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Saturday, March 19, 2005
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**revised**
Sekai
No Chushin De,
Ai Wo
Sakebu
(At the centre of the world, I cried out for love)
Saku.
Aki.
Doushitte. Doushitte leizou no kokoro kara, mata ai wo sakebu.
Zhao and i finished the Japanese Drama series " Sekai No Chushin De, Ai Wo Sakebu ". Its been a long time since i last finished an entire jap series. My last one was probably Hitotsu Yane No Shita (for the sixth time). In fact, i haven't 'followed' tv programmes since forever.
I think zhao and i will have disputes on whether this show counts as a tragedy or not. But that depends if on what you feel about (during) the ending. And in this show, the ending is probably the least important. both zhao and i loved the movie. it comes a close second behind my all time fav. It is a love story. And love stories being love stories, are nothing but a compound of cliches and twists. This show had them all but it is different.
The mood is set from the start; the cards laid : she will die. the lovers will be separated. there will be pain. and you would be expected to cry. No surprises. No shock. And as Saku recalls the past (17 years ago), you find yourself walking beside him and as he tries to forget her, somehow, i was trying to forget her too. The show calls for our empathy. Of course it isn't your average real-life relationship, but you will feel for the characters, and you will feel their pain, the bittersweetness of youth, the torment of losing the love of your life. It was not only once when i asked myself : what will i do if i lost someone i really loved? will i be able to forget then? will i be able to live with it? And you find yourselves asking the precise questions that the male lead asked himself, by then, its too late : you have been won over.
Each scene. Each still. Each dialogue. Every detail seemed to have its significance in intensifying the element of tragedy in his loss. Its a series with a clear theme and that is VERY rare: We deal with losses. Big losses. How do we survive them? How can we live on? I do not take these messages for its positive educational value (jus typically me) but delight in the means they were delivered to the audience : swimming in the despair of the male lead and the helplessness of those around the dying girl.
Its your typical sick girl who eventually dies. I have no interest in the usual conflicts that surface during the treatment of her illness but was overwhelmed by the desperation of those who loved her. Saku in the future, still haunted by the past, knowing not what to do to escape from his agony. Saku in the past, her ashes in his clenched fist, breaking down on top of the majestic red moutain of Ululu. Realistic and fantasical at the same time.
A wonderful cast. Character shaping was more or less complete, zhao and i especially liked the fact that the parents' in this series were not "archtype" (courtesy of zhao). Filmography was a treat. I felt like i was watching a movie sometimes : with stills of objects lingering at the end of a scene. Zooming off from the leads to make them but a part of a breath-taking scenery. And speaking of scenery, this show has a fantabulous setting. Small town by the sea. Automobiles were only seen 3 times in the entire series. Managed to produce an 80s effect, it felt alot like walking through a time tunnel. zhao and i feel like planning a trip down to that little town.
Cheers to the scripting. It was positively delightful. How smooth the transition was, from past to present and vice versa, not only physically but also emotionally. I felt like i was in Saku's mind all along, accompanying him in this reminiscence. like how an item from the 'past' will be introduced at the beginning of the 'present' by old Saku and very appropriately appear again in the 'past' with young Saku towards the later half of each episode. It felt coherent. It felt complete.
Acting was tops. From the leads to their 'parents' to their 'friends'. Everyone managed to make their characters unique even if their personality weren't allowed to fully develop. Music was fine, suited the movie, giving it the old feel. Theme song's not too bad.
Many a times i could feel my nose getting all scrungy and my eyes getting damp but maybe cos i was too sleepy, the tear ducts weren't working well. damned. it has the potential to be a A-grade tearjerker.
Seriously recommend this. *thumbs up*
P.S.
Zhao and i started watching from bout 8.30 all the way till 3.45 am. Slept till 8.20. Started at 8.45 or so and finished at bout 11. I love vcd marathons. But it kills my body. And i decided not to go find xiang xiang. :(
Seikai no chushin de, xiang xiang wo sakebu. :)
~~
At 11:35 pm on the same day :
crap. this is an addition to the post.
i am stuck in the show. dang. i can't seem to get it out of my head.
its like being one of their friends in the series.
and my heart is being wrenched over and over again.
I NEED TO GET OUT OF THIS VIRTUAL REALITY.
i think i'm getting the dvd. i want posters too. Zhao is probably getting a picturebook if there is. We're gonna be the chairmen of Sakebu Club.
If you need to have drama in your life and real relationships are much too unfulfilling and troublesome, please go get this series.
while i attempt to recover from my post-sakebu-lovelorn phase. urgh.
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