REVIEW: ‘Light Of My Lion’ Is Sweet To Its Core

Filled with an irresistible tenderness, Light of My Lion overcomes a busy narrative by leading with a lion’s heart of its own. Light of My Lion originally aired on Japan’s TBS Television in October 2024. The fall season drama, which originally aired under a Japanese title translating to Lion’s Den, has now landed on Netflix in its entirety.

Light of My Lion boasts an impressive get in its lead actor, Yuya Yagira. Yagira is known for his extensive television work, as well as playing a young Beat Takeshi in the film Akasuka Kid and being the youngest Best Actor winner in the history of the Cannes Film Festival for his work in Nobody Knows. Beyond Yagira’s impressive resume, Light of My Lion is a series that shines on its own merit.

Yuya Yagira stars in Light of My Lion as Hiroto Komori, a city hall worker. After the death of his parents and the abandonment of his sister Aoi (Machiko Ono), Hiroto has been living a quiet life taking care of himself and his autistic brother Michito, also known as “Mi” (Bando Ryota). Their lives are turned upside down whenever a mysterious five-year-old boy calling himself Lion (Tasuku Sato) shows up at their door. Things get more complicated when Hiroto begins to suspect that Lion is none other than Aoi’s son.

Light of My Lion strays from offensive caricatures, instead giving us much-needed positive representation.

What stands out about Light of My Lion from the start is its warmth. Yuya Yagira’s Hiroto Komori goes beyond kindness into something resembling sainthood, his care for those close to him practically radiating off of him. There’s a lot of love in the de facto family unit of Hiroto, Mi, and Lion. They all make each other better.

This is seen from the captivated look in Hiroto’s eyes when he sees Mi comforting Lion after he hears some bad news or when Lion helps the over-stimulated Mi get calm and comfortable enough to show off his talents at a live painting. For the record, Tasuku Sato is endearing as the titular Lion, bringing a wild spirit and naive (in the best way) joy that feels familiar to childhood.

Another area where Light of My Lion shines its own light is in its depiction of Mi. Although the actor, Bando Ryota, is not autistic himself, the series is already ahead of many programs in its lack of condescension. Light of My Lion does not look down on or patronize this character. Mi is different from the other characters, having his own routines, quirks, and challenges, yet he’s also given a rich inner world.

Mi’s talent for painting and his insights into Lion’s troubles are a key component in Light of My Lion. The bar for autistic representation in media is extremely low, but the caricature of, say, Sia’s Music is avoided by making Mi a fully realized character.

Some choice plots don’t mesh well at all.

Light of My Lion takes significant care in portraying true-to-life subject matter with a deft hand. The character Aoi (Machiko Ono) opens up a lot of old wounds for Hiroto and Mi. The theme of abandonment by family members lingers, especially for Mi, and the way Light of My Lion confronts that reality is cathartic. Moreover, the portrayal of Aoi as a victim of domestic violence is as tasteful as it is important to show what can go on behind the closed doors of seemingly affable businessmen like Aoi’s husband, Shogo Tachinaba (Osamu Mukai).

Less well-considered are the myriad of plotlines that populate Light of My Lion. Writers Koji Tokuo and Yoshino Ichinohe do so well when it comes to the central dynamic that the attempts to expand outwards are very hit or miss. Some, like a reporter (Yuki Sakurai), offer enough intrigue and relevance to the family’s story that it makes it worthwhile.

The conspiracy plot around Shogo Tachinaba, sadly, does not really mesh with the rest of the series. In fact, whenever Light of My Lion tries to go in the mystery or thriller direction, it doesn’t so much face-plant as slightly deflate. That’s not to say there’s no place for those plot elements. It’s just that Light of My Lion can’t split the difference between tones very well.

The central aspect of Light of My Lion—two brothers who add a new addition to their family, confront a harsh past, and heal from it—is enough to wash away any misgivings about its unusual plotting. Above all else, the series is a pleasant, heartwarming venture that’s earnest all the way through. Light of My Lion is an effective balm for the soul that could very well serve as a good entry point for international audiences to become acquainted with the unique virtues of J-dramas. 

Light of My Lion is now streaming on Netflix.