‘Asura’ series review: Hirokazu Kore-eda returns with another messy family drama

If one were to parse through the work of Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda, it would be akin to sneaking into various family albums. Though vague with its message, the letter pointedly asks “Is it really happiness, for women like us to live without making waves?” Kore-eda moves the show forward, by sketching out the lives of the four sisters in response to the question. Adapted from Kuniko Mukōda’s novel of the same, which has cemented itself as a drama staple in the Japanese tele-scape with a 1979 NHK drama, and a 2003 film preceding Kore-eda’s iteration, Asura spans several months, across seven episodes. Asura Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda Cast: Rie Miyazawa, Machiko Ono, Yu Aoi, Suzu Hirose, and others Episodes: 7 Runtime: 50 minutes to 1 hour Storyline: The personal lives of four sisters in 1979 Japan spiral out of control as they discover their father having an affair with a younger woman. The show comes crackling alive when the four sisters gather around the dinner table to reminisce about their childhood food or devolve into playful banter even as they clean up after their father.