Dame Oyaji tells the story of Damesuke Amano, a hapless office worker who endures severe bullying at work and, even more so, at home, where he possesses absolutely no authority or say in household matters (contrary to traditional Japanese family norms). Amano lives with his wife, Onibaba, his beautiful teenage daughter Yukiko, and his elementary-school-aged son Takobo. Onibaba is an imposing, violent woman who regularly berates and physically assaults her husband, taking pleasure in making his life miserable; Yukiko and Takobo frequently join in the physical and psychological abuse of their father. The original manga is said to have been quite shocking to early 1970s Japan, a time when the father was still traditionally regarded as the head of the household.