Burn the House Down Review: Based on the popular manga by Moyashi Fujisawa, the Japanese Netflix series is directed by Yuichiro Hirakawa. It is a revenge thriller drama series, that follows Anzu Murata, as she seeks the truth behind the fire that burnt her home and broke up her family. There are 8 episodes with a runtime of about 45-55 minutes and is also available in English dub with subtitles.
The cast of the series includes Mei Nagano as Anzu Murata, Asuka Kudo as Kiichi Mitarai, Taishi Nakagawa as Shinji Mitarai, Yuri Tsunematsu as Yuzu Murata, Kii Kitano, Mari Hamada, Sakurako Konishi, Michiko Kichise as Satsuki Murata, Mitsuhiro Oikawa as Osamu Mitarai, Kyoka Suzuki as Makiko Mitarai and others.
Burn the House Down Review
The show starts with a young woman calling herself Shizuka Yamauchi arriving at the Mitarai house as the new housekeeper. There’s something odd about her as the house doesn’t seem unfamiliar to her. It turns out that she used to live in this house, 13 years ago, before it burnt down to ashes. Her mother Satsuki Murata took the blame for leaving the stove unattended which caused the fire, but Shizuka, whose real name is Anzu Murata saw her mother’s friend laughing at their misery.
The same friend, Makiko then married Anzu’s father, after her parents got divorced and became her stepmother. But ever since the divorce, nobody contacted Anzu, her sister Yuzu or their mother, who is now suffering from amnesia. They believe that the guilt of the incident is the cause of their mother’s illness and decide to uncover the truth and bring the real culprit to their knees. Infiltrating the Mitarai house in the guise of a housekeeper was Anzu’s plan so that she could collect evidence that would prove Makiko’s involvement in the fire.
What she didn’t anticipate is how Makiko’s sons, Kiichi and Shinji might pose a threat to her disguise. However, Anzu is determined to find a way and soon realise that Makiko is hiding much more than she anticipated. From hiding Kiichi in her house for almost 10 years to creating a public persona of a perfect Housewife, Makiko has created a web of lies that won’t be easy to clear out.
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The show highlights the dark side of human desire for which they can do anything. Makiko was blinded by her desire to lead a rich life like Satsuki and she eventually took her place. But the path that she chose to achieve it, affected her own kids and the damage was irreparable.
And that also becomes the reason for her downfall. The twists and turns in the story remind us of a recent K-Drama called Celebrity but make it more sinister and unsettling. It also shows the similar influence of social media in today’s world, which is like a double-edged sword.
The way the story builds up, exposing Makiko’s actions leading to the incident keeps you hooked up to the screen. Unfortunately, the ending is a bit of a letdown. Expecting something explosive that would feel cathartic for Anzu and her mother but it leaves you feeling – ‘What? That’s it? So much for this revelation?’. It brings up many questions as well, regarding her mother and why would she take the blame, if she was so sure that it could not be her fault.
Overall it’s a thrilling revenge drama that grabs your attention right from the start. But after the midpoint, it lacks the same grip and becomes a soapy drama. If anything, the story shows how one incident can become the catalyst for others to bring you down. In the materialistic and attention-seeking world, one’s misfortune becomes the stepping tool or fodder for entertainment.
Rating: 3/5
Burn the House Down is currently streaming on Netflix.
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