Shinichi Tsutsumi (44) is set to star in the movie "Kokou no Mesu," directed by Izuru Narushima. Tsutsumi is coming off a successful year, as he picked up several Best Actor awards in 2008 for his performance in Masato Harada's "Climber's High."

"Kokou no Mesu" is based on a popular novel written by a real doctor. The story focuses on a surgeon (Tsutsumi) who lost his mother at a young age due to a faulty diagnosis. As a result of that incident, he became a doctor and eventually ended up at a local hospital. While facing the corruption in the medical field around him, he devotes his energy to treating his patients and taking on the challenge of performing Japan's first liver transplant from a brain-dead donor.

The movie's heroine is Yui Natsukawa (41), playing a nurse who regains her motivation for work after meeting the surgeon. Other cast members include Akira Emoto, Kimiko Yo, Katsuhisa Namase, Hisashi Yoshizawa, Hiroki Narimiya, and Mitsuru Hirata. Filming starts on July 5, with a target release date in early summer 2010.