On July 8, 2021, we began filming the frontline battle against COVID-19 in an intensive care unit for critically ill patients. Heading this ICU is Dr. Takeda Shinhiro, 61. He's a leading figure in ECMO treatment, which functions like an artificial lung outside the body. It's used as a last-ditch treatment for patients with severe cases of COVID-19. His work has made Japan's survival rate for ECMO treatment among the highest in the world. What happened in his unit during the explosion of COVID-19 infections in Japan during summer 2021? Watch a 40-day record of a battle to save lives.