1 litre of tears

http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Ichi_Rittoru_no_Namida

ok i just HAD to write about this drama, it was my first major one and even still after about 2-3 years of watching dramas, it's still my favorite by far.
The basic plot revolves around Ikeuchi Aya who is diagnosed with spinocerebrellar ataxia, a disease that is not only uncurable but quite cruel. Essentially the cells that aid in smooth movement, like the cerebellum, and the spinal cord, they degrade. The effect, higher thinking is unaffected, the only thing tha really changes is the ability to move properly. As described in the drama, you will tell your arm to move, but it won't, you will want to do something, but you can't do it no matter how much you want to. obviously this is not an immediate effect, it is gradual but definite that you will be rendered unable to move, unable to speak. So waht else is there? Well Ikeuchi Aya was, in the drama, a basketball player with plenty of potential, she was able to make the main team in highschool even tho she was only a freshman, she had been able to get into a prestigious high school, so it seemed life was going well. But her mom notices something's wrong, she stumbles more, has problems judging distance. When faced with this, she showed tremendous courage, despite the certainty of what her future would be like, she still stood strong, sure she cried, but she showed tremendous courage and optimism. When she was first being diagnosed, she was told to write every day, and write every day she did, until she could no longer hold teh pen she wrote. Wrote her story, wrote words to encourage her, words that proved that at that moment, she was still alive. As her mom said to her when Aya had at one point broken down, aya has said "Mom, there's nothing left for me to do, nothing at all", her mom replied with words that struck me, "Aya, you still have your words, other people would have given up, but look at all of this, these are your words, this is your story, yo ustill have this", Aya would even say later, that her mom had given her a reason to live.
This was an amazing drama, in my mind, it is perfect, there is nothing, absolutely NOTHING, that can improve it. Sawajiri Erika players her role to perfection, and with stunning and amazing accuracy, you truly buy into her acting, truly believe that she is impaired, so bone chillingly realistic is her performance. The music is first class, made by Sumusu Ueda with insert songs by Remioroumen. The insert songs are well timed and placed, rising and falling in unison with the action, swelling to increase and heighten the emotion, and lowering to give you some relief from the tragedy. The title is well named, i truly cried, i connected, and i left this drama a different person than i came. Watching made me realize the fragility of life, the importance of having dreams, and the utmost need to never give up. I gained courage from aya, as fictional as Ikeuchi Aya was, i connected, i cried with the family, i rode their highs and lows with them.
I cannot stress enough, or put into words waht this drama means to me. Dramas may be good with one view, but i believe the hallmark of a truly amazing drama, the meterstick by which the best are measured by, is the difference of the person who starts it with the person who finishes it. You will not leave this drama the same, it will grasp for your heart and not let go. It is heart wrenching, it is depressing at times, but it is also inspiring. If you leave a drama changed, if weeks later, even months later, it still grips you, then you have found a truly wonderful drama. This, is one such drama.
As hard as it may be for some to watch, as depressing and sad and just cruel it can be at times, endure, watch, this is something no person should miss, i wish everyone in the world can see this, and that it have the same effect on them it had on me.

i'd give it a 10/10, but a 10 doesn't do it justice enough
no more can be said. if a picture's worth a thousand words, this drama is worth a whole leatherbound book. watch it, as strange as this may sound, you have to