Boku dake ga Inai Machi

When tragedy is about to strike, Satoru Fujinuma finds himself sent back several minutes before the accident occurs. The detached, 29-year-old manga artist has taken advantage of this powerful yet mysterious phenomenon, which he calls "Revival," to save many lives.

However, when he is wrongfully accused of murdering someone close to him, Satoru is sent back to the past once again, but this time to 1988, 18 years in the past. Soon, he realizes that the murder may be connected to the abduction and killing of one of his classmates, the solitary and mysterious Kayo Hinazuki, that took place when he was a child. This is his chance to make things right.

Boku dake ga Inai Machi follows Satoru in his mission to uncover what truly transpired 18 years ago and prevent the death of his classmate while protecting those he cares about in the present.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Fujinuma, Satoru Main

Mitsushima, Shinnosuke Japanese

Hinazuki, Kayo Main

Yuuki, Aoi Japanese

Fujinuma, Sachiko Supporting

Takayama, Minami Japanese

Kobayashi, Kenya Supporting

Taichi, You Japanese

Katagiri, Airi Supporting

Akasaki, Chinatsu Japanese

Yashiro, Gaku Supporting

Miyamoto, Mitsuru Japanese

Sugita, Hiromi Supporting

Kitou, Akari Japanese

Shiratori, Jun Supporting

Mizushima, Daichuu Japanese

Hinazuki, Akemi Supporting

Okamura, Akemi Japanese

Osamu Supporting

Nanase, Ayaka Japanese

Suzuki, Kenta Producer

Itou, Tomohiko Director, Episode Director, Storyboard

Iwanami, Yoshikazu Sound Director

Ishii, Toshimasa Episode Director, Storyboard, Assistant Director

Reviews

Nov 17, 2025

MiRR0RMaN

Recommended

Boku dake ga Inai Machi is one of those rare anime that sneaks up on you, wraps itself around your heart, and then refuses to let go. It’s a masterpiece in the quiet, deliberate way—never flashy, never overplaying its hand, but always pulling you deeper with every scene.

At its core, it’s the story of a man with an ability we’ve all secretly wished for at least once in our lives. But the beauty lies in how the anime shows that even a “gift” like that comes with enormous weight. Every choice he makes has a cost. Every moment feels like it matters.

The ambiance? Man… the ... atmosphere hits the same haunting, melancholic notes you get from Silent Hill—both the games and the first movie. There’s also a touch of that tender, eerie vibe from Let Me In (and the original Let the Right One In). It’s emotional, snowy, lonely, hopeful… all at once. Just gorgeous.

I loved every second of it, and I’m not spoiling a damn thing—this is one of those shows you should go into fresh.

PRO TIP: If you fall in love with the anime, you’re not done yet. There’s a live-action TV series and a movie, and both of them are surprisingly beautiful adaptations.

Honestly… why are you still reading this? Go watch it, my guy / girl. It’s worth every minute.

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Jul 29, 2025

Supersonic_Pain

Mixed Feelings

I got a general feeling that the feeling around Erased was that the ending was kinda bad but the show was great beforehand.

And I was watching the show and I was like "nah, the streets can't be right about this one, this show is pretty great" and goddamn it, the streets were fucking right.

It looks very good. I like that the 1988 segments have a vertical border to show that this is The Past. The score is also pretty good, noteworthy enough to get a mention, it is great at making you feel emotions, I teared up a few times during this show.

Time travel's a ... tricky thing, huh?

It actually starts off with a cool power (that it never explains how he got this power since it's an otherwise not supernatural show, but whatever). Satoru can basically do a mulligan. For example, if he sees a car crash, he can rewind up to five minutes before the accident happens and change the future so that the accident doesn't happen.

This is a great setup for a supernatural detective story but the problem is it just turns into him praying to God to let him fix his Big Mulligan from 18 years ago because it's tangentially connected to an event in the present.

At some point, it makes you wonder why it ever explicitly gives him a power at all instead of just Magically throwing him back in time for this one instance.

Speaking of which, since he's 11 in 1988, it makes all the interactions kinda weird when 29-year-old Satoru has to wrangle around 11-year-old children (except for the one conveniently super-genius/hyper-competent one). He blushes multiple times at his interactions with 11-year-old Kayo Hinazuki and has to go "ackshully, you're 29, Satoru!"

Which was cute the first time because heat of the moment and it's a cute way to kind of sidestep the grossness of the concept. It's more than certain "characters with higher mental than physical ages" get.

And they just keep doing it, which kind of throws my immersion out and really does make him look kinda weird for having some sort of type of feelings for her.

Generally speaking, I like the characters, but not enough to go through and talk about them. For a 12-episode show, they fit their places in the story well.

I won't say who it is but I was initially shocked and satisfied with the reveal of Pedophile Killer (as in a killer who is a pedophile, not a killer of pedophiles).

Idk though, they reveal it so late that he only gets a couple episodes to BE PK and it feels like they covered their tracks too well. They said he was on the list of suspects and I went back and checked and, at least on the Crunchyroll stream, that is bullshit and not true. He also changed his name... because? No one would've been able to attach him to the crimes and there's no real indication that he would do this or have the opportunity to do this.

He retroactively is written as an absolute psychopath with a fixation on Satoru and idk, man, it just makes PK kinda lame when I liked him prior.

I can't really say much about the ending for obvious reasons (although I will say I find it to be lame, PK aside, how they handle the new timeline from the changes they did in 1988 to present day is a very weird and kinda suckass way) so instead, indulge me on a tangent.

Why is Airi seventeen?

For those not in the know, in present day, Satoru (29) and Airi (17) worked together at a pizza parlor and, like, they weren't explicitly together or anything but it never felt like that far off of an opportunity.

In general, I think Airi is kind of an underbaked character, a victim of the majority of the story taking place in the past. She kinda feels like a substitute love interest for Satoru in a way. She even kinda looks like an adult version of Kayo if she was cheerier.

Idk, this is a show that really needs to have a spoiler section to be properly discussed for me because it's a great, gripping show that tells an interesting story with tense direction, solid characters, and good production... for 10 episodes. Sure, some of the characters (PK, Airi) are done worse than others but I would've been happy recommending this if it stuck the landing and it doesn't. And, for most shows really but ESPECIALLY shows like Erased that are "mystery" and "suspense", you need to stick the landing and I don't think it did.

The villain is just kind of a "force of nature" for a long portion of the show where we don't really get to see him do anything, he's just an imposing presence looming over the show and when the curtain rises, he's a half-baked, underwhelming villain.

The way Satoru's mental age is depicted in this show really hits a roadblock when it's time for the timeline to continue forward since he's not REALLY 11, he's a 29-year-old piloting his 11-year-old body, so they go with a real... cop out of an ending

Do I suggest you watch it?

I mean, maybe?

It's a good show for the vast majority but the way it ends is kind of underwhelming and I don't know if the juice is worth the squeeze for a show like this if it has a rather weak surprise in the box.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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Sep 3, 2025

Saternates

Not Recommended

8/10

Total tear-jerker, i rewatched this show for a total of 5 times. That is correct 5 times! Show how truly i miss something that excites me lately this year, and Boku Dake ga Inai Machi (A town without me) perfectly fills that holes. "Why the fanatism? why the not recommended, why the gatekept?" hold on, this is NOT a hate review, this is a review that i made to cuss at myself and brace that i cant recommend this anime to nobody EVER. Just because its not recommended doesnt mean that you dont have to watch it.

and boy oh boy, Boku dake ga ... Inai Machi scene replayed so much and i remember it vividly, i wrote this review as of 5 years prior and it feels to me that this is the most show that touched my heart ever.

Story : 8/10

Im a big fan of mystery, im biased for mystery, and i love cracking mystery, the mix of the mystery combined with overwhelmingly care people for Satoru (The MC, not Satoru Gojo). Satoru came in "normal", he lives his normal life, but somehow, for some reason he HAVE to return back to time a few back time where some accident happen. And this is what makes the story plot interesting, because majority of main character would have the power to use this at his own will. Satoru does not, some kind of "higher being" are messing with him (probably the author haha) and like it or not, he has to save the person because of this. And, this is where it gets interesting... He suddenly returned to his childhood! what happens? well find it out yourself. Im a no spoiler guy

The mixing between time travel and social justice combined with mystery REALLY deserve this show an appraise, i never felt so sincere, heartwarm, and felt like a needle struck my heart a bazillion of times. Sounds exaggerating but this is how it feels like. The scene is... well not too much of a slow pace, but its acceptable, the fact that our main character are battling through various of emotion that made him Satoru, that made him human, that made him feels like that this town would be better without him. But sadly this is not about him. And for that alone, the mixing of the internal makes it so much better in its own.

Art : 8/10
This is where the gong started (kinda an asian phrase dont mind me) When you thought it couldnt be any better and oh boy it turns better! hint: The Christmas tree incident. Absolutely breath taking. But nope, it doesnt stop there, it is a view for a 12-episode anime where usually you dont get to see a visual like this! hell even in 2016. This is a treat for my eyes and that actually makes me stay for the rest of the episode (and dont blame me i rewatched this for five times. Its just that good)

OST: 8/10

Catchy! you know i'm a big fan of the opening and ending itself, sadly i kinda dont remember the ost for the main story went, but i do remember it vividly it was mostly no bgm. "Im waiting for you, im waiting for you, and made a mistake i can never undo" oh boy check out AmaLee's erased Medley, such convey for each character


Overall for you lazy bums
Dont watch this show if you dont want to get hurt, its a show about hurt, complex emotion, being ourselves, and whatever the hell is waiting in our future. And of course! dont let fate get grasp of you, because you know, you're your own destiny

would watch it again later, if im not so heartbroken lately

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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	Poll: Boku dake ga Inai Machi Episode 12 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) Stark700 - Mar 24, 2016	1,438 replies	by FriskBee »» Sep 25, 12:25 PM
	Poll: Boku dake ga Inai Machi Episode 10 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) Stark700 - Mar 10, 2016	910 replies	by Primavero »» Sep 23, 6:37 AM
	Poll: Boku dake ga Inai Machi Episode 9 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) Stark700 - Mar 3, 2016	509 replies	by alphadeepny_ »» Aug 20, 3:58 PM
	Poll: Boku dake ga Inai Machi Episode 6 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) Stark700 - Feb 11, 2016	630 replies	by alphadeepny_ »» Aug 20, 2:10 PM
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