Asura (TV series)

Asura (Japanese: 阿修羅のごとく, Hepburn: Ashura no Gotoku) is a Japanese streaming drama television series directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda.^[1] It is an adaptation of the 1979 series Ashura no Gotoku^[2] and stars Rie Miyazawa, Machiko Ono, Yū Aoi and Suzu Hirose.^[3][4] The series premiered on Netflix on January 9, 2025, to unanimous acclaim.^[5]

Asura
Release poster
Japanese name
Kanji	阿修羅のごとく
Transcriptions Revised Hepburn Ashura no Gotoku
Genre	Drama
Based on	Ashura no Gotoku by Kuniko Mukōda
Written by	Hirokazu Kore-eda
Directed by	Hirokazu Kore-eda
Starring	Rie Miyazawa Machiko Ono Yū Aoi Suzu Hirose
Music by	Fox Capture Plan
Country of origin	Japan
Original language	Japanese
No. of episodes	7
Production
Executive producer	Hirokazu Kore-eda
Producer	Yasuo Yagi
Production location	Tokyo
Cinematography	Mikiya Takimoto
Editor	Hirokazu Kore-eda
Camera setup	Multi-camera
Running time	55–67 min
Production company	Bunbuku
Original release
Network	Netflix
Release	January 9, 2025 (2025-01-09)
Related
Like Asura

Cast

Source:^[6]

• Rie Miyazawa as Tsunako Mitamura, the oldest sister
• Machiko Ono as Makiko Satomi, the second sister
• Yū Aoi as Takiko Takezawa, the third sister
• Suzu Hirose as Sakiko Takezawa, the youngest sister
• Masahiro Motoki as Takao Satomi, Makiko's husband
• Ryuhei Matsuda as Shizuo Katsumata, a private detective
• Kisetsu Fujiwara [ja] as Hidemitsu Jinnai, Sakiko's boyfriend
• Seiyō Uchino as Sadaharu Masukawa, Tsunako's lover
• Jun Kunimura as Kotaro Takezawa, the four sisters' father
• Keiko Matsuzaka as Fuji Takezawa, the four sisters' mother
• Yui Natsukawa as Sadaharu's wife
• Naho Toda as Kotaro's mistress
• Kumi Takiuchi [ja] as Keiko Akagi, Takao's subordinate
• Kairi Jo as Hiro Satomi, Makiko and Takao's son
• Maru Nouchi as Yoko, Makiko and Takao's daughter
• Atsuko Takahata as Hidemitsu's mother

Production

In November 2024, the series was announced on Netflix.^[7] Principal photography was concluded in 2024.^[8] The trailer of the series was released on December 16, 2024.^[9]

Reception

Asura received unanimous acclaim, with reviewers from The Guardian and The New York Times calling it "the best Netflix drama in years," and "so good it makes other shows look bad."^[10][11]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 12 critics' reviews are positive.^[12] Joly Herman of Common Sense Media gave the series a grade of five out of five stars.^[13]