Sakura Yamauchi(やまうちさくら,Yamauchi Sakura) is the main deuteragonist in the I Want to Eat Your Pancreas series and the sole friend of Haruki Shiga.

Sakura is often described as a rambunctious person, a trait she openly admits. Her energetic nature is sometimes compounded by her immature attitude and actions, which often lead to her being quieted while working at the library.

Beneath her outwardly carefree demeanor, Sakura harbors a deep fear of death, a vulnerability she shares with Haruki. Despite this fear, she strives to live her life to the fullest, determined not to let her anxieties hold her back.

Sakura Yamauchi is first introduced working at a library with Haruki Shiga. After Haruki points out an error in her shelving, she rambles about superstition, claiming that eating a person’s ill organ could cure one’s own ailments. Later, Haruki discovers a peculiar book in a hospital waiting room, only to find that it belongs to Sakura. She reveals that she has a terminal illness, with her pancreas failing, and that she has only a year left to live. She jokingly mocks Haruki’s lack of reaction to her impending death.

The next day, Sakura invites Haruki to eat yakiniku and offal, during which she talks about her favorite foods and the superstition surrounding eating a person’s pancreas. The two later witness a scuffle in the market where Sakura intervenes, kicking the rude man in the crotch, much to Haruki’s shock. They quickly flee from the authorities.

At school, Sakura is confronted by her friend Kyouko, who teases her about the “date” with Haruki. Sakura denies it, and later, during school break, Takahiro, the class representative, gives her a rare CD of her favorite band. Sakura’s classmates remind her of Takahiro’s popularity with girls, but she dismisses their concerns.

Sakura and Haruki’s bond deepens as they go on a trip together, where they share more personal moments. During their stay at a hotel, they play a game of Truth or Dare, with Sakura daring Haruki to carry her to bed. Eventually, Sakura dares Haruki to sleep in her bed, and Haruki hesitates, but complies. The next day, Sakura expresses her shock at how much fun she had on the trip.

Later, Sakura takes Haruki to her house, where she shares her love forThe Little Princeand talks about her desire to experience a “naughty” act before she dies. She prepares to kiss Haruki, but backs away at the last moment, claiming it was a joke. This causes Haruki to react by pinning her arms down, a move that terrifies her and leads to her crying. Haruki, realizing his mistake, runs out and encounters Takahiro, who punches him out of anger, but Sakura defends Haruki, telling Takahiro she hates him.

As time passes, Haruki and Sakura continue to grow closer. At the hospital, Haruki comforts Sakura as she dances, and they share a heartfelt embrace during the festival fireworks. Sakura promises to go to the beach with Haruki once she is discharged from the hospital.

On the day of her discharge, Haruki waits at a café for Sakura, receiving a few texts from her. One of the texts, a playful request for a compliment, prompts Haruki to reflect on how much Sakura has changed him. He types out a message, “I want to eat your pancreas,” before sending it, but Sakura doesn’t reply. Later that evening, Haruki watches a news report that shows Sakura’s death—she was fatally stabbed in the chest. The ambulance’s attempt to save her failed, and she passed away.

The following day, Sakura’s funeral is held, with many in attendance to mourn her sudden loss. Haruki, overcome with grief, is absent from the ceremony, unable to bear the reality of her death.

After Sakura’s passing, Haruki visits her home and meets her mother, who hands him Sakura’s book,Living With Dying. As he reads through it, Haruki comes to understand the depth of Sakura’s feelings for him. She had cared for him deeply and often cried after their time together, realizing just how much he had meant to her.Sakura Yamauchi is first introduced working at a library with Haruki Shiga. After Haruki points out an error in her shelving, she rambles about superstition, claiming that eating a person’s ill organ could cure one’s own ailments. Later, Haruki discovers a peculiar book in a hospital waiting room, only to find that it belongs to Sakura. She reveals that she has a terminal illness, with her pancreas failing, and that she has only a year left to live. She jokingly mocks Haruki’s lack of reaction to her impending death.

In a dream-like sequence, Haruki envisions Sakura, surrounded by imagery and symbolism fromThe Little Prince. Sakura vividly describes their relationship, explaining how special it was to her. She speaks about the importance of their time together and how much it had impacted her. In the most poignant part of her farewell, she says, “I want to eat your pancreas,” a phrase she used to convey how much Haruki meant to her, though words alone were never enough to express her true feelings.

Haruki then turns to Sakura’s mother, asking to see her phone. After checking her messages, he realizes that Sakura had indeed received his message, “I want to eat your pancreas.” It’s unclear whether Sakura had written those words in her farewell because of the message or if it was simply a coincidence. However, given that she had written drafts of her farewells during her hospital stay and never had the chance to finalize them—due to her untimely death caused by homicide rather than her illness—Haruki can only wonder if their shared words held more significance than he had realized.

Sakura was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on November 29, 20XX (Manga) or 2003 (Live-action). This form of cancer is notoriously deadly, with doctors predicting that Sakura had only a few years to live. A 5-year survival rate is extremely rare for this condition.

On December 4, the novelLiving with Dying(Anime) orInfirmity(Manga) was created, marking the beginning of Sakura’s emotional journey as she processed her illness. After meeting Haruki, it became apparent that her prognosis had worsened, and she only had a few months to live.

By July 28, her life expectancy was halved, indicating that she would likely pass away before winter. Initially given a year to live, Sakura had already lived for about 4 months with Haruki, leaving her with only about 2 months remaining. However, on August 19, she tragically passed away due to an unfortunate event unrelated to her illness.

This outcome delivers a poignant message: life is unpredictable, and anyone can die at any time, regardless of their illness or condition.

• Despite having an anime, manga, and live-action adaptation, all three portray the story differently. However, scenes like the hotel, the hospital, and the reveal of the diary are executed in a similar manner across all adaptations.
• The live-action film (2017) was released before the anime adaptation (2018).
• The dates of Sakura’s death differ significantly between the manga and the live-action, leaving some ambiguity about the exact date of her passing.