Asura

in terms of kore-eda’s works, this is definitely one of his weaker ones, but that says a lot about his ability as a director if this was still amazing despite its shortcomings. asura felt like a mixture of his film “my little sister” and his series “the makanai”. from its family relationships, and how he manages to create such authentic dynamics between the 4 sisters, similar to “my little sister”. this is also thanks to the performances of the actresses, namely Yu Aoi, who i’ve mostly seen play more adolescent roles, taking on a more mature role in this series, and Suzu Hirose, which i’ve seen a lot of her acting before, but her performance in this felt more raw and surreal, with her melancholic and quiet frustration in her role, and the way she acts so expressively with her eyes.   it also felt a lot like “the makanai” from its light-hearted and comedic moments and genuine laughter from the cast. the love and care for japanese tradition and japanese arts is also so apparent in these 2 series, showcasing parts of japanese culture usually invisible to the rest of the world. the shortcomings of this show derives from how he closes up plot points which felt a little rushed and underdeveloped but despite its flaws, kore-eda manages to draw the raw and natural frustrations of women in the 70s, through its depictions of infidelity and how women were expected to keep quiet and not speak out. "Is it really happiness for women like us to live without making waves?"