Origin and release year: Japan (2022 – Fishbowl Wives)
Japanese title: 金魚妻
Starring: Shinohara Ryoko, Iwata Takanori, Ando Masanobu, Hasegawa Kyoko, Minemura Rie, Minamaki Kyoka, Fukumoto Riko, Takuma Shin, Kawasaki Juri, Hori Miona, Nakamura Shizuka, Seto Saori, Ishii Anna, Inukai Atsuhiro, Fujimori Shingo, Kanda Joe, Kubota Yuki
Director: Namiki Michiko, Matsuyama Hiroaki
Screenwriter: Tsubota Fumi
Synopsis: In a luxury apartment tower, six different women in unhappy marriages end up crossing the line into infidelity.(IMDb)
Honestly, this drama is a shock to the system – for a number of reasons. Not only is it quite racy, if you’re not used to watching that kind of thing – it somewhat borders on adult entertainment. But it also has quite an intense storyline.
Don’t get us wrong. This writer is accustomed to all sorts of wacky and dysfunctional storylines thanks to the world of Korean makjang dramas and some of the soaps existing in the Western world, but (and maybe it’s due to the pacing of this drama or something else) Fishbowl Wives just seems so scandalous. It’s almost chaotic the domino effect that takes place in the pursuit of goldfish – a metaphor for presumed happiness be it in the form of sex, quality time, or whatever is missing in this array of broken marriages. The show is honestly thrilling.
In fact the goldfish metaphor is a catalyst for the infidelity that takes place in a way as natural as fish swimming in water. Each woman in the story falls so naturally into this trap that has been embedded in their minds (whether they go all the way or not) in order to learn some crucial lessons of self-discovery.
Whilst the main storyline between the Hiraga couple and the Toyodas is quite interesting, what makes this drama stand out is the B-stories. Perhaps this is because their resolution takes place a little bit faster due to limited screen time but they had more impact in a sense.
At times Sakura’s story (played by Shinohara Ryoko) felt like it dragged out but it had a decent resolution, as well. It would’ve been great to see more of her and Haruto (played by Iwata Takanori) out in the real world and faced with more reactions to their relationship – but we guess it’s for the better that this wasn’t the case. In fact, maybe that subtlety is what balanced out the dramatic aspects.
Overall, if you can stand the explicit scenes, this is a pretty solid drama to watch and it will definitely captivate you enough for a fulfilling binge session.
What did you think of Fishbowl Wives? Let us know in the comments.