This dorama is about a girl who was diagnosed with a disease called “Spinocerebellar Degeneration” when she was 15 years old, and was able to continue her life until her death at the age of 25 years old.
The plot is based on the true story of a Japanese girl named Kito Aya, who had the same disease. She kept writing in her diary to remember her experiences until she could no longer hold a pen. Aya simply wished to live until the end of her life, and the purpose of writing in the diary was to remind herself to not give up. She shed tears many times, at the same time encompassed by the rich love and support from her family, friends, and boyfriend. Her diary “1 Litre of Tears” was published after her death, because of its inspiring and courageous message of
“Just being alive is such a lovely and wonderful thing.”
So far, over 18,000,000 copies of her diary have been sold.
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The Review
This dorama features Sawajiri Erika, Nishikido Ryou, Narumi Riko, Yakushimaru Hiroko, Jinnai Takanori and Fujiki Naohito. Sawajiri Erika has powerfully brought out the character of Aya, and people who watch this dorama will feel compassion for her while she suffers from the illness. My tears flowed after almost every episode as I questioned myself, “What would I do if I were Aya?” This is a dorama where you can see a 15 year old young girl who was able to face her disease bravely, and tried her best to treasure the time she spent with her friends, family and boyfriend everyday she could.
To me, this was one of the best doramas of 2005, mainly because the reality of this story has enlightened me. I realized that my life is not that tough compared to those who are suffering from an incurable disease. “1 Litre of Tears” stood out for a reason: it is not because Aya was upset because of her disease, she was touched by the love and patience she received from her friends and family. I was amazed by the braveness with which she chose to live her life, as a strong girl who was only 15 years old, yet managed to face her cruel fate with a positive outlook, and tried her best to do whatever she could by herself.
For those dorama fans who loved “Beautiful Life” that starred Takuya Kimura & Tokiwa Takako, I’d bet you guys will appreciate this story too. I can feel the power of the love from her family and friends in this story, and encouraged me to be positive in my life even though there may be many difficulties and problems. I hope there will be somebody who is willing to translate the original diary by Kito Aya sold in Japan because she has a lot of meaningful words in her diary. This story contains both sadness and love, and I hope you guys will love this dorama as much as I did.
Episode 1 synopsis
This dorama starts right before Aya is confronted with the illness, Spinocerebellar Degeneration, in which the nerve cells of areas necessary for the human body to move and balance–including the cerebellum, brain stem, and spinal cord–transform and eventually disappear.
Ikeuchi Aya (Sawajiri Erika), a 15 year old girl, is the eldest daughter in a normal Japanese family. She lives with her reliable mother, Shioka, who works as a nutritionist, her father, Mizuo, the wacky owner of a tofu shop, her quiet younger brother, Hiroki, and two younger sisters, the sarcastic Ako and innocent Rika. On the day of her high school entrance exam, she left the house full of energy, but she missed her stop to get off the bus and walk to her high school because she fell asleep. She quickly got off and ran from the bus in the rain when she discovered she was late. She slipped, fell down and injured her knee. At that time, she met Haruto Aso, who was trying to skip the exam. He gave her a ride to school, the administrators allowed them to take the exam (despite the fact that Haruto was uninterested in taking it), which they both later passed.
The new semester began, Aya and Haruto were in the same class, and both were elected as the representative of their class. Aya also joined the basketball team, and was reunited with the boy who she was fond of from the male basketball team. Just as she was beginning to enjoy her high school days, Aya starts to experience some physical difficulties. She always dropped food from her chopsticks, could not estimate the distance of the objects in front of her, could not pour water into a cup without spilling it, and occasionally wobbled while walking. Her mother, Shioka, who was the only one to notice the physical changes in Aya, started to worry about what was going on.
One day, Aya’s life started to change after she tripped and fell. She couldn’t protect herself with her hands while falling and she hurt her face. After this, her illness is slowly revealed and her tragedy begins…
Purchase: “1 Litre of Tears” DVD Box
Purchase: “1 Litre of Tears” diary (in Japanese)
Purchase: “1 Litre of Tears” diary (in English)
Purchase: “1 Litre of Tears” Original Soundtrack
Torrent: Fansub by Kioku Konseki
Torrent: Original Soundtrack
Insert song: Konayuki by Remioromen
Translation: by Kiwi and Pye (ongoing)
Translation: by Ayafan (ongoing)
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even im a guy but still will cry when watching this drama. i think this is the first drama made me cry. tis drama is really great. after watching it, at least i know the meaning of life. her inspiration and courage to live will never end. if i were her, i think i’ll rather to end my life faster. aya, u’re the strongest girl that i’ve ever met till now.
i watched this drama after my sis recommended it…. and it worth more than i thought. seriously i tried not to cry but even in the 1st ep i cried…muawawawaw. its a super inspiring drama for everyone… just curious
1-is it true asou-kun didnt exist ? then who was her supporter cuz asou did play quite a big role.
2-is there a movie of this drama? is it in jap ? can i know where to get it?
thnx thnx and remember
KEEP LIVING !
1 litre of tears- This is indeed a great series ever and the first series I actually cried in each of the episode it is so sad to see what had happened to Aya and she still live on her life even though she had the disease and stay strong for herself. Her drive to live and treasure her everyday, and do the best in everything she did even though things getting harder and harder each day …
-Be grateful for still being alive-
THANKS for this touching and inspiring story..
I just watched a few episodes. However, the journey is difficult. Sometimes, you have to have the brave to watch and finish the episode as you know each time you will be touched by the movie. My mind cannot get out of it even though I am at work, on the traffic, etc
By the way, I am not sure who name the story name as “a litre of tears”. It is a good name. Although the movie could have named as “Aya’s diary” that is more objective, the person who made up such a name had the talent. Without seeing the movie, just hear the name of the movie – “a litre of tears”, you can imagine what the movie is likely to be about. It is an outstanding and touching name. I suppose Aya herself would not name her diary as “a litre of tears”. Also, the main theme song in the TV series is very touching too. I would wonder who is the composer. It is a beautiful song, too.
Being a health person here to write about the comment, I should feel myself a lucky person. Everyday, we have been encountering a lot of difficulties, however, comparing to what Aya had faced, our so called daily life difficulties is nothing. Her story reminds us to pay attention to the ones besides us like our parents, brothers, sisters, friends and etc. If we miss, we miss them. Time will never come back.
the experience that late aya share to us was very memorable…..
this remind us how important to be strong in any situation….thanks Aya..you inspired me…Thanks also to Sawajiri who was successful bring the Aya character into live….Im so touched when watch this drama..Anyway be strong everyone….
i really like this drama..very sad story……….i want to cry when first time i watch this drama…
at last i dare to watch. i know how the boy friend felt even after 5 years still missing her.I’ve lost my husband (28)due to melanoma where there were no cure at that time. he pass away at 33 and left me a son only 10 month old.The part the word said “I miss to hear her voice and talking to her ” my tears drop more then one litre. it’s been 24 years ago and still missing tling and hearing his voice sharing about our son’s life.I am still alone ,my son now 23………………………people who want to kill them self………………………..live is given not taking……………………………….wish all the friend and family are bless through one suffering. and hope the Doctor is comforted day by day by our support………………continue her unfinsih dream through him. Hope by now his family will support him as much as her family did.
What a sad story….Hope her family always be strong…God bless…
i love this drama so much…
every time i watch this drama
i’ll always cry…
the cast are so good at acting this drama..
especially aya
i’d like to say thanks to Kito Aya
You inspired my life and also people in the world
when you write your diary and give it to publishing house you had given so many people in the world a motivation…
Thanks Kito Aya
i think many people think just like me
Just watch the first episode and really looking forward for more. The OST itself had made me cried. Such an inspiration for a young girl having the courage to continue her life till the end.
The best drama I’ve ever watched… Got to admit, i cried… so, for those who haven’t but wanna watch, prepare tissues. This drama shows me that, a life is important, don’t take your life for granted, cause we won’t know when are we dying. “Just being alive is such a lovely and wonderful thing” stated Fuji TV.
The movie is awesome !
The similar thing is happening in Vietnam. She’s a 18 years old school girl, carrying bone cancer disease and seems to be in her last chapter. Her blog is http://360.yahoo.com/annafunny (regrettably only in Vietnamese). Her name is Thuy. Although the disease got her painful many times, she has been very optimistic during the last 4 years. She’s writing blog almost every day to update her condition and also her activity to gather money for underprivileged children.
such a story!
which can gaze all the watching eyes!
its a must watch tingy!
it teaches how important te role of -family-love-society!
thanks aya nee…..
i loved this series, made me realise how short life really is and that we must do our best to make everything happen, hehe, there was a special episode recently aired in japan just under a month ago :d set one year after aya’s death so sad
i’ve got the box set and the diary set>
I really felt shame as a guy and compare to a 15 years old girl. ..
1 Litre of Tears .. makes me feel like we are so special to have a life to live.. & like we should really apperiate life.. Because there are some people that cant live or do the things we do..
But people take so many things for granted .. Life is so special.
very very touching …”just being alive is such a lovely and wonderful thing” i will always remember it and im also will always remember aya, person that let me learn a lot.. thank you…
i love this movie to bits …..
i’ve learnt sooo much…ive learnt that every step i walk im grateful because like aya wud love to take every step she took…. every basketball she hits….etc.
thank you aya ….for showing us how life is iss sooo preicious and there’s lots of things we kan do towards our lives with the ability that we all got. live life to the fullest…..!
god bless her soul!
1 litre of tears is so damn sad…i hope i have courage like aya do…actually i learn so many in this drama…turn all the bad things to the very useful thing…may god bless her soul..
i’ve watched ichi rittoru no namida at about month of june of this year. it really2 makes me cry every times i’ve repeated watching it. my tears burst nonstop at the time when hiro feels so shamed with her sister’s disability. i love the way the family supported aya, from the begining until her death. i’ve an intention of making my future-family be like that.hehe. but i’m wondering, is asou haruto died too??umm….
but for average, this is my best-touching-lovely story.
i give 5 stars for this
it was the best movie series i have watched!!!Wow, only 1 word can say….”FANTASTIC”!!! i don’t even know how many times i cry when i was watching this drama! Aya, your spirit was so strong!
omg!
1 litre of tears is so sad
after i watched which was probably like on Sunday me my cheeks were all wet and my bin was full of wet tissues.
it made me realised that life isnt about always getting good marks in test and school work.
i now noe that i should live life to the full!!!
I just finished watching last nite, felt very pity to her but impressed by her courage. After watching, I will more appreciate life and hope to help those who are disable. Thinking to buy the diary soon. Great & touching story!!!
one litre of tears… wut can i say? the best drama ever i’ve watched… i hate crying but i did cried like hell on every episode…. how she manage to make me be more grateful for what i am… even my ability to walk and talk… i used to hate this life because i thought my life really sucks because i can’t fit in with people… i’m not good in sports… i’m not good in music… even my looks i felt very shame… but aya sure wake me up…
“Just being alive is such a lovely and wonderful thing.”
for aya.. i will live to the fullest… i will make sure that i will be alive forever in this world even when i’m gone…
hope to see u one day aya… in heaven perhaps?
watched this dorama about 4 times already! i just cannot stop crying. oh god! this is definetly the BEST dorama ever.!! in making people realise life is actually very precious. after watching this show, i’ve actually realise that my life is so precious. we all should really, no, MUST liveour life to the fullest as we’ve got the chance to unlilke aya.
arigatou aya-san. HONTOUNI ARIGATOU!!
It’s such a touching story.It made me cry at almost every episode.Btw, I’m from Singapore and does anyone actually knows where i can get Aya’s diary??
what a sad and lovely movie and this movie mad me cry so bad and well anywaise i never ever seen a movie this sad and also that in this movie aya had an lovely family and also that aya likes haruto but then he doesn’t know cause aya doesn’t want him to know. what a sad story well now that many of her diary’s were sold out i wish to read the oringinal one or see the really one of how she writes it out and i wish i could see it. also that she made everyone realize that life is still long for the one who still have a life on and so now that if who ever had a illness like hers should read her dairy’s to learn and know that they can still live on and to try their hadrest on things like her and so i wish i could be like her someday because she is a strong person who had trust in their self and so that aya she struggle and also that to never give up the diease and well now i had learn many things from this movie that if you are sick and know that it can’t be cured then to try my best of to live a life like this until my last breath and so i wish to be like aya one day…… i love this drama and also learn many things in life….
so even a person would cry to see this movie even if they are man or women anyone would cry and hope that everyone would watch this and see for themself of what is going on in life and to learn many things out.
I love this drama..I cried almost every episode.. especially the later episodes.. I really admire Haruto for saying that “no matter how slow I will listen to you, no matter how slow i will walk by your side” It must have been tough loving someone knowing that you’re heart might never love any other and yet being fully aware that there is no time left to be with the one you love.
Aya is amazing as well. I don’t think I can be as optimistic as she was if it had been me. Being stripped of everything that you love. If you know that you hae no time left there really is no time for you to regret the things that have already happened. You can only move forward!
i love this drama..really like..
and i hate ‘buku Harian Nayla’ which copy this drama..
2 thumbs up for sawajiri erika and all who played in this drama..
of course for aya..
u teach me the meaning of life..
nadia-indonesia
i’m Vietnamese .I’ve watched this film and i like it so much .
when I saw this film ,I cryed ,but the tear make me more stronger .
This drama has to be the BEST jdrama i have seen. I cried at every ep…self explanitory really..and I know a guy that cried at it. This drama was so good and touching
aite karmasutra..
next dorama for me would be ‘taiyou no uta’! hehe
thanks a lot for the info.
thls dorama is amazing but unfortunately ln lndonesia there a movie which copy this dorama and the movie is “BUKU HARIAN NAILA”
IT SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yo adrian there’s another song… its
remioromen – 9 march
this is the song which they sang in the choir thing…
this is the original version which is quite diff with the choir version…
and to alvin…
you can purchase the “1 litre of tears” the diary in kinokuniya at klcc… it’s on the top floor… center court… u cant miss it.. it’s right oppsite the petrosains in klcc…
btw.. for those who enjoy wathing “1 litre of tears” you should try to down load the DRAMA and MOVIE of “taiyo no uta” or in english “a song of the sun”… this movie is sort of like “1 litre of tears”… but in this mov.. the gal actually suffer from allergy XP which makes her allergic to the sun… and yeah… it’s a sad story… the main soundtrack for the “taiyo no uta” the drama is sang by kaoru amane which is an alias used by erika sawajiri…. and owh i forgot to mention… erika sawajiri is the main actress in “taiyou no uta” and “1 litre of tears”… but in the “taiyou no uta” the movie… the main character is played by Yui…
“Just being alive is such a wonderfull thing.”
one litre of tears …is the best japanese drama i ever watched in my life…
every episodes made me cry….
and i wish to meet Aya…..
her family is soooo supportive…especially Aya’s mum…
the story is really encouraging and teaches us to be grateful for what we have in our life…
and never give up in facing any hurdles…
-live on forever- :)
thanks karmasutra.
indeed it is..
dear onigiricchi,
Thanks for your information about aya diary.
I come from malaysia also but can u provide the information about the location of Kinokuniya stores that you have mention before??
Just a little piece of information for Malaysian viewers/readers; if you’re interested and are able to read Japanese, the Japanese/original version of “One Litre of Tears” and the two other side-books are available in Kinokuniya stores (Japanese books’ section).
I only know that the book has been published in the Japanese and Chinese/Mandarin languages. I have not come across any news of it being published in English yet.
Sometime people can grow up to understanding for life… of course aya give inspirations to be a strong for the future. I hope aya happy and once again we just only human (like the song)… not else…..
i do… there is two songs that frequently played during the drama… which is…
a) Remioromen – Konayuki
b) K – Only Human (the ending song)
and owh… tis is the most touching j-drama i’ve ever seen… i cried.. like hell…!!
“Just being alive is such a lovely and wonderful thing.”
hi, this has been the most touching movie i’ve watched so far. its really good, especially when its based on a true story. by any chance, any1 knows the title of the songs in the movie?
Well this was truely an inspirational series to watch, the central message being one of the best I’ve ever seen portrayed so strongly and well. Kudos to Aya for being such a fighter, she let me see that even in the darkest times life can still have it’s own light…we just have to be strong enough to search for it … bah I sound like such an old person..anyways thanks Aya .. your one of my heroes ^^
Arigatou Aya..
Never give up n’ Live on..
Andika, Pekanbaru – Riau – Indonesia
one of the great series i’ve ever seen..
make me wander….
somtimes we, the healthy people, feel hopeless…desperate..for not able to achieve our dreams..our hope…and don’t have any desire to live….BUT there are peoples like Aya who could only hope to live every day… juz to live for another day…thats make me wanna cry…….Hikz
Live a life….and live alive Bro….
indeed A touching story…..feel so motivated in living after watching
this movie is very sad and touching because of the way people treated people who is like that and the song matches the movie too. The only way for her to talk was to wirte it down in a notebook and that she had written a whole story of her life. The person that wanted to be with her never cared about her disease and he always treated her as a human being.
hmmm i watch this Weekend ( my fourth or 5th time) man my tears keeps on dropping. it to great. Arigato Gozaimasu. Aya And Erika.
Thank’s God for give me a chance for seeing this movie series.
I’m male and i dont likes to cry but seeing this movies makes me feel so sad and cry in every eps.
Thank’s for the inspiration
teddy – Surabaya, Indonesia
After, I see this end every chapter, I feel to stay of life. I offen feel abandon about my life. But after I know one girl “Kito Aya” , I feel guity for my weakness. “1Litre of tear” is the one of best series for me.
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