Majo no Jōken

Majo no Joken
Written by Kazuhiko Yukawa
Directed by Doi Nobuhiro
Naniwa Kazuhiro
Katayama Osamu
Starring Nanako Matsushima
Hideaki Takizawa
Opening theme First Love by Hikaru Utada
Country of origin Japan Japan
Original language(s) Japanese
No. of episodes 11
Production
Producer(s) Yasuo Yagi
Release
Original network TBS
Original release April 8 (1999-04-08) – June 17, 1999 (1999-06-17)

Majo no Jōken (魔女の条件) ("Terms of a witch") is a drama series that aired in Japan on TBS in 1999. This drama features Nanako Matsushima of Great Teacher Onizuka fame and Hideaki Takizawa of Johnny's group Tackey & Tsubasa.

Synopsis

Michi Hirose is a 26-year-old high school teacher. She accepts her boyfriend's, Masaru Kitai, proposal, but is unsure if she loves him. On her way to work, she is nearly run over by a teenager on his motorcycle and loses her engagement ring. The boy finds it and gives it to her without telling her who he is. At school, Michi finds that she has a new student in her class and the student, Hikaru Kurosawa, is revealed to be the boy from earlier. Hikaru, who is 17 years old, has been expelled from several schools due to his disrespectful behavior, and becomes soft to Michi after she talks with him. Hikaru's mother operates a successful hospital and she expects Hikaru to take over when he is older, but he has no interest in the hospital. He has a difficult relationship with his overprotective mother, especially after he discovers her affair with her colleague Yu Godai. Michi's parents are thrilled of her engagement, but Michi eventually finds herself drawn to Hikaru because they desire a world of freedom from their issues. Hikaru makes his feelings for Michi known when he tries to kiss her after she pulls him away from a party and he dares her to steal but she rejects him. But, they continue seeing each other, and after he asks her if she wants to marry Masaru, she can't bring herself to an answer. Hikaru's mother quickly becomes suspicious of Michi and Hikaru's relationship after Michi gives her Hikaru's phone that he threw away. Michi begins to skip meeting with Masaru and her parents while she sees Hikaru, and eventually realizes that she is falling in love with him. One night, he calls her to the school while she is with Masaru. When she gets there, Hikaru says that she doesn't like him, but she tells him she does. They have their first kiss and sleep together in the library. Jun Kinoshita, Hikaru's classmate who has suspected the affair, tells Hikaru that Michi will suffer the consequences.

Hikaru's mother becomes convinced of the relationship and alerts the school officials, who tell Michi to use her engagement as a reason to resign. But instead, she confesses to the whole school that she loves Hikaru and that what they are doing is not wrong. Michi is not fired because her father is a former teacher but is moved to a different class. Hikaru tells Michi that a world of freedom doesn't exist because they are in deeper trouble now. Michi tells him there is such a world and they decide to run away together to find that happiness. Masaru tries to stop them but is unsuccessful and ends up sleeping with Michi's friend Kiriko after she seduces him. Michi and Hikaru move to several places over the next few months until Hikaru's mother tracks them down and has Michi arrested. Hikaru is hospitalized after his mother accidentally injures him during a heated argument. When they contact each other again and try to escape, she is arrested again. She is taken back by her parents. Hikaru's mother tries to get him to forget Michi by paying his tutor, Miharu, to seduce him, but he rejects her. She then sends him to America to study aboard. Michi finds him at the airport and asks him to stay, but Hikaru says that he no longer loves her, in order to protect her.

Michi later discovers that Jun is physically abused by her drunken father so she takes Jun to live with her. Soon after, Michi feels ill and passes out. She finds out that she is pregnant with Hikaru's child. When her father demands that she have an abortion, she leaves the house. Jun calls Hikaru to tell him about the pregnancy. He returns and embraces Michi, and tells her that he will stay with her and their child forever. Michi nearly has a miscarriage and faints, and the doctor says that her body may not be strong enough to carry the baby to term. The couple begins living together and is determined to raise the baby as a family. Kiriko grows irritated at Michi for not realizing her feelings for Masaru and they have a brief fallout, but reconcile. Meanwhile, Hikaru's mother finds out that she is fired from the hospital and Yu is taking over instead. Hikaru visits with his mother, who is depressed of losing Hikaru and the hospital. She attempts suicide by overdosing and is hospitalized. Michi decides to move in with Kiriko to let Hikaru take care of his mother. She eventually finds a job at a new high school. while on a field trip, she and Hikaru have an argument over whether to stay together because it is affecting their families and friends. The distress causes her to nearly have a miscarriage again. The doctor tells Hikaru and her parents that she will have to abort the pregnancy in order save her health. Hikaru reluctantly agrees but Michi refuses and runs away from the hospital. She begs Hikaru not to kill their baby, and he promises to always protect her and the baby. Despite this tender moment, Michi ultimately miscarries and falls into a coma during the surgery.

Everyone is devastated of Michi's condition. Hikaru's mother finally accepts that Michi loves Hikaru more than she does and gives her blessing to their relationship. Masaru also accepts their relationship because Hikaru is the person who makes Michi happy the most. Jun decides to become a lawyer to help people in the same situation as Michi and Hikaru. Hikaru studies hard for college and decides to become a doctor. When he visits with Michi, he lays next to her, holding her left hand with his and fell asleep. Michi awakens from her coma and touched his face. Hikaru temporalily awoke, after multiple blinks, he smiles and return to sleep. Michi kissed his forehead and return to sleep too. In the final scene they slept while holding each other hand.

Note about the ending, the ending in this drama is considered ambiguous. Because the reaction of Hikaru when Michi woke up is unnatural and a bit strange, so some people interpret that it's a dream and Michi is still in coma. However, nothing in the story support this interpretation.

Cast

Awards

21st Television Drama Academy Awards

First Love by Hikaru Utada

External links

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