Saka no Tochu no Ie (2019)

The English title "A House On The Slope" reminds me of that part in one of Haruki Murakami's books where it says, Frank Kafka was quite fond of slopes. He loves to gaze at houses built on the middle of the slope. He would sit by the side of the street for hours, staring at houses like that. Of course Murakami just made that up, but anyone who is familiar with Kafka's life knows that it's most likely a fact. House on the slope is a brilliant metaphor for what this drama is about, that awkward angle symbolizes misunderstandings inside that household, that if we stare at a house built like that we need to tilt our head at one side to straighten it up, just like kafka seeks his father's approval, and Risako, the main protagonist in this drama, wanted encouragement from her husband.

The writing is superb in every aspect. I love how they handled this delicate subject. It's also very detailed as it tackles "Postpatrum Depression (PPD)" way too deep. We saw character experiencing PPD symtoms, like excessive crying, mother having difficulty bonding with her baby, Hopelessness, feeling not being a good mom, and having thoughts of harming the baby. We also see how other characters reflects to this case, their marriage life, their struggles, it gives so many different perspective on child caring. I can't think of any drama or movies that explored this theme to this extent, but not only the theme, it's the execution that makes this drama a riveting experience. They executed it really well, those flashbacks that were told in different perspective, the thought provoking quotes, the interviews and especially the breaking the fourth wall element. It won't tell you who's right or wrong, but rather it will make you form your own opinion as our world, in general, is not black and white.

It's also a social commentary on people's lack of awareness on PPD, and due to lack of awareness, as a result they inadvertently bring pain and misery to their love ones. It just reminds you that in life, more than love, empathy in really important.

On the technical side the drama is still impressive. The acting is solid, not just Kou Shibasaki, but all the supporting cast. My favorite is the judge who is struggling choosing between her career and family, the actress really played the character brilliantly that I ended up sympathizing with her. The editing makes this drama very compelling, several scenes cleverly woven together, and those transitions are very neat. Those brilliantly edited scenes are just enhanced by its music. It conveys a sad melancholy mood which shows character's feelings and evokes certain atmosphere. Ending song in every episode give you that final kick, as that song's lyrics supports the plot.

This is what I love about Japanese Dramas, they are not afraid to tackle sensitive issues, and when they nailed it, they nailed it really hard. I tried to be nitpicky but everything they did in this drama was just perfect, story, themes, execution, acting, music, editing, even camera work, it deserves a perfect 10. This is what they called a true emotional roller coaster. It will change the way you think as this drama gives you so many perspectives. It's an early but very strong candidate for my Japanese Drama of 2019.

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usually I don't watch jdramas, but even I can tell that this is a beautiful thought provoking story.
I personally don't have kids, but I've heard so many of the same lines used in this drama in real life that it was hard to not relate to this.
people live by other's expectations, they feel weak when they think they're not "following" the pattern, they have a hard time admitting that they are struggling and everyone just lacks empathy. they criticize what they don't personally feel.

there are so many rules of society. "you can't keep your kid happy/quite? you are a bad mom". "you don't cook for your family? you are a bad housewife". "you don't have kids? you've failed as a woman". and there are of course other examples, even directed at men "your wife makes more money than you? then you are not a man". "you want to see a therapist? you've failed as a human". "you want to quit your job and stay at home? that's not what men do"..

who made these rules? why should we force others to live by those rules? does putting others down make you a better person? would showing weakness mean you are not... what? grateful to your life?

everyone struggles with something, but again, you can't just look at people through your experiences.. don't judge people. it's also so easy to misjudge people, so everyone should just communicate more..

anyway this is making me emotional :) basically they did a great job convening the different struggles, the slow growth of the characters was also heartwarming and inspiring.

the ost was nice and I never rewatch stuff, but this does make me want to watch more jdramas ;)

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I`m not a mother,but I feel suffocated

This drama has changed some viewpoints I thought were snuggly cemented in my brain. It made sure to skillfully poke,pry and lay groundwork for each and every misconception I might`ve garnered in my 24 years of existence when it comes to psychosis,parenting and mothers` roles in today`s society.And it never let up,giving me room to breathe and think.It`s an amazing work of art.

To be completely frank,even 36 hours after finishing this mind changing programme,I still do not know where I stand on questions it poses regarding relationships,dependence and children in general.But,I always say this whenever someone asks me why Japanese dramas don`t garner as much success as Korean dramas:For every ten great Korean dramas,there is one metamorphic Japanese drama whose premise cannot be replicated or bettered.This is that one Japanese drama.I cannot,for the life of me,think of one other country who`d try and nail this plotline.It made me feel sad,angry,stressed out,disgusted,hopeful and wary of human condition.There were no monsters in this title and yet I had the most adverse reaction to those whom I`m supposed to feel closest to.Humans.What's more interesting,I myself started remembering incidents from my childhood which could be seen as eerily similar,especially when it comes to my father.Thus,that feeling of captivity within your own home amplified with each passing second.

Not only has it nailed the atmosphere,the acting was just as appropriately uncanny and slimy,when need be.Sometimes I didn`t agree with Risako,most times I`ve recognized the gaslighting patterns of her husband and,due to extremely clever editing,sympathized with other mothers,recognizing their agony along the way.This does not mean my views were broken down when it comes to crime and punishment,however,they were adjusted in order to accept the story I was presented with.

As usual,whenever I start listing off the positives,I always like to thank the producers,the writers and overall staff whose help led to us being able to watch and discuss this drama.And I am especially thankful that they were able to make something like this.Because for some,this means the world and beyond.Aside from adroit mood,acting and plot I`ve mentioned,throughout this drama,there is a slim thread of realistic understanding of different mental ailments such as overbearing coddling and helicopter parents,to small aggressions that permeate with each new generation.That is the face of patriarchal society some would like to keep and this drama questions that validity as well.In a system where frail minds are pitted against those who eat at them,is it that much of a surprise when psychotic behavior appears?It does not outwardly offers a viable answer,but it`s important enough that it asks.It sheds light on a topic few are brave enough to mention.THIS is courageous and risky,but in my opinion,it pays off.And boy,does it shed light on the reasons leading to unimaginable tragedies. As a person with next to no experience in the field this show tackles,I feel more informed than if I was to opt for a more desensitised form of learning.When it comes to this,at least.

Finally,the name itself "Saka no Tochu no Ie" - which translates to "A House on the Slope" is a perfect amalgamation for the scope of trials each of these characters have to face.And it`s a great,picturesque title to go along with the themes this drama presents.The reason why I decided against including spoilers in my review(when otherwise I`d done that) is rather simple.Because this drama is an experience.While I don`t think knowing the full story would in any way spoil your fun,or demystify the intrigue it unanimously holds.I would still go into this drama as blindly as I can,because it deserves it.It truly does.

A tough,masterful watch that`ll keep your mind occupied for days is how I would simply describe this drama to literally anyone.So go watch it MINDFULLY,take breaks if you need to and I`m also sure you would learn something about yourself you haven`t before.

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Questions the normality that has been decided for us

Saka no Tochu no Le is a Japanese drama produced by Wowow which follows two stories, one of Yamazaki Risako, a mother with a young daughter and a small family and that of Ando Mizuho who is on trial for murdering her infant daughter by drowning her in a bathtub.

The story merges these two seemingly worlds apart incidents when Yamazaki Risako is chosen as a substitute lay judge (a lay judge is cannot participate in the actual sentencing but provide their opinions, a substitute lay judge is merely appointed in case one of the lay judges is unable to attend). But it doesn't stop there, as we see more of Yamazaki Risako's life and that of Ando Mizuho, it is shocking how similar they are. This realisation hits Yamazaki Risako, and this odd connection between herself as a murderer makes our protagonist (and hopefully our audience too), gain a new perspective.

Saka no Tochu no Le feels like a modern rendering of a Kate Chopin story, in particular, the short story “The Story of an Hour,” where Kate Chopin uses her style to narrate how society builds walls and cages and drives people into corners.

“What makes struggling mothers feel cornered is the concept of “normality.” The normality demanded by society. The normality that was decided for you. And the normality sought by the actual mothers themselves.”


Saka no Tochu no Le sheds light on parenthood and its struggles from a multitude of perspectives through the appointment of lay judges; the first of course is our protagonist who is pivotal to the story and our understanding of the murderer Ando Mizuho; a woman who cannot bear children but desperately wants to be a mother and in her own way faces stigma for it; a father whose wife cannot bear him because their marriage has forced her to live in poverty as opposed to her life with her wealthy parents and another important perspective comes from a female judge who is forced to choose between her career and her child by an unaccommodating husband.

At the core of every story is pain which is born as people drive themselves into corners as they try to meet the standards set by society and in its exposition, Saka no Tochu no Le questions this idea of "normalcy" forced upon us by society and by us ourselves. Although it does not say so explicitly, but Postpartum Depression and moral harassment are also dealt with here.

One of my favorite scenes from the story is when our protagonist and Ando Mizuho meet in a tranquil otherworld where she discusses her questions as a new struggling mother and it makes her feel more confident about herself. We do not have to drive ourselves and others into corners. Another message is perhaps that society is too judgemental; knowing the backstory of a person can change the entire perspective and one should not judge so easily.

The title translates to “A House on the Slope,” taken perhaps from how Ando Mizuho went up the sloping road to her house everyday with the afternoon sun overhead making her drenched in sweat and a tiredness and sadness takes over her and manifests in her as she is forced to make this scary journey alone.

Wowow again marvel's me with their use of camerawork. The transitions from Yamazaki Risako to Ando Mizuho were scary and brilliant. They use evocative cinematography and soundtrack to arouse the emotions it wants in its viewers.

This drama is a masterpiece in terms of its direction, production, script, story, acting and message. While I do not believe that any drama is a "must watch," I do believe that some stories are essential watches which have real lessons in them and Saka no Tochu no Le is one of them.

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A masterpiece

I honestly have no idea how should I express my feelings about this drama. In one word ; it's a 𝗠𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗣𝗜𝗘𝗖𝗘. So like basically, the drama talks about social problems, specially social problems faced by Japanese people or asain married people so I think you need to have a little understanding about Japan's culture or atleast Asia's culture to understand this drama.

Anyways, as an Asian myself, I related with this drama 100% . I'm not a mom myself but I've heard my own mom talk about stuff like that with her neighbours and it's a normal thing but the problem is IT SHOULD NOT BE NORMAL.

The problem with asia is that we have ALWAYS told everyone that a mother is a goddess. She's always right , she can't be wrong. She's a superwoman, she can't make mistakes. She's just Perfect. Some people even say that a mother is a total different type of species. So we grow up believing that. But the truth is all of the things said above is NONSENSE.

A mother is a human being herself and it's hard for her to take care of a child when her husband ain't even supporting rather calls her a "bad mother" , when her mother-in-law forces her to make her child stay at their home cuz apparantly she's not good at baby sitting. Yes they WORRY about the mother and the child but it's just wrong. A lot of people don't take PPD ( Postpatrum depression ) seriously.

They think it's normal becuase it happens to mostly every mother and yes it does but just becuase something occurs most of the time doesn't make it good or "normal" or great to ignore. All the mothers I know in my neighborhood or in my family, they always take care of the child while the father is away "working" doesn't come home after 10 or 11 pm at night, doesn't help the mother cuz that's her job .

If she's bad at it then scold her. Not does the mother has to take care of the child but she has to take care of the husband too cuz he's a child himself. Till the day my mother gives water to my father cuz apparantly he can't take water for himself. When I was little my father didn't even loved in our house cuz he had to "work" so we can live. Society always pressurize the mother to be the superwoman mother and work is just out of the case.

If you want to work then you have to take care of the child too cuz even though you do the same "hard" work as your husband you still have to be the superwoman and your husband will still not help you and he will still criticize you for being a bad mother. That's why a lot of women prefer to be a housewife only.

The husband is always considered an "ideal husband" becuase he "allows" the woman to work, is kind, brings enough money to the table and does not have an affair . Such obvious things make the husband a great Husband. You must be thinking that I'm lying cuz it's the 2020 and that petty things still happens ?? Well yes they do happen! Atleast in front me.

I've always grown up seeing this in my neighbor's houses and I think in most of the Asia this is the case and no one talks about it. No one! And it's amazing how greatly and deeply this 6 episode drama has talked about this taboo topic. Basically the drama dwells deep into the psychology of women and men in Japan and I think a lot of asain people can relate to that.


The drama doesn't tell you what's right or wrong. It tells you two different perspective and YOU have to decide what right or wrong for you. It talks about such social topics that basically everyone faces but doesn't talks about. It's frustrating to watch yet still beautifully done.


It's not for those people who watch dramas for peace or an escape from harsh reality. Instead it's for those people who love dramas that talks about social problems and mental illness, like me. I tried SO hard to find a fault in this drama since I don't let myself give a drama 10/10 rating much but I just couldn't find a fault in it. The drama is just, everything in it is just perfect for me . Straight 10/10! I highly recommend it!!!

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No matter what I say in this review, it won't be enough to explain how I feel about this drama and how brilliant it actually is. And that's why I'll keep it short and simple.

Saka no Tochu no Ie is an absolute masterpiece. It's perfect from every angle. The directing, the editing, the acting, the characters, the story and ESPECIALLY the writing. Every scene in this drama is so well-thought and so well-written. It makes you think about so many things. It makes you feel so many emotions. It makes you empathize with the characters because 1) they are brilliantly written and 2) the actors do an amazing job portraying every single emotions of their characters. Every actor, not just the female lead, was amazing.

The drama tackles a very sensitive topic and does it in the best way possible, like Japanese dramas usually do. They are not afraid to show the real world, no matter how cruel and frustrating it can be. They know how to make psychological dramas and they know how to connect with the viewer. They know how to make an emotional rollercoaster and know how to leave the viewers speechless.

Overall, a must-watch. I don't see a single reason why anyone would dislike this.. Well, maybe if you want to avoid dramas that expolers social issues and bring awarness to mental health issues (in this case - PPD), then don't watch this because it is a heavy watch. But still, it's worth it. It needs to be appreciated. 10/10!

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This was my first J-Drama, and this was honestly one of the most realistic, and just one of the best dramas I've ever watched. All aspects of this drama was done so well, and in the end. This tale was able to encapsulate you in for 6 episodes, which felt much longer. The scenes were very intense, and this drama touched on some heavy subjects. Truly, it was able to handle the topics of family hardships, mental abuse, and other heavy topics in such a mature and realistic way. Furthermore, the cast in this drama was incredible, as each character was able to truly encapsulate and portray their characters with so much emotion and heart. I found the acting to be incredible, and I was so drawn in. The story was also so well done, as it was able to progress naturally, with twists that I never thought were coming. It was something that I can never forget, even though its 6 episodes. This is seriously just an incredible drama, and I really recommend people to watch this.

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Very thought provoking

It’s been a while since a drama left me this morally conflicted. The story is heartbreaking, the acting was phenomenal, and I empathized with Risako more than I thought possible considering I don’t have children.

Considering what I know from trials like the Andrea Yates trial, I was set to feel that the defendant most likely had some sort of psychological break. The more the show delved into her family life, the more I felt sorry for this woman that received nothing but criticism from the people that were supposed to support her. The more they showed Risako’s connection with her, the more the show sucked me in.

I actually teared up a few times and that’s not something that happens often for me. This show really shows the struggles of women to feel like they’re succeeding in life, regardless of if they’re stay at home mothers, working mothers, or women without children. Every female character in the show had moments of doubt forced into their heads by outsider’s opinions and the show did a great job finding common ground here.

The ending was a little open ended in terms of one relationship I wanted to see ended, but other than that, I was incredibly loved while watching this.

Definitely a recommend if you can stomach the subject matter.

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Unique

This drama explored really interesting themes that I did not expect. At a glance it just looks like an average drama that narrates the life of an ordinary mother. However, the drama illustrates the detrimental impacts of societal expectations and really captures the insight of the psychological concept of motherhood.
The film technique and the acting is impressive and displays the ugly truth about society. The character's natural submissive behaviours to these ideologies triggered me into questioning the presumptions around certain things.
Overall I was extremely intrigued by this drama and the characters developments, and I would highly recommend if you're interested in psychology.

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Decent but not worth watching again.

I was very intrigued by the summary of this drama that i had read prior to watching as it sounded very interesting and new but reaching ep 3 i noticed i started to skip through the ep and get kind of bored. Overall, it's a decent storyline and wonderful production but i def think this should have been a quick 1 hour and 20 min movie. sometimes you don't need every little detail, and this is a prime example of it. if you want to watch an eh drama to pass time then i recommend but if you want something exciting and whatnot, this is not for you. Started off strong but ended EHHH.

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