TV-Series
Description
Eichi Sakurai is a central supporting character whose presence drives the entire narrative of the story. He is depicted as a kind and gentle boy with golden-brown hair and brown eyes. In Mitsuki Koyama's flashbacks, he is often remembered wearing a simple white button-up shirt and blue jeans. He is significantly older than Mitsuki; in the anime, he is sixteen years old at the time of his departure, while she is ten.
Eichi's background is marked by loss from a very young age. He lost his parents early and lived with his grandfather until the elder's death, after which he was sent to live in an orphanage. It was there that he first met Mitsuki. Initially, he harbored a resentment for the moon because it served as a silent witness to his sadness and tears as he mourned his grandfather. However, meeting Mitsuki changed his perspective entirely. He saw in her smile and resilient personality a reflection of the moon itself, shining brightly in the night despite its hidden wounds. This led him to abandon his resentment and embrace a deep love for astronomy, with the moon becoming a personal symbol for the girl he cared for.
His personality is defined by genuine warmth and affection, particularly toward Mitsuki. In a world where she often felt isolated, he was the first person to treat her with consistent kindness. Their bond grew as close as that of brother and sister, and over time it evolved into a deeper, romantic love. Eichi was the first to recognize these feelings. Their shared dreams formed the foundation of their relationship: he taught Mitsuki about the moon and stars, while she taught him about music. They made a heartfelt promise to each other to pursue their respective dreams, with Eichi vowing to become an astronomer and Mitsuki vowing to become a singer, hoping to meet again as successful individuals.
The primary motivation for his actions, both in life and after death, is his unwavering love for Mitsuki. In the anime, just before he is adopted by an American family, he confesses his love to her. Believing he may have burdened her with his feelings, he asks her to forget him, but on the day of his departure, he reaffirms his love and they renew their promise for the future. Tragically, this farewell becomes final. Shortly after moving to the United States, Eichi dies in a fatal car accident along with his adoptive parents at the age of sixteen. Mitsuki is initially unaware of his death, only discovering the truth two years later when she travels to America, a revelation that causes her immense anguish and temporarily destroys her will to live or sing.
Eichi's role in the story is that of the lost love and the initial catalyst for Mitsuki's journey. He is the reason she pursues a singing career, hoping that her songs will reach him across the ocean. Even in death, his influence remains absolute. It is eventually revealed that his soul never truly left Mitsuki. He watched over her, and his lingering spirit acted as a lens, granting her the unique ability to see the shinigami, including Takuto and Meroko. His protective presence is what shielded her from death, altering her fate and allowing her to live beyond her predetermined time.
Regarding his key relationships, his bond with Mitsuki is the most significant. She is his first and only love. He also has a brief, unseen connection with the shinigami Takuto, as Takuto was originally assigned to collect Eichi's soul after his accident. However, Eichi refused to pass on, insisting his soul belonged to a specific girl. After his death, his relationship with Mitsuki becomes spiritual; he remains a silent guardian, watching her struggle, grow, and eventually find new love and happiness.
Eichi's development is static in the sense that the living boy does not change, but his narrative function evolves dramatically. He transitions from a living childhood friend and love interest to a tragic memory, and finally to a benevolent, unseen guardian. In the manga, the moment he finally ascends to heaven is when he sees that Mitsuki is genuinely happy, having built a new life and relationship while still keeping him in a special place in her heart. He lets her go not out of a lessening of love, but out of the purest form of it, wanting her to live fully.
While he holds no supernatural abilities in life, after death, his spirit demonstrates a powerful ability to remain in the human world through sheer force of will. His ethereal presence is what allows Mitsuki to perceive beings normally invisible to the living, effectively protecting her from the shinigami's original purpose and ensuring her survival long enough for her throat cancer to be cured.
Eichi's background is marked by loss from a very young age. He lost his parents early and lived with his grandfather until the elder's death, after which he was sent to live in an orphanage. It was there that he first met Mitsuki. Initially, he harbored a resentment for the moon because it served as a silent witness to his sadness and tears as he mourned his grandfather. However, meeting Mitsuki changed his perspective entirely. He saw in her smile and resilient personality a reflection of the moon itself, shining brightly in the night despite its hidden wounds. This led him to abandon his resentment and embrace a deep love for astronomy, with the moon becoming a personal symbol for the girl he cared for.
His personality is defined by genuine warmth and affection, particularly toward Mitsuki. In a world where she often felt isolated, he was the first person to treat her with consistent kindness. Their bond grew as close as that of brother and sister, and over time it evolved into a deeper, romantic love. Eichi was the first to recognize these feelings. Their shared dreams formed the foundation of their relationship: he taught Mitsuki about the moon and stars, while she taught him about music. They made a heartfelt promise to each other to pursue their respective dreams, with Eichi vowing to become an astronomer and Mitsuki vowing to become a singer, hoping to meet again as successful individuals.
The primary motivation for his actions, both in life and after death, is his unwavering love for Mitsuki. In the anime, just before he is adopted by an American family, he confesses his love to her. Believing he may have burdened her with his feelings, he asks her to forget him, but on the day of his departure, he reaffirms his love and they renew their promise for the future. Tragically, this farewell becomes final. Shortly after moving to the United States, Eichi dies in a fatal car accident along with his adoptive parents at the age of sixteen. Mitsuki is initially unaware of his death, only discovering the truth two years later when she travels to America, a revelation that causes her immense anguish and temporarily destroys her will to live or sing.
Eichi's role in the story is that of the lost love and the initial catalyst for Mitsuki's journey. He is the reason she pursues a singing career, hoping that her songs will reach him across the ocean. Even in death, his influence remains absolute. It is eventually revealed that his soul never truly left Mitsuki. He watched over her, and his lingering spirit acted as a lens, granting her the unique ability to see the shinigami, including Takuto and Meroko. His protective presence is what shielded her from death, altering her fate and allowing her to live beyond her predetermined time.
Regarding his key relationships, his bond with Mitsuki is the most significant. She is his first and only love. He also has a brief, unseen connection with the shinigami Takuto, as Takuto was originally assigned to collect Eichi's soul after his accident. However, Eichi refused to pass on, insisting his soul belonged to a specific girl. After his death, his relationship with Mitsuki becomes spiritual; he remains a silent guardian, watching her struggle, grow, and eventually find new love and happiness.
Eichi's development is static in the sense that the living boy does not change, but his narrative function evolves dramatically. He transitions from a living childhood friend and love interest to a tragic memory, and finally to a benevolent, unseen guardian. In the manga, the moment he finally ascends to heaven is when he sees that Mitsuki is genuinely happy, having built a new life and relationship while still keeping him in a special place in her heart. He lets her go not out of a lessening of love, but out of the purest form of it, wanting her to live fully.
While he holds no supernatural abilities in life, after death, his spirit demonstrates a powerful ability to remain in the human world through sheer force of will. His ethereal presence is what allows Mitsuki to perceive beings normally invisible to the living, effectively protecting her from the shinigami's original purpose and ensuring her survival long enough for her throat cancer to be cured.