Sakurai Drama Review: Kazoku Game

Or “Family Game”, based on a novel, made into a movie, and now remade thirty years later.

No, I haven’t seen the movie or any other version. I don’t know if I really want to after this.

And that is not because this drama is bad. Quite the contrary.

It’s just uncomfortable.
From the beginning to the very end, this drama makes you very, very uncomfortable. I believe that is the point. That being said, I can’t imagine how much more uncomfortable the movie must be.

Basic summary: The Numata family hires Yoshimoto Kouya (Sakurai Sho) to tutor their “problem son”, who refuses to go to school. He says he can definitely do this, but the family must never interfere with his methods. So his father signs a contract – and all hell breaks loose.

Kazoku Game might have its problems, but you should watch it. Don’t let the presence of an idol chase you away.

(EDITED 14/09/13: I wasn’t happy with how my original edit worked out. Due to tiredness or carelessness on my part there were parts I forgot to include, muddled thoughts and typos. I’ve tried to fix those as best I can and I apologize to those of you who read the original in that state.)

(Some spoilers ahead.)

I didn’t know what to expect from both the director and from Sho. But that first scene in the house – a scene that makes you think the tv has frozen for a moment – you’re in that world completely. Not one line of dialogue for almost two minutes. It’s awkward and then irritating and above all it’s uncomfortable.

And our first meeting with the student, Shigeyuki, is as surreal as the rest of the scene. He comes downstairs with a computer on his head and talks like a robot. And then Yoshimoto, after asking him repeatedly if he’d like to improve himself, stops his computer-boy nonsense with a slap.

It’s not presented as comical, it’s just abrupt and it halts everything.

Uncomfortable Moment gif-ed by Barbossa

I confess – my reaction to this, aside from the initial surprise, was relief. I’m not even sure why – I think I’m supposed to be outraged. He hits a child, right? Maybe because instead of indulging him or asking him nicely to stop, Yoshimoto just doesn’t put up with it. It breaks the surrealism of the moment. Striking a misbehaving child is an approach that just won’t be tolerated anymore, which is part of the reason this moment is so jarring. It made me feel unsettled about Yoshimoto. I was expecting his “eccentric” character to be entirely “comical”. I was intrigued that it wasn’t. I didn’t really know what I was in for, but I was happy it wasn’t afraid to push me.

The director makes great use of camera angles (some shots are just downright haunting) and music. I was particularly struck by the sound in this show. Lots of scenes cut abruptly, mid-moment, music and all, leaving you confused or irritated because what was that just now? Some times it’s just music and no sound and some times it’s just images with no explanation.

The background music (including the opening theme of the show) is like a character in itself. There’s something old-fashioned about it. Some times its cheerfulness is a little bit off, just like the family we’re watching. It’s not used to force you to sympathize with anyone, it’s simply pointing out that things just aren’t right. During moments when we aren’t sure what we’re seeing the music becomes dissonant, or muted, adding just the right feeling.

The house also acts as a character, as a representation of everything wrong with the family. It’s the place none of them want to come back to and yet they are all trapped. It’s beautiful and in every way too good for them. Its destruction is wonderfully cathartic and symbolic.

The main cast was perfect.

Kamiki Ryunosuke, as older brother Shinichi is captivating. The transition from Shigyuki to Shinichi as the main focus was quite natural. He’s almost an avatar for the audience; like Shinichi, we want to know exactly what the truth is and with every twist we’re left more and more frustrated. The slow dissolution of the family and his increasing desperation was beautifully done. Yoshimoto knows him better than he knows himself. It is torturous to have someone he despises know more than he knows and to see through him completely.

It would have been easy for Kamiki to cross into melodrama, but he doesn’t. He gives Shinichi that sinister edge, but there is also vulnerability, loneliness. I love Yoshimoto’s observation that even though he pretends to be worried about Shigeyuki, he’s actually jealous of his screw-up little brother because he now has someone to rely on. Shinichi remains on his own. Worst than this, he is alone because he chooses to be.

How many of us play a role that we hate, that goes so deep that we don’t trust anyone with our true selves? Shinichi is the potential in all of us to let talent, hard-work and expectations turn us to monsters. He also shows us how easy and gradual this process can be and how hard it is to both acknowledge and change it.

I think the presence of Kutsuna Shiori‘s (she goes by several names, but for now I’ll call her) Mizukawa Sara could have been pointless. She’s pretty much the exposition girl for much of the show, but it was interesting to have so many different impressions of her. Like I said, she’s several people within the show (won’t explain more than that) and each character gives a slightly different impression. While she does spend a lot of time explaining the past, she also acts as a catalyst for much of Yoshimoto’s plan. Her interactions with both father and son are vital in the destruction and resurrection of the Numata family.

Kitahara Rie from AKB is in this, but she really doesn’t get to do anything, except be a cutie-pie and get viciously hurt. Seriously. She’s about the sweetest, cutest girlfriend ever, to the point that I have no idea why she likes this Shinichi guy.

What of Shigeyuki (Uragami Seishuu), our supposed main character?

Well…he’s a kid. He’s really just a normal, dorky kid, who is stuck in this hopeless family. Like the rest of them, he has no idea that the problem is bigger than he is, he is just caught up in the fact that he’s bullied and doesn’t want to go to school. Uragami plays him like this. He comes out of the shell of surly shut-in and we gradually see his personality come through. He’s kind of an adorkable kid. The peculiar relationship he has with Yoshimoto is engaging. Yoshimoto is both his only ally and the person he fears the most.

Yoshimoto tells him at the start, “No matter what happens, I’m on your side”, but he also tells him, “You are my dog. You have no choice but to obey me.” Yoshimoto isn’t interested in making things comfortable for Shigeyuki. He teaches him things the harshest way possible. You’ll have to watch it and make up your own mind as to whether or not their relationship is simply another part of the game or Yoshimoto genuinely caring. Shigeyuki is a pure kid who wants to believe in people and so he falls for it every time.

During an intense confrontation, Shigeyuki screams, “What do you want from me?”
Yoshimoto replies, “I want to break you.”

In Yoshimoto’s mind, the solution is to destruct and rebuild. Why try repair something that is beyond repair?

Speaking of ‘beyond repair’, we have the two awful parents in the Numata family. Itao Itsuji‘s Kazushige is annoying, but he’s supposed to be. He’s all about platitudes and pride. I don’t have a whole lot to say about him. Itao is a comedian and I haven’t really seen him in a serious role. As you’d expect, he balances well the more light-hearted moments (few that there are) and the darker moments. It’s so tiresome to watch him lie to everyone.

Kayoko (Suzuki Honami – Utaban host Taka-san’s wife?? I feel like the entire internet did a collective wtf when we all realized this was taka-san’s wife) is all about fear and resentment. I feel a lot of sympathy for this character, despite how weak-willed and selfish she tends to come across. I don’t know how many of you have a mother who stayed at home, but that’s a (mostly) thankless, vacation-less, 24-7 job that everyone always takes for granted. I feel like many, many women can identify with a role like this. When my mother describes her choice to do this, she says that while she doesn’t regret it, it was very “lonely”. Something always struck me about that statement.

Consider several of those dinner scenes: Kayoko has made a gorgeous looking meal, set the table, has kept everything warm, has been waiting – and everyone just walks past her, ignores her and doesn’t bother even looking at the effort. And this happens every. single. day. Yet she is still expected to do this tomorrow.

Consider the scene when she finds lipstick on her husband’s collar. She doesn’t get angry and throw things – she buries her face in the shirt and starts to scream. Just wails, trying desperately to muffle it. She can’t do anything else.

Kayoko gets herself into a horrible situation and the ways she rebels are both infuriating and oddly understandable. It’s so sad that all Yoshimoto has to do to gain her trust is say, “thank you”, “dinner looks great” and help her out a little. She comments that no one has ever said things like that.  Why should you thank a mother for “doing her job”? Because she’s a human being. Humans need things like that.

I, like most people, wasn’t sure Sho could pull this off. As an actor, Sho tends to just go for it and it’s hit or miss. His last “dark” role was probably Kamiyama in Quiz Show (haven’t seen his movie roles, sorry), but he was more the victim than the bully and his screaming, manic moments are a little too much to take. Whenever his character has to laugh, he’ll guffaw and then GASP in air like he’s about to die. He does this ALL the damn time in dramas and it’s something so characteristically SHO that it takes me completely out of the moment. He tones it down here and actually I really like the high-pitched cackle he gives Yoshimoto, because it’s nothing like a Sho laugh. The gasp is probably not something he’s aware of, or anything he can help.

And that’s my only complaint.
Call me fangirl all you want, but good frack does Sho impress here.

And I’m not just talking about the gift to the fans sauna scenes.

The “dark-past” angle (for ONCE) isn’t used to make it okay for Sho to be mean and his charm only emphasizes how manipulative Yoshimoto is, making him more (not less) threatening. There are plenty of comedic moments, but Sho can switch from charmingly mocking to creepy and sadistic with a subtlety that I’ve never seen from him. I’m not saying he never has moments that might border on “too much”, but he even in those moments he manages to keep a tight reign on Yoshimoto.

There’s always been an aggression about Sho. I’m not even talking about the rumours of his attacking fans with umbrellas or the like, just the general sense I get from him when I watch those early concerts. I can’t see any of the other members playing a role like this: Aiba is all about enthusiasm and Ohno doesn’t seem to have an aggressive bone in his body. Even in his darkest role (Maou) he was never so much aggressive as passively sinister. Nino’s aggression always seems to manifest as snark and Matsujun’s as frustration. None of these would fit with a role like this.

And this is only the first episode. Many people commented that this scene was disturbing because of the violence. I’d argue that it’s more disturbing because nobody does anything. Kayoko could have gotten back up and she should definitely have called the police. Shinichi could have moved much faster. It’s both violent and a reminder that this family has abandoned each other. They know they should, but the don’t remember how to fight for each other anymore.

Ever since he’s become the smart-but-still goofy-honour-student character in Arashi, there’s probably almost no avenue Sho can vent this edge anymore. Both this aggression and his ‘perfect’ persona aid him here. He can pass off the goofy, pleasant version of Yoshimoto and he can keep the edge. There’s a charm and an unpredictability about Yoshimoto and a lot of it is done simply with facial expressions and with the various ways Sho can rumble out another, “ii neeeee” that makes you shudder down to your bones (and not in a fun way). You aren’t sure if you like him, you definitely think you’re supposed to hate him and you are intrigued by him.

…You’ll probably like him in spite of yourself though.
(gif of this hilarious teasing/black-mailing moment by Milkyr)

Face it. We like characters who honestly aren’t afraid of anyone, no matter how despicable they are.
Because they can and will do anything and get results.

If Yoshimoto has a main characteristic I’d say that he’s not intimidated by anything. He’s done his research and he knows exactly what he’s dealing with and how to push. He doesn’t care about getting fired or caught and he doesn’t care about getting hurt. For example, he seems prepared to die in place of Kayoko when she tries to kill herself, as though he’d foreseen something like this. This is a move that you’re never sure is because he genuinely would have or because he needed Kayoko to think he would. That’s the discomfort here. How much is genuine and how much is just manipulation? Does the end justify the means?

The show, while about more than simply bullying, is refreshingly blunt about it. Whether it’s just a story, or something Yoshimoto really says, he tells Sara that even if he could have protected Sonoda from the bullying at that time, he wouldn’t have been there for the rest of Sonoda’s life. Who would protect him in university? In society?

He forces Shigeyuki to face his life as it is: he has no friends, he’s weak, his family’s a joke and he’s utterly alone. This isn’t attributed to anything, it’s just the facts. Once he’s faced all of that he has two choices: give up and die or become stronger.

Yoshimoto makes a normally grey situation black and white. Either you keep living, or you don’t. If you want to keep living, then obviously, the only thing to do is become strong enough to do so. He doesn’t want Shigeyuki to be strong so that he can take revenge. In fact, it disgusts Yoshimoto when Shigeyuki eventually takes revenge on his bully.

It’s an uncomfortable notion, that the victim of bullying has a responsibility. If you just hide behind others all your life, what happens when those protectors are gone? Will “revenge” make things right, or merely turn you into a bully yourself?

There is no message that bullying can be defeated by asking kids really nicely to please stop abusing each other. Rather this show suggests that bullying isn’t going away. Ever. People will always be jerks. Bullying isn’t a problem that needs to be solved, it’s a reality that needs to be dealt with.

Absolutely everyone has a responsibility here. It’s not as simple as blaming the parents, or the school or the people too afraid to intervene.

I also like the dismantling of the “family bond” myth. Bonds don’t exist without effort. The Numatas look like a family, but they feel more like, in Yoshimoto’s words, room mates sharing a house. They don’t know anything about each other and they’re all too caught up in themselves to learn about each other. It takes utter destruction to get them to even realize it.

Yoshimoto doesn’t tutor so much as rehabilitate. He isn’t a parent, a friend, or a teacher. He isn’t bound by anything, which is why he chooses to be a tutor. People seek him out, he doesn’t pick them. He doesn’t have to answer to the school-board, the media, or the neighbours.

I don’t want to spoil any more, but I’ll just say that Yoshimoto is an amazing character.

“Even in this world, there is hope.”

Yoshimoto is a kind of anti-hero. His methods aren’t ethical and they’re hard to watch, but most of the destruction is already in motion. All he has to do is give the family a push. All the way along, he sets them up, but he also gives them opportunities to turn things around, to change and to face each other, and they just never take them. No one is more disappointed about that than he is. Perhaps his only saving grace is that he’s usually right. The Numata family might hate him for saying these things, but they can’t deny that those things are true.

Watch this show.

I may have overemphasized the discomfort, but that isn’t all there is. I feel like it straddles the line between comedy and drama, even at its darkest. You can’t really like any of the main characters, because they just keep on disappointing you. Rather, what keeps you invented are the twists and turns. It’s beautifully written and wonderfully executed.

This is the best drama I’ve seen in a long time.
I can’t wait to see what Sho will do in the future. Let’s just pray there’s no sequel in the works for this one.
It ended perfectly.

~Isilie