This series is the best. The story from every character is really touching. I can fell the pain when Ayano-san finally burst out. I hope Netflix Japan can continue their story to the next season. This is deserved more attention.
To me, the most dominant character in this series is Japanese society, one that places stability at a very high priority and which sometimes engenders uniformity, conformity, and apathy, among other things. While unscrupulous politicians have exploited this desire for stability for corrupt purposes, the series accepts that desire as something that needs to be navigated in the search for truth, and not to be entirely overthrown. Every one of the actors have done an exceptional job in conveying this milieu, playing characters who've had to strike that 'awful' balance between doing right, and social and personal stability. This is especially so for Yonekura Ryoko, who as Matsuda Anna, embodies that struggle, but who is ultimately also the catalyst for change, especially in Kinoshita Ryo (played by Yokohama). That Ryoko is stunningly beautiful doesn't hurt either.