Synopsis

Ihara Masato is the reluctant fifth-generation heir to the Ihara funeral home—a family business he has always disliked but inherits after his father’s death. This downtown funeral parlor, trusted by the police, predominantly handles “complicated” cases. Alongside his siblings and a female rookie detective he meets by chance, Masato confronts the harsh realities of society that arrive with each body.

Job scarcity, working poor, fraud, death from overwork, drowsy driving, mercy killings, bullying, suicide, homelessness, poverty business, inheritance disputes—

As Masato encounters the silent bodies of those who died for various reasons, he begins to confront his way of living and family relationships. The initially fragmented family gradually unites…

When deaths are dismissed by police as accidents, Masato sometimes acts like a detective, though meddlesome, to discover the truth for the bereaved families. Eventually, the unexpected truths about the deceased, poignant secrets, unfortunate misunderstandings, kind lies, and feelings for loved ones come to light.

Beyond its mystery elements involving “complicated deaths,” this human drama powerfully portrays “living” through Masato’s journey as he transforms the colorless lives of the deceased into vibrant stories and brings human warmth to the tears of those left behind.