I'm stuck in a place between dissatisfaction and perplexion. This drama had good cinematography and music, but…
I completely agree with your assessment. I would write a review, but it's really impossible to do so without giving spoilers. This show is very strange. We are supposed to identify with Mitsu's fantasy why? Why should we feel any sympathy for her ridiculously irresponsible behavior? It's like she doesn't have the ability to choose her own actions and that's just silly. Arishima was clearly just a player who was high on his own good looks. His actions are just as deplorable, but he seemed to realize he was a bad person quite quickly and tried to correct himself. Mitsu didn't seem to care about anything she did until the very end when she thought her ex-husband might kill himself. Really? It took that much to apologize? This forced moral ambiguity was really annoying. I didn't get the message as "having affairs is wrong," but rather... a random mishmash of confusing mess. The message and direction seemed to change every episode. It began as a generic romance, and then quickly shifted tone to a horror show. Then at the very end, became tragically romantic. It was just too jarring and weird to not be problematic. And some of the scenes became melodramatic or ridiculous in what seemed to be a rather grounded show. Like it tried to be a "DRAMA" rather than a "drama" at times, but then reverted. The ending somewhat saved it, but the damage really had already been done. As far as acting, I liked all EXCEPT Mitsu (Minami Haru). She was too cute and polite the whole time which really confused me in regards to what she was doing. I don't think this is Minami Haru's fault, but rather maybe she shouldn't have been cast for the role simply because she couldn't get her head around the character. (For reasons I just said...)
In all, it wasn't a terrible show, though you feel terrible as you watch it. It feels disgusting. That's basically what the show is trying to do (and why I don't really consider it a romance, but rather horror). But the flaws I mentioned above are sizable errors. And I'm not sure that's anyone's fault but the original source material (plot of the manga). They did the best they could have with it.
@Mitsukirox101 concerning it being better if both Mitsu and Arishima were unhappy at the end: This SEEMS like proper justice, but actually both characters were given a second chance by their spouses. Arishima's second chance was earned perhaps too easily, but Mitsu was given one unconditionally (expect perhaps his ...strangeness...). However, only Arishima WANTED the second chance. Mitsu didn't love her husband, so she got what she wanted: divorce and unrealistic fantasies. She chose her own path.
In all, it wasn't a terrible show, though you feel terrible as you watch it. It feels disgusting. That's basically what the show is trying to do (and why I don't really consider it a romance, but rather horror). But the flaws I mentioned above are sizable errors. And I'm not sure that's anyone's fault but the original source material (plot of the manga). They did the best they could have with it.
@Mitsukirox101 concerning it being better if both Mitsu and Arishima were unhappy at the end: This SEEMS like proper justice, but actually both characters were given a second chance by their spouses. Arishima's second chance was earned perhaps too easily, but Mitsu was given one unconditionally (expect perhaps his ...strangeness...). However, only Arishima WANTED the second chance. Mitsu didn't love her husband, so she got what she wanted: divorce and unrealistic fantasies. She chose her own path.