Series synopsis
Shadow Work, also known as シャドウワーク is a Japanese drama mystery television series that premiered on WOWOW Prime on November 23, 2025. It ended on December 21, 2025. It stars Mikako Tabe, Yuki Sakurai, Shinobu Terajima and Hikari Ishida.
A battered wife who's lost her sense of self after years of domestic abuse finds hope when she escapes to a seaside house where women in similar situations help her rediscover her identity, but the home's hidden rules force her to confront painful truths in a heart-wrenching journey toward healing.
Premise
A battered wife who's lost her sense of self after years of domestic abuse finds hope when she escapes to a seaside house where women in similar situations help her rediscover her identity, but the home's hidden rules force her to confront painful truths in a heart-wrenching journey toward healing.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Mikako Tabe as Noriko
- Yuki Sakurai as Kaoru Kitagawa
- Shinobu Terajima as Akie
- Hikari Ishida as Michiko
- Takumi Kawanishi as Yuma Araki
- Terunosuke Takezai as Shinichi Kitagawa
- Reina Triendl as Nami
- Miku Uehara as Yoko
Supporting cast
- Risa Sudou as Masayo
- Shion Machida as Chieko Nishiyama
- Ryu Morioka as Seimei
- Tomu Miyazaki as Yoshihisa Saito
Episodes
This series spans 1 season with 5 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 5 | November 23, 2025 | December 21, 2025 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 1 Noriko (Tabe Mikako), who was suffering from severe violence from her husband, barely escapes with her life and ends up in a shelter for victims of domestic violence in Enoshima. It is a shared house run by Akie (Terajima Shinobu), where several women live together under a "rotating" rule. Meanwhile, a woman's body is found dead under mysterious circumstances on a beach in Tateyama. Detective Kitagawa Kaoru (Sakurai Yuki), who learns that the deceased victim had been a victim of domestic violence, becomes eager to investigate for a certain reason. |
November 23, 2025 |
| 2 |
Episode 2 Even now, Noriko is tormented by memories of the domestic violence, but as she works with Nami (Reina Triendl), Yoko (Mitsunori Uehara), and Masayo (Risa Sudo), she begins to connect with them and gradually regains her true self. Meanwhile, the events that occurred between Kaoru and her husband, Shinichi (Takezai Terunosuke), an elite at the National Police Agency, are revealed, and Araki (Takumi Kawanishi, JO1), who learns of Kaoru's past, has mixed feelings and begins to question why the police, who are his family, are shunning Kaoru. |
November 30, 2025 |
| 3 |
Episode 3 Kaoru is attacked by someone and severely injured. She suspects Shinichi of being involved in the crime, but there is no solid evidence. Kaoru is doggedly pursuing the case, and her superior, Saito (Miyazaki Tomu), worries about her safety but questions her true intentions. However, after coming into contact with Michiko (Ishida Hikari), Kaoru gets a clue to the case and becomes even more absorbed in the investigation. Meanwhile, Noriko senses Akie and her group's secret plan and wonders whether it is okay for her to stay where she is. |
December 7, 2025 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | WOWOW Prime |
|---|---|
| First aired | November 23, 2025 |
| Last aired | December 21, 2025 |
| Status | ended |