. ▁The ▁historical ▁figure ▁of ▁Ni ij ima ▁was ▁chosen ▁for ▁her ▁story ▁of ▁loss ▁and ▁hope , ▁along ▁with ▁her ▁coming ▁from ▁the ▁A iz u ▁domain ▁( now ▁within ▁the ▁F uk ush ima ▁Pref ect ure ), ▁to ▁help ▁insp ire ▁Japan ▁after ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁T ō h oku ▁earth qu ake ▁and ▁t sun ami , ▁which ▁seriously ▁affected ▁F uk ush ima ▁more ▁than ▁the ▁other ▁pre fect ures . ▁ ▁Music ▁Ry u ichi ▁Sak am oto ▁was ▁announced ▁as ▁the ▁series ' ▁theme ▁music ▁composer ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁This ▁is ▁Sak am oto ' s ▁first ▁time ▁to ▁compose ▁music ▁for ▁a ▁ta iga ▁drama . ▁ ▁Re ception ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁the ▁series ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁the ▁International ▁Em my ▁Award ▁for ▁Best ▁D rama ▁Series . ▁ ▁Home ▁media ▁The ▁first ▁ 1 5 ▁episodes ▁of ▁Y ae ' s ▁Sak ura ▁were ▁released ▁on ▁Bl u - ray ▁on ▁October ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁The ▁next ▁ 1 6 ▁episodes ▁received ▁a ▁Bl u - ray ▁release ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁which ▁includes ▁two ▁behind - the - sc enes ▁feature tt es ▁and ▁the ▁text less ▁series ▁intro ▁among ▁others . ▁The ▁last ▁ 1 9 ▁episodes ▁of ▁the ▁series ▁were ▁released ▁on ▁Bl u - ray ▁on ▁March ▁ 1