Episode 1 of "Asura" unfolds with Takiko, the third-born daughter of the Kotaro family, pedaling gracefully to her workplace at the Arisugawa branch of the Tokyo Metropolitan Library. As she pedals, she dials her second sister, Makiko, who is immersed in the morning hustle of preparing her husband for work and her children for school. With a sense of urgency, Takiko conveys that she has something critically important to share and arranges for a sisterly reunion at Makiko's abode later that evening.
Later in the day, Takiko places another call, this time to her eldest sister, Tsumako, who is artistically arranging flowers at the Masukawa residence. The lady of the house expresses admiration for Tsumako's floral masterpiece, earning her praise from her husband—though his response is initially dismissive, showing little interest in either the flowers or Tsumako herself. However, when the wife steps away to attend to a call, the husband's demeanor changes; he compliments Tsumako warmly and schedules a meeting with her for the following day at 1 PM.
Subsequently, Takiko reaches out to her youngest sister, Sakiko, at the restaurant where she toils, extending an invitation to join the gathering that night. In parallel, Takiko meets with a private investigator at a cozy cafe, the atmosphere thick with anticipation.
During the day, Makiko visits their aging parents, Kotaro and Fuji. She stops at a grocery store, picking up a bag of apples before embarking on a walk to their nostalgic childhood home. There, she finds her mother and father engaged in chores in the backyard—Fuji busy with laundry, Kotaro diligently trimming the hedges. The quaint scene tickles Makiko's funny bone, reminding her of a whimsical tale about an elderly couple. Makiko presents her mother with a savings book from the bank that had arrived by mail, which Fuji surreptitiously hides from Kotaro, who soon departs for work. Kotaro, serving as an executive reserve at a friend's company, follows his routine of going to work every Tuesday and Thursday.
As night descends, the sisters converge at Makiko's house. Tsumako arrives first, lending a helping hand in the kitchen with Makiko's husband, who is thrilled to host his sisters-in-law. He eagerly breaks rice cakes and greets Takiko and Sakiko when they arrive later. Surrounded by the warmth of shared memories, the sisters bond over nostalgia as they cook and later sit down to a hearty meal.
Then, the mood shifts as Takiko unveils the reason behind their gathering. About a month prior, she had witnessed their father with a woman and a second-grader, who affectionately called Kotaro "daddy." Determined to uncover the truth, Takiko enlisted the help of a private investigator. The investigation revealed that their father had indeed taken a mistress named Tomoko, a 40-year-old woman who is the mother of the young boy. Kotaro has rented an apartment for them and visits them every Tuesday and Thursday, a betrayal that cuts deep into the fabric of their family.
The sisters could not believe Takiko and thought she was making it up. Even Makiko’s husband joined in and made fun of just how absurd the situation was. Makiko asks Takiko for evidence, and she brings out the envelope with photos. Makiko suddenly freaks out and snatches the envelope from Makiko. She does not want to see the photos because then what Makiko said will become true.
The sisters have a different opinion on the situation. Tsunako does not take it seriously as she is more concerned about her chipped tooth. Sakiko thinks it is not their place to even discuss it since it is an issue between their parents. Sakiko wants to watch a boxing match and she switches on the television. Everyone does not stay on topic which infuriates Takiko. She angrily switches off the TV and asks the sisters for their opinion. What should they do to help their mother?
Sakiko says that if their father cheated, their mother is to blame. Fuji concentrated more on the house and not on self-care to keep Kotaro interested. Sakiko also thinks that Takiko wants to use the issue to vent her frustrations about being unmarried and having to work a job she does not like. Takiko gets angry and starts fighting with Sakiko. In the process, the envelope is accidentally knocked down and the pictures scatter on the floor. Makiko screams upon seeing their father at an arcade with the woman and the kid. He husband quickly hides the photos and asks the sisters to keep them a secret from Fuji.
Later, Sakiko meets up with her boyfriend and joins him for the evening run. The boyfriend wants to be a boxer and it is the reason why Sakiko was so into watching the boxing game during dinner. At home, Sakiko helps the boyfriend wash his hair. He asks about dinner with these sisters and Sakiko says it was nothing serious. The boyfriend promises that they will move into a house with a showerhead when he wins his upcoming match.
The following morning, over a breakfast table laden with steaming dishes, Makiko and her husband, Takao, engaged in a grave discussion about Kotaro's infidelity and his other family. Takao's brow furrowed as he pondered the intricacies of the situation, made all the more complicated by the involvement of a child.
Later, Makiko set off towards Tsunako's abode, her heart pounding with anticipation. To her astonishment, she stumbled upon a stranger's presence within Tsunako's house. Panicked, Makiko bolted, but Tsunako, swift as the wind, chased her down and hauled her back inside. Fortunately, the mysterious man had already departed, and no altercation erupted between the sisters. Makiko, aware of her own husband's betrayal, vowed not to probe Tsunako about the visitor, believing that Takao was also entangled in an extramarital affair. Though not as inquisitive as her sister Takiko, she was convinced of his double life.
Tsunako and Makiko decided to confront Kotaro's mistress together. They pooled half of their settlement money, intending to use it to coerce her into leaving Kotaro. However, upon encountering the mistress, Tsunako's courage deserted her, and she hid, unable to confront the woman face-to-face. Meanwhile, Makiko stood in utter disbelief. The mistress, recognizing Makiko, chose to ignore her and walked away with her son, leaving Makiko speechless in the middle of the road.
Back at Kotaro's residence, Fuji was meticulously brushing his coat. Suddenly, a toy car tumbled out of a pocket, and in a fit of rage, she crushed it through a wall. The shrill ring of the phone brought her back to reality. Sakiko's voice crackled through the receiver, requesting Fuji's presence at her apartment. She had something urgent to share but insisted on keeping it a secret from Kotaro and the sisters. Despite this, Fuji insisted that Makiko and Tsunako accompany her.
Sakiko unveiled her boxer boyfriend to Fuji, much to the sisters' astonishment. Finding Sakiko's apartment was an arduous task, but when they finally arrived, Sakiko refused to let them in. She revealed her plan to give Fuji a new hobby to occupy her mind, hoping to distract her from the distressing revelation about Kotaro's mistress.
Elsewhere, Takao convened with a private investigator, urging him to tamper with the evidence and disguise the identity of the person in the photos, claiming it wasn't Kotaro. The investigator, however, steadfastly refused his request. Takiko joined them, her eyes widening in surprise to see Takao there. She had tasked the investigator with bringing her the family register and was relieved to discover that the child was not their flesh and blood.
While the sisters escorted their mother to the opera, Takao and Kotaro engaged in a quiet conversation amidst the backyard chores. Kotaro remained unperturbed, knowing that his affair would eventually come to light. He proposed a cover-up, but Kotaro advised him to let it be. The episode culminated in a serene family dinner at home, with Kotaro and Fuji in attendance. The sisters enjoyed their meal, engaging in their usual playful banter, while the mistress remained an unspoken elephant in the room.
