Japanese family trauma-core at its best

The first episode suffers from the "slightly different than the rest of the series" syndrome. I'm pretty sure some of you are familiar with this concept, like Samurai Champloo's first episode seems and feels different from the rest of the series in a lot of ways. With Family Game, though that's noticeable, it's not a harm to the series itself and actually manages to expose the characters in a great fashion. It seems to me that they wanted to get that surreal feel of the 1983 picture on the first episode but as things progresses, and the stakes takes shapes, the surrealness takes on other forms leaving the over the topness of the first episode behind and focusing mostly on staying right on top (and never over it again).

Before starting the series, I thought they were going to play down the violence and psychological terror on children for obvious reasons but to my surprise the stakes actually rise! And not only that, it goes way beyond the movie. The characters basis are all there but here they go deeper; and instead of weak, they go wicked. If on celluloid the teacher was a badboy highlighting the new-type-of-comfort of the 80s nuclear japanese family, on digital he goes full sociopathic to expose the consequences of it.

As most of you might be aware already, Sho Sakurai destroys it as the tutor but I think it's important to highlight how great the whole cast is specially Honami Suzuki as the mother, she deserves standing ovation for this one. If I had to complain about anything it would be the explanation, the characterization feels a bit anime-esque and the overall feels over-explained but Shugo Oshinari holds it all together just by moving and talking and simply existing, as always.

The series is quick on its feet and really deserves a chance, it does not behave as your usual drama and hits the right places without pulling punches (literally). Whenever the characters have a chance to shine and show their worst you simply can't help but laugh on how unlovable they can be. The climax is spetacular and emotionally exhausting, being completely worthy of such a weird and unpredictable build-up. And after the final credits there's a last scene, so mind that.

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