With the Light

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

With the Light

光とともに…-自閉症児を抱えて- (Hikari to Tomoni... ~Jiheishouji Wo Kakaete~)
Genre	Drama
Manga
Author	Keiko Tobe
Publisher	Akita Shoten Yen Press
Demographic	Josei
Serialized in	For Mrs.
Original run	2000 – ongoing
Volumes	13

With the Light ~ Raising an Autistic Child (光とともに…-自閉症児を抱えて-, Hikari to Tomoni... ~Jiheishouji Wo Kakaete~^?) is a josei manga by Keiko Tobe. It is published by Akita Shoten in For Mrs. and has been collected in thirteen tankobon volumes as of June 2008. The series is licensed in English in North America by Yen Press, with two volumes (each collecting 2 tankobon volumes) published as of March 2008.^[1] It depicts the struggles of a young mother, Sachiko Azuma, and her autistic son Hikaru in modern Japan.

The series received an Excellence Prize for manga at the 2004 Japan Media Arts Festival.^[2] It was also adapted as a television drama, airing on NTV from April 14, 2004 to June 23, 2004, which won several awards at Japan's 41st Television Drama Academy Awards, including "Best Drama."

[edit] Primary Characters

Sachiko Azuma: The primary character in the series and Hikaru's mother. In the beginning of the series, she finds herself battling the difficulties of raising an autistic child along with the indifference of her husband and society blaming her for her son's condition.

Masato Azuma: Sachiko's husband and Hikaru's father. Masato's high level position in the company he worked for provided a good income for his family but took a toll on his health, and he collapsed from overwork in the first volume of the series. However, this event prompted him to rethink his priorities and he settled instead on trying to become a better father to Hikaru.

Hikaru Azuma: Sachiko and Masato's firstborn: an autistic little boy. He is known to hate things like the noise made by crying babies, the sound of chanting, and having his ears pulled, and he enjoys "airplane rides," building blocks, and naming trains. Towards the end of the first volume, he is becoming more affectionate towards other people. Later in his childhood, he shows some very unique talents including cooking and mixing colors.

Kanon Azuma: Sachiko and Masaton's second child, a little girl who is born towards the end of the first volume (second volume of the Japanese version). She does not have autism like her brother. According to Sachiko, "To each the other is someone who is in the way." Despite this, she hopes that her two children will grow to care for and teach one another.

Aoki Shigeru (Aoki-sensei): Aoki-sensei was a special education teacher during Hikaru's first four years of elementary school and beloved to the parents of said class's children. He was well known for his inventions and innovative ways of teaching children.

Gunji-sensei: Gunji-sensei makes a cameo appearance in volume one, but towards the end of volume two she has become the new special education teacher. She was described as once having been a very passionate teacher who loved children, but her family difficulties put her in a bad mood.

Honda Miyu: Miyu is two years younger than Hikaru and also autistic. She is underdeveloped due to neglect from her family and preschool. Miyu enters the story in the second volume of With the Light.

Nakajima Moe: Moe is Hikaru's friend from preschool; a sweet girl who would always care for him of her own free will. She gets along well with Miyu as well and plans to become an elementary school teacher someday.d