1 Litre of Tears (Drama + Special) Review

I have to say...when I read the reviews saying this was so sad,moving,beautiful,etc. I was kinda skeptical.

I shouldn't have been.

Plot(based on true story): Kitou Aya is your normal,bright, clumsy 15 year old girl starting her first year of high school when she suddenly is diagnosed with the incurable Spinocerebellar Degenerative disorder(This isn't a spoiler! This is probably one of the first sentences of the drama). She will lose  her motor skills(moving,talking,writing,trouble eating, etc.);however, while she looks like a disable to society her mind is still sharp, if not brighter, than most peoples.(How....cruel) In just the first year it progresses very fast. The drama goes through her thoughts as she is forced to give up things like love, being healthy, going out with friends, being bed-ridden, and purpose.

Special: It's a mix between a recap of the series/her life(a memoir?) and showing what happened to her family/Asou-kun. It's really nicely done as well. (Spoiler): You see a now high schooler Rika, Ako is a nurse for Asou-kun who's a nuerologist, and Hiroki you don't see but they tell you he became a cop in Ep.11.

Rating: 10/10. There's no reason not to watch it unless you really aren't in a sad mood.

Watch time: 2 days if you don't have to leave the house - 3 if you do. I kinda wanted to watch it as quick as possible because school starts in a week and being doomsday on the first day isn't gonna make me any friends haha (Not to say you shouldn't appreciate it! But you should appreciate it at appropraite times, it's made me so sensitive) She never believed she would die, it truly is a drama to learn from.

Pros: Makes you appreciate life, being healthy, is inspirational, wonderfully acted out,

Cons: Heartbreaking, Her last 5 years of life aren't really shown; then again, she couldn't write by then so her diary probably stopped as well.

Everyone should watch it. But make sure you have a few down days!! Good for reflective times like over the Summer or something

If anyone wants to read the true story if Aya, people have translated them on their blogs here:

http://onelitre.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=OneLitre&nextdate=3%2f7%2f2006+5%3a50%3a33.200

and this girl as well:

http://diaryofaya.blogspot.com/index.html#116965841413621467

Edit: I hadn't realized both are kinda incomplete...but this one is nicely organized and seems to be full!! There seems to be some different content on the 3, but this one is still quite detailed:
http://diaryofaya-onelitreoftears.blogspot.com/

I don't know about you, but I'm off to watch the Heartstrings end(after the Special). I really hope it's happy, I'm in need of it T-T Honestly this is truly an amazing drama. It's terrible what happened to her, and this drama stuck close to the real thing (I think, I'm still reading it). Have tissues!!