One Litre of Tears (Ichi Ritoru no Namida)

Caught this series on crunchyroll recently. Heard rave reviews of this show and I went to check it out.
And, I agree. Its great.
Its like watching Romeo x Juliet. You know the ending. Its going to be sad.
And yet, you still hope for the protagonist (Aya Ikeuchi).

Okay, a show synopsis below...

15-year-old Ikeuchi Aya was an ordinary girl, the daughter of a family who works at a tofu shop, and a soon-to-be high schooler. However, odd things have been happening to Aya lately. She has been falling down often and walks strange. Her mother, Shioka, takes Aya to see the doctor, and he informs Shioka that Aya has spinocerebellar degeneration - a terrible disease where the brain gradually deteriorates to the point where the victim cannot walk, speak, write, or eat. A cruel disease, as it does not affect the mind in the least. How will Aya react when told about her disease? And how will Aya live from now on?

Adapted from http://blog.orgday.org/2006/01/24/1-litre-of-tears/

I cried for consecutive episodes.

I think the part where Ako stood up for her sister, Aya, was great.

My heart really crushed when her class spoke behind her back.

Like Asou-kun said, its really bad to speak behind her back

Whenever Aya says sorry for all the trouble she caused, everyone would just smile back and say, "Its alright." But they feel troubled deep down in their hearts. Such hypocrisy.

And I fell in love with K's voice. He sang the ending song for the series, "Only Human"

Heres the lyrics, and again, taken from...

http://blog.orgday.org/2006/01/24/1-litre-of-tears/#comment-19846

Only Human
Lyrics: Osanai Mai Music: Matsuo Kiyoshi, Tanaka Choku

Kanashimi no mukou kishi ni
Hohoemi ga aru toiu yo

Kanashimi no mukou kishi ni
Hohoemi ga aru to iu yo
Tadori tsuku sono saki ni wa
Nani ga bokura wo matteru?

Nigeru tame ja naku yume ou tame ni
Tabi ni deta hazusa tooi natsu no ano hi

Ashita sae mieta nara tame iki mo nai kedo
Nagare ni sakarau fune no you ni
Ima wa mae he susume

Kurushimi no tsukita basho ni
Shiawase ga matsu toiu yo
Boku wa mada sagashite iru
Kisetsu hazure no himawari

Kobushi nigirishime asahi wo mateba
Akai tsume ato ni namida kirari ochiru

Kodoku ni mo nareta nara
Tsuki akari tayori ni
Hane naki tsubasa de tobi tatou
Motto mae he susume

Amagumo ga kireta nara
Nureta michi kagayaku
Yami dake ga oshiete kureru
Tsuyoi tsuyoi hikari
Tsuyoku mae he susume
Only Human
Lyrics: Osanai Mai Translation: Jonathan Wu

On the opposite coast of sadness
is something called a smile

On the opposite coast of sadness
is something called a smile
But before we can go there,
is there something we’re waiting for?

In order to chase our dreams, we can’t have a reason to run away
We’ve got to go, to that far away summer’s day

If we find it tomorrow, we can’t sigh
Because like a boat that opposes the stream
we have to walk straight on

In a place worn down by sadness
something called a miracle, is waiting
Yet we are still searching
for the sunflower that grows at the end of spring

The warrior who awaits the morning light
before he can clasp it with red nails, his tears glitter and fall

Even if we’ve grown used to loneliness
only relying on the light of the moon
We have to fly away with featherless wing
just go foward, just a little further

As the rainclouds break
the wet streets sparkling
Although it brings only darkness
A powerful, powerful light
helps push us to walk on

Sad show. I think the stuff Aya wrote in the diary struck me real hard. Like "Why did this disease choose me? I can't carry it, if its fate." and "Mom, will I be able to marry?"

This show is based on a real story. I think the publishers published her diary under the name "One Litre of Tears" (yupp).

So catch it if you can. XD