Asura is a family drama about four sisters who discover that their father is having an affair, and the Netflix series is about to become your new Netflix obsession.
Asura started life as a novel called Ashura no Gotoku by beloved Japanese author Kuniko Mukōda. That story was turned into an acclaimed TV series in 1979, as well as an award-winning 2003 movie.
Now Shoplifters helmer Hirokazu Kore-eda has written and directed a seven-part Netflix adaptation that dropped today (January 9, 2025), and is already receiving rave reviews.
So here’s your guide to Asura, including details of its plot and cast, plus what the critics are saying.
What is Asura about?
Set in Tokyo on 1979, Asura is a domestic drama about the trials and tribulations of four sisters. Here’s the official synopsis, as per Netflix:
“One winter day, the four Takezawa sisters – teacher Tsunako, housewife Makiko, librarian Takiko, and waitress Sakiko – get together for the first time in a while. Takiko suspects that their ageing father, Kotaro, has a lover and child.
“While the other sisters find this unbelievable, they promise to keep this from their mother, Fuji. However, this commotion brings to light various conflicts and secrets that lurk in the women’s lives.”
Speaking to Netflix about why he decided to adapt this specific story, producer Yasuo Yagi said: “Before the 40th year since her passing, I revisited her works and realized that Like Asura was central to her legacy. We focused on casting the best actors for the sisters, and with Kore-eda as director, I believe we’ve created a quintessential drama.”
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Asura cast
Here’s details of the actors who play the four sisters in Asura, as well as their father:
- Rie Miyazawa as Tsunako
- Machiko Ono as Makiko
- Yu Aoi as Takiko
- Suzu Hirose as Sakiko
- Jun Kunimura as Kotaro
Hirokazu Kore-eda had this to say about the cast, as well as the story’s author: “What makes Kuniko Mukoda’s dramas so rich are the superficial poison exchanged in conversation and the love hidden behind those cruel words. The four actors playing the sisters understand this well, so the series was very enjoyable to shoot.”
Critics are raving about the new Netflix show
Asura is receiving near-universal acclaim, with critics celebrating Kore-eda’s writing and directing, as well as performances across the board.
The Nightly states that “Asura allows for that breathing room. It says to the audience, here are some interesting women, spend some time with them and see what happens, you might feel something, you might learn something, you’ll almost certainly come out the other side with more than you went in.”
The Daily Beast writes: “Asura is ultimately an incisive portrait of the compromises demanded of women, and the means by which they comply with, revolt against, and transcend the limitations placed upon them. At once moving and mirthful, it’s a tale fit for any age, and one that, with any luck, is only just getting started.”
While Decider says: “These complex performances and realistically woven story threads are the backbone of a drama that’s not simply a soap opera, but a delicately balanced story of the plight of women. Not simply women who are cheated on, but all women who are forced to comply with – or defy – whatever is expected of them due to age, class status, duty, or anything else.”
All seven episodes of Asura are now available on Netflix. For more streaming action, head here for the best shows coming to TV this month, while the following are 25 movies to look forward to in 2025.
