Granting the Point, Then Objecting
にしても accepts something as true and still raises an objection.
- 忙しいにしても連絡ぐらいできるはずだ。(Even if you were busy, you could at least have called.)
The speaker is not disputing the first clause. They are saying it does not excuse the second.
The Paired Form — Whether A or B
Two にしても in a row cover both options:
- 行くにしても行かないにしても、連絡してください。(Whether you go or not, let me know.)
The outcome is the same either way, which is the point.
Against ても and としても
| Pattern | Feel |
|---|---|
| ても | plain "even if" |
| にしても | grants the point, then pushes back |
| それにしても | "even so" — standing alone as a connective |
それにしても opens a sentence and reacts to what was just said: それにしても暑いですね。(Even so, it's hot, isn't it.)
Register
Neutral. It works in conversation and in writing, and unlike くせに it carries no contempt — the objection is reasonable rather than accusing.