The ninth episode of the TBS Sunday drama "GIFT," starring actor Shinichi Tsutsumi, aired on June 7th. Viewers were shocked by the tragedy that befell Ryo (Yuki Yamada) after he was reunited with his father, Tatsuya (Yuki Yamada).
◇The following contains spoilers.
Ryo, suspected of having hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, was in a situation where strenuous exercise could be life-threatening, but he braced himself and participated in the Japanese National Championships. However, he suffered an arrhythmia and collapsed on the court.
When Ryo regained consciousness in the hospital, Tatsuya was standing beside his bed. Tatsuya had left home after Ryo became wheelchair-bound, but he had shown up at the match venue that day.
"The Bulls have gotten even stronger." When Ryo learned that Tatsuya had come to watch the Bulls' game, his eyes reddened as he said, "I'm so glad I continued playing wheelchair rugby. I was hoping that Dad was watching from somewhere, that we could stay connected." When Tatsuya told him, "You're a son I'm proud of," Ryo's face crumpled with relief as he said, "That's great."
However, Ryo's condition suddenly worsened, and he passed away surrounded by Tatsuya, his mother Kimiyo (Yumi Aso), and Gotetsu (Tsutsumi).
The shocking developments depicted in the first part of the final chapter sparked a lot of discussion on social media, with comments such as, "I can't believe it... that Ryo died," "Ryo... this can't be true," and "I can't take it. This is just too much. I never thought our ace would be gone."
Furthermore, the innocence that Ryo showed in front of his parents for the last time was breathtaking, and applause erupted with comments such as, "The scene where he reunites with his father was so amazing, he instantly transformed from a young man back into a boy, Yuki Yamada is incredible," and "The expression and acting on Ryo's face when he spots his father in the audience, and the childlike expression and lines he shows while his father ruffles his hair in the hospital room, were truly wonderful and gave me chills."
The drama follows Wu Tetsuya, a genius astrophysicist played by Tsutsumi, as he solves difficult problems facing the underdog team "Blaze Bulls" from his unique perspective. It's a story of redemption where the team, friends, and family reconnect.
