Boogiepop Phantom

It's really interesting coming back to this episode on a re-watch, as we see this plot run through pretty much everything we'll see on subsequent episodes in microcosm, and with incomplete information.

I appreciate that this is the one episode of the series that has full color, as the majority of the "threat" has been resolved, and Boogiepop is just resolving the last loose ends (even if it means Toya isn't going to do well on her entrance exam.) I also appreciate the implication that everyone might be going their separate ways, though Nagi might be watching Toya.

I kinda wonder if the reference to Gravity's Rainbow is nothing more than a "we think it sounds cool" thing, or if it relates to the deliberately disjointed and non-linear structure of the story, and how the structure of the novel becomes more and more disjointed as the protagonist loses their sense of self, the same way that Manaka has issues retaining her sense of self over the course of the series.

The whole Pied Piper plot was, I think, executed well, and played well into some of the plot elements that came up earlier in the series.

I like the callback to Boogiepop At Dawn, and how that ties in to Poom Poom - and how Poom Poom appears to have gotten Boogiepop Prime's attention by getting one of her host's friends. I all appreciate how the series basically is doing spot color for this part of the show, basically only for blood.

On the one hand, the whistle was correct, which was what I thought was the tell for whether it was the Phantom or not. On the other hand, it appeared to clearly be the Phantom that opened the door...

So, the Phantom and Manticore are both caused by the ripples from the events of Boogiepop Never Smiles, but what about the other Changed Humans?

Great way to provide some exposition while keeping you on edge. Also, definitely feeling like Japanese audiences who had read the first few novels would have got more out of this then the first wave of American viewers coming in cold.

Just to make things "better", now we've got a Phantom of Manticore floating

I love how this mixes a little bit of morality play with a nice dose of psychological and body horror. Also, I suspect people who are more familiar with the franchise will get more out of what's going on between Nagi and Boogiepop.

Un episodio muy revelador que conecta varios puntos de episodios anteriores y en donde por fin nos explican el trasfondo Manaka, dándonos contexto sobre su origen y poderes. El episodio tiene un cierre emocional para el personaje, aunque no es nada sencillo entender el cómo se narra porque sigue mostrándose de modo abstracto y simbólico.

This episode provided insight into Echoes, showing how and why she ended up the way she did. The episodes are becoming more coherent with time, but the number of unanswered questions is dwindling only slightly. With only one episode left, some things may just remain a mystery.

This episode included a lot of philosophical dialogue, with most of it being a back and forth between Poom Poom and Boogiepop Phantom. Possibly the best and most coherent of the episodes so far, with clear indication of the topics at hand.

This episode was beautiful, yet heartbreaking. Manaka is such a tragic character. This anime touches on so many different issues and experiences that many people can relate to, expressing them in such creative ways.

This episode might seem like it's not really tied to the main story, but to me it works at showing the effects of what's happening in this world on people that aren't directly involved. While still having that creepy atmosphere, I left this episode feeling sad instead of unsettled.

This episode does explain a few things, but still keeps everything vague enough to keep you wondering. By having the cop deliver the exposition, you're questioning if what he's saying is actually true. This anime never lets up on the feeling of unease. Making sure you never feel comfortable or safe.

This episode was compelling, with an interesting subject matter that was easier to understand. However, it is still unclear what any of these stories have to do with each other. A decent watch on its own, but yet another confusing instalment in a disjointed series.

Very emotional story - and I feel some gaps on what Nagi and Boogiepop (maybe the Phantom) are fighting will be answered in a later episode.

Like how they slip hints of this being parallel to "Boogiepop Never Smiles" until the shoe drops.

The anime is a lot like the novels story wise, although arguably more creepy. Each episode of Boogiepop Phantom focuses on a different character and there perspective on what’s going on in the story. Sometimes it could just be one’s perspective, two, or maybe even three! Well it mostly sticks around two or less. Because of this each episode at first can feel disconnected if you aren’t paying attention, especially during episodes 5 to 8. However, as the story goes along everything makes sense. We as the audience figure out the major threat as to why all this strays nonsense is happening. Why a girl can see her dead best friend, why everyone is getting strange powers, why they are a danger to the world. It’s all explained in a really well way even if it can still be a tad confusing, but not as confusing as Serial Experiments Lain I would argue. Some of my favorite parts of the story is how each character is explored, but we’ll get to that when I talk about the characters. The atmosphere really helps with this too. The anime is given a dark colour pallet that makes everything feel odd and unreal. I really enjoy the way the anime is colored looks and sounds because I’ve never seen an anime with such an effective sound design other than maybe Perfect Blue or Shiki, but even the I feel this anime overwhelms it with its spooky sound design. It’s just so odd and creepy even. The soundtrack I feel was really good too. It really fit the vibe of the show and the odd feeling it gave off. It’s even more interesting since seemingly some of the music was stock music that was changed slightly, but you would never be able to tell with how well it fits the show. As I’m writing this I’m even listening to the soundtrack right now! Now I love the characters of this show. On the surface they could at first appear bland. They mostly have bland designs that represent them being people. No colorful hair, expressive tones, nothing of the sort. I like that because it makes them feel more real. They all feel like real people and I just love that about them. There is Boogiepop, well, two Boogiepops. One is the separate identify of Touka Miyashita while the other absorbed with Manticore during her death. None of that may make sense but if you read the first book and watch the anime, you may get it better. Then there is Nagi Kirima and Kazuko Suema from the first book and seemingly other books. There is even Poom Poom who is in a book! Now for the characters made for the show, my favorite are Manama Kisaragi, Misuzu Arito, Moto Tonomura, Saki Yoshizawa, Yoji Suganuma. Manama is the main villain of the show who does many stuff wrong, but not any fault of her own. She was a sheltered girl due to powers she had, seemingly able to collect memories which took the shape of memories. After being killed by her grandmother, she is revived due to a flash of light, which was an event that happened in the first book, that causes a part of Echoes life source to absorb into her. I know that sounds confusing but just go with it. Then her grandma passes of old age and she leaves her house, exploring the outside world and just wanting to have friends. For Moto she is one of the few characters who is hinted to have lived, although still doesn’t get her happy ending. She is still depressed, heart broken her crush is dead, and that’s all we hear from her. Yoji is very similar although he feels more deserved. He ends up getting hooked to a dating sim to the point he confuses the fictional character on said dating sim and his coworker Rie together. It doesn’t help he is also hooked on a drug called Type S. Eventually he has a mental breakdown after his computer seemingly shuts down permanently and his fate is left ambiguous. Now for my few cons, the story is very hard to understand if you have not read any of the books. You specifically have to read the first and sixth books if you want to understand any of the anime. Or you could watch the live action adaptation of the first book but I don’t recommend that. Because of this if you go in blind expect to be totally confused. The animation can be very rough at times to a point it can be considered funny. It’s a tad shocking since the studio behind it was Madhouse, which is an anime studio known for being well advanced in the animation side. It’s not the worst animation in the world but it can appear rather janky, which may worsen the experience. And that’s my review! The anime is phenomenal even with its flaws and I heavily recommend it. It’s worth it, trust me. {Pros} - The story is really well executed - Atmosphere is creepy in a unsettling and dreamlike way - I adore the soundtrack - The characters are very interesting and well written {Cons} - You would have to read the first and sixth book to understand parts of the anime more - The animation can be very rough at certain points Personal Rating - 8.4/10 IMDB Rating - 7.2/10 MAL Rating - 7.1/10