Family Dysfunction as Reflected in Kei Sanbe’s AnimeErased

To reflect the social reality, literature often describes different social issues, including family dysfunction. Family dysfunction can lead to psychological and emotional impacts on individuals, especially children who can affect their social development and interaction. This study is to discover how the family dysfunction is reflected in the relationship between Kayo Hinazuki and his mother in Kei Sanbe Erased. This qualitative literary research uses a literary sociological approach. Data was collected through speeches, acts, and events from the anime. The analysis shows that the disturbing relationship between Kayo and his mother manifests itself with physical violence, emotional negligence and social isolation, illustrating the broader social failures in terms of child protection. This research is related because it emphasizes the importance of early intervention in the case of mistreatment and negligence for children, especially in family structure. Methodically, research and application of close reading techniques, focusing on narrative analysis and character research. The main conclusions show that Erased describes in a practical way of not being resolved and the indifference of the system maintains violent cycles and emotional deprivation in families. Previous studies on Erased mainly focused on his horror plot and his time travel elements; However, this study added a new contribution by focusing on representing the family dysfunction, thus enriching the understanding of the anime's social comments