

The Tree In Sunlight
A story set in the mid-1800's about a young doctor who has been trained in Western-style medicine and a young samurai who is trying to live up to the old traditions of his class and culture. The story is actually based upon real people - the doctor, Ryo-an, was Tezuka's great grandfather. The manga series was adapted to anime by Madhouse Studios and premiered in Japan on NTV on April 4, 2000.
Seasons

Season 1
25 episodes
During the Second Year of Ansei (1855) in Edo's Koishigawa are two young men, Manjiro Ibutani and Ryoan Tezuka. Ibutani is a low-ranking samurai who is a gifted swordsman and has a straightforward and strong sense of justice. Tezuka has a more carefree attitude. He has an eye for the ladies, but he is passionate about becoming a doctor. The two opposite characters come of age during the backdrop of the turbulent end of the Tokugawa Period (1600-1868 CE).
Episodes
Cast

Koichi Yamadera
Tezuka Ryoan

Mitsuru Miyamoto
Ibutani Manjiro

Rica Matsumoto
Okon

Fumiko Orikasa
Oseki

Ichiro Nagai
Tezuka Ryosen

Rokuro Naya
Ushikubo Tohbei

Daisuke Gori
Seisai Taki

Jurota Kosugi
Kaishu Katsu

Kotono Mitsuishi
Omasa

Nobuyuki Hiyama
Jiro Kusuon