pup1

The kid was grooming her though.

I think Japanese now come of age at 18, instead of 20, anyway, so the story wouldn't work now with their current laws.

There's a lot of pain. It's well acted but not sure I'd recommend it to someone who can't bear sad situations.

The last two episodes were too painful. Akira's crazy, fixated mother and the unpleasant lawyer seemed to be the winners. Also were Akira and Hijiri meant to be staying in contact with each other somehow during the five years she spent in Thailand?

Do you know why he changed his name?

I didn't think Hijiri and Shoutaro (the fiancee) were well matched at all. Shoutaro kept refusing to listen to her (ignoring what she was trying to say) right from the beginning. They didn't communicate well. They both thought he was superior to her and that she needed to improve. At their breakup he wished for her to have an unhappy life, which was immature. Akira liked Hijiri for how she was in the present, and they had a lot in common, eg the moment when they both took the same photo, also both loved the same poem. (I admit the second teacher boyfriend would have been a good match for her though--although I'm only up to ep 9.)

Thanks so much Jeon. That was very kind.

I love the beautiful soundtrack of this drama. It reminds me of Phillip Glass. I was searching for it online but had no luck. Can anyone help?

They don't date in public but they hang out alone together a LOT in Haijin's apartment. They stay somewhat chaste because she's underage. Haijin grew up without a loving family and badly wants to start his own family. (Actually it emerges that both characters have tragic back stories, and have also met before, although Makoto doesn't remember. ) Makoto agrees to marry him and have his children. As for other characters, yep, there's a woman, his old classmate, who likes him and also a boy who likes her, but the main couple seem pretty solid.

I've been reading this manga for a while and really like it. The guy playing Haijin is perfectly cast, acting somehow charming and seedy at the same time, and the girl playing the gloomy cynical Makoto isn't too bad herself. (In the manga it's ultimately revealed there's a 14-year age gap but I don't think it hurts the drama at all that the actors are much closer in age.) One thing did seem wrong with the adaptation to me. Even though Haijin's chain smoking is a huge part of his character, in the drama no cigarettes are shown. Is this something to do with the rules of Japanese tv?

Great comment. You summarised this movie perfectly.

"This show is not available in your region" (Australia btw.)

Thanks! This was the only version I can find in 720P. I watched the two series on Viki but they don't have the movie :(

I read the manga recently so I'm interested in this movie adaption (which appears to be well made while simplifying the story substantially. Also MatsuJun and the girl playing Iku are both perfectly cast IMO.)
But does anyone know a site that is streaming this with ENGLISH subtitles. Or even Japanese subtitles (since my reading ability is better than my listening.) FWIW I found it with Portuguese subs on youtube and French subs on dailymotion. (Maybe the Anglosphere doesn't have such a taste for this kind of material lol.)