Asura – Season 1 Episode 1 Recap & Review

The Affair

Episode 1 of Asura starts with Takiko, the third daughter of the Kotaro household, cycling to work at the Tokyo Metropolitan Library, Arisugawa branch. Takiko then calls her second-born sister Makiko who is busy with getting her husband ready for work and kids ready for school. Takiko says she has something important to tell them and wants the sisters to meet at Makiko’s house later that night. 

The next person Takiko calls later in the day is their eldest sister, Tsumako who is arranging flowers at the Masukawa residence. The lady of the house likes her flower arrangement and praises Tsunako to her husband. The husband’s response is nonchalant, showing interest in neither the flowers nor Tsumako. However, when the wife is called in to answer a call, the husband praises Tsunako and arranges a meeting with her the next day at one o’clock. 

Takiko then calls her youngest sister, Sakiko, at the restaurant where she works and invites her to the meeting later that night. At the same time, Takiko meets a private investigator at a cafe.  

Makiko visits their parents, Kotaro and Fuji during the day. She stops by a grocery store and buys apples before walking to their childhood home. Makiko finds their mother and father doing chores in the backyard. Fuji, the mother, is on laundry duty, while the father, Kotaro, trims the hedge. Makiko finds the scene very funny as it reminds her of a story of some old man and woman. Makiko has brought the mother a savings book from the bank that was sent to her house by mail. Fuji hides the same from her husband who leaves for work. Kotaro works as an executive reserve at a friend’s company so he goes out to work every Tuesday and Thursday.

Later that night, the sisters gather at Makiko’s house. Tsunako is the first to arrive, and she helps prepare the meal with Makiko’s husband. The husband is excited to host the sisters, and he helps break the rice cakes and answer the door when Takiko and Sakiko arrive later. The sisters chat about childhood memories as they cook and sit around the table for a meal. 

Then, Takiko brings up the reason she gathered everyone around. About a month ago, she saw their father with some woman and a young boy in second grade who called their father “daddy.” Takiko hired an investigator to be sure, and she found out that their father had a mistress. Her name is Tomoko, 40 years old, and she is the mother of the boy in second grade. Their father has rented them an apartment and visits them every Tuesday and Thursday. 

The sisters could not believe Takiko and thought she was making it up. Even Makiko’s husband joined in and made fun of just how absurd the situation was. Makiko asks Takiko for evidence, and she brings out the envelope with photos. Makiko suddenly freaks out and snatches the envelope from Makiko. She does not want to see the photos because then what Makiko said will become true. 

The sisters have a different opinion on the situation. Tsunako does not take it seriously as she is more concerned about her chipped tooth. Sakiko thinks it is not their place to even discuss it since it is an issue between their parents. Sakiko wants to watch a boxing match and she switches on the television. Everyone does not stay on topic which infuriates Takiko. She angrily switches off the TV and asks the sisters for their opinion. What should they do to help their mother?

Sakiko says that if their father cheated, their mother is to blame. Fuji concentrated more on the house and not on self-care to keep Kotaro interested. Sakiko also thinks that Takiko wants to use the issue to vent her frustrations about being unmarried and having to work a job she does not like. Takiko gets angry and starts fighting with Sakiko. In the process, the envelope is accidentally knocked down and the pictures scatter on the floor. Makiko screams upon seeing their father at an arcade with the woman and the kid. He husband quickly hides the photos and asks the sisters to keep them a secret from Fuji. 

Later, Sakiko meets up with her boyfriend and joins him for the evening run. The boyfriend wants to be a boxer and it is the reason why Sakiko was so into watching the boxing game during dinner. At home, Sakiko helps the boyfriend wash his hair. He asks about dinner with these sisters and Sakiko says it was nothing serious. The boyfriend promises that they will move into a house with a showerhead when he wins his upcoming match. 

The following morning, Makiko and her husband Takao discuss Kotaro’s cheating and his other family over breakfast. Takao thinks that it will be difficult to deal with the situation since it involves a kid. Later, Makiko heads to Tsunako’s house and is shocked to find a man in her house. Makiko runs away but Tsunako chases after her and drags her back to the house. The man has left and the sisters do not fight about it. Makiko says she will not ask Tsunako about the man since she knows that Takao is cheating on her too. Although she is not one to investigate like Takiko, she is sure that he has another woman.

Tsunako and Makiko agree to visit the mistress. They each contribute half of the settlement money they intend to use to make her leave Kotaro. However, when they see the mistress, Tsunako hides and cannot face her while Makiko is dumbfounded. The mistress recognizes Makiko but chooses not to talk to her. She and her son pass by a speechless Makiko standing in the middle of the road and go on their way.

At Kotaro’s residence, Fuji is brushing off Kotaro’s coat when a car toy falls out of the pocket. Fuji angrily crushes the toy through a wall. The sound of the phone ringing brings her back to the present. On the phone, Sakiko asks Fuji to drop by her apartment. She wants to tell her something but she has to keep it secret from Kotaro and the sisters. Regardless, Fuji asks Makiko and Tsunako to accompany her.

Sakiko introduces her boxer boyfriend to Fuji. Makiko and Tsunako have a hard time finding Sakiko’s apartment but when they do, Sakiko does not invite them in. Sakiko says that she wants to give Fuji something else to occupy her mind so she will not worry as much when she finds out about the mistress. 

Meanwhile, Takao meets up with the private investigator. He wants him to cover up the evidence and pass it like the person in the photos is not Kotaro. The private investigator refuses his request. Takiko joins them and is surprised to find Takao too. She had asked the investigator to bring her the family register and she was relieved to learn that the kid was not their biological brother. 

While the sisters accompany their mother to the opera, Takao and Kotaro talk while cleaning the backyard. Kotaro is unfazed because he knows that someday his family will find out about his affair. Kotaro suggests a coverup but Kotaro asks him to let it be. The episode ends with the family enjoying dinner at home with Kotaro and Fuji. The sisters enjoy the meal and banter as usual and no one brings up the mistress.  

The Episode Review

The first episode provides a comprehensive backstory to the plot. The dynamics of the four sisters are interesting and relatable as they bicker, and fight, but ultimately remain good sisters. The episode introduces the premise of a family drama laden with lies, secrets, and infidelity. The women want to protect their mother from finding out that her husband might have been lying to her for a long time but it seems they will also have to learn to confront the problems in their own lives. 

It is refreshing to see that the probability of Kotaro’s infidelity did not throw the girls into a gloomy mood but they still bickered, argued, and had fun with each other. These aspects add some very much-needed lightness to the plot since it revolves around some very heavy and daunting themes. In the upcoming episodes, we will hopefully find out if Kotaro and Takao are cheating. How will Fuji and the sisters handle the situation? Will Takiko find a husband? How will the relationship between Sakiko and her boxer boyfriend progress?