1 Litre no Namida (2005)

This drama was really heartfelt and touching! It was so inspiring and it every episode made my cry at least once! The reason why I love this drama so much is because it makes you think about your own situation. I realize that I should be grateful for what I have and, when things get to tough, I should never give up.

The story was based on a true story of Aya Kito. It showed how much harder it got when Aya's disease become unmanageable. The story was overall really great, and it successfully showed Aya's story from the beginning through the end. I also love how they include Aya Kito's own words into the movie! Also, I felt a little refreshed because of the love story weaved into this whole commotion. I won't spoil anything, but I'm just saying it's not cheesy. It's more like natural love.

All the acting and cast were wonderful! The characters were really easy to empathize with, and cry with. I love the emotions they displayed!

Oh my gosh, THE MUSIC! I really got into the song "March 9" because of it! March 9 is so sad to listen to, and all the music overall really matched the situation!

I would definitely rewatch this when I have nothing else to watch even if it means crying again!

Overall, the whole drama was excellent! Everything was well directed and it was beautifully made!

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The drama that made me cry buckets and this is listed in my top tear-jerking dramas of all time. For that reason, I cannot and will never ever as in ever in my entire life watch this again. lols

But this drama is so good regardless of the heartache this has caused me. This is just too heartbreaking for me and to think that this was based on real life. Like WHY???? Why does she have to hurt like that?!

I also watched the movie before, and I also cried rivers. lol

P.S. Sawajiri Erika is sooooooooooooooooooooo pretty. I can look at her face all day!

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TBH I don't usually watch dramas or anything related bcoz I have been an anime addict as far as I can remember n hence this series is one of my first watch. It was strongly encouraged by a number of ppl so I decided to check it out n what waited was a stream of overflowing emotions. I cried like hell which I tell u is amazing for someone like me to actually cry.

STORY 10/10 :The drama is based on a real- life story which makes the emotions of the drama even more appealing to the audience. The plot was well executed with the addition of ASOU-KUN (FYI fictional), he adds a great deal to the overall story. Even the very small n simple scenes like the family having dinner together over the table were well thought to immerse the viewers. My fav scence is where Aya gives a speech in front of her class. I loved the line where she says "to be able to smile n tell everyone like this, I atleast needed 1 litre of tears".

ACTING/CAST 9/10 : The acting of the cast was amazing. The only reason I gave it a 9 is bcoz i felt it could have been better for some support roles tho I won't be mentioning them. Sawajiri did a great job depicting AYA tho her role was complicated it was played mind blowingly. I don't know how many of u will actually appreciate but I felt the role of AYA'S FATHER was damn amusing. He's fussing nature made the drama fun n whenever his scene pops up the sudden transition from tears to laughter happens its simply magical. Other supporting roles like AYA'S MOTHER , ASOU n AYA'S SIBLINGS were well acted.

MUSIC 8/10: The drama was glistened by good music. TBH I liked the music but its simply not my FAV genre n hence an 8. But tho I'm not a big fan of the specific genre I was mesmerized by the high quality music n its relevance in every scene especially the lyrics of the songs were well thought. I cried ever time KONAYUKI played.

REWATCH VALUE 3/10 : Why such a very low reaction value? For me its be coz I simply can't rewatch this series again for years or even decades maybe. It tore my heart n had me crying my heart out ever ep n I don't think I can bear another emotional roller coaster like that # my heart won't last. N I seriously dont wanna die of heart ache XD.

OVERALL 10/10 : For me the series was an absolute masterpiece it made me cry like never before n i don't think i'll cry this much ever again.I seriously recommed this series to anyone who likes to have their hearts broken n reshaped. This series made me ponder on life n for better encouraged me to continue LIVING. It made me cherish the love of FAMILY n the current HEALTHY LIFE I have. If u r not a big fan of the genre n prefer comedy with light hearted elements its best u avoid this series bcoz of its heavy n deep content.

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This is an amazing story. I wouldn't suggest any one to watch it if they do not want to cry, because trust me i held out till the 5th episode and i was crying till the end. Cast play their characters wonderfully and i really believed that The main character really had this disease. It is a realistic plot line considering the the time change from when the real person actually lived. so as a warning you will cry so grab your tissues and pain pills because you will need them for you tears and head ache from crying so much.

By the way Re-watch is low because i don't tend to watch shows that make me cry twice. Nothing against the show.

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Story: Oh my gosh, this is one of the best J-drama I've ever seen TBH, this drama encompasses a lot of emotions from love, family, friendship, EVERYTHING, it has everything a slice of life drama you would expect and it was beautifully made too!
Actors/Cast: ERIKA SAWAJIRI? I LOVE HER!!! her acting in this one is superb and that other actor too, I forgot his name. I really liked her acting in this one.
Music: They also have a very nice OSTs, I mean Erika's singing voice was like an angel.
Rewatch value: I put 10/10 on every criteria except this one. You know why? because rewatching this always breaks my heart and I honestly don't want to go under that kind of pain a lot of times, so yeah guys, prepare a lot of tissues when you decided to watch this, because you will literally cry 1L of tears on this one.

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I cried 1 liter of tears

I think its a story that makes you question a lot how you have been living your life until now, many times we take things for granted because we think that everything will always be the same. Its a drama from years ago based on a true story and I think they managed to express the feelings very well, I became really familiar with the characters so I could feel their pain. I think it is a drama that young, adults and old people can enjoy and understand. Fully recommended. I cried so much because I put myself in the place of the family and how I would feel if I were in their situation. The ost are beautiful, even though I can't understand Japanese, I listen to the songs a lot because they touched my soul.

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The right amount of tears to flood my soul

To start this review off,I`d like to mention a quote from Aya Kitou`s diary(the person without whom this drama wouldn`t exist at all) which probably struck me the hardest:

- "School ends in 4 days. Everyone`s making 1000 wish paper cranes for me. The prayers they`re putting their hearts into are burned into my memory so that no matter how distant we grow,I`ll never forget. But...what I really wanted was to hear them say
[ Aya,please don`t go ]"

As always,I`d like to thank the writers,producers,actors and every staff member on the work they put in,because creating a drama is hard.

Candidly speaking,whenever I saw this one on any list regarding dramas,it always pulled me in. However,as a person who`s strangely sensitive to tragedy put on screen,coupled with the fact this is based on a real person and a real disease,I tried to put it away from my mind. Hidden in a faraway compartment in my brain,designed to keep such information. Then months passed by and I was in a slump. With nothing being satisfying enough to get me out of the rut,I turned to this drama,knowing full well what awaits me.

This title is scarily accurate. You will cry. This is a fact and it`s deserved(unlike Move to Heaven,where you crying didn`t feel organic but rather a consequence of set up manipulations). You might cry during different parts of the story than me,but you will cry. Ikeuchi Aya is probably one of the best tragic characters I`ve seen in a drama in some time. She`s a bright,zealous,optimistic 15 year old girl,excited to leave her trace in this world. Her family,made up of a tofu store owner dad,mother Shioka,sisters Rika and Ako and a younger brother Hiroki. And once you realize what a huge impact they have on her,it`s completely understandable how admirable of a person she became by their side. It is a healthy environment. Which makes it both worse and better,seeing as her journey unfolds. Accompanied by friends,young doctor,a small crush and an irritable sidekick Asou,Aya learns to grapple with her condition: spinocerebellar degeneration.

It`s probably a good moment to mention that I too,have a mild condition where one side of my body is,by all accounts,less respondent than the other. I was born with it and it is nowhere near as serious. But me bringing it to light is meant to highlight just one thing:I could understand Aya`s feelings of isolation and guilt. Not wanting to be a burden. Trying everything for herself in order to minimize having to rely on anyone. Because of that,there is this sense of kinship almost,as some of the things I went through in my teen years flooded back,mixing with tears running down my face. That is not to say I understand EVERYTHING she went through,as that`d probably take me...well,a whole `nother life,at least. What I will tell you is:Following Ikeuchi Aya,despite knowing where this`ll end,is still one of the best drama experiences. I am SO glad I decided to bite the bullet and give a chance to this show.

This drama completely deserves its place on every list,unlike most dramas found there. And it deserves to stay there...forever,pretty much. Because it`s a drama you`ll learn something from. Be it surface level or personal,one is for sure:You won`t complete this drama without having learnt something about you or Aya or...the world. When it comes to acting,even though everyone`s pretty good,I`ll say Riko Narumi as Ako and Erika Sawajiri as Aya stole the show for me.

What works for this drama,however,is definitely the writing,most of it taken directly from Aya`s diary and her excerpts. Even as young as she was,with as many talents,one of her greatest is what she used to cope with this tragedy:her writing. And this,in turn,made the drama so much deeper and has given it a sense of utmost importance. If it seems like I`m putting off the inevitable,that`s because I am. I don`t want to talk about Aya`s disease because she was so much more. Aya accomplished what many people won`t,even though amount of time allotted to them is three times what she was given. She saw the world for the good and positive it has to offer. And that`ll forever be more important than the level of her disability or how long she had left.

Which`d probably take me to one of my small nitpicks. While I love the "1 Litre no Namida" title,especially within the context of the story itself,what I`m not crazy about is the amount of posters showcasing Aya in pain or crying,as if she was a simple moppet,there to be sad and nothing more. Especially since so many pictures of real life Aya depict her as someone with spirit and fight. I understand the purpose,but I`m not crazy about it.

I`d say this isn`t so much a proper review,as it is an ode to a strong individual whose story both helped and educated many. It goes without saying,but this is an essential watch for all viewers who are looking for an experience whilst watching dramas. A true classic. One whose existence can`t be touched by a slump.

And for Aya: Dear Aya,no matter where you are,I hope you`re smiling. Creating little miracles everywhere you go. Hope you can see how much you`ve inspired your siblings,their offspring and people around the world. I`d be silly to say this,but if reincarnation exists,I hope you got reincarnated. You deserve it. And Aya? I hope tears I`ve shed and tissues I`ve used up help create a path for you,so you can advance confidently...as you always did.

Thank you.

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This is certainly a drama that I will never ever forget for my entire life.

It was aired in 2005 on a local TV channel in the Philippines, I watched every single day without missing a part of it. I re-watched the series when I had my very first computer. And this drama never cease to amazed me especially Erika Sawajiri's role of Ikeuchi, Aya. She's really good on bring the emotions to life and you will really feel her words deep in your bones. The struggle is real in here, and you will truly struggle not to cry in every scene.

This drama really inspires me, I won't give you spoilers but what I can say is that, before you watch this one, be sure that you will have acartons/boxes of tissues ready. I love the OST & I love the song Ryo Nishikido as Asou Haruto sang with the class in front of the hospital, I even memorized it and still know the lyrics to this day.

I wish you're true Asou. I really wished you for Aya.

OST: Only Human by K ft. Kim Dong Wan
Special Songs: 3 gatsu 9 ka (Sangatsu Kokonoka) & Konayuki by Remioromen
DRAMA BASED ON A TRUE STORY OF A GIRL WITH AN INCURABLE DISEASE.

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Probably the most fitting title for a drama ever

Brace yourselves this is going to be personal, it may be long, it may not and I will start off with the main points before I get personal, and have the one potential spoiler...

This drama is one of the dramas that made me cry the most tears, making me understand why so many still mention it whenever people ask for tear-jerkers. The drama i s touching, most of the characters are lovable and if not always lovable they are most definitely relatable or just realistic showing a whole spectrum of ways to act around people with disabilities. It is touching it is sweet, it is frustrating and it is the type of drama that will make you both cry and get pissed off at the world.
There where several things that did bother me, among them where how little most of the grown ups believed in their children as well as how many parents acted. I hope this was embellished, and that people are not like that in real life but well you never know, however I will just say that it bothered me and leave it at that, was one thing that bothered me that I want to write about before I move over to the even more personal thoughts I want to just put it out there that I honestly wish people would stop feeling inspired by others handle their misfortunes or use that as an excuse or whatever to think over their lives choices. I am not saying not to get inspiration from others, but the reason should not be despite (insert whatever word) it should be wow that is great writing... I wish people who watch this type of dramas would just skip the inspiration and find the relation instead. Asking you to focus on finding common ground and something that you can relate too. From focusing on the inspiration to focusing on being able to relate or try to understand what people are going thru... when I got a recycled heart I got a (matching )necklace with the words "Not your inspiration" from one of my BFFs who also had her share of time in hospitals. Being able to relate is not the same as finding inspiration, relate we are equal, inspiration may have a positive tone to it but it creates distance between us.

But anyway if you are looking for something painful that you most probably can relate to, this drama is definitely worth a try.

Here to the more personal stuff
The drama shows clearly many of the struggles and honest thoughts a person may have when being diagnosed with an incurable disease at an early age. This brought back allot of memories, I more or less buried with my old heart. I got my first diagnosis for an incurable disease when I was 7, and had a cardiac arrest when I was 12. Not att all the same disease and in all fairness other than having to get revived (meds, restrictions, nose bleeds, and a bunch of scars) my disease was just there, nothing I was ashamed of, if someone asked id tell them but not much more.

However when I got older, my heart started to fail and even though I was in my 20s and was already a mom (to a 6 month old), and aware of having a heart disease I thought it was under control and that I would be fine… as a teen I never thought I'd live past 40 but in my 20s I had a job I loved, a family, I was very active and remodeling an old house etc. Life was far from perfect but It was pretty average. Until I started to witness how my body starting to fail me, just like her, in the beginning it was not that serious (I am not going to go in to every detail) but about allot of medical exams, and a year later the word “ heart failure” showed up for the first time on my sick leave note… the words you will probably never be able to work with your job and we can only slow down the progression that is going faster than we planned… to be honest it was just my heart and the heart is just a pump, a pretty important one that effects every single part of the body but essentially it is just a pump.

I got a twitter account while I was at the hospital and much like her I wrote my thoughts, I went to physical therapy 1 hour away from home in a cab because it was the only place i felt safe enough to exercise having my doctor in the same hospital in case my condition got worse (which It did, several times), until I got so ill I couldn't continue. I thought similar thoughts as her, that my loved ones would live better lives if I was not there,I felt like I was useless, but I also kept writing for some reason, nothing inspirational but more uninspirational. I could relate to the lack of understanding when the disability was not visible yet. I could relate to the showing a positive attitude while feeling that it sucked, the looks after I got my wheelchair… There was so much relatable content that i just could not help but cry a lot. I also got so sick that I could hardly eat or speak but I kept writing.. .And did my best, I really did but my heart just kept getting worse...

A part of me was so fed up that I honestly wanted to die, but I kept on living. It was not because I was strong, or possessed some super power… Even if I used a lot of humor and would say I was a fun patient. But it was not like I would have died if I handled it otherwise. As a sick person you are in need of help, active or not the illness does not give a **** about how much you want to live or die. I honestly wanted to toss all my meds in trash at one point. But I got put on the waiting list instead. To be honest towards the end I was just passing the time waiting to die or get a heart, bored (I had not discovered dramas yet) and just waiting for a change… Any change (and at times it felt pretty near).

Yes I could really relate to her but at the same time the ending pissed the hell out of me. Here we had had a portrayal of a human with hopes, dreams and loved the way she is. A person struggling, allowed to cry, allowed to laugh, shown to have a whole range of emotions. And they end it with look how many people you inspired. So it pissed me off. Many people probably cried here, I just got mad and felt like it ruined it for me. She inspired so many to love their lives, I am gonna live for her bla bla bla.. Just no people. Live your own lives you only have one (okay I got a bunch, but still it is your life). Being kind and trying your best should not depend on if you got inspired by a pooor, poor person who did not get to live the life they wanted…. you are you, that person is that person etc… able bodied or not you are a person worthy of an average life, with material needs, relationships, hopes, interests etc. You able bodied person I am sure you too can find strength within to live your life I believe in you!

Okay that is enough for now… Just remember that people with illness are people too...

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Uma memória eterna gerou-se em meu coração.

Depois de assistir este título, meus minutos de vida têm mudado, minha respiração é vista por mim de uma forma diferente, e até os passos que costumava caminhar sem ao menos prestar atenção, têm se tornado algo notório.
Cada minuto deste drama me trouxe uma lição diferente, a realidade dolorosa de Aya me fez chorar duramente, a forma como a família e amigos lidam com tudo é simplesmente tão chocante e emocionante...
A forma genuína como Aya lida com sua realidade e seus últimos anos de vida foram especiais para mim.
Assistindo, me coloquei totalmente no lugar da Aya, e percebi que minha vida era exatamente como daqueles adolescentes que ela tanto invejava. É tão estranho...
Quase aos meus 15 anos, assim como Aya, eu me senti tão próxima da dor dela. Se eu de repente enfrentasse algo como ela, com certeza não teria força e determinação como ela. Cada passo que ela deu, cada sorriso mesmo onde existia dor, cada respiração e fala difícil que se esforçou para dar... Eu estava orgulhosa dela, aquilo era, pra mim, o maior símbolo de determinação que já vi.
Me identifiquei com Aya, a coisa mais preciosa na minha vida é a escrita, a verbalização de lembranças e sentimentos completamente abstratos, sinceros e intensos que só eu guardo para mim mesma. Por isso, a valorização que Aya entrega a seu diário é totalmente valiosa pra mim.
A atuação da Erika e de todo resto do elenco é completamente incrível e torna o drama ainda mais tocante e digno.
Simplesmente, melhor dorama japonês que já assisti. Não me arrependo nem um pouco de tê-lo assistido e recomendo muito!

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