Boku Dake ga Inai Machi

[gdpetti]

Well, it says 12 eps, so 5 more to go. Interesting that the manga is ongoing, so hard to tell... as he's starting to learn how to control his movement in time... in his mind, then the manga series could keep going on, even though he might get 'erased' from his hometown in one way or another, he would still be present in whichever time locale his mind takes him... this is starting to sound like 4th density movement in other dimensions... within the mind... interesting.

Meanwhile, the writing is good, animation seems fine, no complaints, as he is getting better at this as he gets more experience... he hasn't really told his friend about himself, right? I forgot already.

 

[Ryu]

QUOTE (Norren @ Feb 19 2016,01:25 AM)Here's hoping it gets a second season, given the rate they're going they'll cliffhanger on the moment of realization of what the series' title means.
QUOTE (gdpetti @ Feb 22 2016, 07:39 PM)Well, it says 12 eps, so 5 more to go. Interesting that the manga is ongoing, so hard to tell... as he's starting to learn how to control his movement in time... in his mind, then the manga series could keep going on, even though he might get 'erased' from his hometown in one way or another, he would stillAn original finale would suck if that manga isn't finished yet, doesn't end well in most cases so i doubt A-1 Pictures will... or better a 2nd live-action with S2 like Ansatsu, about ep.8 nice to see Satoru's Mom protecting Kayo too (key visual)

 

[Norren]

QUOTE (NecroRyu @ Feb 25 2016, 12:00 PM) An original finale would suck if that manga isn't finished yet, doesn't end well in most cases so i doubt A-1 Pictures will... or better a 2nd live-action with S2 like Ansatsu, about ep.8 nice to see Satoru's Mom protecting Kayo too (key visual)

I doubt it'd be an original finale, I'm personally expecting a straight cliffhanger. (It would be perfect.)

It's funny to watch Satoru continue his bad habit of saying things out loud he shouldn't.

"Am I in the way?"
"Yeah."
*pow*

 

[gdpetti]

It looks like they have plenty of time to finish it if they want... No... just checked Wikipedia... 7 volumes... that 7th one set to be released in a couple of days, so this will be an ongoing anime if the ratings are good enough, as it seems the manga is, that last ep is nicely done as is the entire show.

Ok, now that last post makes sense... Does anyone know if the manga is a continuation of this same dynamic of kayo and the other victims the MC knows of, or has it gone past that to another storyline?

 

[Barbobot]

QUOTE (gdpetti @ Mar 02 2016, 09:46 PM) It looks like they have plenty of time to finish it if they want... No... just checked Wikipedia... 7 volumes... that 7th one set to be released in a couple of days, so this will be an ongoing anime if the ratings are good enough, as it seems the manga is, that last ep is nicely done as is the entire show.

Ok, now that last post makes sense... Does anyone know if the manga is a continuation of this same dynamic of kayo and the other victims the MC knows of, or has it gone past that to another storyline?
So you and everyone else knows, the anime has already been confirmed to follow the manga all the way to the end. The manga is ending at roughly the same time that the anime will, so it will be like how FMA Brotherhood finished at the same time as the manga and had the same ending.

 

[Ryu]

QUOTE (Norren @ Feb 25 2016,11:01 PM)Satoru continue his bad habitmaybe it's one of the downsides after time-traveling, literally speaking his mind against will a lot ;p so ep'9... i'm glad Kayo is safe from her mother for now but i wonder, if that teacher's reaction to his candies is just a red herring again

 

[Norren]

QUOTE (NecroRyu @ Mar 03 2016, 12:00 PM) maybe it's one of the downsides after time-traveling, literally speaking his mind against will a lot ;p so ep'9... i'm glad Kayo is safe from her mother for now but i wonder, if that teacher's reaction to his candies is just a red herring again

Nah, he was like that as an adult, too.

I think it's a natural consequence of growing up with a mind reading yokai.

 

[gdpetti]

I took it as a factor of living in his mind, especially in his kid form, essentially thinking out loud, before realizing it afterwards that his thoughts came out through his mouth, and didn't stay in his mind.... add in the mangaka aspect, and it seemed rather natural to me.

The manga readers are saying it'll have to compress the rest of the storylines to end with the manga, as it's only a little over halfway through... like how they quickly tacked on those other 2 girls, mostly one, as the next target at the end of this ep... but not having read it myself, it really doesn't matter... as they concentrated so much time on Kayo so far, supposedly like the mangaka originally intended or something like that.

 

[Ryu]

QUOTE (Norren @ Mar 03 2016, 07:35 PM)I think it's a natural consequence of growing up with a mind reading yokai.

QUOTE (gdpetti @ Mar 06 2016, 08:54 PM)I took it as a factor of living in his mind, especially in his kid form, essentially thinking out loud, before realizing it afterwards that his thoughts came out through his mouth, and didn't stay in his mind....Still very motherly how she can tell what he's thinking, a good twist to his habit which felt formulaic in some eps... so finally #10 reveals the killer :/ obvious as Satoru said but realized too late, or not if his 'Revival' power gets literal?

 

[gdpetti]

Ep#11 is a nice ep as well, especially as the manga readers have mentioned how much material they'll have to compress/eliminate to meet the end in the next episode. I like the way they transitioned the teacher's life changes and how they have him infiltrate the hospital using the girl awaiting surgery... though the roof thing is a little over the top, no pun intended, and is so overused in anime, especially as so much of it takes place in schools. It seems all the kids spend their time 'up on the roof'... same way so many of them seem to be living alone, their parents abroad of something.

Oh well, this series is nicely done in a straight fashion, just storytelling. If I remember the manga readers said this anime is supposed to have the ending the mangaka originally intended or something like that.... not sure what those changes would be.

The animation team did a good job aging the characters I thought, which was interesting to see, and easier than doing a live action scene, though the movie version should be interesting as well.

 

[Norren]

QUOTE (NecroRyu @ Mar 24 2016, 12:00 PM) yes a very cliché place :0 still creepy how he picks 'hamsters', but nice contrast of Satoru's young mind now in adult body... also his reencounter with grown up Kayo and friends, Btw did you notice its previous OP he's Erased' literally? AOTS

Boku Dake ga Inai Machi (TV series 12 episodes) winter 2016 - 10/10
I really liked this one, but the anime original ending was pretty disappointing. I liked the intricacy of the Xanatos Speed Chess game that went on at the youth retreat, the simplification of a rooftop confrontation that didn't have a tenth of the planning on either side was a change for the worse. I had personally been holding out for the show ending on the cliffhanger of him waking up from the coma. The OP seemed to imply that's where it was heading.

On the flipside, the nostalgia rush at the end with all the awesome flashbacks and getting to see everyone grown up and having fun at the restaurant was a great addition. The anime has way better art, especially Airi at the ending, there.

In fact, the art was so much better that I have to actually give it top marks. The Mangaka both uses an intentionally rough style, and took quite a while to hit the sweet spot between rough and unrefined. The Show on the otherhand uses a fairly easy to animate, clean version of the Mangaka's work, so all the characters come off looking better. Combined with some of the amazing 3DCG work they did, it's an interesting trade off, one which I think actually compensates for the anime original ending.

"Erased" was such a bad localization of the title, I can't help but think whoever did that never even read the story. Totally weakend the power of the series' repeated title-drops. Kayo's essay/cry for help, Satoru's victory mantra- "The town without me."

That aside, I really loved the way that the series never really made the Mystery a Mystery. Everything is pretty out there and in the open, it's the struggle rather than the mystery itself that drives the story, and in a powerful way.

I think I'll give this one a 9/10. I really liked it, but I don't quite feel like it was perfect.

 

[gdpetti]

QUOTE (NecroRyu @ Mar 24 2016, 01:00 PM) Btw did you notice its previous OP he's Erased' literally? AOTS

Boku Dake ga Inai Machi (TV series 12 episodes) winter 2016 - 10/10
No, I didn't even watch it, assuming it's the same, as changing it cost money.. sort of... guess they could use the same stills and just leave off one... hmmm. Thanks for mentioning that, especially with that link for the side by side view.... it's a little thing really, but a 'finishing' touch, nevertheless and completes that title. I usually avoid watching the titles unless I really like the song.

I'd give it a 9... put in in my fav list, which I need to edit. An anime I just finished that was also well produced on all fronts was 'Bartender', which I saw recommended somewhere by someone... I'm not into drinking or bars, but it was a well composed storytelling for that aspect of life. Not what I expected... they had a concept and kept it up till the end... which wasn't more than 11 or 12 eps anyway, but that concept worked well for it.

As for this one, it seems the production team actually did bring it to the finish line as the mangaka wanted, from what I've heard( have to check the manga thread)... though just barely by that last scene under the bridge/overpass... but nicely done... this whole anime was nicely done for a thriller... though I would have liked a little more on his time travelling ability covered other than saying near the end, that it hasn't happened since... that was one of my only compliants this ep... I liked the edit off the roof as the killer is about to push him, but they cut back to his previous day's conversation with his friends... nice touch... Oh, another little compliant is... crap, just forgot!

Oh, yes... the killer's made to be a psychopath throughout the anime, at least in my opinion, but at the end, the creators of this anime decided to suddenly give him a conscience as he's about to step off the edge and die... just before looking down and seeing the mc below with his friends/mom... that didn't fit IMO... they would've had to show something earlier, at least a hint, otherwise it's a cop-out IMO.... even a look... unless I missed it like this OP change?

 

[Norren]

I would argue it isn't so much a conscience as a relationship. He'd developed a rivalry with Satoru, it's pretty natural to experience that crushing emptiness upon losing someone close to you, and in this case the rivalry followed by years of having nothing like it made him value the relationship to the point he really didn't care about living without it.

That said, I really liked the evolving OP. It kept removing people and adding people based on who'd died in the current iteration of the timeline.

Also, during the shot of Airi, Kayo, and Yokaibaba, it has Satoru in the BG when it's blue, and then it changes to red and Satoru is swapped for the killer in the same pose, it's pretty easy to see who it is at that point, so... yeah, I'm not really sure that constitutes a spoiler.

 

[Ryu]

QUOTE (gdpetti @ Mar 23 2016, 07:32 PM)I like the way they transitioned the teacher's life changes and how they have him infiltrate the hospital using the girl awaiting surgery... though the roof thing is a little over the top, no pun intended, and is so overused in anime, especially as so much of it takes place in schools. It seems all the kids spend their time 'up on the roof'... same way so many of them seem to be living alone, their parents abroad of somyes a very cliché place :0 still creepy how he picks 'hamsters', but nice contrast of Satoru's young mind now in adult body... also his reencounter with grown up Kayo and friends, Btw did you notice its previous OP he's Erased' literally? AOTS

Boku Dake ga Inai Machi (TV series 12 episodes) winter 2016 - 10/10

 

[gdpetti]

If he's a pyschopath, he might be intrigued by Satoru and his claim of knowing his future, but I don't think it would stop him from killing him to dispose of any threat. Otherwise, he's not a psychopath, but rather some other pathological type, which should have been pointed out better in the anime... if that was the case... as I didn't get that understanding of his character... he's made out, IMO, as a smart psychopath.

One problem, as another mentioned, is who saved Satoru from the car? Not sure if it's mentioned in the manga or not, but intrigue doesn't lead to saving the kid, again, IMO.

Otherwise a nice anime overall.... many of these wrap-up finales seem to squeeze too much into the closing minutes... so it seems hurried or 'not enough', like that Airi ending... it's there, but barely, but then, in the anime, her character does seem to disappear in the last half of the series... I think the manga readers said it was different in the manga.... not that it really matters, but perhaps it comes down to money again? Here in the States, with a regular live action series dealing with a series finale, the usual format would be done more as a special... with perhaps doubling the minutes.... like a double ep... 50 minutes instead.... I haven't seen that done in anime... except in those cases of specials, OVAs etc. A good example is the current 4 part 'Tamayura' series.... instead of a regular 3rd season, they're doing it as 4 50min 'films' on tv... which, time wise, isn't much different, but gives them time to do the job right.... 'Aria' did a wrap-up like this anime did... which needed to be expanded out IMO, but still, it was a really good job, the way they wrapped it all up.

It's always a little depressing when the good ones end, which makes them even more of a rarity, same in any medium... there isn't that much 'good stuff' out there in any form.

 

[Norren]

QUOTE (gdpetti @ Mar 29 2016, 03:12 PM) If he's a pyschopath, he might be intrigued by Satoru and his claim of knowing his future, but I don't think it would stop him from killing him to dispose of any threat. Otherwise, he's not a psychopath, but rather some other pathological type, which should have been pointed out better in the anime... if that was the case... as I didn't get that understanding of his character... he's made out, IMO, as a smart psychopath.

One problem, as another mentioned, is who saved Satoru from the car? Not sure if it's mentioned in the manga or not, but intrigue doesn't lead to saving the kid, again, IMO.
See, that's just it, he's a psychopath, but he's found the act of competing against Satoru to be more fun than murder itself. He considered killing sleeping Satoru, but realized he wanted the murder to be part of a competition- there was no gratification in simply killing a helpless foe. He wanted it so much that he pretty much spends all his free time stalking Satoru once Satoru wakes up.

Also, the manga details that there was a lady who a saw the car go in the drink and dove in after him less than 30 seconds after he went down, scaring off the murderer. Satoru was only underwater for a few minutes.

As to the Anime's abrupt ending... it was one of sequencing. They only had one and a half cours of content, closer to 1 than 2. It made sense to crop it down a bit.

 

[gdpetti]

QUOTE (Norren @ Mar 29 2016, 09:58 PM)See, that's just it, he's a psychopath, but he's found the act of competing against Satoru to be more fun than murder itself. He considered killing sleeping Satoru, but realized he wanted the murder to be part of a competition- there was no gratification in simply killing a helpless foe. He wanted it so much that he pretty much spends all his free time stalking Satoru once Satoru wakes up.


Yes, that can be figured into the 'smart' type in some ways, but not at the end of that roof scene when he's about to step off himself... or at least that was my impression, as if he was going to suicide himself after losing his competitive 'foe'.... a psychopath wouldn't do that, it's not in their programming as predators... 'animals' simply don't do that. Not sure of any manga difference at that moment on the edge of the roof, but it was made out in the anime, like he was showing remorse.... not possible for a psychopath, dumb or smart.... was my impression of this 'remorse' wrong? As a psychopath would definitely not feel it, they don't have a conscience, which is why they can so easily do what they do... and why they get away with it so much, most people don't think such a thing as having no conscience can really exist, as most people have one, and think that all others are like them, but psychopaths aren't wired that way, and they soon learn it in life.

It's a relatively small point, as this story wasn't really dealing with the issue of psychopathy, but rather just a mass murderer, without much thought on what such a person is really like... that would be a different story entirely... one better told in Hollywood these days, as the pro-torture American conquistadors march on in glee.... sort of like the Japanese soldiers in Nanking et al.... a psychopathic playground, which is, on a smaller scale of course, what we are dealing with in these killers... but again, not what the creators of this story were intending to tell us about.... but is there nevertheless... IMO, of course.

 

[Ryu]

The Town Where Only I am Missing film, Live action which title spoils its ending

QUOTE (Norren @ Mar 25 2016, 03:01 AM)original ending was pretty disappointing.
QUOTE (gdpetti @ Mar 23 2016, 07:32 PM)The animation team did a good job aging the characters I thought, which was interesting to see, and easier than doing a live action scene, though the movie version should be interesting as well.Just found subs in Dramago and Dramanice, at least most of it is adapted ok