Even though renowned brain surgeon Yoko Miyama is treated like an empress at the Tohto General Hospital, something has been stressing her out lately. Chief of brain surgery Takao Imadegawa assigned three new doctors under her supervision against her wishes. Reporting to her will be Kengo Kuroiwa, known as "The World's Kuroiwa" for his prowess but also a notorious womanizer, Takuma Nishigori, a surgery and catheter two-way genius who prefers doing operations over eating, and Sachiko Kozukue, a confident intern who graduated at the top of her class but doesn't realize her job performance is below satisfactory.

Not long after starting her new job, Sachiko is suddenly faced with an emergency. Unsure what to do, she freezes but Yoko shows up to save the patient with her on-point decision-making and marvelous techniques. One wrong slice into the brain and there's no going back. That's why the skills of the lead surgeon are everything. Yoko can't hide her irritation at Sachiko, who she feels is useless at the job. What's more, the nurses are predicting that "Empress Yoko" will clash with Kuroiwa and Nishigori, who are both Top Knife surgeons.

Even though they're blessed with world-class skills and prestige, there's something awkward and contradictory about these doctors. Just what did they sacrifice to learn how to save people?!

This is the ultimate human drama about surgeons who handle the mystery that is the brain on a daily basis and are constantly forced to ponder the meaning of life, feelings, and the brain. Follow these geniuses as they go through pains, struggles, and hope in "Top Knife."