4.5/5 stars

Lead cast: Erika Toda, Sairi Ito, Toko Miura

Anchored by a sensational central performance from Erika Toda, Netflix’s new drama series Straight to Hell spans 60 years of recent Japanese history as it charts the controversial life of celebrity fortune-teller Kazuko Hosoki.

The 37-year-old actress, best known internationally for her breakout role in the Death Note films, portrays this mercurial figure between the ages of 17 and 66, as she claws her way out of abject poverty in the aftermath of World War II to become the head of a self-made media empire.

Not only does the role demand a continually evolving physical transformation from Toda, but also a deeply nuanced performance that constantly challenges the audience’s sympathies, as she proves every bit as formidable and resilient as those determined to inflict suffering upon her.

The show opens in 2005, with the caption, “This story is based on true events and is a work of fiction”. By this time, Kazuko is Japan’s most popular fortune-teller whose books on Six-Star Divination have sold millions of copies, and her television show is a ratings juggernaut.