Netflix announces new Japanese family drama 'Asura', directed by Palme d'Or winner

Netflix has collaborated Palme d’Or winning Japanese author Hirokazu Kore-edawho is writing and directing a classic Japanese family drama series.

Titled Asurathe series will be a modern variant Ashura no Gotokua 1979 family drama series that was in turn based on a Mukoda Kuniko novel of the same title.

Asura tells the story of four sisters: Ikebana teacher Tsunako (Miyazawa), housewife Makiko (Ono), librarian Takiko (Aoi) and waitress Sakiko (Hirose). Takiko’s suspicion that their father is having an affair leads to several conflicts and reveals secrets in each woman’s life. Like the ‘asura’, demigods in Buddhist cosmology, the women embody ‘a whirlwind of emotions, clashing violently yet sharing moments of deep connection’.

Asura will be a modern version of Ashura no Gotoku, a 1979 family drama series that was in turn based on a novel of the same name by Mukoda Kuniko (Netflix)

The original 1979 series aired on public broadcaster NHK in Japan and went on to inspire several other Japanese family drama series, and even a feature film adaptation in 2003.

The show, starring Rie Miyazawa, Machiko Ono, Yu Aoi and Suzu Hirose, is already in advanced post-production.

Kore-eda directs on the set of 'Monster' (courtesy of Picturehouse Entertainment) — Kore-eda directs on the set of ‘Monster’ (courtesy of Picturehouse Entertainment)

According to the streaming giant, Kore-eda’s approach Asura will serve as a tribute to screenwriter and novelist Mukoda, who was behind several scripts for popular Japanese dramas.

“With great respect for Mukoda and her influence on his career, Kore-eda infuses Asura with his unique vision, highlighting the independence and complexity of women,” Netflix said in a statement.

“What makes Kuniko Mukoda’s dramas so rich is the superficial venom exchanged during conversations and the love that lies behind those cruel words. The four actors who play the sisters understand this well, so the series was a lot of fun to film,” said Kore-eda.

The series was developed and produced by Yasuo Yagi, who previously worked with Mukoda before her tragic death in a plane crash in 1981.

“Before the fortieth year after her death, I revisited her works and realized that Like Asura was central to her legacy,” Yagi said. “We focused on casting the best actors for the sisters, and with Kore-eda as director, I believe we have created a quintessential drama.

Oscar nominee Kore-eda won the Jury Prize for Like father, like son in 2013 and the Palme d’Or in Cannes for Shoplifters in 2018and also wrote and directed the 2023 miniseries The Makanai: cooking for the Maiko House for Netflix.

Asura will be released on Netflix on January 9, 2025.