Beyond Goodbye – Season 1 Episode 2 Recap & Review

Beyond Life

Episode 2 of Beyond Goodbye begins at Otaru General Hospital. We’re on the night of the avalanche that took Yusuke’s life. Kazumasa isn’t sure he’s going to make it to summer though, but his partner, Miki, is cheerful and optimistic that he will. It seems Kazu has heart problems and he’s in need of a donor.

Kazu’s partner though, struggles to hold it together. In private, she ends up crying in her car. She knows that Kazu is on borrowed time and she’s trying to make the most of it.

Kazu receives another chance when a heart donation comes up. Miki believes this is God’s way of sending a sign that he’s got another chance. And of course, this comes from Yusuke.

In surgery, an ethereal set of images flash by, as Yusuke’s memories are somehow embedded into Kazu’s mind. Kazu manages to go home after the successful surgery, and he feels both lighter and more vibrant than before. The weather matches that, as we head into Spring.

Kazu slowly finds part of Yusuke bleed through. He now likes coffee when he never did before. He confides in his girlfriend that night, explaining that it feels like his heart hasn’t quite accepted the body yet and that there’s someone else inside him too.

The pair fly out to Hawaii, where Kazu instinctively plays Jackson 5 on the piano, just like Yusuke did. This definitely rattles him, and when he stops playing, Saeko finds herself lost and unable to find her man.

Kazu is obviously unaware of all of this, and he finds a newfound passion for his work at the school. He’s cheerful and enthused by the idea of a café being created for the students.

Saeko shows up at Akane Coffee with a delivery. This is the place she initially met Yusuke again and they ended up as partners. She speaks to the owner, Kengo, who explains he’s just trying to get by. Yusuke has left a big hole in their lives.

Saeko confides in him, explaining that Yusuke’s donor has left a note, thanking her for the heart. Eventually, she decides to message back and explains that the letter he sent initially is very precious to her. Funnily enough, when Kazu reads the letter, he happens to be on the same train as Saeko.

When the train breaks down, he decides to make some coffee for everyone. But of course, Saeko knows more than her fair share of coffee, and she joins him on the platform. She also starts to take a fancy in Kazu, especially when he uses the same language as Yusuke.

However, it seems more flashes of Yusuke’s life bleeds through, as these show Yusuke and Saeko together. Kazu is certainly taken aback and surprised.

The Episode Review

So Beyond Goodbye moves beyond Yusuke’s passing and instead sees us focus on Kazu and how he’s slowly being changed and “infected” by Yusuke’s personality. I really hope this series doesn’t glorify infidelity as Kazu’s partner seems like a really sweet lady. Sure, Saeko and Yusuke are “soulmates” but it doesn’t quite sit well with me that Kazu and Saeko are starting to fall for one another while she’s just the odd one out.

Of course, there could be something that happens here that changes all of that, and we’re perhaps getting a bit ahead of ourselves too so we’ll have to wait and see how the story pans out.

What is clear, however, is that the show is beautifully shot. There are so many great locations in Japan and there’s clearly been a desire to shoot on-location. It really benefits the series a lot and it helps that the characters, so far at least, are really well constructed and likable. Lets hope that continues going forward!