He felt the first four segments are so unexpectedly funny, rich and moving that it makes more disappointing that Kiyoshi Kurosawa can't bring it to a satisfying close.
[3] Todd Brown of Twitch Film felt each episode is meticulously well constructed and beautifully performed.
He said Penance is certainly an intriguing and worthwhile investment of time and effort despite not being up to the standards of Kurosawa's best work.
[4] Mark Schilling of The Japan Times said, "throughout the series the Kurosawa style, minimalist but atmospheric, imparts an eerie, intimate tension to even the most mundane scenes, while revealing inner lives more by incisive suggestion than the usual TV-drama shouting.
"[5] Andrew Sun of South China Morning Post noted the video quality and the predictable structure are constant reminders of that it is a television project.