A Butcher and a Stepmother

Shizuka, a university lecturer with a dazzling Lucia of the Heisei era who has grown from a girl to an adult, was married to Shinichi and living a happy life. However, except for the lack of sex, Shizuka was frustrated deep down. One day, on the way home from university, she casually looked into the window of a meat processing shop and saw a man and a woman having sex inside. The woman was pushed up by a strong man and moaned like an animal. It was the owner of the butcher shop and his wife. When Shizuka returned home, her desire was ignited and she sought Shinichi, but she also came in an instant. A few days later, unable to forget the scene, Shizuka went to the butcher shop and said timidly that she wanted to buy some meat. The owner of the butcher shop saw through her true feelings and invited Shizuka inside...

Directed by Kunihiko Matsuoka, A Butcher and a Stepmother leans on a strong ensemble — Rushia Santô, Satomi Shinozaki, Erina Aoyama — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2005.