The story is just way too good, it's very entertaining, has the perfect length, and it was full of twists. Though toward the end the blame shifting was overused, everyone was taking the blame other than the actual preparator.
Characters:
Shinji: Let me just start by saying that he remained a pathetic loser right till the very end. He blamed everything on anyone around him because he was too afraid to be held accountable for the heinous crimes he committed. As a child, his actions could be justified as he was afraid of his mother, however; even after growing up and seeing the severity of the situation, he decided to remain silent and take advantage of those around him. He really is a terrible person. He always was, and remained, blinded by money. The closure on him was not satisfying, he should have dealt with the consequences of his actions.
Kiichi: I believe that Kiichi too was a victim. He saw his mother steal and suspected his brother of committing arson. Taking the blame for their crimes was a very Kiichi thing to do, just like Anzu, he always had a sense of responsibility and wanted to take care of everything himself even if it meant sacrificing himself.
When he was with Anzu and he said how he hated that treat about her, I think he was also talking about himself since that applies to him too.
In the beginning, he was given the role of a cunning person, using Anzu to his liking. After breaking free of his mother's shackles, we saw the true Kiichi. His character development was great and I'm glad he found his place in society and beside the person he loves.
Anzu: A reselient warrior. Even when her mother did not recognize her, even when nobody believed her, she moved forward and acted in accordance to find out the actual culprit behind the incident. Anzu went through alot and suffered alot, but she never gave up throughout the whole ordeal. It was not easy digging up what little evidence remained from 13 years but she went ahead and tried her very best with the help of her sister and Claire, who is a great friend btw. I was so glad when she slapped Shinji after finding out about his crime, he really deserved that slap. I was also happy with her ending up with her childhood crush, she deserves happiness and a good life.
Mitarai Makiko: Delusional Manipulator. Her inferiority complex was so bad she had to steal a life that isn't hers and manipulate everyone, including herself, to believe that she is worthy of that life when she is the scum of earth. Towards the end, they tried to make us feel sorry for her after she returned the stuff she stole and the way she tried to take the blame so that her son wouldn't be convicted but she's done terrible things and she doesn't deserve empathy.
The father is a terrible human being, not once but twice he betrayed his daughters and had the audacity to try and go back to his ex-wife toward the end. At the end of the day, he stayed a selfish father who cared about nothing but his reputation and his position.
All in all, I believe this story is really worth reading. It has its moments and it was really memorable.
