The Family Game (2013)
The Family Game (家族ゲーム, Kazoku Gēmu), also called as Kazoku Game, is a 2013 TV Japanese drama based on the award-winning novel "Kazoku Gemu" by Yohei Honma and adaptation of the popular Japanese film (The Family Game). The drama is directed by Yuichi Sato and Kazuyuki Iwata and it was broadcast in Fuji TV. It aired on April 13, 2013 until June 19, 2013.[1]
| The Family Game (家族ゲーム) | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Kazoku Game |
| Genre | Mystery Psychological Life School Family |
| Directed by | Yuichi Sato Kazuyuki Iwata |
| Starring | Sho Sakurai Ryunosuke Kamiki Honami Suzuki Seishuu Uragami Itsuji Itao Shiori Kutsuna |
| Ending theme | Endless Game by Arashi |
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Original language(s) | Japanese |
| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Inada Hideki Kobayashi Hiroshi |
| Running time | 46 Min |
| Release | |
| Original network | Fuji TV |
| Original release | April 17 – June 19, 2013 |
The drama was success and received awards after the drama was praised by the viewers.[2]
Synopsis
Kazushige Numata (Itsuji Itao) and his wife Kayoko (Honami Suzuki) have two sons. The first son Shinichi (Ryunosuke Kamiki) studies well, but the second son Shigeyuki (Seishuu Uragami) does not. Kazushige and Kayoko are worried about Shigeyuki, who might even fail to enter high school. Making things worse, Shigeyuki stays at home and doesn't go to school.
Kazushige and his wife Kayoko finds an Advertisement for a private tutor on the internet. They contact and then meet Yoshimoto (Sho Sakurai), who is the private tutor. During their meeting, both parties lays out one condition to work with each other. The father stipulates that Shigeyuki must go back to school within a week or Yoshimoto will be fired. Meanwhile, Yoshimoto stipulates that the parents must not interfere with his work. Yoshimoto's extraordinary teaching methods then influences not only Shigeyuki, but also his entire family.
Cast
- Sho Sakurai as Yoshimoto Koya / Tago Yuudai
- Ryunosuke Kamiki as Numata Shinichi
- Honami Suzuki as Numata Kayoko
- Seishuu Uragami as Numata Shigeyuki
- Itsuji Itao as Numata Kazushige
- Shiori Kutsuna as Asami Maika / Tachibana Maki
Ratings
In the table below, the blue number represent the lowest ratings and the red number represent the highest ratings.
| Episode | Original broadcast date | Average audience share[3] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanto Region | |||
| 1 | April 17, 2013 | 12.0% | |
| 2 | April 24, 2013 | 13.7% | |
| 3 | May 1, 2013 | 11.1% | |
| 4 | May 8, 2013 | 12.2% | |
| 5 | May 15, 2013 | 12.4% | |
| 6 | May 22, 2013 | 12.9% | |
| 7 | May 29, 2013 | 13.6% | |
| 8 | June 5, 2013 | 12.6% | |
| 9 | June 12, 2013 | 12.4% | |
| 10 | June 19, 2013 | 16.7% | |
| Average | 13.0% | ||
Reception
The drama receives praise from critics. Philip Brasor from Japan Times compared the drama from the film adaptation. He said that "It exaggerates the elements that made the movie (The Family Game 2013) shocking. The characters aren’t just deluded, they’re twisted." Brasor praised Sakurai Sho character than Yūsaku Matsuda in which he said that "Matsuda’s tutor was an antisocial loser with a streak of cruelty. Sakurai’s is a full-blown sociopath. Matsuda struck Shigeyuki just to get a rise out of him. Sakurai not only strikes Shigeyuki (Seishuu Uragami), he practically destroys the Numata home on a weekly basis, cackling all the while like the Wicked Witch of the West. Matsuda’s power over the Numata household came from the force of his personality. Sakurai’s power is of the purely calculating kind, as is the writing in general....Like Matsuda’s tutor, Sakurai’s uses gamesmanship instead of pedagogy to get results, but his methodology is more sadistic."[4]
Sakurai Sho's acting worked out very well in which made the fans found it to be "Too disturbing to watch". It's dubbed to be the "2013's Biggest Drama Surprise" by critics and gave Sakurai Sho a number of awards.[5]
Awards and Nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 17th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix (Spring)[6] | Best Drama | The Family Game | Won |
| Best Actor | Sho Sakurai | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Ryunosuke Kamiki | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Honami Suzuki | Won | ||
| 77th Television Drama Academy Awards[7] | Best Drama | The Family Game | Won | |
| Best Actor | Sho Sakurai | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Ryunosuke Kamiki | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Seishuu Uragami | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Honami Suzuki | Nominated | ||
| Best Screenwriter | Muto Shogo | Won | ||
| Best Director | Yuichi Sato | Won | ||
| Best Theme song | Endless Game by Arashi | Won | ||
| 2014 | 23rd TV LIFE Annual Drama Awards[8] | Best Drama | The Family Game | Won |
| Best Lead Actor | Sakurai Sho | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Ryunosuke Kamiki | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Honami Suzuki | Won | ||
| Best Theme Song | Endless Game by Arashi | Won |
References
- 【ドラマ】家族ゲーム キャスト 画像 あらすじ 感想まとめ ※ネタバレ【櫻井翔出演のCMが話題】. Naver (in Japanese).
- 記念すべき第一作目は嵐・櫻井翔主演、『家族ゲーム. Fuji (in Japanese).
- , videor.co.jp. Retrieved on 13 October 2017.
- Family drama is reimagined for today’s Japan, japantimes.co.jp. Retrieved on 13 October 2017.
- Sakurai won numerous awards because of his role in 'Kazoku Game', tumblr.com. Retrieved on 14 October 2017.
- The 17th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix Spring:2013, doramaworld.blogspot.com. Retrieved on 13 October 2017.
- 77th Television Drama Academy Awards, kazoku-game.livejournal.com. Retrieved on 13 October 2017.
- Drama 'Kazoku Game' tops TV Life's '2013 Drama Awards', tokyohive.com. Retrieved on 13 October 2017.
