Series: Perfect World

Perfect World
Released: 2019
Country: Japan
Available on: Netflix

Perfect World is a series about a romance between a woman and her first love/crush, who is wheelchair bound after a terrible accident. 

I learned a lot from this show.

• How people do not know how to react to and treat people who are disabled
  

They don't know where to look, what to talk about, or how to offer help without acting different. 

They often have to explain themselves and put the new person at ease. What a load of emotional work! 

People are also afraid that they will offend them in some way, so maybe they just avoid this whole problem by not befriending them in the first place. 

Difficulties faced:

• Physical difficulties are the most visible problems. The government and big organisations target these areas the most because of its visibility. Of course, it's not always enough. People tend to leave out this group of people because it just doesn't cross their mind to be more inclusive.

You have to put down your pride and often ask for assistance. Most people offer help readily but it just sucks having to ask and rely on others.

I am swaku so I have never seen this sort of car before. It is operated by hand.

Emotional

This is definitely less visible but way more difficult to overcome.

• Humiliation
  

Itsuki is paralysed chest down and can't feel anything, including when he needs to pee or poop. He feels that he is not enough and a burden to others and therefore vows never to date or fall in love. 

• Helplessness

At the start, Itsuki wanted to die. He was a popular, smart, athletic person who after the accident could not even turn himself. He had to use a catheter. He could not even strangle himself because his muscles were too weak.

Later, he feels helpless when he cannot protect his girlfriend or do 'simple' able bodied things for her (like helping her when she's injured). 

Societal

• In the show, the girl's parent is a social welfare worker. All is well when showing care towards others, but when it comes to your own daughter dating a wheelchair bound man? Dad vehemently says no and even dramatically kneels and begs the boy to break up with her, because he 'wants a stready and reliable' man for his daughter.
  
  
• Same goes for dating. All is well until they see the prosthetic leg or wheelchair. Then they start to treat you different.

Caregiving guilt and stress

As caregiving will entail some kind of medical knowledge, new caregivers may feel stressed because they don't know what to do. They can't be there 24/7 and when accidents happen when they're not around, they blame themselves. 

Plus it doesn't help even when you have the determination, energy and enthusiasm to do caregive... when your devious love rival is his professional caregiver who often puts you down and scolds you.

Furthrermore the person whom you are caring for may reject you because of feelings of insecurity and not wanting to be a burden. It's emotional assault from all sides!!!

The nurse also kissed him when he was asleep! WHAT THE HECK!!

If you're the caregiver, your devotion is also questioned by others like your family and friends. 

"Why him? It's so much trouble," they say. "You can find someone better."

Watching the show can be so heartbreaking. 

Also, this is the second series that I've watched recently where the MC receives a wedding invitation from their ex that dumped/cheated on them. THE HORROR. How dare they!! 

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There are just so many obstacles a person has to overcome, and it doesn't help when people say things like 'you're so inspiring' or 'you're so brave'. I can understand why it sounds so patronising...

I don't have any wheelchair-bound friends so this show has definitely taught me a lot. I haven't really finished the show but from the short episode blurbs, it seems like they are going to face even more problems as a couple but it shoulddddddd be a happy ending??? 

We'll see!

By far one of the more serious dramas I have watched in a while. It is an important show though, made with utmost sincerity and I hope more can watch it to learn how we can be kinder. 

Love,
Skye