The Happiest Bride - April Bride

Konnichiwa minasan! April is reaching in a few days; I would like to recommend a Japanese movie here. The title is called “April Bride” aka “Yomei Ikkagetsu no Hanayome”. The movie is based on the true story of the love between Chie Nagashima, a woman who died at the age of 24 while fighting breast cancer, and her boyfriend/husband Taro Akasu. April Bride was number one in the box office in its opening weekend. The length of the movie is 129 minutes. The director is Ryuichi Hiroki. This is a tragedy romance movie.

The story begins with Chie Nagashima(Nana Eikura) and Taro Akasu (Eita) are met at a workshop. Taro falls to Nagashima at the first sight, eventually they fall in love, become a couple and having a good time.

When Tara finds out that Nagashima is having breast cancer, she leaves Taro and goes for the surgery by her own because she thinks that she does not suitable for him. However, Taro does not give up on the relationship and he keeps on looking for Nagashima.  After sometime, Taro is able to find Nagashima at his hometown. Taro telling Nagashima about his feelings for her that he does not mind about her body after the surgery as he truly loves her and wants to stay together with her.  So, they become together again and having the happy time.

However, the sickness of Nagashima has relapsed and getting worse. Taro even moves in to stay together with Nagashima in the hospital in order to support and take care of her by ignoring the objections of his parents. Both of them fight the cancer together. 

When the doctor announces that Nagashima is only having one more month to live, Taro decides to give a wedding to Nagashima. He and Nagashima’s best friends plan the wedding behind Nagashima, and then he takes Nagashima out from the hospital by telling her that he takes her for the photo shooting in the wedding gowns. After they taking the photo in front of the church, they are having their wedding ceremony then. On the wedding, Taro is proposed to Nagashima in front of all the friends and families, and Nagashima agreed and then they exchanging rings. All the friends and relatives of Nagashima and even the parents of Taro   also attended this special wedding ceremony.

However, Nagashima has passed away after the wedding. Nagashima has left a video clip to her husband that she thanked him for what he did for her and she loves him. Taro is sad but then becomes strong to keep on living with the memory of Nagashima in his heart.

When you are watching this movie, please prepare some tissue papers next you because the story is very touching and there are many touching scenes. Eg. The scene that Taro-san expresses his feelings to Nagashima at the seaside, Nagashima’s father thanks Taro-san in the wad. For me, the most touching scene is Taro-san is proposed to the girl on the wedding. I was cried out in the last 30 minutes of the movie. It is indeed very sad and touching! L I think the Taro-san is a very good guy as he truly loves Nagashima deeply although she is a sick person. He does not care of his parents and keep on staying by the side of his loved one when she needed him. I think Chie Nagashima was a very lucky person as she has found her true loved in her life time before she leaves the world.

Chie Nagashima's story was actually told in a 2007 TBS documentary. The documentary achieved ratings of 16.6%, and the story was later published as a book that sold more than 400,000 copies and then adapted into this movie. The story is even been adapted into manga series, but I could not find it.

Both the actor and actress are having very good acting in this movie. The actress, Nana Eikura even cut her hair in very short in order to act as a series cancer patient. This movie makes her won an award of “Rookie of the Year”at the 2010 (33rd) Japan Academy Prize on 5/3/2010.

Let us preview some more scens of the movie.

If you would like to watch this touching story, please click into "April Bride”, and enjoy the true love!