Ikiteru dake de nankurunaisa SP (2011)

Country: Japan
Format: movie, 24 Hour TV special
Genre: life & death, drama
Cast: Murakami Shingo, Tanaka Rena, Namase Katsuhisa, Takahata Atsuko, Yoshida Taeko, Shibutani Subaru, Imouto Ayako, cameos: Nishikido Ryo, Yasuda Shota, Okura Tadayoshi, Yokoyama You, Maruyama Ryuuhei,
Synopsis: One day Eisaku's coughing gets worse and when he finally starts to cough blood he knows that something is not right. But what he does not know is that it is only the start of a years long fight for his life with different diseases. Thanks to his long term girlfriend/ wife Mika, he is able to face the future.
Rating: 5/5
I cried my eyes out due to that movie. 24 Hour TV always makes me cry, because they always bring the true-life events on the screen. This time it is based on Tamamoto Eisaku's essay about his fight with multiple serious diseases.

Eisaku is the main character, who is played by Murakami Shingo. Eisaku always takes Mika for

granted, because he thinks it is only natural for them to be together like this. They have been together for already 10 years when the movie starts, so he has just gotten used to their relationship. Eisaku does not want to show his feelings to other people much, because he does not want other people to overreact. Mika has her own tricks for bringing out the emotions in him. Eisaku has his low points, but who would not have in this kind of situation? Knowing that you have put people who you love into position where you can not help them nor they can you. I think that one of the most heartwarming and saddening things about the movie is how they show Eisaku's guilt, even though everyone knows that his illness is not his fault. Murakami Shingo is really great in this movie. I have not seen him much before, but really liked him. 

I am happy to see other strong female character. Mika is unbelievable - some people say that women can cope with bigger pain and fatigue better than most of men - and that is exactly what Mika is doing. She stays by Eisaku's side all the time, she works on several jobs, she raises Sora and still is able to smile. Why? Because she has to, there is simply no other way for her. Of course there are times when she has her moments where she is close to drop from fatigue, but some sleep and she is up again. Tanaka Rena has played in two 24 Hour TV specials - she was also nurse in 2009 in "Niini no kotoba wasurenaide", but she is doing much better job as Mika.

After watching all seasons of "Gokusen" I am unable to see Namase Katsuhisa as anyone other than

Sawatari. Here he plays the doctor who first treats Eisaku with his cancer. He sort of develops a different relationship with Eisaku and Mika, because he witnesses their life as an doctor.
Sora is the cutest child. Even though she is really young, she knows that there are things that she can ask, do or say and things that cannot. I believe that Sora grew up to be amazing person, just like her mother, because when she was already so considerate about others when she was small, then in future she is a real angel. But I found it weird that Sora kept calling Eisaku "Ek-kun" and not "papa". It almost made me feel that Eisaku is not her real father. 

I was surprised when I recognized Imouto Ayako from the movie! She is the Imouto from "Sekai no

hate made Itteq" - well, in a way it is understandable, because she has taken part of 24 Hour TV things before and after, but she has not been very active in acting. In the movie she plays Mika's best friend who at first is against Eisaku, because he acts like a jerk to Mika.

There are also a friend of Eisaku, played by Shibutani Subaru, and old schoolmates (other Kanjani members) who support Eisaku on his fight and Eisaku's mother who helps the couple a lot. And of course last but not least Eisaku's granny who lives in Okinawa and who said the sentence "Ikiteru dake de nankurunaisa" (In English it is something like "As long as I am/you are living, it is going to be alright"). It is a really heartwarming movie that reminds you to never give up. Even when your life seems to reach the lowest point in your life and it feels that it cannot get any worse, you are still alive and only way is to rise again. Besides, if you are already reading my blog, that means your life is a bit better than 2/3 of world's population - you have Internet access - I do not have that many readers if you thought that! (Big thanks to the subbers~!)