An Incurable Case of Love
Overview
An Incurable Case of Love (Japanese: ๆใฏใคใฅใใใฉใใพใงใ, Hepburn: Koi wa Tsuzuku yo Doko made mo) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Maki Enjลji. It was serialized in Shogakukanโs Petit Comic from June 2016 to January 2019 and collected into seven volumes. A live-action television drama adaptation aired from January to March 2020.
Plot
Nanase Sakura met a doctor, fell in love, and studied hard so she could meet him againโbecoming a nurse. When she reunites with him five years later, she discovers heโs completely different from what she imagined. Still, Nanase keeps expressing her feelings honestly to Tendล. Her persistence, her heart, and her dedication to nursing gradually melt his โice coldโ exterior.
Main Characters
- Nanase Sakura (ไฝๅ ไธ็ฌ) โ Respiratory nurse. Strong sense of responsibility; gradually earns coworkersโ trust. Nicknamed โHero-chan.โ Likes drinking with Ryลซko but is a lightweight and gets out of hand when drunk.
- Kairi Tendล (ๅคฉๅ ๆตฌ) โ Pulmonologist. Cold, unfriendly, and known as the โDemon King.โ Highly skilled and trusted by patients. Likes sweet things (especially cream bread). Weak with alcohol and doesnโt drink much. Younger brother of Ryลซko.
- Ryลซko Tendล (ๅคฉๅ ๆตๅญ) โ Kairiโs older sister; apartment manager. Innocent personality; loves alcohol and often drinks with Nanase.
- Kลichi Kizuki (ๆฅ็ ๆไธ) โ Respiratory doctor; popular, calm; nicknamed โMagician.โ
- Ryลซsei Nishi (ไปๅฟ ็ๆ) โ Pediatric nurse. Invites Nanase to pediatrics after seeing her with children. Doesnโt do well with blood. Likes Ryลซko.
- Minori Wakabayashi (่ฅๆ ใฟใฎใ) โ Kairiโs ex-girlfriend; medical school classmate of Kairi and Kizuki; passed away eight years ago due to illness.
- Miori Wakabayashi (่ฅๆ ใฟใใ) โ Minoriโs younger twin sister; heart surgeon; clumsy and easy-going.
- Misa Kanno (่ ้ ๆตท็ ) โ Works in the emergency room; was a university student at the same time as Nanase; somehow looks after her.
- Yuika Sakai (้ ไบ ็ต่ฏ) โ Talented trainee nurse; targets Kairi and becomes Nanaseโs love rival; reliable.
Where to Read / Buy / Watch
- Read (official): VIZ Manga (chapters)
- Physical copy: Amazon (Vol. 1)
- Watch the live-action drama: Netflix
Media
Notes from the source text: publication details include a โMangaโ section with dates and licensing notes, plus a โLive-actionโ section with staff and theme song credit. (This page includes the info as provided.)
Manga Publication + Licensing (as provided)
- Written and illustrated by Maki Enjลji.
- Serialization: Shueishaโs Petit Comic began June 8, 2019; completed January 8, 2021.
- Collected into seven tankลbon volumes.
- VIZ Media licensed the series for English publication (announced March 2019).
- Licensed in Indonesia by Elex Media Komputindo as Everlasting Love.
Volume List (dates + ISBNs)
- Vol. 1 โ Original: Sep 9, 2016 (ISBN 978-4-09-138559-8) โข English: Oct 1, 2019 (ISBN 978-1-97-470931-1)
- Vol. 2 โ Original: Feb 10, 2017 (ISBN 978-4-09-139227-5) โข English: Jan 7, 2020 (ISBN 978-1-97-470932-8)
- Vol. 3 โ Original: Jul 10, 2017 (ISBN 978-4-09-139434-7) โข English: Apr 7, 2020 (ISBN 978-1-97-470933-5)
- Vol. 4 โ Original: Dec 8, 2017 (ISBN 978-4-09-139673-0) โข English: Jul 7, 2020 (ISBN 978-1-97-470934-2)
- Vol. 5 โ Original: May 10, 2018 (ISBN 978-4-09-870065-3) โข English: Oct 6, 2020 (ISBN 978-1-97-470935-9)
- Vol. 6 โ Original: Oct 10, 2018 (ISBN 978-4-09-870240-4) โข English: Jan 5, 2021 (ISBN 978-1-97-471234-2)
- Vol. 7 โ Original: Mar 8, 2019 (ISBN 978-4-09-870371-5) โข English: Apr 6, 2021 (ISBN 978-1-97-471235-9)
Live-Action Drama Details (as provided)
- Announced July 2019.
- Directed by Kenta Tanaka among others.
- Scripts by Arisa Kaneko.
- Producers include Masako Miyazaki and Akiko Matsumoto.
- Theme song: Official Hige Dandism โ โI Love…โ
- Aired on TBS TV from Jan 14 to Mar 17, 2020 (10 episodes).
Drama Cast (full list)
Main Cast
- Mone Kamishiraishi (ไธ็ฝ็ณ ่้ณ) as Nanase Sakura
- Takeru Satoh (ไฝ่ค ๅฅ) as Kairi Tendo
- Katsuya Maiguma (ๆฏ็ ๅ ๅ) as Koichi Kisugi
- Kosei (ๆด็) as Yukito Numazu
- Keisuke Watanabe (ๆธก่พบ ๆฌไป) as Ryusei Nishi
- Kumi Takiuchi (็งๅ ๅ ฌ็พ) as Kozue Ishihara
- Ai Yoshikawa (ๅๅท ๆ) as Yuika Sakai
- Mayu Hotta (ๅ ็ฐ ็็ฑ) as Misa Kanno
- Karina (้ฆ้ๅฅ) as Ryuko Tendo
- Kami Hiraiwa (ๅนณๅฒฉ ็ด) as Mariko Negishi
- Nana Katase (็็ฌ ้ฃๅฅ) as Sayoko Yuki
- Misako Renbutsu (่ฎไฝ ็พๆฒๅญ) as Minori Wakabayashi
- Koji Yamamoto (ๅฑฑๆฌ ่ๅฒ) as Rokuro Koishikawa
Additional Cast Members
- Elen (็่ฎ) โ Ai Nakano
- Fukiko Hara (ๅ ๆถ่ฒดๅญ) โ Tomoko Ofuchi
- Sei Ando (ๅฎ่ค ่) โ Shizuka Hara
- Ai Mikami (่ฆไธ ๆ) โ Wakana Takatsu
- Daichi Kaneko (้ๅญ ๅคงๅฐ) โ Koki Kanda (ep.1-2,10)
- Moeno Sumida (ไฝ็ฐ ่ไน) โ Anri Shirahama (ep.1-3,8,10)
- Takashi Okabe (ๅฒก้จ ใใใ) โ Manabu Sugamo (ep.1-3)
- Taku Suzuki (้ดๆจ ๆ) โ salaried man (ep.1)
- Mario Kuroba (้ป็พฝ ้บป็ๅคฎ) โ Suguru Nekoda (ep.1,10)
- Mie Ohta/Mie Ota (ๅคช็ฐ ็พๆต) โ Taeko Shirahama (ep.1,8)
- Shieri Ohata (ๅคงๅนก ใใใ) โ Yu Igarashi (ep.2)
- Satoshi Judai (ๅฏฟๅคง ่ก) โ Shinya Sawatari (ep.2-5,10)
- Tsukasa Kotobuki (ใใจใถใ ใคใใ) โ Keita Enoki (ep.2-5,10)
- Sayaka Aoki (้ๆจ ใใใ) โ Tomomi Sugamo (ep.3)
- Ren Mori (ๆฃฎ ๅป) โ Shin Tazawa (ep.3-4)
- Jun Miho (็พไฟ ็ด) โ Keiko Tsuruoka (ep.4,10)
- Yuko Takayama (้ซๅฑฑ ไพๅญ) โ Eri Yoshino (ep.4,10)
- Kotaro Daigo (้้ ่ๆฑฐๆ) โ Shinji Negishi (ep.5)
- Bonchi Osamu (ใผใใก ใใใ) โ Ichirota Tsutsumi (ep.6)
- Tagame Tamura (็ฐๆ ใใใ) โ Yoko Wada (ep.6)
- Sho Kiyohara (ๆธ ๅ ็ฟ) โ Kamijo (ep.7-8,10)
- Masashi Iwadera (ๅฒฉๅฏบ ็ๅฟ) โ Yutaro Asai (ep.7-8)
- Sayaka Tomaru (้ฝไธธ ็ดไน่ฏ) โ Misato Sugimura (ep.7)
- Morooka Moro (ใขใญ ๅธซๅฒก) โ Tsutomu Nakazawa (ep.8-9)
- Yoriko Kamimura (ไธๆ ไพๅญ) โ Haruko Kikuchi (ep.8)
- Ryo Iwase (ๅฒฉ็ฌ ไบฎ) โ Yuki Kurosaka (ep.8)
- Hajime Okayama (ใใใใพ ใฏใใ) โ Seiichi Sakura (ep.9)
- Mako Ishino (็ณ้ ็ๅญ) โ Hatsue Sakura (ep.9)
- Shusaku Kamikawa (ไธๅท ๅจไฝ) โ Hiroki Sakura (ep.9)
- Yuko Fukui (็ฆไบ ่ฃๅญ) โ Satoko Sakura (ep.9)
- Jun Hashizume (ๆฉ็ช ๆทณ) โ Kenzo Sugawara (ep.9)
- Hiroaki Murakami (ๆไธ ๅผๆ) โ Mari Tendo (ep.10)
- Yoshiko Tokoshima (ๅบๅถ ไฝณๅญ) โ Nijiko Tendo (ep.10)
- Kentaro Tamura (็ฐๆ ๅฅๅคช้) โ Shutaro Yanagi (ep.10)
- Asei (ไบ็) โ Yuto Numazu (ep.10)
Volume Covers
All volume cover images below
My Review
First Impressions
I loved this series. Itโs one of those romances that hits because the core dynamic is simple but addictive: a genuinely earnest heroine who refuses to give up, and a โcold demon kingโ type who slowly reveals his softness in a way that feels earned. The hospital setting keeps things grounded, and watching Nanase grow into her job while still being unapologetically in love is the kind of shoujo energy Iโll never get tired of.
What Makes It Work
- Nanaseโs sincerity is the engine. Sheโs not perfect, but sheโs consistentโand thatโs why the romance lands.
- Tendลโs โDemon Kingโ vibe is fun. Cold on the outside, soft on the insideโฆ and the story actually commits to the slow thaw.
- Workplace growth + romance. The nursing angle isnโt just wallpaper; it supports the emotional arc.
- Side characters add flavor. Ryลซko, Kizuki, Nishi, and the Wakabayashi twins bring extra tension and warmth.
Where It Stumbles
- Secondhand frustration moments. The โheโs not who I imaginedโ + cold treatment can be a lot early on.
- Love-rival pressure.If you hate rivalry arcs, Yuika might raise your blood pressure a bit.
Manga vs Drama
The manga is my favorite overall (8.9/10)โit feels the most โcompleteโ in terms of pacing and inner emotional build. The drama is still really strong (8.5/10), with solid casting and that classic romcom tension you can binge through. Basically: read it for the full slow-burn satisfaction, watch it for the cozy live-action vibes.
TL;DR
A heartfelt, addictive workplace romance where sincerity winsโmanga 8.9/10, drama 8.5/10.
๐ฒ What is Roulette Review?
Reading three volumes of manga, manhwa, and manhua all at once ๐๐จ
Watching a J-drama or K-drama at 2x speed because I have to know if they kiss ๐ญ
Switching between my Switch, phone, and Steam library because I canโt pick one game ๐ฎ
Balancing a controller, my phone, a matcha latte, and five tabs of otome game guidesโฆ all while pretending I have it together โจ
Roulette Reviews are chaotic, emotional, and always from the heart โค๏ธ
Stay tuned for more roulette reviewsโanything can pop up next!
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Read Roulette Review๐ Thanks for reading! ๐
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