I knew the show was going to be about pregnancies, childbirth and all the drama that goes with it, but somehow I wasn’t expecting it to be so gentle and sombre in tone. Lots of scenes with main character Aoi Aota (Kaya Kiyohara) reacting and reflecting upon things she is seeing, with only her eyes to tell you what is going on in her head as she watches young Dr. Tomohira Yui (Koji Seto) do his work.
More than just “stories of pregnant women” (though, of course, the drama is comprised much of that), we focus on Aoi and all the different aspects of life, birth and death that is presented to her in all its happy, sad and tragic facets.
Her day goes from joyous moments of happy childbirth with a cheering family...
...to silent and still moments with women asking for abortions, (the moments where Aoi passes off the remains to a collection agent is particularly solemn) and in between it all is Aoi struggling to make sense of it all.
I liked the drama enough that I did go ahead and grab the entire show, but unlike other dramas, this was one that I had off to the side and only dug out to watch an episode or two when I was in a melancholy or pensive mood, and in that, it was a perfect drama to keep in store.
I began watching the drama in February of 2019 and have just completed it now, and can safely say what a nice, calming (and tear-inducing) drama it was! Lots of old favorites in it like Asami Mizukawa, Mieko Harada and even Wakana Sakai (when was the last time I saw her!) as Aoi’s scatterbrained mother...
...but the clear star is Kaya Kiyohara who does so much without having to say anything!
Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com
