Hello mayuyued here. I haven't been posting for a long time because my computer died. So instead Melos told me to take my time and review the drama and when I get my computer from repair, I will post my review. Well I got back my computer already so here is the review.
Sakura Kara no Tegami is a drama whose main cast is AKB48. It aired from February 26th 2011. The story revolves around Maeda-sensei, the homeroom teacher of class 3C and his students. Maeda-sensei abruptly announces his approaching death and leaves his students with a letter as a parting gift. Shinoda Mariko plays the role of the co-form teacher of the class and supports the students in the absence of Maeda Sensei. The drama also revolves around the various challenges that the students have and how the letter from Maeda Sensei guides them.
Spoilers after the jump by the way.
Episode 1:
The first story goes to Oshima Yuko (who incidentally came out tops as the most popular member of AKB48 in the recent senbatsu election). Her story revolves around how she is to juggle her studies and being lacrosse team captain.
This is her letter from Maeda-sensei. Getting Cs for all grades is not exactly optimistic for any student.
The dilemma she is faced with is between preparing for a lacrosse competition in America and prepping for her exams. She decides to go to lacrosse after overhearing her team-mates' conversation about how to help her. It is up to her what to decide in the end for challenges still lie ahead of her.
Her letter reminds her of the crux of her problems and her responsibilities.
The first episode was 22 minutes of fun. It helped to background the various characters with Takahashi Minami characterised as a strong-willed class representative who cares for her classmates. Kashiwagi Yuki is featured as an anti-social girl who rejects most of the outer world. Oshima Yuko is characterised as a pro-active girl but faces difficulty in managing the various dreams and responsibilities that she pursues. Though, Maeda Atsuko's story has not started, her relationship in this drama to Maeda-sensei is hinted at from the start of the drama.
In my opinion, the main issues in the drama to take note of would be the relationships between the classmates, the students and their families as well as Maeda-sensei's relationship to his daughter and students. The letters are a recurring object throughout the drama and through its vague meaning would change the way the students view life and themselves.
On the whole, the drama is refreshing and somewhat enlightening. The problems that the girls have are possible problems in anyone's life. Being faced with several responsibilities and uncertainty, being faced with pressure to meet expectations that cannot be met, or being faced with a letter that guides you on. All of the above are issues that are present in the modern society and that's why the drama could attract and capture the viewer's attentions. Also, Maeda-sensei's love and amazing devotion towards his students are commendable and would perhaps serve to point to trust in the education and faith in teachers.
Episode 2:
The 2nd story revolves around Itano Tomomi and the false wall the she builds around herself. Itano's story started with her friends Nakagawa Haruka,Takajyo Aki and Kasai Tomomi asking her about her boyfriend(s).
After flaunting with words about the several boyfriends she has, Itano is faced with the task of providing quality advice to Nakagawa Haruka who has a problem with her boyfriend. They then decide to do an emergency meeting to find out about Haruka's problems and apparently Haruka has a problem with her breast size. Itano then teaches them to make their breasts more presentable.
After which, Itano brings them to a swimming pool where she was about to teach them some tricks when an underwear thief runs out to the poolside with Kojima Haruna screaming. Itano was clearly disturbed by 'pantsu'.
In my opinion, we get to see cliques forming within the class itself with the exception of Kitahara Rie and Kashiwagi Yuki. It does draw up a general structure of their class. However, on top of that, in this episode we can see that Maeda-sensei's letters have been ignored by many till they come to a stop in their life when they need some guidance or assurance. Itano's clique seems to be led by her but her overtly pompous way of carrying herself might point to a wall she constructed around herself. During the episode, when she was talking with Nakagawa Haruka about her relationship problems, she gave awkward pauses and expressions when faced with points about boyfriends. Her words then became suspicious and seemed more like she was just smoking her way through. The answer to many questions are in the next part of her story.
However, this is only the first part of her story. There are many questions to ask, and the rest will be revealed next time.
Harugon throws out her numerous pads. She took it out in a fast movement though...
Itano shoots down your heart with her killer stare.
Episode 3:
Kojima Haruna's story. She reaches home and passes her father some stuff over the table. Her father spots the letter from Maeda-sensei but Haruna is uninterested in the letter.
Her father opens the letter and reveals the content to us.
However, Haruna's problem is growing (quite literally). She is pregnant and experiences nausea even in school. She was shocked about being pregnant and was unable to tell her father. However, her father ended up finding out about her baby by spotting a letter from a gynaecology clinic.
In my opinion, she would still face challenges ahead for example confronting the baby with her boyfriend. As well as the decision to keep the child. I wonder how her boyfriend looks though... Haruna is too nice for any normal boy! Her friends Akimoto Sayaka and Oku Manami stuck with her through the end. However, something disturbing to me is that they are openly collecting donations for Haruna. A bit of a shock as to how easy their class took it and how they look out for one another.
Would anyone spare their coins for Haruna?
Episode 4:
This time it is Kashiwagi Yuki's story. This girl is a little different from the others. Her letter is special as well. Her letter has the sensei's number on it. One could only begin to guess the numerous uses and needs for that number. Furthermore, her letter seems to be the most direct in meaning.
However, we begin to learn it is very important. Kashiwagi Yuki's family seems to be a well-to-do family with the family's hopes pinned on Yuki's brother.
However, her mother pressures her to do better and better causing Yuki to slit her wrists in order to cope with the pain in her heart. I think that it is some sort of social phobia and ended up causing her to be distant from her friends and classmates at school.
She slipped into slitting mania after getting hurled insults from her mother but a text message from Maeda-sensei stopped her from continuing and possibly would save her. In my opinion, most of the time people buying a large number of pen knifes would get raised eyebrows from the stall attendant. Slitting your wrists with a different penknife each day does show her affluence. But if she slit her wrist on her table...wouldn't it dirty her table and stuff. Just a few questions I am stuck wondering. Actually she looks quite cute when her face went intense and determined about slitting it, quite the black person.
(Editor's note - Disclaimer: We do not take responsibility if you decide to slit yourself in order to look cute.)
Please do note that READERS of the blog & VIEWERS of the drama are NOT SUPPOSED TO IMITATE HER ACTIONS IN SLITTING WRISTS or any other part of your body.
This girl will play a very important role in Yuki's next story. This statement is an overstatement but a major spoiler seeing as both of them are quite alike in some ways.
What do you think of the drama? Please comment!
Hope everyone enjoys the drama and looks out for Mayu! :D
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