Netflix aficionados are in for a treat with the platform’s latest addition, which has been met with critical acclaim despite its limited coverage.
It may not be topping the charts this week, but it’s already being celebrated as one of 2025’s standout series just days into January.
Brought to us by Hirokazu Kore-eda, the esteemed Japanese director of the Oscar-nominated and Palme d’Or-winning Shoplifters, Asura is a captivating drama set in 1979 Tokyo. It follows the lives of four sisters who stumble upon a harrowing family secret.
The siblings unearth their ageing father’s long-standing affair and hidden son from an extramarital relationship, forcing them to face the reality and implications for their future.
All seven episodes of Asura have landed on and have quickly garnered glowing reviews from viewers who have taken to social media to extol the virtues of the show, reports .
Netflix’s ‘buried gem’ from acclaimed director is ‘the first great show of 2025′ (Image: NETFLIX)
A user exclaimed: “Finished first episode and Man! It’s good.
“It’s the way it’s shot, the music, the dialogues, and how real and genuine they feel, and the best part is the chemistry between these sisters.”
Another chimed in: “Came here to say exactly this. Can’t wait to watch the rest of this series. So far, everything about it is perfect.”
“It’s crazy how identifiable yet nonintrusive his style of directing is,” praised another viewer. “I didn’t know about it in advance, and I just hit ‘play’ because it came up on . Within the first 10 seconds, I thought, ‘Oh this must be Kore-eda!'”
Four sisters uncover a shocking secret about their father (Image: NETFLIX)
Another viewer has praised the show’s realism on X: “Finished watching #Asura on , best thing about veteran Japanese actors and actresses are…. they always make it feel like they are not acting at all…. truly feel like watching a documentary of messy family members in need of therapy.”
Nevertheless, some viewers haven’t shied away from criticising for seemingly under-promoting this series despite its evident merits.
“I hope keeps on scooping up the indies,” expressed a fan. “With little hullabaloo some real gems are buried there. Had little publicity or distribution. Prime Video still has some. Check out your favs.”
And a disgruntled user on X exclaimed their frustration more bluntly: “WHY THE F*** WASN’T THIS PROMOTED MORE AND ONLY NOW JUST FINDING OUT.”
All seven episodes are now available on Netflix (Image: NETFLIX)
The Daily Beast showered the show Asura with high praise, lauding it as the ‘first great show of 2025’ in their glowing review: “The year’s first grand television surprise, and additional confirmation that few filmmakers are as empathetic, nimble, and masterful as Kore-eda.”
And not to be outdone, Decider directed their readership to “STREAM IT!” highlighting that “these complex performances and realistically woven story threads are the backbone of a drama that’s not simply a soap opera, but a delicately balanced story of the plight of women.”
Despite heavy hitters such as Squid Game, American Primeval, and the imminent return of The Night Agent perhaps ruling your current watchlist, make sure you don’t miss out on this lesser-known treasure.
Asura is available to stream on .