[Discussion] Kamisama Mou Sukoshi Dake

An Oldie, but a goodie (for some, hehe)

wrote: A touching love story about a girl Kano Masaki (Fukada) who contracted HIV after selling her body in order to earn money for the concert of a famous composer Ishikawa Keigo (Kaneshiro). After the concert, Keigo saw Masaki chasing after his van. She was drenched, and thus Keigo took her to his apartment, where they spent the night. --JDorama

http://www.mydramalist.com//front/dramalist-ajax.php?dramaid=866

Ok so this drama I haven't finished yet because I am really annoyed by the main character. I have a really hard time sympathizing with her even though she has HIV. That's tough to do, hehe. On a lesser note, I have a really hard time getting over how young the main character is.

**SPOILER**her age difference with her love interest is tremendous considering how young she is. I don't think it would bother me if she was mature for her age, but she's not. So their relationship kinda leaves me creeped out.**END OF SPOILER**

But I plan on still finishing it one day!

PS. I want to know yukie's beauty secret because she hasn't aged in the last 15 years, lol.

Kawaikochan wrote: Ok so this drama I haven't finished yet because I am really annoyed by the main character. I have a really hard time sympathizing with her even though she has HIV. That's tough to do, hehe.

OK, this is the reason why I don't want to watch it... I know I will not be able to sympathize with her and her...dilemma...

At first I didn't realise it was the same person I've seen on big screen with Zhang Ziyi in the House of the Flyings Daggers.
I love his peformance in the drama, but I can't stand the girl. She basically did prostitute herself for a concert ticket, and then we should feel sorry for her because she's sick and it was all because she loved him so much ???? So just because it's your life and you should have the guts to do what it takes to get what you really want does that mean you can sell your body and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it ? She 's such a victime during the whole drama I couldn't stand it !

I understand juniko's and kawaikochan's point of view, about the girl being annoying. Also, I thought it wasn't okay for her to play victim as she had sold her body for something as stupid as tickets for a concert. However... she is a victim. She is a victim of the society she lives in, all her friends, peer pressure, all of these things might seem a little stupid but its not really. I think we forget that not everyone is as strong will as we are, or have a certain level of common sense as we do. Society puts a lot of pressure on us, whether we want to admit it or not. This drama is not celebrating the act of prostituting your body for concert tickets, but showing teenagers that might be going through the same fate in real life (in Japan... remember this is a jdrama) what could happen to them if they do this, and how hard life can turn. The consequences of having sex with strangers, moreover, unprotected sex.

I read a little about the casting of this drama, none of the actors that were offered the part in Japan wanted to play Ishikawa Keigo because the drama was about HIV and this was a subject that was sort of taboo, so Takeshi Kaneshiro who is really open-minded about a lot of things went for the part.

I finished the drama, and I can just say I loved the ending. Like Lady says, she matured, and learned to accept her fate, and face everyone, her friends at school, her family... she stopped being a coward.

NinaJade82 wrote: This drama is not celebrating the act of prostituting your body for concert tickets, but showing teenagers that might be going through the same fate in real life (in Japan... remember this is a jdrama) what could happen to them if they do this, and how hard life can turn. The consequences of having sex with strangers, moreover, unprotected sex.

I read a little about the casting of this drama, none of the actors that were offered the part in Japan wanted to play Ishikawa Keigo because the drama was about HIV and this was a subject that was sort of taboo, so Takeshi Kaneshiro who is really open-minded about a lot of things went for the part.

This is one of the reasons why I appreciate this drama. It really was groundbreaking for its time. Although, I do think it glamorizes this destructive behavior to a certain extent. She basically has a prince charming come and save her. Sure, things weren't 100% smooth, but it was far from realistic or harsh relative to real life.

I stopped with about 2 episodes left. I am not sure how much changed in those two episodes, but I can't imagine that it was enough to change my mind. Even with all that, I still think this is an important drama and will finish it eventually.

You're right. Dramas are typically far from realistic. I was just pointing out that although it tackles a very real truth, it does not realistically portray the experience of a (Japanese) teenage girl. That doesn't mean it has any less value as an example of artistic expression.

And as for examples:

**SPOILER** Let's start with the crux of the story--What are the chances that an average teenage girl who contracts HIV through prostitution will end up in a serious relationship with a famous, multimillionaire music producer who is a decade older than she is and willing to throw away his entire career for her?

**SPOILER** I'm not even considering the small unrealistic things that make dramas fun, like how they met, or whether he would really call her again, or whether he could've muscled his way into the NYC housing with the argument he made.

**SPOILER** Just the premise alone could be dangerous to young teens facing similar struggles as the main character. There are many who would risk contracting HIV for the chance to meet/be with someone like Keigo. (Not that I think this drama is responsible for that, I'm just pointing out that this show isn't as socially responsible as some people can make it out to be based solely upon its subject matter.)

END OF SPOILERS

Kawaikochan wrote: With that said, I would still have finished the drama if the girl wasn't so annoying, lol.

LOL... she was annoying, I guess my love for Takeshi blinds me of any annoyance haha.

As for your examples:

wrote: What are the chances that an average teenage girl who contracts HIV through prostitution will end up in a serious relationship with a famous, multimillionaire music producer who is a decade older than she is and willing to throw away his entire career for her?

my text is in white:
Well... this is the actual premise of the story, so without this, there is no story. Reason why I said, dramas are highly ever completely realistic. But, in its defense, I guess the writer was trying to give out the message of how important it is to value yourself through a cinderella-like story which is what attracts the common viewer. Keigo was someone jaded and he really hated the world he lived in, meeting the cheerful teenager who saw him as a God, and loved his music and understood his lyrics instead of the many fans that didn't really care about it, made him feel different. This is what the writer want us to believe. Perhaps it did not have the right effect on you lol. But I bought it... I just love Takeshi and the way he acts, he is such a good actor. I bought the lonely Keigo who can't die but does not wish to keep on living.
The way they meet was a little bit too much on the unbelievable side... but this was more for dramatic purposes than anything else. I give you that. ;)

About teens wanting to do the same in order to meet their idol... I think it might happen. There are lots of airheads out there. Hopefully they get the message that HIV its not some fantasy disease in a drama. And, like I said, isn't the drama created for the teens that are already doing this??? lol