Plot Summary:This series is about a troubled family in suburban Tokyo. The father drinks heavily and ignores the family, leaving his wife feeling neglected. The daughter is dating an American--something not all Japanese families approve of. The son tries to provide emotional support to his mother and sister, but he has problems of his own, such as failing his university entrance exams. An added complication is that the river that flows through their area is threatening to flood. Can the family regain its balance and closeness before everything falls to pieces?