Asura, written and directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, premiered on Netflix on January 9, 2025, and has quickly gained acclaim with an IMDb rating of 8.2. The series is a dark family drama focusing on four sisters who discover their father’s long-term affair. While the story begins with the revelation of the patriarch’s infidelity, it gradually shifts to explore the emotional and personal journeys of the siblings, highlighting complex family dynamics and unresolved tensions.
1970s Tokyo Family Drama Explores Infidelity, Secrets, and Complicated Interpersonal Relationships Deeply
Set in 1970s Tokyo, the story begins when Takiko (Yu Aoi) informs her sisters Makiko, Tsukano, and Sakiko about their father Kotaro Takezawa’s (Jun Kunimura) mistress. The sisters wrestle with whether to tell their mother, only to realize she was aware and dies from grief.
Kotaro’s affair becomes a backdrop against which the daughters confront personal struggles, including jealousy, betrayal, and their own complicated relationships. Historical patterns repeat when Makiko suspects her husband, Takao, of infidelity, mirroring the familial tensions they’ve grown up with.
Asura Web Series (Netflix)Kotaro’s decades-long pattern of infidelity is revealed, including his previous affair before Sakiko’s birth. Despite his extramarital involvement, the story ends with Tomoko breaking ties with him, using a false marriage to protect her son Shoji.
Kotaro continues to play a supportive father figure in Shoji’s life, offering emotional closure while emphasizing his desire for a son, reflecting unresolved issues from his own childhood. This resolution highlights both the consequences and the lingering bonds of familial love amid moral complexities.
Sisters Confront Personal Struggles, Growth, and Complex Relationships Amid Family Turmoil
The series also delves into the sisters’ individual lives. Tsukano faces loneliness and failed romance, culminating in a dramatic incident hinting at a possible suicide attempt, yet she maintains a façade of contentment.
Sakiko and Takiko’s strained relationship evolves as Takiko protects Sakiko in a moment of vulnerability, demonstrating the depth of sisterly bonds. Meanwhile, Makiko confronts suspicions about her husband, eventually gaining confidence to address her fears directly, showing growth and resilience among the siblings.
Asura concludes by tying together the major plotlines, leaving some grey areas unresolved but delivering a cohesive emotional arc. Kotaro’s affair ends without reconciliation, Tsukano accepts her reality, and the sisters confront their personal and relational challenges.
While Netflix has not confirmed a second season, the narrative closure suggests Kore-eda’s focus on resolution rather than prolonging the drama, allowing viewers to reflect on family, loyalty, and personal growth.
