"Surgeon Elise" tells the story of a protagonist who reexamines her past and grows as a result of her reincarnation. The anime adaptation is scheduled to air in January 2024 and is already generating a lot of buzz. Whether you've read the original or haven't yet, there are bound to be some who are interested. The appeal of this work lies in its many aspects, including how it differs from other works that focus on reincarnation. Before the anime airs, we'd like to introduce some of the appealing aspects of this work!
Synopsis
In a world other than Earth, Elise de Clorence, the eldest daughter of the Marquis de Clorence, lives a selfish life. Even after becoming Empress, she continued to commit evil deeds, and her husband, Linden de Romanoff, could no longer bear to watch her, so she was burned at the stake. She was then reborn in her second life as Takamoto Aoi, and, reflecting on her behavior in her previous life, tried to be honest, but she lost her life in an accident. In her third life, she was reborn again as Elise, and vowed to use what she had learned in her second life to become a doctor. What will be the fate of Elise as she struggles to face her past?
Charm #1: A worldview reminiscent of a shojo manga
Looking at the covers of the novel and manga, you'll notice that the characters and costumes are depicted in vivid colors. It's a worldview reminiscent of a shojo manga. The protagonist, Elise, is primarily involved with two male characters: Linden, her husband before her first reincarnation, and Graham, who becomes a mentor to the protagonist after she becomes a doctor in her second reincarnation. There's a chance that the two will clash over the protagonist, Elise. This would be a truly shojo manga-like development. However, Linden, unable to tolerate Elise's misdeeds, once burned her at the stake. Therefore, in her second reincarnation, Elise must devise various strategies to avoid marrying Linden.
Charm #2: Two Reincarnations
While the story centers around medicine, it also features elements of reincarnation in other worlds. Furthermore, Elise has experienced two reincarnations. She was burned at the stake during her time as Empress, when her personality was at its worst, and was reincarnated as a Japanese woman named Aoi Takano living on Earth, where she became a doctor. She later died in an accident, and is reborn as Elise, just like in her first life, but this time in her pre-Empress state. While reincarnation even once is considered a cheat ability, Elise is reincarnated twice in this story. When a villainous young lady like Elise is reincarnated, the typical scenario is that she learns from her past life and lives in her new world. However, Elise reincarnates again after dying in an accident during her second life as a woman on Earth. In her third life, she decides to live as Elise, just like in her first. Because Elise has two memories from her previous life, she has twice the knowledge and experience of the protagonists of other reincarnation stories, which alone is enough to qualify as a cheat ability. This two-time reincarnation is a completely new story, one that has never been seen before.
Earth is another world??
When we think of reincarnation, we imagine a person living on Earth dying in a freak accident, gaining cheat abilities in another world, and becoming invincible. However, Elise originally lived in a different world, not Earth, so Earth itself becomes her other world. You might be wondering, "Reincarnated on Earth?" But it's because I live on Earth that other worlds feel different to me. While it's only natural that the definition of "otherworld" varies depending on the world you live in, learning about it makes a lot of sense.
Charm #3: A Deep "Redo" Story
Among reincarnation stories in another world, "Surgeon Elise" is said to be a "redo" story. Redo stories involve a person who committed a crime being reincarnated in a younger state, reflecting on their past sins and trying to avoid making the same mistakes again. In this work, before Elise is rejuvenated, she lives another life on Earth as "Takano Aoi." Rather than simply reflecting on the actions of her previous life, living as Aoi allows her to find the answer to how she should live in order to atone for her sins. Living as a doctor is her atonement, and her way of life is also the theme of the story. The standard way to start over is to devise a plan and respond each time in order to prevent past bad deeds from happening again. However, in this work, Elise's "way of life" itself is one of reflection and reform, making it an extremely deep work.
Charm #4: Connection to Actual History
The story is set in a world with strong fantasy elements, but it's generally based around the 19th century, the time of the Crimean War. The 19th century was a time of considerable medical advancement, and surgical procedures using anesthesia were becoming commonplace. Elise works as a surgeon, but there are also elements reminiscent of Florence Nightingale, who was active around the time of the Crimean War. She pays close attention to hygienic care and combats the threat of infectious diseases, demonstrating her dedication to the work of Florence Nightingale, known as the "father of modern nursing." The subtle links to actual history are fascinating.
Summary of the Work's Appeal
This work is incredibly compelling, taking advantage of the difference between traditional reincarnation stories, which feature a second reincarnation, to add depth to the story. The protagonist, Elise,'s personal growth is a major highlight, and it's fascinating to watch her emotions change as she interacts with various characters. If you're interested, why not check out the original manga before the anime airs? That's all for today. Thank you for reading.
