She buried her husband, lost her dignity, and still had to pack lunchboxes at 5am.
57 minSeason 1 • Episode 11
LatestSachi and the others can't help but worry as they wait to hear if Shiori's bone marrow is compatible. Yuki brings boxes of Shin's keepsakes.
After the accidental death of her husband and being deemed ineligible for welfare, Koharu struggles to care for her two children.
Acting
Mitsushima's silent breakdowns hit harder than any screaming.
Direction
Mizuta's unflinching close-ups refuse to let you look away.
Writing
Welfare bureaucracy scenes so real you'll want to throw your remote.
Hikari Mitsushima
Koharu Aoyagi
Yuko Tanaka
Sachi Uesugi
Shun Oguri
Shin Aoyagi
Mitsuki Tanimura
Sunagawa Aiko
Fumi Nikaido
Uesugi Shiori
Takahiro Miura
Sunagawa Ryosuke
Asami Usuda
Kamata Yuki
Issey Takahashi
Sawamura Yugo
Rio Suzuki
Nozomi Aoyagi
Rai Takahashi
Riku Aoyagi
Takada Manato
Kamata Masato
Ihara Shogo
Sunagawa Shunsuke
Yajima Koichi
Fujita
Kaoru Kobayashi
Uesugi Kentaro
Tatsuya Kose
Kamata Naoto
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released amid Japan's 2013 welfare cuts, the drama sparked national debate about 'welfare queens' and single mother poverty.
Mitsushima reportedly shadowed actual single mothers at night-shift jobs; her calloused hands in close-ups are real.
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