like asura

A novel acclaimed by renowned director Hirokazu Kore-eda.
Kuniko Mukōda's most profound insight into women's greed, hatred, and infatuation.

They are like Asuras filled with obsession,
Weaving love and lies amidst the turbulent undercurrents of family life.
But even Asuras have moments of weakness...
 

▍Book Features
◎ The eponymous TV drama in 1979 was critically acclaimed and adapted into a stage play twice.
◎ The 2003 film adaptation was directed by Yoshimitsu Morita, starring Shinobu Otake, Hitomi Kuroki, Eri Fukatsu, and Kyoko Fukada.

▍Synopsis
When their seventy-year-old father has an affair and seemingly fathers a son, the peaceful lives of the four Takezawa sisters are thrown into chaos. As they gather to discuss countermeasures, they also grapple with their own life challenges...

The eldest sister, Tsunako, a widow for many years, flirts with the owner of the flower arrangement class, but the married man has no intention of marrying her. The second sister, Makiko, suspects her husband's infidelity but dares not confirm it, only speculating in secret. The third sister, Takiko, has never been in love, yet unexpectedly begins a romance with an employee of the detective agency she hired to investigate her cheating father. The youngest sister, Sakiko, supports her boxer boyfriend's career and diets with him. One day, she finds two empty ramen bowls outside her door, one with a lipstick-stained cigarette butt floating in the broth. One day, Sakiko discovers a reader's letter in the newspaper stating, "An elderly father keeps a mistress." The details are so similar to her family's situation that the four sisters suspect one of them wrote it and worry that their hard-working mother might read the newspaper and discover the truth...

"Like Asura" is Kuniko Mukōda's pinnacle work depicting the facets of women. Renowned Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda once stated that Mukōda's subtle portrayal of everyday life was the genesis of his aesthetic; from cracks in mochi to scattered eggs, she vividly uses daily necessities to highlight the atmosphere, and through ordinary yet profound dialogues, a family tableau of laughter and tears slowly unfolds before the reader's eyes.

▍The Flavors of Food in "Like Asura"
Kuniko Mukōda loved and understood food. She once said that if she hadn't become a writer, her first choice would have been to be a chef. This emphasis on the taste of food influenced director Hirokazu Kore-eda, which is vividly expressed in his film "Still Walking."

Kuniko Mukōda once opened a restaurant called "Meshiya" in Tokyo with her sister, meticulously selecting everything from rice, grilled fish, stews, to side dishes. In "Like Asura," there are clever details throughout that echo the storyline. For example, the kagami mochi, symbolizing family reunion, reminds one of the mother's cracked heels due to its own cracks. In traditional Japanese culture, the process of making mochi often involves the husband and wife working together, making the "cracked kagami mochi" even more thought-provoking...

Kagami mochi | Reunion, overworked mother
"Do you get a sense of déjà vu when you see the cracks on the kagami mochi?" Hearing Makiko's question, the two looked at each other and exclaimed, "Ah!" instantly saying, "Mom's heels!"... After some laughter, the sisters started frying the mochi. Makiko was in charge of putting them in the pan, Tsunako picked them up and placed them on a metal tray, and Takiko sprinkled salt on the fried mochi placed on a paper-lined plate – this was the tacit understanding between the sisters. Takao sat nearby, looking thoughtfully at the cracked mochi as it fried to a golden crisp, emitting a fragrant aroma.

Pickled Cabbage | Rare Mother-Daughter Time
Makiko, Tsunako, and Fuji are pickling cabbage together in the garden of the Kunitachi home. First, they wash the cabbage, then dry it in a large flat basket, then cut it in half and pickle it in a large tub. Fuji, wearing an apron and with a towel over her head, moves deftly. The honey-colored chopping board, knife, and pickling tub, used for many years, speak of the history of a family spanning fifty years.

Tofu Soup | Simple Dinner for Elderly Parents
Makiko's mind conjures the image of her parents' simple dinner: in their old house where they have lived together for many years, by the light of an old lamp, silently drinking tofu soup... Kōtarō eats while reading the evening paper, occasionally muttering "hmm"; Fuji pours soy sauce into her husband's dish, picking up the rice he accidentally dropped on the table...

Dried Fish | Extramarital Affair
After the taxi stopped, Tsunako got out. She wore a coat, carried a small travel bag in one hand, and a basket of dried fish in the other. Tsunako bowed affectionately to Sadaharu Masukawa in the car, stood by the roadside, and watched the taxi drive away. ...Tsunako held the receiver between her shoulder and ear, reaching to turn on the heater, but she smelled a fishy odor on her hand. It was the smell of dried fish. She sniffed her fingers.

Bread, Oranges, Coffee | Pure, Student-like Love
Katsumata took a plastic bag containing bread and canned coffee from his bulging coat pocket, then placed oranges on Takiko's desk. As he took out the food, he accidentally pulled out a dirty handkerchief, which he hastily stuffed back in. Takiko smiled faintly and said, "Then I'll dig in," picking up the bread. Katsumata opened the coffee can for her, and as Takiko bit into the bread, he picked up the book on the table...

Large Bowl of Ramen | Indulgence
Approaching her room door, Sakiko's eyes widened. Two large ramen bowls were placed at the doorway. One was completely eaten, the other still had broth, and in the broth floated a lipstick-stained cigarette butt.

Mochi Red Bean Soup | Imperfect Reality
After Toyoko introduced herself, she invited Makiko for coffee. Makiko, realizing that Toyoko was the wife of her sister's affair partner, was a little flustered but couldn't refuse, so she followed her into a nearby Japanese cafe.

They sat facing each other and both ordered mochi red bean soup.