A "flightless bird" might, in fact, be "a bird that doesn't want to fly."
We Are Made of Miracles (僕らは奇跡でできているnote ) is a Japanese drama series that aired in 2018.
Kazuki Aikawa (Issei Takahashi) is a university professor who primarily gives lessons about animal behavior. Despite him frequently neglecting his non-teaching duties, and his tendency to digress during lectures, he is allowed to continue as a professor under the guidance of Professor Samejima (Kaoru Kobayashi), who sees potential in him despite what the other teachers think. Kazuki lives a simple life with his housekeeper Yamada, and occasionally takes time to visit his grandfather in the forest where he grew up.
Due to Kazuki's curiosity and unique outlook on life, other people around him take notice and slowly reconsider their own lives, one of whom is dentist Ikumi Mizumoto (Nana Eikura). She has kept her family clinic running after succeeding her father, and even performs beautifying dental procedures at a clinic in Tokyo, yet her abilities and achievements belie her insecurities and generally unhealthy self-esteem. When Kazuki comes to her clinic as a regular patient, his sincerity and straightforward attitude begin to show her what she feels she's been missing.
The series contains examples of the following tropes:
- Absent-Minded Professor: Kazuki pretty much fits this trope; although he tends to be more absent-minded when he's not being a professor.
- Bunny-Ears Lawyer: In spite of his peculiar personality, there's no doubt that Kazuki is an influential and engaging teacher, and becomes well beloved by his students.
- Central Theme: Curiosity and freedom of self-expression, generally exemplified by Kazuki. The former is also highlighted through Koichi and how the adults around him affect his desire to learn. The latter can be seen with Ikumi, her growing friendship with Kazuki, and how the two of them interact with others.
- Character Development: The more Ikumi spends time with Kazuki, the more her self-esteem begins to improve. This also happens to four of Kazuki's students, as well as his colleague Kashinoki.
- Credits Gag: As the credits roll during the end of each episode, specific Kanji or kana are colored. The highlights follow a specific theme per episode: colors, days of the week, animals, landscapes or bodies of water, etc.
- Does Not Like Spam: Kazuki is disgusted by octopus, unlike his fellow professor Numabukuro who enjoys eating them. It was the last thing his mother promised to cook for him before she left him as a child. After he's finally able to acknowledge his housekeeper Yamada as his mother, he gets over his aversion and begins eating octopus as well.
- Foil: Kazuki tends to draw the ire of his fellow professor Kashinoki, who takes his job very seriously and follows his duties to the letter. Instead of responding to accusations regarding his attitude, Kazuki usually deflects the issue by asking Kashinoki why he got a divorce. Somehow this is Played for Laughs for most of the series.
- Foreshadowing: Kazuki is often shown staring at the moon, and went to visit an observatory in one episode. He reveals his plans to become an astronaut in the final episode.
- Harmony Versus Discipline: Kazuki teaches simply by talking about what's been on his mind and displaying his curiosity. The faculty manager Kumano constantly berates him about this and insists that he should plan his lessons better. Meanwhile, Professor Samejima always reassures that "he's on the right track."
- Hot for Teacher: One of Kazuki's students, Aoyama, develops a crush on him. Due to his many preoccupations, however, he rebuffs her repeated advances.
- Luke, You Are My Father: Kazuki has known all along that his housekeeper Yamada is in fact his mother. He just never felt the need to address this until she began talking about him possibly marrying Ikumi.
- Magnetic Hero: However reluctant the people around him may be, Kazuki's presence ultimately changes their attitudes for the better.
- Meaningful Name: Kazuki is repeatedly told by his grandfather that there is a light inside of him which reaches the people around him. Kazuki's name is written in Kanji as 一輝, and the second Kanji includes the radical 光 which means "light."
- Missing Mom: Kazuki's mother left him when he was 4 years old, and he was raised by his grandfather. The housekeeper Yamada later came into his life when he was a teenager, and they have lived together since. He knew early on that Yamada actually was his mother, but chose to keep up the pretense.
- "Not So Different" Remark: During the first episode, Kazuki brings up the Aesop fable of the rabbit and the turtle, particularly the question of why the rabbit ran the race. He says it's because the rabbit wanted to show off, and then compares Ikumi to the rabbit. In the course of the series, as Ikumi comes to know Kazuki better, he later implies that he does understand the rabbit's mindset.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: In the ninth episode, Kashinoki snaps at Kazuki, accusing him of giving his students the wrong ideas about how the world works and leaving them unprepared for the harsh realities of life. He goes on to call him irresponsible and a bad influence on people, even wanting him gone. Kazuki tearfully leaves the university afterward (although he actually had a different reason for leaving).
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Professor Samejima never reprimands Kazuki no matter what, and always seems to understand Kazuki's motives every time he does something. His gentle guidance allows Kazuki to keep teaching in his own way.
- The World Is Just Awesome: Kazuki's curiosity about the world around him is practically boundless, and his sense of wonder is what draws other people to him.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: When Ikumi wonders what's wrong with herself, Kazuki simply describes what he went through growing up, and how he developed his own self-esteem. As their friendship develops, she becomes more honest with herself, and comes to terms with her issues.
