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BURN DOWN THE HOUSE (Mitaraike, Enjou Suru) (2023) was an interesting Thriller / Mystery Revenge J-Drama series, but ultimately felt lacking to me. It started out with thrilling promises and a darkly intriguing premise, a mysterious house fire that tore a family a part and a girl seeking revenge and redemption for the life that was stolen from her, by a conniving future stepmother. This series seemed so fascinating but ultimately didn't really live up to the promises it made. It moved slowly and the "thrills" just weren't really there for me.

"Follows Anzu Murata, who- thirteen years after the home of the wealthy Mitarai family was burned in an mysterious and devastating fire- infiltrates the house of the Mitarais as a housekeeper in order to reclaim the house and family that was taken from her."

Overall, it was a cool series, but not quite as interesting as it had initially seemed it would be. I frequently felt distracted and uninterested as the series went on and its slower pacing came unexpected for being advertised as a thriller. The acting, settings and visuals were really good and the main character Anzu Murata was likeable and relatable as well. It was still worth a watch, but just expect something a bit more mild for the thriller genre.

"Burn the House Down" is a solid slow-burn thriller that combines mystery and family drama. While the pacing can drag at times, the story still manages to keep you engaged. Mei Nagano's performance as Anzu is a standout, bringing emotional depth and intensity to the role. The tension builds gradually, with a sense of unease lingering throughout, although the twists didn't hit as strongly as anticipated. The family dynamics and dark atmosphere enhance the experience, but the film doesn't quite deliver a mind-blowing payoff. Still, it's a decent watch for thriller fans who enjoy a more deliberate pace.

Overall, it's a show worth watching. The plot, acting and structure are great. From the beginning to the end, there is no bad episode, no fillers and a total of 8 episodes is sufficient to enjoy this. The star of the show is definitely the stepmother, she played an excellent role and acting was excellent.

However, it does suffer some drawbacks, like parts of the plot could have been expanded on some characters, parts of the plot felt a bit rushed and lacked build up, and the background music could be better - it doesn't blend in with some scenes.

An extra episode or two would have been perfect and I would probably given it a 9.

I watched this all in one setting and each episode kept me hooked. I recommend anyone to give this a go, you won't be disappointed.

The plot is easy to understand and easy to get into. The acting is a bit over the top for western audiences but one has to understand Japanese culture which most of us don't! We are made feeling sympathetic for the characters and it it's satisfying to see the villains get their up comings.

Yes the show drags on a bit but since I have connected with the characters I don't mind. I want to see where it's going and what mysteries are going to be unraveled!

The music score is typical Japanese soft piano music throughout.

One of the sisters reminds me of the Japanese series " midnight diner Tokyo" because every time she eats something she shouts out " oh delicious" lol!

All in all I can recommend this series simply because it's non violent, non profane, easy on the eye and easy to follow and understand! I prefer Japanese with subtitles!

Anzu Murata (Mei Nagano) applies as housekeeper for the wealthy Miratai family that owns a hospital. Unknown to the mistress of the house, celebrity homemaker Makiko Mitarai (Ren Hanami), Anzu is her estranged stepdaughter who is trying to find out who burned her family's house down 13 years ago.

Back then, Anzu lived with her father Osamu Mitarai (Mitsuhiro Oikawa), mother Satsuki (Elyse Dinh) and younger sister Yuzu (Yuri Tsunematsu) happily and luxuriously in a mansion.

While their house was mysteriously engulfed in flames, Anzu saw Makiko, her mother's friend, among the bystanders, smiling triumphantly as she watched the house burning. Anzu therefore harbored suspicions about the tragic event.

Satsuki became depressed with guilt about being the culprit, thinking she left a stove on and caused the fire. At the same time, Makiko became close to Osamu, comforting him as needed. Eventually, Osamu and Satsuki divorced. Osamu married Makiko and abandoned his children. Satsuki developed amnesia and has been bedridden in a hospital. Anzu believes that her mother's guilt caused her health problems and that an apology from the real culprit would heal her.

This is an interesting watch. There is twist after twist towards the end that leaves one feeling breathless at the ride the writer takes viewers on. The romantic angles are not bad, either.