i have some conflicting feelings about this drama. On one side, as a drama critic, this drama is emotional gold. On the other, personally, i was left kind of...hanging emotion-wise. And that's why i'm conflicted. This was a very good drama, and i can see the amount of emotion it's supposed to evoke, and so when i was left not feeling that level of emotion, i was mildly confused. But that's besides the point of this review and thus should be taken with a grain of salt, my review will be honest and objectively analyze without a hint of my subjectivism :).

Sekai no Chuushin de was a drama that i had heard and been recommended for years but only just now have watched. At the time i was being told about it, i had just finished 1 litre of tears and was on an emotional rollercoaster because of it and didn't feel like i would be able to handle yet another depressing drama, so i put it off but then it slipped my mind until just recently when i decided i'd take the time and watch it. In here we have a story that many will probably have heard before if you have watched My Girl and I or A Walk to Remember. The level of romance between the two is touching and so real that the thought of them being separated is sad. From the beginning hearing her say that she'd always waited and hoped for a world with him is a statement that still sends chills to my body, even now as i write this. It is thus understandable and creates a solid base upon which to develop and create this drama. It is the story of a boy who has grown up and spent the last 17 years unwilling to let go of the greatest love he's ever had. A life where for 17 years he has buried himself in work so he doesn't have to remember, and has managed to live life without thinking of it. But this is also a world where he forgets everything until he sleeps, where work cannot prevent him from reminiscing and thus for 17 years has slept only to wake up with tears streaming down his face as he returns from a happy past to a reality that the one he loved is no longer in the world.

The very idea is so chilling it's amazing. This drama does waht the 2 movies i mentioned don't really do, and that is explore the life of the boy after the death, and the struggles he must deal with in the wake of her departure. You mourn for him as he struggles to find a way to finally gain release and let her go. You feel his pain as he watches the cruel fate of life slowly take away the very woman he has come to love, and think of how wonderful their life would be had this cruel event not taken place. In that sense it harkens to 1 litre, where you also watch a girl slowly lose everything she had. In that way, this drama is so amazing that yes i would put it on the caliber of 1 litre in terms of brilliance.

And the music, oh my god the music would put me on the verge. The emotion present in the music is AMAZING. I would not allow any of you to miss this drama for the world, it's goooooood :)

edit:
Ok i guess i lied when i started writing this, and this review has given me the little bit of extra time to actually think about this drama. This has been edited more than you reading this will realize, and over the course i have finally grasped my mind around this drama. Rating changes and review edits later, this is the end result. A review that will say just this. This drama, is amazing, and the tears that were muted when i initially finished the drama are now gradually beginning to flow as i think about the drama. I guess i was just emotionally shell shocked that i couldn't cry.

Sekai no Chuushin de, Ai wo Sakebu, based on a very popular novel, starts out from the beginning and on very depressing. From the start, the creators of the drama let us know that this drama would have a tragic ending. If you have a weak spot for sad dramas, you should prepare a box of tissue while watching this.

Sekai no Chuushin is about a very strong love story of two teenagers. As their love for each other grows, and after a couple of hints (nosebleeds and such..), the girl was later diagnosed with Lukemia. "How will the two lovers cope with this?" and "how would her parents and the people that surrounds them react?".. were pretty much the main questions of the story.

I like how the love story was built up. Unlike some dramas, the love story progressed quite slowly and believable enough, which is very important because it was the main story of the drama. The pace was very mellow, but not to the point that it would get you fast asleep. The setting was great; it takes you back to the good old days. The shots were just beautifully done. The beautiful music help create the very sad mood it had all throughout. The actors did a good job, unless you're really picky, you won't find any flaws.. well nothing big.

Overall, this is a touching drama that everyone who's in for a nice/heartwarming/depressing love story should check out.