Overview

Natsuki Iijima was the second athlete to join SUNNY SIDE UP. We have been walking together since the peak of his career as a professional windsurfer, having participated in the World Cup for eight consecutive years. In 2002, he was diagnosed with cancer and given a terminal diagnosis. We decided to support his dream of finding purpose in becoming a “writer” and realized the publication of the novel “If I Could See You in Heaven,” starting with a documentary program. To convey his thoughts to as many people as possible, we realized content creation across multiple media.

URL: Natsuki Iijima Profile

Activities

To convey the thoughts of Natsuki Iijima, who was a top athlete but had no experience in writing novels, to as many people as possible, we first started by producing a documentary program about him. By making his way of life known, we were able to publish his book, which resulted in a bestseller of over 750,000 copies in three works, including essays and novels. In addition, the essay and novel were made into a movie and a drama. Even after his death, we continue to convey his thoughts by holding memorial photo exhibitions, planning and producing events, and using his books as teaching materials. This project made us think about “what it means to support athletes.”