Boku No Ita Jikan (The Hours of My Life) 2014

"Boku No Ita Jikan" (The Hours of My Life) is my favorite Japanese drama in recent years. It is a melodrama about a young man who is diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), and how he tries to live his life to the fullest. It reminds me of the 2005 tearjerker "1 liter of tears", another Japanese drama I love.   

At the beginning of the drama, we see the male protagonist, Takuto (Miura Haruma) as a fourth year university student struggling to find a job before he graduates. Apparently in Japan, it is extremely difficult to get a good permanent job later in life, if you can't get it before graduation.

I've been through a period of long-term unemployment, so I can totally relate to Takuto as I watch him fill in tons of job application forms, go for tons of job interviews, and getting rejected again and again. He begins to feel lost and question the meaning of life.

By the end of episode 2, Takuto has gotten himself a job and a girlfriend, Megumi (Tabe Mikako). Things seem to be going well, but life is unpredictable. He starts getting leg cramps and has difficulty raising his left arm. He sees a neurologist and is diagnosed with ALS. He is told that his muscles will progressively weaken and he will gradually lose the ability to move, speak and even breath. Also, he may die within the next 3 to 4 years.

Takuto finds it hard to accept at first but soon pulls himself together. He breaks up with Megumi without telling her about his condition, but resolves to live with his disease positively.

The first person he tells about his illness is his best friend, Mamoru. Mamoru is an easy-going guy who is often the comic relief in this show. He proves to be a true friend who continues hanging out with Takuto. Knowing that Takuto enjoys playing soccer, he finds a place where wheelchair users meet to play wheelchair soccer, and brings Takuto there. When asked if he hangs out with Takuto out of pity, his heart-warming reply is, "We were friends since before he got sick. Even now, I enjoy being with Takuto."      

Next, Takuto informs his company and thankfully, it is a great company that creates a place for him to stay. The company changes his job scope along with the progression of his symptoms. His colleagues are very understanding and helpful, even the one who used to dislike him.

The last people Takuto tells is his family. His relationship with his parents is actually a bit awkward. His father owns a hospital and his parents wanted him to become a doctor. However he did not live up to their expectations and they turned their attention to his small brother, to the extent of neglecting him. When Takuto finally reveals his illness to his mum, he breaks down and apologizes for being sick. Something good comes out of something bad, Takuto's parents start caring more for him and their relationship improves.

Takuto's small brother, Rikuto is suffering from depression and withdraws himself socially. He is in the second year of medical school but feels lost because his interest is not in medicine. He has always been socially inept and finds it difficult to make friends. With the help of Takuto, he starts learning how to communicate better with people and finds his directions in life.

While playing wheelchair soccer one day, Takuto runs into Megumi by chance. She is now a healthcare worker who is taking care of another ALS patient. She is shocked to discover that Takuto is an ALS patient, and it hits her that that is why he broke up with her. The only thing she said to him is, "We met." This is in reference to something he said to her a long time ago, "I think you do meet people that you are destined to meet."

But Megumi has a fiance now and is about to get married. She is torn between her fiance, Shigeyuki and Takuto. Shigeyuki is an outstanding guy who loves her a lot, but her one true love is Takuto. In a touching scene at the beach, she tells him that she is getting married soon and they can't meet anymore. She asks if there is anything he wants to do before they part, and he replies that it is something that he can't do. He actually wants to hug her. But he can't do it because he can't raise his arms. And maybe also because it is not proper to hug her when she is engaged to someone else. She seems to read his mind and asks if she can do something she wants. Then she hugs him.

 
Towards the end of the drama, Takuto starts experiencing difficulty in breathing and faces the biggest decision in his life. Should he undergo an irreversible surgical procedure to live on a mechanical ventilator to prolong his life? His family and friends want him to stay alive no matter what. However, the thought of living a long life without the ability to move and communicate frightens him.

This drama deals with a depressing theme in a realistic and subtle way. It is inspiring, thought-provoking and educational (about ALS). I strongly recommend everyone to watch it.

Read my review on "Osozaki No Himawari", an inspiring Japanese drama written by the same scriptwriter.