1 Litre of Tears

Posted by BenNike Wednesday, September 5, 2007

1 Litre of Tears (2005)

Title in Japanese: Ichi Ritoru no Namida

Title in English: 1 Litre of Tears

Cast:

Erika Sawajiri as Aya Ikeuchi
Nashikido Ryo as Haruto Asou
Fujiki Naohito as Aya's neurologist
Yakushimaru Hiroko as Shouka Ikeuchi, Aya's mother
Jinnai Takanori as Mizu Ikeuchi, Aya's father

What is this series about?

This series is based on the true story of a girl named Aya Kito who was stricken by a cruel disease called Spinocerebellar Ataxia. This disease affects Aya's nervous system and as the name suggests, it poses a degeneration of her movements, and will eventually affect her mobility, speech, and even her ability to eat before she succumbs to a comatose state and finally, death. The theme of this series is very bleak but the overall tone in which the series conveys is, in spite of some tearjerking scenes, are very heartwarming. Aya Kito's diary was made into a bestselling book and the series follows her trials and tribulations as she struggles to find hope, strength and courage to face such a devastating disease.

At the beginning of the series, Aya (Erika Sawajiri) is a normal 15-year old with high hopes of having the time of her life in high school. She is the eldest child in her family. Her mother, Shouka, is a nutritionist who works in a clinic. Her father, Mizu, owns a tofu shop. Aya also has three siblings: Ako, her younger sister who seems to harbour a jealous streak toward her, her brother Hiroki and youngest sister, Rikka. The Ikeuchi's are a typical middle-class Japanese family. At home, Aya is the beloved daughter of her parents. At school, Aya is well-liked by her peers, is extremely bright because she passed her admittance exams to land a position at a reputable high school, and she made it onto the high school basketball team.

On top of all this, Aya's crush is finally paying attention to her and has even asked her on a date! Just when everything is starting to fall into place for her, tragedy strikes. Aya slowly realizes that her limbs cannot be controlled at will. If she wants to move, she can't. If she wants to see, her vision is blurred. And thus begins Aya Ikeuchi's journey towards realizing, accepting and finally understanding that her young life -- so full of promise and hope -- will be destroyed by a cruel illness that will entrap her within a body that will no longer be of any use to her.

Credits : I can't remember the website.

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My take on this series:

I simply loved this series! Without a doubt, this is one of the most effective and beautifullly acted series I've seen in a long time. Although I didn't cried throughout the series , I do have sympathy towards Aya and her family. I didn't mourn for her dark fate but I mourned for her because she was so well-loved by everyone who met her and because the character of Aya is so relentlessly courageous and hopeful. There were so many chances that the director could have taken with such a tragic story. But luckily, instead of solely focusing on the tragedy, the series instead placed a huge emphasis on the affection and close-knit bonds of family and friends that surround and protect Aya as her health declines. Instead of turning this series into a sappy, weepy typical "terminal illness" show, the series sheds light upon the ill-health of the human condition and how love and hope can ovecome all obstacles, even in the face of certain death, without being overly dramatic or preachy. Reality for Aya isn't pretty but it is made bearable because of the message of hope that lingers long after the series is over.

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In a nutshell:

I admit to being caught up in an ever growing world of materialism, superficial desires and selfish wants. But watching series such as this one makes me realize that hey, my life isn't so bad. So what if I can't afford that a big house, BMW, or others? So what if I have a fight with my best friend? So what if I don't make it into the college that I want? So what if I can't study to get first in my class, 4 Setia. I can always have a second chance. I can always strive to make my world better because I have my health, which is a treasure beyond price, better word, PRICELESS !

For someone like Aya, she will never get the chance to go to college, fall in love, save up for a BMW or grow old. She will never get married or have children. She will never get to live her life beyond her short 15 years because of what her disease has robbed her. This series brings home the realization that human life is all too short and that if given the chance, we should live our live to its fullest. This was Aya Kito's legacy whens she passed away at the age of 25 in 1984. She left behind a diary which she diligently wrote in even when her writing was too shaky to be comprehensible. I believe Aya had come to terms with the inevitable because of his gentle nature, the love of her family, the experiences she had with her friends, and her belief in herself. Regardless of how much she suffered and how much she lost, Aya was continously grateful to her loved ones. She lived her life with dignity and grace until the very end.

I'm so glad to have found a thought-provoking series like "1 Litre of Tears." It breaks my heart to know that this series is based on a true story. Yet, I feel so grateful to get to know Aya and her family and to appreciate the lessons that she taught me. More than anything, Aya taught me the use of two words - love and hope. That was her legacy. Aya embodied all the best that a human being can hope to be. To continue life in the face of such adversity and to contribute joy to everyone whose lives she has touched is a miracle -- and that makes Aya a miracle.

What are you waiting for? :) Watch this series! You won't be disappointed!

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