When my brother highly recommended this Japanese drama to me, I didn’t take him seriously. Why should I?
He hates drama. Unlike me, I’m a drama junkie since young. The only reason he watched Japanese drama is to drool at the actresses. He loves Japanese girls so much that he swear to marry one. His obsession with everything Japanese started…( I can’t remember when but let’s just said he’s a Japanese hardcore fan) I nearly choke while drinking water when he said he cried watching this drama. My superb macho brother cried? I must be having some hearing ( was chatting with him on MSN) eyes problem. Is this the same guy who laughed like hyena during sad show and went hyper watching all the Saw movies? Unbelievable. As a result, I watched the drama to see what the hype all about.
Thus…
2 weeks ago, on a Sunday morning, my eyes went swollen for the first time ever due to excessive crying. I cried for 5 hours straight, finishing packets of tissue in the process. The night before, I cried too. Uncontrollable. Tears started rolling down my cheeks as if it were not mine. Now I realised why he cried. It’s just so heart wrenching. My hearts ached at how human life can be so fragile.
I’m angry at how life sometimes turned out to be completely different from what we want.
I’m angry at how certain diseases choose their victim.
I’m angry at the limitations of human’s capabilities.
1 Litre of Tears is based on a true story which followed the journey of a 15 year old girl named Aya Kitou. At the tender age 15, Aya was diagnosed with a rare disease called Spinocerebellar Degeneration, a diesease which eventually affects her nervous system. She’ll slowly experience mobility and speech difficuilty and later succumbs to coma state and finally death. Sadly, till this day, there’s NO cure for this degenerative condition which last for the remainder of the patient’s life.
Anybody who had this disease may think of dying and giving up hope. I’m sure I’ll. But not Aya, she leads her life to the fullest till her death at the age of 25. During the 10 years, she did not spent it by mourning or go on a blaming spree. She continue living and kept writing on her diary until she no longer has the ability to hold a pen. The diary was something like a reminder and motivation for her not to give up. Throughout her struggle to find hope, she shed tons of tears many many times. Her heartwarming diary was published shortly before her death and it went on to inspire people who had the same disease like her. Not only that, her courage and positive attitude towards life also touched people from all walks of life to live on no matter how small is the hope.
As I qoute her, “Just being alive is such a lovely and wonderful thing”.
I managed to track this book down in Kinokuniya KLCC (Japanese Book Department) but unfortunately it was in Japanese. Only cost around RM28. If you know where to get the English version, please leave a comment as my brother is desperately seeking for it. Nonetheless, full translations of the diary can be found here and here, translated by the fans. If you want to watch the drama, it’s available for download at Kioku Konseki.
Like Aya, I shed 1 litre of tears too. It is sad to see her died but knowing that she lives life without regrets give me reasson to live on. With her courage in my mind, I’m sure I could overcome any obstacles in life just like her.
NEVER give up hope!
I watched this movie as well… Cried like mad. I honestly could not imagine being in Aya’s shoes. Losing control one by one… I can’t imagine being brave enough to be a vegetable, and for my mind to be prisoner in my own body. Her diary is really heartbreaking, esp the part when she was leaving her ‘normal’ school.
have you heard of yvonne foong?
I’ve heard of her. Is she having the same disease?
nope, she has NF… same with Aya’s case in a sense that she got it when she was 13, and despite her illness, she sitll has the will to live. The cause is diff from Aya’s as Yvonne’s was caused by tumours around her body, esp her spine if I’m not mistaken. Google her and find her webbie… more indepth details there.
This drama is the best one i’ve never seen before.
Today april 5, a special chapter was released on Fuji two years later. It’s about Aya’s sister and Asou kun talking about Aya. there Asou is a medic and Aya’s sister is a teacher.
i recommend this one.
I know about the 1 Litre of Tears SP too. Hope someone can subs the show in eng or else I wouldn’t be able to watch.
As what Hentaisama said, everyone should catch it. The whole story of Aya is brilliantly potrayed. Even bought the DVD in eng/chinese subs so that my mum can watch.
omg this was so sad =[ i watched it and it was like niagra falls up in here ahah .. but yea i have the site to watch the sp but no subs .. ill watch it anyways haha
Loan,
Kioku already stated in their site that they’ll sub the SP. So keep your fingers crossed for its release anytime soon.
random comment:
I’ve watched 1 litre of Tears too a couple monts ago,& im so suprise that someone translates Aya’s journal.
this is a good post, Jade
Heva nice day
Hey, I came across your blog after googling “1 Liter of Tears”.
I watched this dorama some time back and was deeply moved. Like you, I dedicated a post to it too.
Btw, nice blog. Will be dropping by more often.
Ichi Rittoru No Namida is a great dorama I’ve ever seen… I never loved dorama before… But this one succeeded to make me cry during watching…
*..FhaLaftRain..*
honestly, this is the best japanese drama i’ve ever seen…better than taiyou no uta drama…
frankly speaking, though the tv special did evoke tears, i think the drama itself was way~ better. reading touching, and i’m trying to find the book too! nice site
hi, i watched that drama yesterday nigh, cried alot. It was the most impressively sad drama ive ever seen, which made me cry from the begining till the end. Love to come across ur blog and sharing feelings of Aya Kito’s story
omg !!! i love this series
i have seen both the movie and the series
they are so good
this is like the first time i watched a japanese tv series
i cant wait till they sub the special one so i can watch it !!!
I actually cried when watching the previews.. I’m honestly not going to watch this show! Maybe in a few weeks when my tests are finished…
*sob*
Raven
This drama made me cry so hard, a similar thing happened to my friend, I am from a place called adelaide in australia so I dont have much to do so I randomly searched google and found this and watched it. I will remember this forever.
Thank-you
~Jessii
same goes to me. seems like i’ve burst much of my tears while watching ICHI RITTORU NO NAMIDA. even my little sister whom is now eleven burst much tears as mine. eventhough she found difficulty to understand the story since the translation is in English but, it doesn’t stopped her to feel the feelings and emotions of the story.
i gives 5 stars for this drama.
Hiya all, finished watching Ichi Rittoru no Namida and it was so dam sad. Though watching on youtube doesnt seem to have the same effect since the video always seemd to end at the saddest part. Found this thru google and i would like to thank emmm…jade for the post and links to the translated book.
I think the director did well to keep it in 11 meaningful episodes and not make a drama outta it. Short and Sweet, i guess. Oh yes, im from Singapore
1 Litre of Tears was the first japanese drama series I ever watched. It was a very inspirational story, it shows people that what they are going through is probably nothing compared to what Aya went through and helps you get on with your life and through problems. I reccomend it to anyone, youtube has all the episodes and parts to watch and english subtitles, enjoy!
R.I.P Aya </3*
wahehe..^^ yes it was really a heart wrenching drama..like you it felt like the tears wouldn’t stop from falling..^^ bwahaha…we cried a litre of tears..^^ and i think there’s a special version..just came out on August 5, 2007 *if i’m not mistaken* the story is about the guy who fell in love with her after half a year of Aya’s death..it’s a special episode..to end it all..^^ you might want to check it out..
about the book being translated into english..i haven’t found it yet..^^
omgggg. i watched this drama like 500 times already. it is soooooooooo good. i was googling up “1 litre of tears” and “Ichi Rittoru no Namida” cuz i was gonna try and buy the special, movie, and book.
i usually watch romance dramas about a guy and girl getting close together. but this one is an exception. although they do have some romance, mostly its based on the meaning of how lucky life can be. im not tryint to sound tough or anything, but rarely do i cry when i watch a movie, a drama, a book or anything like that. but this one, i couldnt help myself. it was sooooo sad. and dont stop watching it cuz of the first ep! i admit it wasnt the best opening but, just keep watching! it DEFINATLEY is worth it!!! Asou Kun <33
wel.. i dont really watch japanese dramas..bt 1 litre of tears REALLY changed my life (i know it sounds cheesy) but it really struck a chord. its like it makes u hpy just 2 b alive!!! things like walking n talking that most of take 4 granted can achele mean so much especially wen u cant do it ne more…this drama was really an eye opener…i practically cried in every episode..hehe..my mum was wondering y, til she achele watched it wit me (tho she didnt want 2 admit that she achele cried) :p i rly hope dat i can find t english version of t book..
I watched this J-Drama…..it’s so sad..and the same time…wonderful….I liked so much…
But I wanna read the book…unhappy, don’t exist Portuguese version..>.<
Hey, does haruto(aya’s lover) really exist in aya’s real life or it is just a fiction only?
Haruto Aso is a fictional character. Aya’s mum requested the character to be added to fulfill Aya’s wish. She wish to have a boyfriend before she died but that never happen.
yeah,i wish i could find the eng.version of 1 litre of tears.I love the series ,and i too cried my eyes out.UM, my older sister also was not a very big fan of dramas or soaps … But when she saw this series of 1 litre of tears, her eyes were swollen for at least a week.Well I have to go, but … Keep searching for the eng. version,if I find it i’ll wright back to let you know. But if you find it please post it on your sight.!
For those who want to watch the drama and specials can go to the webpage>>>
http://www.mysoju.com/1-litre-of-tears/
Please people, don’t watch drama at all the streaming sites such as mysoju, veoh, youtube and etc. By uploading, you are putting all the fansubbers group at risk. The may get threaten with legal letters from the authorities or relevant parties. Then they’ll have no choice but to STOP subbing.
You don’t want that happening, right? If you wanna watch, download it at d-addicts.com.
Keep fansubbing alive!!!
For further clarification, click on the site below,
http://www.dramabeans.com/2007/12/with-s2-fansubbing-policy/
i just finished watching the whole thing.. it was really heart breaking for me.. i learned alot from this drama.. one of the greatest dramas i ever seen.. aya is like my hero.. and i hope to get the book soon!
i watched this drama on the local tv terrestrial channel bfr, but not all episode i watched it…..however recently dunno why i got attracted to this title when i saw it at a shop specializing on j-drama n anime dvd……….
just watching the first episode, make me feel sad watching this girl life coming to abrupt end yet stay positive
i watched the series and the movies. they are sooo awsome and sad.
*Spoiler!!!*
I loved the part where she left the school. it was so nice what they did.
i cried a bunch!!!!
I would love to purchase the book (both in japanese and english) and read them, but there is a problem. i cannot find it…. if someone reads this and can tell me where to find them..i will be grateful. email me at minoru_kokubunji33@hotmail.com
also you can talk to me about the series 
This drama is amazing. The movie is super aswell, I prefer the drama over all but they were both pretty amazing. =)
I really want the book in english as well, & if anyone knows where I can find the DRAMA with ENGLISH subs please please please email me ‘krazyamy@hotmail.co.uk’
I really want the whole series with english subs soo bad.
Thanks,
-x-
helloo .. i was on google wrote one liter of tears and u get there .. my gosh i just today finished all the episodes :/ i feel soo sad and crying too.. i can’t stop my tears get down .. when i close my eyes when i see her crying i cry like her .. coz anyone of us can get that and how did she handel it how strong .. i watched it on youtube …i still crying … my tears full my eyes … i can’t handle it if i were her place .. she so strong therefore she gave me the power to stay well .. i wish they can find what kill that dieseas .. maybe sth wrong with the foods make like that ?? no body knows …
I just finished this drama, my mother and I cried a lot. We are also searching the book. I’m studying education so I would like to read about her experiences at school and I also read some of the quotes in the drama. I really want it to share at the University with my classmates, so if anyone knows where can I buy it, I would really appreciate.
YATTA,konichiwa never knew ppl watches our shows also, really sad show, i read the book but sorry there is no english virsion but if you would like i cant translate the whole book for you just email me at kazuya.07@hotmail.com it will take me probably about a week or 2 to translate it alright so byebye! ^=^
It’s a very sad and very inspiring story- I wish I could be as strong as her! I’ve learnt so much from it and it made me realise how fortunate I am… dramas are always cheesy and so forth, but I highly recommend 1 Litre of Tears; take my advice or else you’ll regret it! It’s different, it’s unique, it holds an unbelievable amount of strength and it’s true.
cerita ini tuh bagus banget! bukan rekayasa, tapi emang benar-benar ada! sikap aya dalam cerita ini tuh perlu kita contah dalam kehidupan! kalo punya masalah, ya hadapa! jangan cuman nangis doang!
Great! My favorite dorama ever. I love the this quote : “There is nothing wrong about falling down. As long as I can stand up again, that would be fine.”
this drama is really something… it makes me want to hit my self hard and wake-up, I know, Im always thinking of saying goodnight after a fight, to never go to sleep not being frinds -not knowing what the next day brings. Always telling family,frinds and boyfrind i love them, because if something would ever happen i want them to know, and i will know that they knew and i wont have any regrets. But still..i want to hit my self hard for not appreciating my life more. I really want to be able to weake-up looking at my life with bright eyes, living it to the fullest with no regrets. We humans think we are immortal, and do seldom realise what we have and how much someone means to us until they are gone and everything is lost. Dont wait until its to late, dont live in regret.
I’m just very curious about this ..
which episode did she say this quote?
“Just being alive is sucha lovely & wonderful thing”
thank you
I just loved the story and watched the jdrama, very nice. My friend has watched first and gave me and than I just was telling about the history Aya and now all my friends are calling me to talk about this amazing history and all they want to watch… I have the version in japanese but with legend in brazilian portuguese… I also I received the book from my friend Sachiko who lives in Tokyo. I’m trying to read the book and studing Kanjis by myself to understand and read it all. I really love the japanese cultures, language and people, and still have to go Japan to understand and feel the discipline and delight of japanese people.
marciosamurai@hotmail.com
I saw the dorama and cried for hours, as i keep watching it, i keep crying… I actually bought the serie ’cause i couldn’t take it much longer, Tokitou-san (A friend) called me a day, crying ’cause “She just saw the most amazing thing in the world”, i didn’t trust her, so i went to her house and watch it with her – thinking that it was just a freaking joke as always -.
A few hours later we were both hugging and crying, since that day we watch doramas together.
So if you like this kind of things, Tokitou just called me last weekend, she wanted me to watch “Boku no koe kikoeteru kara” and ” Kimi wa pet” so, if you like you can google it, and see if it worth your time…
Heyy i know this story is amazing, and i was seeking for the book until i finally found the english one which you can find in amazon japan on the right side on the top theres a place that is gonna say in english since the whole site is in japanese click there and then an english browse will appear.. The site is amazon.co.jp
the book is under the title of one liter of tears. and has a number 4 on the side colored pink.
where can i find they book in singapore i mean the one translated to english ?
hi miko, i hv a book to let go if u r keen. email me at kenwongtw@yahoo.com.sg
where can i find tis book in msia?? drop mail at aleen_ieki@yahoo if anyone know..
I saw this last weekend and I was deeply touched by it. My daughter is physically disabled and although it is not degenerative there were many moments in this movie I can completely relate to and I though Aya’s story is inspiring. I plan on showing it to both my daughters when they grow up. I think it shows how special the sibling relationship is as well as how important it is to stay positive. I hope that when my daughter is feeling down she can have the strength Aya has.
…I cried hard during and after watching the movie. I felt very tired for the pains and sufferings she undergone. I very very much appreciate her courage in facing this kind of disease…but now I believe that she is with God.
can anyone tel me where to download complete series of this movie/film??
where can i find this book in phil? e-mail me at kyle_bluered@hotmail.com
I can stop to sob when i watch that tv series its really touch my hearth…
i want to see erika sawajiri in person can you visit us here in the philippines?
That drama was really fantastic.
I have cried a lot too.
Aya Kito is in my heart.
Wonderful story.
I really admire Aya.
I ｈａｖｅ cried a lot too and still thinking about Ａｙａ ａｎｄ ｈｅｒ unbelievable ｂｒａｖｅ．
I hope I can get the japanese Book too because it ｉｓ ｄｉｆｆｉｃｕｌｔ ｔｏ ｇｅｔ ｉｔ ｈｅｒｅ ｉｎ Ｇｅｒｍａｎｙ．
http://www.yesasia.com/us/1004855499-0-0-0-en/info.html
You can buy the English version of her diary there
This story really makes me cry though I was a boy…
this story makes me cry,,,