Noritake Kinashi’s Insightful Portrayal in “When Spring Comes”

A number of viewers cry every week watching the interaction between a father and daughter in the home drama “Haru ni nara nara” (Kansai Television Network, Fuji Television Network).

One day, the daughter Hitomi Shiina (Nao) is told by her father Masahiko (Kinashi Noritake) that she will die of pancreatic cancer in three months. Masahiko refuses to undergo life-prolonging treatment. He says he wants to live his life as before and die in three months. Hitomi is at a loss to understand her father’s feelings. In fact, she has a lover whom she promised to marry in three months. Masahiko does not agree to the marriage. …… is the synopsis.

In addition to the good casting, the reason why this film is attracting a lot of attention is the theme of “To choose life-prolonging treatment or not to choose it. I would like to consider this question as I list the opinions of my acquaintances about the drama.

Those in their 40s and 50s choose to reject life-prolonging treatment

After watching “Spring Comes,” about 10 friends and acquaintances around me asked me, “What would you do if it were you? have been talking about it. The situations we discussed varied from a pub to the editorial office of a publishing company to a radio station, but as a result, most of them did not choose life-prolonging treatment.

A man in his 50s said, “We watched it as a couple, but we both decided that we wanted to live and die happily as best we could for three months.

A woman in her 40s said, “In three months, I will play until I have used up all my savings.

I don’t want to end my life in a weakened state, so I will quit my job and return to the countryside to spend the rest of my life with my parents” (male, in his 40s)

I don’t want to cause trouble for my family, so I don’t want to prolong my life” (woman in her 40s)

If I die in three months, I want to write about my life up to that point, publish it, and leave gracefully” (woman in her 40s)

I myself am in my 40s and am surrounded by people of my generation, which may be one reason why I reject life-prolonging treatment. There was a woman in her 40s who wrote an ending note because she was single after watching a drama, and another woman in her 40s who had a discussion with a same-sex couple. Some worried, “I’m going to play around, and what if I get cured in three months?”

However, only a woman in her 20s said, “I’m not sure, but I still want to live …… so I might choose to prolong my life. Is this the difference between the middle-aged and the young generation? I am impressed by the influence of drama, although this is only limited to my surroundings. Which would you, who are reading this text now, choose?

Don’t get me wrong, it is just that they all have a positive opinion. Masahiko was no different, explaining his reasons for not choosing to prolong his life.

If I treated him with drugs, he would become a person who only fights cancer. What is the point of living for one or two years? If that is the case, I want to live as Hitomi’s father until the end.

People who are making the same choice as Masahiko must be of the same opinion.

The word “euthanasia” suddenly came to mind. It reminded me of a TV program I watched last year, “Choosing the Last Day: In a Country Without Euthanasia” (Fuji TV). Switzerland is a country where euthanasia is allowed. It was a documentary about people from Japan and other countries who came to this country and wished to die. It was not a case of “wishful thinking,” but rather a positive death by people who did not want to spend the rest of their lives in a sick state. Some of the women were smiling as they faced their deaths. But beside them were family members with complicated expressions on their faces.

This family is the daughter Hitomi, played by Nao. Her father is a divorced man with a child in elementary school, and his marriage to his unsuccessful comedian lover was initially opposed by her father. At first he tries to force through the marriage, but Hitomi finally says that she will not marry him. He even collapses from heartache and is rushed to the hospital. ……

My father doesn’t seem to be in pain at all. Nothing has changed. (omission) But I can’t accept it any more. …… I don’t know what to do anymore. I don’t even know who I am anymore.”

If his family chose the same path as Masahiko, could he honestly push them to do the same? Such a question also arises.

Death” is not all about looking backward.

Even before it began airing, “Haru ni nara nara” was the talk of the town for being Noritake Kinashi’s first drama appearance in 24 years. Masahiko’s performance as Masahiko, who loves his daughter but is always blunt. I was so impressed by the drama that I wondered if anyone else could have played the role other than Nori-san. The drama was more moving than I had expected and raised more issues than I had expected.

The question posed in the story this time was “To prolong life or not to prolong life? There is no conclusion here, only a choice. I was made to realize that we should not be afraid of incurable diseases that we do not know when they will come, but that we need to be prepared for them. In addition, there was a scene that taught me that death is not all about looking backward.

Masahiko said, “I drew the worst lottery …… at all. God is so mean to suddenly give me three months to live.

Doctor “Would you rather have never been born than draw such a lottery?”

Masahiko “…… that’s not true. I had some hard times with the death of my wife, but I was doing what I loved. My daughter has grown up well.

There is less than a month left in the broadcast. What kind of future awaits the Shiina family?