LAST FRIENDS

Last Friends is a story about issues experienced today such as domestic violence and gender identity disorder. The story revolves around 5 people each having a specific problem. It is a story of friendship, self-sacrifice and love. The red thread in the picture shows how binding these issues are but like everything else, there is a way to overcome it, we just have to find it.

Aida Michiru, played by Nagasawa Masami, is an assistant in a salon.At work, she is being bullied by a "sempai",but despite this kind of treatment, she decided to stay because this is the job she really wants. She seems very sweet but indecisive. She is Ruka's bestfriend and Sousuke's girlfriend. She is her mom's only child and lives with her in a small apartment.

She faces the problem of LOVE. This is not only about love in partnership but also about love among friends, family, and colleagues. Even as a child, she seems to feel that she isn't loved by her mother as if she is a burden. So she verntures to find love that she couldn't get from her mother and found it in the person of Sousuke. At first, Sousuke showed great "amor" for her; waiting for her to get out of work, buying identical cups, and offering to live together. Thinking she found what she was looking for, she happily considered it because she still has to get permission. Eventually, she got the permission and moved to Sousuke's place only to find out that she would be a victim of domestic violence. No matter how many times she left Sousuke, she would go back to him because she is drawn to what she think is love that she didn't get with her family.

Kishimoto Ruka, played by Ueno Juri, is a motorcross driver. She is Michiru's childhood bestfriend and loves her (secretly) more than just a friend. When she thinks that Michiru needs her help, she goes out of her way to lend a hand. She is very protective of Michiru and her friends. According to her, she is very close to her father.

The opening shows the word LIBERATION with her shouting as if in agony. Apparently, she is suffering from gender identity crisis, where she does not feel comfortable being a woman and wishes that she become a man. She has yet to tell anyone about this except for Takeru. Like most people experiencing the same issue, she is anxious about telling her true self because the society and her family may not welcome the idea. This is seen when a letter was sent to his family and the post was displayed in the tract stating that she is a homo; the initial reaction was concern and disturbance. Though she does feel like she is a woman, she still display woman characteristics such as crying when she feels helpless or powerless. She finds her condition constricting because she doesn't get the respect she wants from her colleagues in the track. In fact, her coach tapped her buttocks and then kissed her when they were alone in the alley. She feels that she is taken seriously because of her gender.

Mizushima Takeru, played by Eita, is a professional hairstylist and make-up artist by day and a part-time bartender at night. Often times, people think of him as a gay person because of the absence of a girlfriend in his life despite his good looks. His aloofness towards the opposite sex is quite evident in the story. The only girl he is comfortable touching is Ruka, whom he is in love with; but because Ruka cannot respond to his feelings, he is willing to become just friends so long as he can be by Ruka's side to support her. His character is very sweet, thoughtful and intuitive. He is Ruka's best confidante even before he confessed his love. In fact, he was the first to know about Ruka's plan to change sexes.

Takeru's issue is AGONY, but it is not only agony but trauma. Everything has to do with his past; however, even at the end of the story, whatever happened with his past is not cleared. It is still unknown what his sister did to him and why her sister's presence is something disturbing for him. But whatever it is, it resulted to his awkwardness towards the touch a the opposite sex. Something that has yet to be explained is the significance of the banana cake in his life. It may be his favorite back then or what.

At the end of the story, he stated that he will be Michiru's babies' father but it does not imply that he harbors feelings for Michiru. I believe what he meant was that he will be the father figure because as we all know his self-sacrificing heart beats for Ruka.

Takigawa Eri, played by Mizukawa Asami, is a flight attendant. Among all five character, she is the most carefree. It is as if nothing can disturb her. Her character is very strong and sweet. She became the life of the house with her many costumes and various greetings. She tends to be the first to initiate a celebration whatever the reason may be.

She is always seen smiling; however, behind her smile is the concern of being alone (SOLITUDE). Whether she accepts it or not, it is evident that she is looking for a companion to spend her life with. This is further evidenced by her act of hitting on Takeru. The series also implied that she has various relationships and is unconsciously searching for a partner.

In the middle of the story, she stated that she did not believe in a lasting love.  Towards the end, during her wedding day, she said that as long as they have each other (her partner), their love will sustain them. 

Oikawa Sousuke, played is Nishikido Ryo, is an employee for the Children's Welfare Department. At the young age of ten, his mother ran away with one of her customer leaving Sousuke to be raised by various relatives. This led to his desire to get married and have a family of his own. This almost came true when his girlfriend Michiru started to live with him.

As the opening showed, he is suffering from CONTRADICTION (of character). One point he is kind and loving but violent at another.  A victim of multiple personality. This maybe is a result of his childhood. It is also evident that he doesn't like broken promises and isn't very considerate of whatever the reason. He is a very possessive and jealous person. One good point about Sousuke is the authenticity of his love though this good point is overshadowed by unjustifiable acts of violence.

Aside from Michiru, he is very close to a small boy who, like him, is abandoned by his mother for a certain period. The boy is also a victim of violence. One will notice how Sousuke's character contradicts itself. He shows compassion to a kid to a point where he would throw his life so he could save the boy, but on the other hand, he is also capable of hurting other people like Takeru (for thinking that Takeru is Michiru's new love) and Ruka (almost raping her). In the end of the story, he takes his life because he realized that while he is alive, Michiru will never be free saying that he didn't know how to love her right.

SUMMARY:

The story begins showing a pregnant Michiru standing in the harbor viewing the horizon and deep in thought. When she arrives home, she sits to drink coffee(or tea) and looks at the pictures she has kept with her.Then it goes to a reminiscing scenario about the time she started living with his boyfriend, seeing her childhood bestfriend again, and meeting new people and friends in the share house. Each character's issues are then revealed and, little by little , the show reveals how they overcame their issues or how they were overwhelmed by the issue.

Writer's POV:

I like the series as a whole thought the end was kind of disappointing or I felt like something is missing; however, the story as a whole is very rich. I do not know if it is just me, but I find it exciting when Sousuke brings a threatening aura with him. This is because one is led to think of the possible outcome between Michiru and his interaction. It's quite scary but surprisingly entertaining. Michiru, on the other hand, is the typical heroine where she is undecisive, a crybaby, and dependent with someone else, but that is to be expected from someone who is seeking for love that she didn't receive from her parents. I loved how Juri played Ruka's character. It really showed how disturbing and stressful it is to hide the truth from your family. The concern of acceptance is something that is big of a deal especially to those whose family are not prepared to accept one's true color. I love Takeru's character because of his sweet character. Eri brings life in the circle because of her carefree character. I love how every person's character was developed and weaved in the story. It made the story very rich.

What I dislike were:

1. The death of Sousuke. I believe that man is capable of change, no matter how stubborn one is, one is capable of changing. I almost cried when I saw Sousuke died with the wedding gown he prepared for Michiru. I wish he could have changed for the better and not die.

2. The babies name. I understand that she is grateful for her friends and what they did to save her from many circumstances but I found it inappropriate to name the child after the first syllables of Michiru and Ruka's name. For one, Michiru knew how Ruka felt for her. I have nothing against the third sex, but the child is the fruit of Sousuke and Michiru. Sousuke is totally against Ruka,and naming his child with his rival's syllable is like stepping on Sousuke.

 Note: these images are those that I have gathered online. These aren't used for profit but for entertainment purposes only. Thank you to those who posted these photos.... I don't own any of these photos...