Fishbowl Wives opens a window into marriages that look flawless from the outside but fracture in ways that are impossible to ignore! The first scenes of the Japanese series introduce a subtle and modest environment that is already being formed by the characters living in it.So, who actually are the actors that formed the emotional heart of Fishbowl Wives? The show is fronted by a uniformly picked cast that shows women and men wanting to get a divorce but living in the same fancy apartment building. Each performer helps depict a mix of domestic dissatisfaction, emotional isolation, and power imbalance in a larger sense.Let's take a look at the Fishbowl Wives cast and characters revisited View this post on Instagram Instagram PostRyoko Shinohara as Sakura HiragaRyoko Shinohara has been cast as Sakura Hiraga, the main female character in Fishbowl Wives, and the character through whom the audience is first introduced to the topics the series deals with. Sakura is presented as a woman whose husband abuses her; she lives in that abusive marriage, but, through a composed face, is allowed to show control and violence.The performance of Shinohara is characterized by her control. She does not make it obvious that Sakura is in distress, but she gives the audience hints through such subtle physical actions as hesitations, silence, and guarded expression. Sakura's story slowly opens, stressing daily routine and emotional imprisonment instead of soaring drama.The actress's performance is the foundation of the series and the mood setter for the following tales of the cast.Masanobu Ando as Takuya HiragaMasanobu Ando gives life to Takuya Hiraga, who is none other than Sakura's husband. In Fishbowl Wives, Takuya controls and abuses his wife, and yet appears like a socially respectable person. His behavior in marriage contrasts totally with his outward composure.Ando’s acting is such that it does not go into the realm of being overly aggressive. Takuya’s actions are often calm, deliberate, and very much a part of his worldview, thus making the character creepy without being theatrical. This interpretation of the character goes along with the portrayal found in the show of the greater issue of power imbalance, where the harm done is shown to be routine rather than explosive.The character is part of the series’ observational approach and not a narrative antagonist.Takanori Iwata as Haruto ToyodaTakanori Iwata shows up as Haruto Toyoda, the proprietor of a local goldfish store. In Fishbowl Wives, Haruto becomes a link to Sakura’s plot through silent contact rather than overt assistance.Iwata takes up the part with very few words and a quiet face. Haruto is not presented as a rescuer or a solution, nor is his presence made romantic. Instead, the show places him as the opposite, someone who is defined by attentiveness and emotional openness without disturbing the narrative balance. His character serves to strengthen the series’ pledge to neutrality and realism.Haru as a supporting character within the ensembleHaru is part of the cast in Fishbowl Wives that includes the other women who depict the emotional strains in their marriages. Her character plays a part in the series’ investigation of the discontent that comes from neglect rather than confrontation.Haru doesn’t take the lead in the storyline, but rather her character moves along with the others, forming a composite picture. The actress plays her part in accordance with the series’ muted tone, focusing on inner struggle and habitual emotional separation. This method is a clear indication of the show's style of showing rather than telling.Yui Natsukawa as Kyoko ShindoYui Natsukawa is cast in the role of Kyoko Shindo, a resident of the neighborhood whose marriage is an example of long-lasting emotional suppression. Kyoko’s theme is among the structure of the Fishbowl Wives, which is comprised of the different generations, and not the central narrative.Natsukawa gives Kyoko a calm demeanor and a moderate facial expression. The character’s situation brings forth the traits of patience and flexibility in marriage to the series’ discussion of how dissatisfaction can be a long-lasting condition. Kyoko’s role is to enlarge the range of marital experiences without taking the audience’s attention away from the overall story.In Fishbowl Wives, ensemble structure and character design go hand in hand View this post on Instagram Instagram PostInstead of following a character-centric drama and a single protagonist, the series is structured in an ensemble manner. Overlapping storylines move forward at the same time, linked mainly by shared settings and not by direct interactions. This way of storytelling reinforces the notion that emotional distance might prevail in the midst of physical closeness.All characters have different types of marital problems, abuse, neglect, emotional withdrawal, or resignation. No plot is indicated as conclusive or settled, keeping the show's neutral and documentary-like stance.Performance restraint as a distinguishing qualityOver the whole series, the common element in Fishbowl Wives has been the restraint of performances. The dialogues bear a lot of understatement, emotional reactions are almost non-existent, and many scenes are done in silence rather than with the use of words. This choice in style opens up the path for discomfort to come out.The cast's capability to maintain this tone throughout the episodes has been the factor that unites the series. In Fishbowl Wives, the tension is not a result of conflict but of routine, repetition, and silence. The actor plays a part by not showing explicit emotional signs, and hence supports this method.The casting for Fishbowl Wives plays an important role in the success of the seriesFishbowl Wives presents characters that are written as regular people, and the performances are thus grounded in very realistic settings. The effectiveness of the show greatly depends on the actors' ability to show the internal conflict through non-verbal cues rather than words.Fishbowl Wives does not give commentary on characters' behaviors, but rather lets them be. Hence, viewers are allowed to watch the characters behave instead of being guided towards a certain interpretation of the story. The actors are instrumental in keeping the boundary between showing and telling so tight that the whole series remains descriptive rather than prescriptive.Fishbowl Wives’ cast brings to light the extent of performance influence on the series’ identity. Every performer helps to build an enclosed and quiet realm of viewing, such that no one plot gets to drown the others out.In the end, Fishbowl Wives is a drama that focuses on characters and presents meaning through action rather than words. The actors give life to this artistic approach by making each character as realistic as possible and thus leaving the series characterized more by liveliness than by plot.Also read: What happened to Alison in Pretty Little Liars? Character’s fate explored