So your daughter has been killed at school. What do you do? Do you spend fifteen years hunting down the killer? Do you spend fifteen years being depressed? Do you take it out on some little girls, who will go on to spend the next fifteen years suffering the consequences? All of the above. This is Penance.
Penance is an interest little series, centering around
a woman called Asako Adachi and four little girls after they become
adults. These girls aren't just any random girls, but friends of a
little girl who was killed who just happens to be Asako's daughter. These girls didn't see the girl get killed, but they know who did it
and won't say who it was for...reasons. Naturally this pisses off
Asako, who challenges them to find the killer or pay an appropriate
penance.
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| This is the last time anyone saw Asako's daughter. |
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These four girls know who killed Asako's daughter, but say next to nothing... |
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| ...leading Asako to say this to them. |
Each episode follows one of these girls fifteen years
in the future. Some have successful careers, some are married, but
all of them are living miserable lives. Asako meets each of them and
ask them if they've found the killer or decided on a penance. But
the series is called Penance, not I Found The Killer, so the girls choose penance.
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| Some of the girls grew up to be screwed up... |
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| ...while others grew up to be a little less screwed up. |
Most of these women's tales have sad endings. There's
murder, cheating, fighting, mystery, depression, and a dash of horror
believe it or not. The one person who gets something resembling a happy ending is the one who deserves it the least. One of these tales had an ending that was so stupid
and unintentionally hilarious, it actually inspired this review. So,
there's a little something for everyone in a twisted way.
Eventually, the killer is found and the story puts
itself together for a satisfying conclusion. This, however, is when
we discover that every major character is messed up. The girls are
messed up. The people they get involved with are messed up. The
killer is messed up. Even Asako is messed up, though she has a
reason for it.
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| Only a true bitch like Asako can sit back and drink tea while another woman has labor pains. |
What we have with Penance is an enjoyable, if sometimes
nonsensical series. The execution is a little off at times, but the
conclusion is satisfying. It's worth a view. Check It Out.
