Burn The House Down Ending Explained: Who Was Really Responsible for the Fire?

Burn the House Down brings a Japanese drama to Netflix with an intriguing blend of mystery, focusing on uncovering the truth behind an incident that occurred thirteen years earlier.

The event in question did not involve any physical harm or loss of life but instead led to a devastating blow to a person’s reputation and dignity.

The storyline follows a woman who accepted responsibility for setting her own family’s house ablaze, though her daughters now strongly believe she was wrongly accused.

While this series and similar J-dramas may appeal to certain audiences, the pacing and character interactions feel excessively drawn out and lack credibility in my view.

Plot Summary: What is the Series About?

A young woman named Shizuka Yamauchi arrives at the residence of Makiko Mitarai, a well-known social media figure, and secures a job as a housekeeper through an agency.

Makiko, notorious for frequently changing domestic workers, hires Shizuka permanently after being satisfied with her initial work.

It does not take long for Shizuka to uncover Makiko’s web of deception—despite publicly portraying herself as a dedicated homemaker, she relies entirely on housekeepers to maintain her home while presenting staged photographs online.

Additionally, Makiko falsely claims that her elder son lives overseas for work, though Shizuka soon learns that he resides in the house but remains reclusive in his room.

However, Shizuka is not who she claims to be. She has assumed a false identity with the sole purpose of infiltrating Makiko’s household. Her real name is Anzu Murata, and more than a decade ago, this very house belonged to her family.

As a child, she witnessed her home being reduced to ashes, with her mother, Satsuki, taking the blame for the disaster. Shortly after, Satsuki was divorced by her husband, Osamu Mitarai, and had to raise her daughters, Anzu and Yuzu, alone.

Over the years, Anzu grew suspicious about her mother’s alleged guilt, particularly after recalling how Makiko, who was once Satsuki’s close friend, appeared disturbingly pleased while the house burned. Makiko’s subsequent marriage to Osamu deepened her doubts.

Now, with Satsuki suffering from amnesia, Anzu is more determined than ever to prove her mother’s innocence. She begins working inside the Mitarai house, hoping to uncover evidence that Makiko was responsible for the fire.

How Does Anzu Find Allies Among Unexpected People?

A key piece of evidence that Anzu seeks is a distinct knit cardigan that belonged to Satsuki. She vividly recalls Makiko frequently borrowing Satsuki’s clothing, which her mother generously overlooked.

During that period, Makiko was financially unstable, raising two sons, Kiichi and Shinji, on her own. On the night of the fire, security footage captured someone fleeing the scene wearing that very cardigan, though their identity remained obscured.

While the sweater originally belonged to Satsuki, it now resides in Makiko’s closet, proving that she had taken it. Anzu and Yuzu believe that retrieving the cardigan from Makiko’s possession would establish that she was the individual seen on the footage, finally implicating her in the crime.

Initially, Anzu’s mission to obtain the cardigan proceeds smoothly. However, complications arise when Yuzu reconnects with their estranged father and shares her suspicions with him.

As a result, Makiko discovers their investigation, destroys the cardigan, and erases any potential evidence. Throughout this, Anzu maintains her fabricated identity, even gaining a promotion as Makiko’s personal manager.

Meanwhile, Makiko remains cautious of Yuzu, hiring a woman named Ichihara to monitor her and Osamu. Yet, Ichihara, having been a longtime employee at Osamu’s hospital and a close associate of Satsuki, switches her loyalty. She secretly supports Anzu and keeps her true identity hidden from Makiko.

As she continues her covert investigation, Anzu forms an alliance with Kiichi, who recognizes her as Anzu. Although initially hesitant, Kiichi decides to assist her. He takes her to his family’s previous home, where he retrieves an old laptop containing crucial information.

This device holds Makiko’s personal journal, filled with intimate confessions that expose her darkest secrets. By analyzing these entries, Anzu pieces together the truth behind the events of that fateful night.

How Does Anzu Manage to Make Makiko Confess?

Makiko and Satsuki initially bonded through their children, as Anzu and Kiichi attended the same school. Despite their children lacking a close friendship, the two women grew acquainted at a parent meeting.

However, there was a stark difference in their social and financial standings—Makiko struggled as a single mother, while Satsuki enjoyed a privileged life as the wife of a successful doctor and hospital owner.

Though Satsuki confided in Makiko about her personal struggles, her so-called friend merely pretended to sympathize, all while secretly mocking her behind closed doors. Makiko’s real ambition was to secure a place in Satsuki’s world of wealth and comfort.

Her scheme escalated when she began stealing valuables from the Mitarai household, taking jewelry and clothing without Satsuki ever noticing. She found excitement in these petty thefts but soon developed a desire to flaunt her stolen goods.

This led her to create a social media persona where she showcased an extravagant lifestyle based on deception. Her online following grew, and she relished the admiration of her fans.

Eventually, she started organizing in-person meetups, despite the risk of being exposed. The last such event coincided with the night of the Mitarai house fire, prompting Anzu to dig deeper.

Anzu discovers that a woman named Mujina, a former social media administrator for Makiko’s fan community, might hold vital clues. To lure Mujina out, Anzu, with Kiichi’s help, fabricates an online identity and posts cryptic messages exposing a fraudulent social media influencer with a dark past.

The tactic works—Makiko, growing anxious, dispatches Anzu (still operating under the alias Shizuka) to silence Mujina with hush money. Instead, Anzu seizes this opportunity to confront Mujina and acquire key evidence.

Mujina recalls following Makiko after the fan gathering and witnessing her heading toward the Mitarai residence—far from where she claimed to live. She had also secretly taken photographs at the event, capturing Makiko wearing Satsuki’s cardigan.

Confronted with irrefutable proof, Makiko initially denies any wrongdoing but eventually admits to setting the fire. However, she later holds a press conference, dismissing the allegations as fabrications.

She also manipulates Osamu into standing by her, exploiting his spineless nature and his concern over their hospital’s future. Just when it seems that Makiko might escape consequences, a cascade of shocking revelations alters everything.

What is The Truth Behind the Fire?

Throughout her investigation, Anzu had been retrieving sentimental items from Makiko’s house and returning them to Satsuki in an attempt to restore her fading memories. This effort proves successful, as Satsuki eventually regains full recollection.

Seeing Makiko dodge accountability, she retaliates by hacking into Makiko’s social media and exposing her fraudulent persona to the public. The backlash is swift, with furious followers tearing apart the carefully curated image Makiko had built.

Two weeks later, the Mitarai household spirals into chaos. Osamu and Makiko drown themselves in alcohol, blaming each other for their downfall. In a fit of desperation, Osamu contacts authorities, requesting an investigation into the fire from thirteen years prior.

As police detain Makiko, Kiichi unexpectedly turns himself in. He confesses to the crime, but in a final twist, the truth about the fire is unveiled—it was actually Shinji who started it.

As a child, Shinji had developed a strong attachment to Satsuki, frequently visiting her home. A few days before the fire, Kiichi had urged Makiko to return the stolen clothing, and in an uncharacteristic moment of guilt, she complied.

On the day of the fire, after her fan event, she sneaked into the Mitarai house to put the clothes back. However, young Yuzu stumbled upon her, causing Makiko to flee in panic, leaving behind some items in a bag. Shinji later found this bag and recognized Satsuki’s cardigan.

Wanting to return it, he went to the Mitarai house but got distracted by the scent of food. Attempting to reheat a pot of curry on the stove, he accidentally ignited the fire.

Terrified, he ran from the scene with the cardigan wrapped around him, inadvertently making himself the shadowy figure captured on the security footage.

Shinji’s guilt kept him silent for years, with Kiichi bearing the burden of protecting him. Now, the truth is finally revealed, and justice is set in motion.