as Kenji Yamamoto, the protagonist whose transformation drives the narrative.
According to Decider , the film is less about gangster theatrics and more of a "meditation on the concept of family as a basic human need".
After his father dies from a drug overdose, a young and aimless Kenji is taken in by Hiroshi Shibasaki, the boss of a local yakuza syndicate. Shibasaki becomes a father figure to him, initiating Kenji into the world of strict codes and loyalty.
as Tsubasa Kimura, representing the new generation of "gray zone" misfits that filled the void left by the yakuza. Critical Reception
Unlike many genre films, A Family is noted for its factual depiction of the "yakuza exclusion ordinances" and the extreme difficulty of social reintegration for former members.
The story is divided into three distinct time periods—1999, 2005, and 2019—tracking the life of (played by Go Ayano ):
as Hiroshi Shibasaki, the old-school boss and Kenji’s surrogate father.