also a sign, that it is important to listen and understand in its entirety. Children of Hippocrates delicately highlights the societal and social pressures that weigh on parents, especially mothers. Choosing between motherhood and work, killing oneself at the expense of time spent with one's child… Toshiya Higashimoto paints a portrait of a parenthood deprived of expectations but also of fantasies diffused around an idealized perfection, therefore unattainable.
The Children of Hippocrates: the story of a transmission
The future is built by children and with them; this could be the creed of the Children of Hippocrates. Children in the biological but also philosophical sense of the term: those to whom we transmit. The original title of the manga emphasizes this dimension: Platanus no Mi, in other words "the fruits of the plane tree", whose other name is the tree of Hippocrates. The great physician of Greek antiquity gave the world an oath that all future doctors take, and which commits them to respect a rigorous ethic. Ethics that today's management methods undermine. Maco, for his part, perpetuates this desire to be at the bedside of patients, by lending them a full and complete listening. Out of step with social norms, the young doctor could nevertheless imbue his colleagues with his ingenuous empathy. This has all the more impact when we discover Maco's past and especially his connection to his father. Once a cold doctor and obstinate accountant, would the tragedy experienced by the Suzukake family have changed him completely? The next volumes may well give us some answers! Mangetsu editions continue to offer us quality and handpicked titles. After the successful adaptation of Frankenstein by Junji Ito, it is the turn of the medical universe to be explored. Toshiya Higashimoto confirms his innate talent as a storyteller. Children of Hippocrates is already a classic, halfway between slice-of-life manga and drama. We can't wait to follow the evolution of Maco and his little patients, starting August 17 in bookstores!
