Ah, The Grand Family. If you're a Gen-Xer like me, raised on a steady diet of Japanese dramas on VHS in Hawaii, you know the drill: noble heroes pulling off reality-bending stunts to save the day, and villains so obvious they might as well wear neon signs. But you keep coming back for more, because where else can you get that irresistible dose of old-fashioned idealistic escapism? (And okay, I confess-I'm a sucker for the over-the-top drama of shows like GTO, Hero, and Hanzawa Naoki.)
But let me tell you: The Grand Family, or as Netflix rebrands it, The Family, is not your average Japanese drama. Sure, it's got the requisite noble hero-Teppei Manpyou, a guy who'd probably throw himself into a pit of fire if it meant saving his employees. But it's also got enough family strife, historical tension, and deliciously dramatic conflict to keep you glued to the screen.
Set in 1960s Japan, when the country was balancing between tradition and modernity, The Grand Family gives us more than just a family feud; it's like Shakespeare, but with better kimonos and fewer skulls. At the heart of the drama is the tense, often silent battle between Teppei, the son managing the family steel business, and his bank-president father, Daisuke. Imagine all the unspoken grievances of your last Thanksgiving dinner-but now everyone's dressed impeccably, and the stakes are generational power and legacy.
The visuals? Absolute eye candy. The cinematography and set design are so committed to the '60s vibe that you'll practically smell the cigarette smoke through the screen. The lighting dances between ominous shadows and stark brightness, highlighting every secret, lie, and underhanded maneuver. And don't get me started on the face-offs-these aren't just arguments; they're wars of wit, fought in the boardrooms and hallways of family estates.
Then there's the cast. Takuya Kimura and Kyoka Suzuki? They act with the kind of gravitas that makes you feel like you're watching a high-stakes chess match in slow motion. They give their characters just the right mix of swagger, vulnerability, and gravitas, so you're never quite sure who you're rooting for, but you're 100% invested.
Not that it's perfect. Sure, a few episodes seem to drag on like a relative's holiday letter, and some side plots feel about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. But overall, this show hits hard where it counts.
The Grand Family is a gorgeously crafted, emotionally layered spectacle of history, power, and family drama. Each episode feels like it's been marinated in tension and sprinkled with just enough flair to keep you coming back for more. So, grab some popcorn, cancel your plans, and dive in-this isn't just a show; it's a saga.
