Do not mind the ratings ever for a Japanese Drama on MDL. JDramas have less viewers as compared to other countries and often users don't rate them on face value. So, give this one a shot... if you can stomach this.

I wonder what sort of insanity got into me that I decided to binge this series in a single go for 5 hours straight. The number of watchers and the positive comments made me quite curious

Agawa Daigo, a diligent policeman with an uncontrollable temper, moves with his wife and daughter into a new village "Kuge", after his predecessor resigns before mysteriously vanishing. Within the very first day, he is called in after the Goto family finds the body of their Grandmother in the woods in a rather bizarre condition. However, Daigo's suspicions pique after realising that the Gotos are desperately trying to hide something from him... or someone.

Warning: Cannibalism is a really strong backbone of this story. So, please be prepared for the worst. Some scenes can be traumatizing.

Right from the very opening scene, we know what was discovered by Mr. Kano, the previous officer stationed at Kuge. The series follows Daigo-san as he decides to get into the bottom of Mr. Kano's disappearance and the reason that finally lead him to that point.
I have to say, every single cast member played their roles excellently well. I don't think I would appreciate Daigo as much as I did had the role been performed by a weak actor. Daigo was certainly the character that I wanted to simultaneously cheer for, as well punch due to his extremely impulsive nature.
The villagers were plain creepy in the very first glimpse that we get of them.
The little kid Mashiro was someone who kept me on the edge of my seat till the final episode, but her character seems to have been underutilized. [There is a certain scene where I wondered why no one questioned her. Yes, she couldn't talk, but she seems to signal and respond well to emotions.]
The one character who intrigued me the most was Keisuke. He was indeed different.
If I could point out any 'letdowns', then it might be the predictability of the plot - this could also be because I distrusted every single person on screen and concocted various scenarios, so nothing came as a surprise.
The ending was expected, yet unexpected. Though, I do believe that a second season is necessary to tie up all the loose threads, the post-credits scene and the words of a character pretty much makes the future imaginable.
It was a knowledgeable, yet a gripping watch for fans of horror and mystery. 8/10 from me. (Deducted points due to some predictable bits.]