Seasons Database > Spring 2004 >

itoshi kimi e

Network: Fuji TV
Air time: Monday 9:00-9:54 PM
Number of episodes: 11
Genre(s): love, human drama
Official Home Page: http://www.fujitv.co.jp/itoshikimie/
Opening/Ending themes: Moriyama Naotarou - ikitoshi ikeru mono e
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Cast and characters:

Kanno Miho
<<Tomokawa Shiki

Fujiki Naohito
<<Azumi Shunsuke

Itou Misaki
<<Asakura Ai

Tamaki Hiroshi
<<Orihara Shingo

Moriyama Mirai
<<Tomokawa Mitsuo

Yachigusa Kaoru
<<Azumi Yoshie

Izumiya Shigeru
<<Tomokawa Tetsuo

Tokitou Saburou
<<Koutani Keisuke

If someone you love was going blind, what would you show him last?

This drama begins with three friends: Tomokawa Shiki, Asakura Ai, and Orihara Shingo. They are in Nagasaki to attend a funeral for their friend Toshiya who died at a tragically young age. On the beach in Nagasaki, Shiki happens to meet, for the first time, Azumi Shunsuke (Fujiki Naohito), the elder brother of the deceased. He is a cool photographer-type character. Her first impression of him is quite unfavorable. If you're familiar with Fujiki's previous characters, then you can easily imagine what kind of character Azumi is. Fujiki's characters are almost always a little bit too cool and not always the most gentlemanly (though girls always find him irresistible in the end). Azumi seems to care very little that his brother has passed away. He is even spotted talking on his phone during the funeral.

After the funeral, Shiki begins her new internship at a children's ward in a hospital in Tokyo. Fate brings Azumi and Shiki together again when Azumi appears at the same hospital. Azumi doesn't reveal the real reason he's there, but the viewers find out that he has a rare disease called "Vasculo-Bechet's disease" that will cause him to permanently lose his vision in a matter of months. Obviously, as a photographer, he isn't very happy about this. In fact, he feels that his life is over.

Shiki gets to know Azumi a little better, and decides that he's not such a bad guy after all. She likes his photography and asks him to make a photo collection featuring the children at the hospital. Azumi promises to do this, and then breaks his promise and makes Shiki dislike him again. (She goes through a lot of ups and downs of hating him and loving him throughout the drama.) Then she learns about his disease and begins to feel sorry for him, but Azumi doesn't want her pity, so he becomes angry when she tries to help him.

Azumi also has a fiance, but he has to tell her about his disease eventually. When he does, his fiance decides that she can't handle living with a blind man and leaves him. He also has a hard time telling his mother about his condition. He decides to quit his photography in one episode, and then goes back and decides to continue until he can't see anything anymore. There are a lot of ups and downs in this drama.

All the while, Shiki is living with her brother and father who runs a small neighborhood store that sells rice. The subject of her deceased mother comes up a lot. Ai is a single mother whose ex is trying to take custody of her daughter. She runs away and lives with Shiki and her family for much of the series. Shingo also stops by a lot and it seems that he is making approaches toward Shiki, but of course the gods who rule this drama are forcing Shiki and Azumi together instead.

I wish I had more to say about this drama, but I really don't. Plot and flow-wise, this is the most standard drama of the season. It uses all the same plot elements that have been driving Japanese dramas for the last couple of decades. They used the cookie cutter method when writing this one. I'm watching it every week, but it is so standard and has so few surprises I sometimes find it tedious to watch. It relies on the chemistry between Fujiki and Kanno as its selling point. It also relies, probably even more, on the music of Moriyama Naotarou. Three of his songs are featured. His huge hit from last year, "sakura" and two new singles are in there - one of them even has the same title as this drama. He's a relatively new artist who has taken Japan by storm with his voice. His first album has just hit store shelves. His fans are probably all watching this drama.

So, why should you watch this drama? I don't know. As usual, I can't say it's bad as it certainly isnt't. If you just want to see what the standard Japanese drama is and how it's being executed nowadays, then here it is.

Sample Clip

Real Media - 50 seconds

Sample Clip Translation

Azumi: You're Toshiya's... That's right. (looks at pediatrics sign) You have a kid?
Shiki: I'm an intern here.
Azumi: Ohh. Um. I have a favor to ask.
Shiki: Yes?
Azumi: I can't really talk here. Wanna go eat katsudon?
Shiki: It's always katsudon with you, isn't it. Well I'm not hungry.