On The Box: What to Watch

Sekai no Chushin de, Ai o Sakebu begins Friday, July 2 at 10 p.m. on the TBS
network. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, this tale of
youthful romance and innocence, is set in 1987.

This early preview is necessary because the producer has announced that the
short, first scene in the first episode will be a key to understanding the
overall story. The not-to-be-missed opening scene is filmed in Australia,
the first of three scenic guest appearances the continent will make in this
drama.

Heroine Aki (Haruka Ayase) is cute, smart, popular and good at sports. She
has it all until she is diagnosed with leukemia. Takayuki Yamada stars as
17-year old Sakutaro Matsumoto, who falls in love with her. (Naoto Ogata
plays Matsumoto at age 34.) Matsumoto is invited back to the old hometown by
his high school teacher because the school, so full of memories, is about to
be demolished.

And there's still time to catch Reiko Takashima in the last five episodes of
one of the most enjoyable samurai romances around- Onyado Kawasemi (Fridays,
9:15 p.m. on NHK).

28/6/04