Top 3 Sad and Heartbreaking Japanese Dramas
When I got into Japanese dramas, I found them very entertaining, but each series is so long! Each episode is usually one hour each, and consists of 23 episodes per season. They are so time consuming that I wanted to make sure they were okay before trying them. Well, the 3 dramas I have listed below are sure to make you cry like a baby and maybe call an ex and tell you how much it means to you. Resist the urge! Instead, grab another box of tissues and continue down the list. All the series contain star-crossed lovers, beautiful leading actresses and actors, and some tragic problem that the cruel world simply had to impose on them to test the strength of their love.
1. Sekai no Chshin de, Ai o Sakebu (Crying love, in the center of the world)
Adapted from the novel by Kyoichi Katayama and later made into a movie. This drama launched the careers of 2 outstanding teenage actors: Yamada Takayuki Ayase Haruka
Synopsis: Matsumoto Sakaturo, currently 34 years old, is unable to move on with his life. He wakes up with tears in his eyes, unable to shake the ghost of his past. For the past 17 years, his heart has been filled with sadness and guilt over losing his high school sweetheart, and perhaps the love of his life: Hirose Aki. Now visiting his old hometown and bombarded with memories of his past relationship, as well as facing his current relationship, Sakaturo must find a way to get over the tragic part of his life. “I thought she could be wearing the happiness of a lifetime in one moment. She was so happy and she was so beautiful.”
2. 1 Liter no Namida (1 Liter of Tears)
Adapted from Aya Kito’s diary, published shortly after her death.
Synopsis: About a girl who was diagnosed with Spinocerebellar Degeneration, an incurable degenerative disease at age 15, just as she was coming of age. She discovers love just as she discovers that her time is running out, exploring the question of what happens when you have little time left to experience love.
3. Kamisama mou sukoshi dake (Please, God, give me more time)
A tragic love story about a girl played by Kano Masaki (Fukada Kyoko) who contracted HIV after selling her body to pay for concert tickets for her idol, the famous composer Ishikawa Keigo (Kaneshiro Takeshi). After the concert, Masaki chased after Keigo in the rain. After seeing her soaking wet from head to toe, Keigo offers to spend the night at her apartment where they developed a unique relationship.
So there you have it, three dramas guaranteed to make your heart pound and your eyes water and your throat lump up. I just have one request: please don’t email me after yelling at me, asking me why I was so mean as to suggest such heartbreaking stories. Don’t worry! I plan to give you the top 3 Japanese comedies! Guaranteed to have happy endings, so you can see the lighter side of the world!