The Professionals

Known as the last resort for damaged shoes, shoe repair artisan Murakami Rui (41) is flooded with requests from all around the world. He never turns down a repair, even when other shops and the makers themselves throw in the towel. Failing his university entrance exams three years in a row and dropping out of university, he spent his twenties feeling half-hearted, until meeting an old artisan known as "the god of shoes" changed his life. Now, he uses his skills not only to restore shoes to their former glory, but also to bring back the memories and time they spent with their owners. In a little workshop that shines like a beacon on the edge of town, we watch a drama story unfold around a single pair of shoes.

Heretic architect Baba Masataka (55) is a pioneer of renovation who has given new life to abandoned structures, from empty houses to buildings slated for demolition. Something about the places he works on draws people together and makes them smile. In his past, he wandered off the beaten path, harboring doubts about designing new architecture. With his eyesight deteriorating, he uses the time he has left to pursue designs that demonstrate the future of renovation. We look at the story behind Baba's architecture, which has the power to change people's lives.

Over 5,000 surgeries performed, with a mortality rate of 0.03%. In thoracic surgical treatment such as lung cancer, Yasufuku Kazuhiro is a doctor who has built an astonishing track record. Leading an elite team from around the world in Toronto, Canada, he pursues cutting-edge cancer treatment. He's a pioneer of "minimally invasive treatment" that not only removes the cancer, but puts as little burden on the patient as possible. Even a 95-year-old has received surgery from him, and the majority of his patients can walk out of the hospital the next day. This is the story of a doctor who is entrusted with the dawn of cancer treatment.

The global hit manga series Detective Conan, also known as Case Closed, has reached thirty years in 2024. NHK is allowed rare access into the world of its creator Aoyama Gosho. How are the tricks selected and incorporated into the mystery? Aoyama's mantra is to trust his young readers. Never make anything "for children," because they will see through it. The program reveals the never-before-told account of how Conan came to be, how Aoyama wore himself dangerously close to the edge, and the story he really wanted to tell. The life and mystery of the man who never lost his childlike sense of wonder.