Let's break this down: 1 Litre of Tears (2005) is the original version adapted from Aya Kito's diary. Later on, a new adaptation was released—the 11-episode J-Drama version titled Ichi Rittoru no Namida (2005)—and finally, a special episode. Based on the book of the same name by Aya Kito, the story is inspired by the real life of a 15-year-old girl named Aya Kito (July 19, 1962 – May 23, 1988) who discovered she had an incurable illness. She fought this disease until she was 25, recording her feelings and her entire daily struggle in a diary. She kept writing until she could no longer hold a pen due to her degenerative condition. The diary, titled Ichi Rittoru no Namida, was published shortly after her passing. Because the book was faithfully based on her actual diary, many people refer to both the book and the miniseries as Diary of Tears. Her desire to live was so strong that the last words in her diary were: “The fact that I am alive is such a lovely and wonderful thing that it makes me want to live more and more.” The book 1 Litre of Tears became a massive bestseller in Japan, selling nearly 2 million copies. It truly is a story worth knowing, as it teaches us an incredible life lesson.