Kamisama mou sukoshi dake

My review after watching the show twice, one incomplete (watched 1 episode only) during sec school then and a complete one yesterday and today.

The first time I watched the show through television, that one episode, the one in which Masaki (Fukada Kyoko) is making the speech in the hall, inspired me to research on AIDS and wrote a composition on that to submit as holiday homework.

At that time, I tried to put myself in the shoes of a HIV patient and tried to construct the mindset of one. Now looking back, I guess the mentality is still far off from actually being the sufferer. Now that I got the chance to re-watch the whole show on the computer, I realized that although what I wrote then may be too happy (or simple in a sense), the whole show was too dramatically sad. Well, at least that is what I feel.

While watching it this time, I opened up another window for AIDS information to refresh my memory. I guessed I was being sadistic, trying to picture how Masaki will die from AIDS since there are many ways one can die from AIDS. The story in my opinion, gave more details regarding the emotional aspect and neglected about the disease aspect.

This is about AIDS, which is unique, like how spinocerebellar degeneration is unique in "One litre of tears". I just thought that the show could have paid more attention to the details surrounding that disease as well. The impression was that the producers were trying hard to create a beautiful picture, hence only headache and dizziness were captured. There wasn't diarrhea, vomit or spasm captured or even mentioned. How to convince the audience about the physical suffering of the patient? Using words like meningitis is simply not enough, and they never even explain much about what is that.

The show started out well even though the plot was unbelievable at times, but it gave way to exaggerations and the characters got increasingly irritating with lots of conflicts and contradicting moves. At times I really feel like strangling Masaki, showing selfishness and consideration at inappropriate times. Kaoru (in this show) as well as the parents of Masaki were irritating most of the time. Their reactions seemed just to lengthen the show. Incredibly, Keigo (Takeshi Kaneshiro) seems healthier than Masaki even though he smoked dozens of cigarettes in almost every episode and Masaki did not get infected with opportunistic virus and bacteria by kissing him and being a 2nd-hand smoker.

The female doctor's acting was superbly lousy. She came across as robotic, without emotions in her words and expressionless without empathy.

Come to think of it, "I love you with my body and soul." seemed super fake when Masaki slept with 2 other guys before Keigo and still can say such a thing to him.

To add on, Keigo seemed shocked to hear that he may get HIV and still sleep with, the now confirmed HIV positive, Masaki again. Yet, he never get HIV... wow, maybe he is immune to that strain, but the baby as well? So miraculous.

The last scene where Masaki was dead was super funny. I was like wondering if she lied down on the floor, spread her wedding gown nicely then prepare to die. Isn't it weird that a moment she was hugging the baby and the next moment baby was so far from her? I thought babies tend to cling to the mother even when they are curious to explore.

A disappointment indeed, though few emotional parts were carried well, the story wasn't convincing and I never tear at all. Maybe if one never watch 1 litre of tears, this can appear appealing and good work but after watching that drama then this, this cannot make it and even if the theme was good, the plot wasn't strong.

Haha, if my dear dear is Keigo, after labor and the baby cried non-stop that scene...

Masaki: "Why is the baby still crying non-stop? The situation never improve, what if the baby was infected with HIV? What if I passed the HIV to her?"
Keigo:"See la, ask you not to give birth liao, you still want... now complained to me for what?! It is not as though I never warn you like that."
Masaki:"Will the child grow up to have heartache and I have passed away and not by her side?"
Keigo:"Why didn't you consider that then lei? Now then think a bit too late..."