Family: Absence of the Wife, Existence of the Husband

Kamikawa Ryohei is a 35-year-old man who works in a foreign company and lives a happy family life with his wife and son. On the day he decides to switch careers and submit his resignation, his wife runs away from home, leaving his hands full taking care of the home and bringing up their son. Saeki Shinichiro is a 61-year-old man who decides to live alone when he loses his wife to illness not long after he reached the mandatory retirement age.

Directed by —, Family: Absence of the Wife, Existence of the Husband leans on a strong ensemble — Yuriko Ishida, Tetsuya Watari, Shūsei Nakamura — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The series landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about family titles of 2006.