The Harbor Lights

Akari, a young woman of third-generation Korean descent, was born in Kobe during the Great Hanshin Earthquake. Now in her twenties, she struggles with severe depression, which she primarily tries to numb with food, while her family falls apart around her. Her embittered father divorces her mother, her older sister wants to get married and urges the family to accept Japanese citizenship, while her younger brother tries to stay out of the conflicts. The growing tensions eventually lead to Akari's breakdown and hospitalization. After her release, she moves back into the cramped apartment she shares with her mother and siblings. There, her condition continues to deteriorate until her only friend recommends a small clinic that treats patients individually rather than routinely fobbing them off. With the support of an empathetic therapist, Akari makes cautious progress. But her strained relationship with her father, whose harsh words hurt her the most, remains a heavy burden.