1 Litre no Namida (TV series)

Plot

This drama is based on the real-life struggles of a 15-year-old girl named Aya who suffered from an incurable disease, but lived life to the fullest until her death at 25. The script is based on the diary Aya kept writing until she could no longer hold a pen. The book that later followed, entitled, One Litre of Tears has sold over 1.1 million copies in Japan alone.

Fifteen-year-old Ikeuchi Aya is an ordinary girl, soon to be high school student and daughter of a family who works at a shop that makes tofu. As time passes, unusual things start happening to Aya. She begins falling down often and walking strangely. Her mother Shioka, takes Aya to see the doctor, and he informs Shioka that Aya has spinocerebellar degeneration - a rare disease where the cerebellum of the brain gradually deteriorates to the point where the victim cannot walk, speak, write, or eat. A cruel disease, as it does not affect the mind.

Special episode

On April 5, 2007, Fuji Television aired a three-hour special of the series set five years after Aya's death and focuses on Haruto Asō, who has now become a doctor at the same hospital Aya was treated in and Ako Ikeuchi, Aya's younger sister who is a nurse in training. Haruto is caring for a 14-year-old female patient, Mizuki, who was bullied in school because of her disease, the same one that Aya had. Because of the bullying at school, Mizuki-chan decides not to receive therapy of any sort that would make her better, because she has lost her will to live. Haruto remembers how Aya fought her illness and lived her life with her disease; therefore, he offers support to his patient. Aya reappears in the episode using a number of flashbacks from the series and in new scenes.

Main cast

Other cast

Asae Onishi starred in the 2004 movie version of the same title as Aya.

Alternate versions of this drama

Indonesian Production House SinemArt's drama, titled Buku Harian Nayla (Nayla's Diary), plagiarizes 1 Litre of Tears. The series bears some striking resemblances, like the name "Aya" being replaced with "Nayla" (Chelsea Olivia) and Moses (Ralph Glenn Alinskie) in place of Asou. The series aired in RCTI as a special Christmas series. The comparison between the two series have been discussed by the show's audience. The scenario was written by Serena Luna (or sometimes called Chevyra Edenia).

Indonesian fans of 1 Litre no Namida have reported this admitted act of plagiarism to Fuji TV and the Indonesian mass media, but there has yet to be a response. What most upsets the fans is that RCTI failed to credit or acknowledge Fuji TV and 1 Litre of Tears, from which the story is presumed to have been adapted, and noted that "This story is fictitious: the similarities of names, characters, places, and times are purely coincidental."

Amrita TV is to dub 1 Litre no Namida. And Chinese drama Tears of Happiness is based on this drama.

Episode Ratings

Source: Video Research, Ltd.

Japan

Hong Kong

Singapore

Indonesia

Taiwan

Malaysia

Thailand

Philippines

Vietnam

Soundtrack

1. 1 littoru no namida -Main Theme-
2. hurdle wo koete
3. anata ga oshiete kure tamono -ai no Theme-
4. yasashisa ni tsutsumarete
5. anji
6. sunadokei
7. kimi e no Long Pass
8. rakujitsu
9. shinobiyoru byouma
10. furi aoge ba aoi sora
11. namida no imi
12. senkoku
13. mou utae nai
14. te wo nobase ba anata ga
15. kunou no senritsu
16. nagare yuku jikan
17. sagashi te goran
18. nigiyaka na danran
19. toumei na sekai
20. seimei aru kagiri -Sub Theme-
21. Only Human (Piano Version)
22. konayuki (Piano Version)
23. Only Human (Cello Version)
24. K - Only Human
25. Remioromen - Konayuki
26. Remioromen - sangatsu kokonoka (9 March)