The Family[1] (華麗なる一族, Karei-naru Ichizoku, "The Grand Family") is a 1973 novel by Toyoko Yamasaki. It has been adapted into a film in 1974[2][3] and then three times as a television series in 1974, 2007, and 2021.

Plot

Set in the post-World War II climate of the 1960s in Kobe, the show explores the struggle for power within the powerful Manpyo family. The cornerstone of their empire is the Hanshin Bank (阪神銀行, a fictional version of the former Kobe Bank (now Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation)), controlled by the father of the clan, Daisuke Manpyo (万俵 大介). Eldest son Teppei (万俵 鉄平) is the managing director of Hanshin Steelworks (阪神特殊製鋼, fictional version of Sanyo Special Steel Co., Ltd.). The ambitious Teppei seeks to expand operations of his company, and goes to his father to see if he can secure a loan. But the Minister of Finance seeks the merger of smaller Japanese banks to fend off foreign competition. Daisuke must decide whether to protect his son's interest in manufacturing or to ensure the survival of the bank that he controls.

The series mostly revolves on the hidden secrets within the Manpyo family. A running theme throughout the show is Teppei's constant hunger for his father's approval. However, instead of being seen as a son, he is often seen as a threat by his own father. Throughout most of the series, they are competing as Daisuke refuses to help in Teppei's struggles.

At the end, we are shown why the characters act as they did. Teppei's mother was supposedly raped by his grandfather, therefore, making Daisuke unsure if Teppei was actually his, or Keisuke's (his father). Teppei's uncanny resemblance to Keisuke, and his blood type proves to Daisuke that he was, indeed, his half-brother. This causes the heartache that surrounds the Manpyo family.

Teppei's company is not saved. As he finds out that he was not actually who he thought he was, he goes to the mountains where his family hunts. He makes a final call to his wife. The next morning, Teppei leaves a suicide note and shoots himself.

When the Manpyo family learns about Teppei's death, his mother is distraught. His father however, seems placid and cold. A man then comes in and asks the parents to sign Teppei's death certificate. Daisuke notices that they had made a mistake in the certificate, he states that they had Teppei's blood type wrong. The man informs them that the blood test was wrong. This revelation drives Teppei's mother into a fit. Daisuke is weakened. The man he thought to be a product of his father's horrible actions, was in fact, his own son. He is even more remorseful when he reads Teppei's suicide letter. Finally, Teppei is given the acceptance that he so long craved for.

Television production 1974

The Family
Written byNaoyuki Suzuki
Directed byYasuhiro Seki
Starring
Narrated byMayumi Ogawa
ComposerKōichi Sakata
Country of originJapan
No. of episodes26[4]
Production
Running timeapprox. 55 minutes
Original release
NetworkNET
Release1 October 1974 (1974-10-01) –
25 March 1975 (1975-03-25)

Cast

Film

Karei-naru Ichizoku
Directed bySatsuo Yamamoto
Written byNobuo Yamada
StarringShin Saburi
Tatsuya Nakadai
CinematographyYoshio Miyajima
Music byMasaru Sato
Distributed byToho
Release date
  • 26 January 1974 (1974-01-26)
Running time
211 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Karei-naru Ichizoku was released theatrically in Japan on 26 January 1974 where it was distributed by Toho.[3] The film was a commercial success.[2]

Cast

Honors

Television production 2007

The Family
Written byHiroshi Hashimoto
Directed byKatsuo Fukuzawa
Daisuke Yamamuro
Starring
Narrated byChieko Baisho
ComposerTakayuki Hattori
Country of originJapan
No. of episodes11
Production
Running timeapprox. 46 minutes
Original release
NetworkTBS
Release14 January (2007-01-14) –
18 March 2007 (2007-03-18)

Cast

Ratings

The series attracted high ratings. Over the course of its run, the series averaged 23.9% in the Kanto region (TBS) and 30.4% in the Kansai region (MBS). The second half of the series' two-part "Finale" attained a rating of 30.4%, the highest rating achieved by a Japanese drama episode in 2007.[7]

Hawaii broadcast

Karei-naru Ichizoku aired on KIKU-TV in Hawaii on September 23, 2007 to November 25, 2007 under the name The Grand Family. The broadcast included complete English subtitles.[8]


Television production 2021

The Grand Family
Written byYōichi Maekawa
Directed byMasaki Nishiura
Tatsuya Ikezawa
Starring
ComposerMasahiro Tokuda
Country of originJapan
No. of episodes11
Production
Running timeapprox. 60 minutes
Original release
NetworkWowow
Release18 April (2021-04-18)[9] –
11 July 2021 (2021-07-11)

Cast

References

  1. ^ "The Family 華麗なる一族 화려한 일족 華麗一族".
  2. ^ a b "華麗なる一族". wowow. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "華麗なる一族". kinenote. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  4. ^ "華麗なる一族". Family Gekijyo. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Mainichi Film Awards 1974". Mainichi shimbun. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  6. ^ 『キネマ旬報ベスト・テン85回全史 1924-2011 Kinema Junpo、2012 p.322
  7. ^ "2007年ドラマ視聴率、上位10傑出揃う". Oricon (in Japanese). Oricon ME inc. 21 December 2007. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  8. ^ "Hawaii's Kiku -Japanese Programming: The Grand Family". Archived from the original on 11 October 2007.
  9. ^ "「連続ドラマW 華麗なる一族」に石坂浩二、高嶋政伸、石黒賢、萬田久子ら7人参加". Natalie. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
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