This is the first time I've genuinely been disappointed by any aspect of a Japanese TV show

Not like I'm a huge fan of the anime in general, so much that I'd rather have watched the original series. But this... No.

It's a show about a girl, not a character. She's human. She doesn't have agency. She's not defined by her actions. She's defined by how she acts and the people around her. The characters are only defined by their actions. And that's where I think you're wrong.