Boogiepop wa Warawanai (2019)

I never really feel compelled to write a review but I enjoyed Boogiepop Phantom (2000) that it wouldn't be right to let you know the 2019 series sucks so badly.

Seriously, don't watch it, especially if you were brought here by the 2000 series.

It's super mundane with no substance and which is a shame because of the occasional poignant statement that has you thinking there's a payoff to the dry dialogue otherwise.

The music during episode is actually very interesting, if the dialogue wasn't so desiccated I wouldn't have been able to have appreciated it as such.

Do yourself a favor and just watch Boogiepop ... Phantom (2000)

Boogiepop and Others is many things, but an anime for casual viewers it is not. Unless you’re willing to give it your full attention, it will leave you behind. One measly episode a week is not nearly enough to keep track of such a complicated web of things: to be honest, I’ve spent the last week watching it and even then I was still feeling lost by it all. This is just the nature of Boogiepop: it sets out to confuse, only to unravel from there, but like a particularly tough knot, there is satisfaction to be found in untying it all.

Most of all, it ... rewards patience: it’s a non-linear series, constantly recontextualising scenes from another perspective as seemingly random side characters suddenly take focus. Slowly but surely, things start to make sense, yet it still leaves us with questions that may never be answered. Where is Boogiepop from? By whom was Echoes sent to Earth in order to judge humanity? How is a Synthetic Human made?

That enigmatic quality is a large part of Boogiepop’s charm. The Boogiepop at Dawn story arc begins with Boogiepop and Echoes meeting in a strange place: the sky is red and there is rubble everywhere. Could they be wandering through a post-apocalyptic Earth millions of years into the future? We never find out and it’s probably for the best that we don’t: the truth is never as interesting as what we might imagine.

From an anime production point of view, the series doesn’t quite hit the heights I was hoping for. Shingo Natsume and his team are of proven quality: from Space Dandy and One Punch Man to ACCA 13, these are memorable anime with a spark that’s sorely lacking in Boogiepop and Others. It isn’t badly animated or anything, it just looks generic and tired, which only exacerbates how difficult it is follow when every character is so deadpan.

This is total speculation on my part, but I can’t help but think that the controversy sparked over (light novel artist) Kouji Ogata’s distaste for the anime’s designs affected director Natsume and his team’s enthusiasm for the project. Imagine being hard at work on a project you hope people will love, only to be publicly criticised for what amounts to a creative difference? It would be hard not to lose heart, and it’s also notable that the anime’s brilliant trailer has action scenes that never appeared in the series itself.

Even still, there are moments when Boogiepop springs into life: there’s a particularly evocative scene in the last episode that sees a character falling from a great height, I only wish that the whole anime was as cinematic. However, I’ve no complaints about the soundtrack, Kensuke Ushio’s work is as wonderful as ever: he swept me away into another world and largely saved the series for me.

And that’s my take on Boogiepop and Others. It’s a perfectly fine anime that had the potential to be great. If nothing else, listen to the soundtrack!

Yeah this is the kind of show where I really didn't know what was going on for at least half the runtime or honestly getting bored during the long conversations that draw things out between punctuated moments of violence or a revelation. It makes those changes all the more stronger, but I was struggling to keep up with it which is the main reason for why I fell off watching the show and didn't complete it until binging the last third in one sitting just to finally complete it. What Boogiepop and Others (I still don't quite get the title) has going against it is ... that its like Full Metal Jacket in that it tells different stories through the runtime even with similar characters, making it feel disjointed. But Boogiepop has even less continuity between the characters that appear or are dropped over the episodes.

What I do like is that the confusion does work to give an overall dream-like quality to the show that reminds me of Blade Runner a bit, especially at the end in the big somewhat futuristic looking tower. There are great moments of action and tension building with good lighting and backgrounds, especially from the birds-eye city landscapes. I kind of wish there was more at night from that perspective that the poster and OP hint at. There's all this talk of psychology, emotions, and the human spirit between characters that look alike or are being possessed by a different spirit that makes it hard to focus but it still has moments that hit well and draw me in. There's definitely something here, but I'm too dumb and didn't pay close enough attention to really get it, oh well.

Review contains spoilers for episodes 1-3!!

I walked into Boogiepop with no prior knowledge on the show, and walked out horribly bewildered. This series is extremely confusing and fails to help the watcher understand the direction of the story. While some may find the unknown factors of this anime interesting or attractive, I did not. I also found that the pacing of this show was questionable. The setup and execution of the flashback in episodes 2-3 is a perfect example of my complaints. I did not understand the timeline until the very end of episode 3, and had a difficult time understanding the story content throughout ... it.

The characters were bland, hard to follow, underdeveloped and very cliche. There was not a moment where I wasn't going, "Who's that again? Who do they have a connection with?" This anime suffers from too-many-characters syndrome, too. There's too many people with minor roles and all of them are involved for bullshit reasons.

In all, this show was weird and bad. I would not recommend it to anyone who struggles with focusing or is confused easily.

We follow a series of "supernatural" events involving high school. Boogiepop only appears when the world is in danger, and so we follow her through a series of events that have no "reason" to exist? They just do. And we see Boogiepop correct them.

It's similar to Steins;Gate or Durarara. Strange things happen, eccentric characters appear, and in the end you don't fully understand it, but it's interesting to watch in case you clarify something at the end. It's one of those where you have to watch the explanations on TikTok.

"But it's not just you; any human being has the potential to become an enemy of ... humanity. Humans are like fuses, and they can explode with any provocation. They can alter the foundations of the world without even considering their consciences."

There are stories that move you, there are stories that make you think, "Why would the villain decide to do this nonsense?" (like Doofenshmirtz's plans). If it falters in any way, it's in logic, but like I said, it's all very eccentric. And we can enjoy it without trying to unravel it.

Chapters One, Two, and Three: Echoe and the Man-Eater
Chapters 4-9: Imaginator and the Flowers, Terminals, the Towa Organization, and Synthetic Humans
Chapter Ten: The Scarecrow
Chapters 11-13: Techniques to Eliminate Fear from the World
Chapters 14-18: The King of Distortion



Spoiler Alert:

I think it was in Chapter 13 that I realized: the next stage of human evolution is dawning. People with abilities beyond the normal are mingling with normal people, and the Towa Organization wants to eliminate or use them, and to do so, they have synthetic humans.

Some of these people use those abilities to kill others; some have strange goals that threaten humanity, or they use them to delve deeper, and so on.

We don't know how it starts, but it's not that interesting. Somehow, Boogiepop is stronger or more creative than the others, and he's the one in charge of separating the wheat from the chaff.

Boogiepop wa Warawanai is a mystery type seires with a bit of supernatural stuff added I really enjoyed the opening and ending themes for this anime I believe they might be the best anime opening and ending ever created, the anime is ok the stories well are a bit complex I say complex because sometimes I'm like wtf is happening yeah it got me a bit confused where I had to rewatch it again to actually get what was happening etc.. but besides that it was a pretty enjoyable mystery/supernatural ride for me sure it isn't perfect I mean I have my own problems with ... this show for example it's called Boogiepop but he/she is hardly ever involved in these events, Boogiepop would only come like at the end of the arc etc and sort things out I never saw Boogiepop actually going around doing much tbh it was always other people doing more and I believe there was some events that wasn't fully explained and they just kinda resolved it I think thats what had me a bit confused but the animation is pretty good tho and the Ost is so damn good I definitely need to pick it up when it's out as for the action it's good obviously it's Madhouse they don't mess around when it comes to action expect for those CGI hits in Overlord lolXD anyway give it a shot if you are into mystery and supernatural events heck you might even love it like me, it's not a 10/10 but it's a dcenet anime to binge on your days off from work or off from school

You need big brain to understand.

If you do not have big brain it may be hard to understand what is going on, and you may not be able to tell difference between the characters.

This is why big brain is required.

If you have watched this and are wondering why you did not understand it may be caused by the lack of big brain.

If you want to watch this but have a lack of big brain you may need to watch a YouTube video of someone with big brain explaining what happened, however if you already have a big brain this should not be ... a problem to understand and you will not be required to watch an explanation video.

I give 10 because i have big brain and i understand. Please rate accordingly.

I particularly admire stories that have some narrative richness and/or literary depth. However, I detest the exaggerated, and often incoherent, cult of anything taken as complex.

With that in mind, I decided to write about
Boogiepop Series, with a greater focus on its 2019 adaptation, but making some comparison to its first adapted anime.

In general terms, the story refers to several strange events, sometimes given their mysterious nature, sometimes their supernatural nature, which occur in a certain city. The appearance of a strange and flashy beam of light in the sky of that city, the sudden disappearance of students, a new drug, a serial killer, in addition ... to an alleged supernatural apparition, according to popular rumors, of a shinigami: a reaper, a messenger of death, involved in every alleged murder. Added to that, a young girl acting as a vigilante of justice, trying to fight the hidden mysteries of that place.

At first glance, Boogiepop Series distills complexity, which is therefore confirmed in its first episodes, out of chronological order, and its constant non-linear writing.

But, unlike other works of this follow-up, such as Serial Experiments and Paranoia Agent, Boogiepop Series did not reach as much popularity as these pillars of the genre. In my view, much of the erroneous cult of the complex by parts of people who probably didn't even understand about its plots.

Without many spoilers that compromise the experience of those who haven't watched it yet, Boogiepop, whether in its initial adaptation (Phantom) or in its most recent adaptation (Wa Warawanai), has something very passionate: how much it instigates the listener in the smallest details.

The story, in so many moments following a non-linear order, tells us the events from the point of view of different characters. The fact of not being tied to a single protagonist gives us an overview, far from any philosophical-ideological bias, about the functioning of the world and society.

Boogiepop, who is more of an observer than a shinigami, a killer of people who reach the height of their beauty (as described in his urban legend). It is a supernatural apparition that manifests itself in Miyashita Touka's body to protect the world from the Enemies of Humanity.

A dual personality? A strong desire coming from Touka to do something for someone? A strong sense of impunity? We don't know for sure what made this supernatural being choose the young student.

Contrary to what one might imagine, these enemies of humanity are not just other evil apparitions, with a thirst for world domination, or driven by a strong desire for revenge, as they are in many cliché works that approach the supernatural. Such enemies are any and all beings that, moved by their bad feelings, take attitudes that cause harm to others, including human beings.

The human element is what really influences the supernatural aspect. As in Boogiepop Phantom, feelings take physical form through strange insects, in Warawanai, in the arc of the Ghoul of fear, although the doctor is human, she becomes one of humanity's enemies due to her committed attitudes.

The opposite of this is also valid, when non-humans can be considered defenders and not enemies of humanity.

First the Scarecrow who, although he actively contributed to the propagation of the drug that led humans to their evolution, had his moment of redemption, through Boogiepop. Showing us that, even if submerged in such remorse, even in the midst of negative thinking about personal change, if there is a sincere desire, there will be hope.

As well as Echos, even though he was an apparition with the potential to be one of humanity's enemies, he comes to choose to defend others with the good he received.

"Please remember that Suema. There's a difference between missing the old days and being stuck in the past. Just as the city has to change over time, it's important for people to move forward. with their lives. I know you understand.''
It is in Boogiepop's words that we perceive the evident character of personal choice.

In both the Panuru arc and the King of Distortion, the central figure is personal feelings. A heart full of reversed feelings is capable of causing distortion on the outside of the person. That's why there are those who sincerely try to be better for those around them, even though they make decisions contrary to what they want. This is the distortion caused by these feelings.

"If your feelings aren't gold yet, I'm sure nothing else in this world can shine."

Likewise, we have the influence of feelings being addressed in the Panuru arc. Misuzu, although always being positive about life, carried a burden of sorrows and regrets in her heart, always making up these feelings in search of a false positivity, where everything in the world appears to be beautiful.

This way of looking at life couldn't be more wrong. Closing your eyes and accepting everything as a way of overcoming is abominable. In this way, the person hides the pain and does not allow himself to feel what is needed. When you don't put the sufferings out, at some point this feeling will explode and make you go crazy. In other words, this wonderful world of Panuru is an illusion. A distortion.

This is Boogiepop Series. Difficult, complex. But not only that... It is an enigmatic journey into what human nature is and what could be. A story with a serious plot, addressing topics such as regrets, envy, hatred, suicide.

Man is not man's own wolf. Man is not corrupted by society. If this should come to pass, and this man should be lost, it was his choice. He corrupts it himself.

And you? Are you an ally or an enemy of society? Ally or enemy of yourself?

"A world that cannot be dreamed of or thought of in the future... Such a world is wrong. But unfortunately, I am not the one who will fight it. That responsibility is yours."

Boogiepop.

I'm fascinated by the fact that the anime is deeply philosophical, I like to get a headache from overthinking, even though it took a strong curve to the point where it annoys some because it hid important things, but I liked it.

The characters are great, especially boogiepop.

Madness is good at it.

The great scenes in my opinion were few, it would have been better if they were more, the music is somewhat good

How can the anime be better than this?. Is there anything that can be added or modified? What is the worst thing about anime? What is the thing that attracts you the most to ... anime?

In my opinion Boogiepop and others is nothing too special. It does not live up to boogiepop Phantom. Largely due to its lack of incredible soundtrack/design and distinct aesthetic Style that are present in Phantom. Additionally, although Boogie pop and others has more episodes, it is telling four different stories that are only Loosely connected, none of which are as good the single story told Boogiepop Phantom.

The whole point of boogiepop is that it is told in an abstract way, it has a bunch of characters and a bunch of different stuff that happens to them, and you aren't necessarily supposed to put ... it all together instantly. The characters are also given very realistic designs which means there's nothing visually distinguishing for a lot of the characters. After I finished watching Boogie pop Phantom I was able to make connections that I didn't pick up on while I was Originally watching, for me this enhanced that show by making it all come together, once I understood what was happening. Although this show was longer it seems as though there is less connections to go back and make, because it's telling multiple stories that aren't really connected. From my current understanding only the main characters of Boogiepop and the other girl are relevant to stories outside the first and last one. I'm sure there are connections that I missed although I have little inspiration to go and rewatch as it would only help to understand that small section as opposed to the whole story, So the story doesn't all come together, Even if everything is understood. And the universe isn't interesting enough or explained enough to allow these stories to stand on their own. I know that the original Source material is capable of creating something so much better, as was proven 20 years earlier, I'm not sure why they changed the distinct style to look like every other anime.

The intro is kind of odd and only relates to like sort of the Second Story, it doesn't really serve as a good Overture for the series. Also Boogiepop kisses with Meeoshta, which is herself, And this is not explained at any point and doesn't really work with the story because Of what is revealed about Boogie pops jealousy.

There are certain aspects of the show that I did enjoy, the way in which the story is told, the weird form of Storytelling I often times found enjoyable, some of the abilities are sort of interesting, oftentimes character dialogue would point out profound and interesting aspects of the story, There was a fair amount of high quality poetic conversation, often times the way that they talked was cool but what they were talking about was not that interesting Or relevant. I thought the building that the last story takes place in was a pretty interesting original concept, unfortunately it didn't feel like they fully expanded on the building aspect, I honestly wanted the building to start moving, I'm not sure how much this would have helped the story but it would have definitely helped my enjoyment of it, as I of course have an affiliation for anime architecture. I think without Boogie pop Phantom I would have a negative opinion of this show but because this show didn't really take away from Boogie pop Phantom it currently barely sneaks out an average opinion from me. For now.

I came to MAL with a bit of a confirmation bias for my "yo, the source material for this must've been so good" feeling I had while watching the show. And I had it from the very first episode. Already then I couldn't write off some incredibly stupid choices in dialogue writing as mistranslations (by different dubbers/subbers) - and simply by the virtue of some extraordinary authenticity that was radiating even through the idea's mediocre execution I was convinced that the author of the source material couldn't have been the root of the problem.
I can't rant about why the show doesn't hold a candle to ... the ranobe because I never read the ranobe, but some reviews on here do bring evidence into the light, so I wouldn't need to anyway. The thing is, that nonetheless, the show was a breath of fresh air.
I only started watching the show because I was wondering what kind of show MYTH&ROID's 'Shadowgraph' was an op theme to, but did get invested because something about it stood out from the mainstream inspite of the passable... uhm, everything. I mean, no, the music was really good, but the artsyle was definitely not Madhouse at it's finest, and the screenwriting was a whatever. And some of the editing...
And even with all that, because of some je ne sais quoi, I can't not recommend the show.
By the end of it, a lot of its universe will still seem completely unexplored.
Unless you are a (masochist at heart) Kara no Kyoukai fan, the narrative's temporal chaos will not be a pleasant feature for you, or, at least, not one to find comfort in while the show keeps snowballing enigmas in your face.
But the atmosphere is made something unique. (Regardless of whether or not that was the intention of the ranobe's author) the show's world was molded by the studio into one well-masked by a put-on tranquility, with its true complex, mysterious and controversial nature only surfacing through some coincedences that turn out to be rooted in people's feelings. Kind of like in the Bunny-Girl Senpai anime but for different reasons and with literally no other similarities.
Even if you will end up noticing that almost none of the characters get unraveled enough for you to care, you probably will care.
So yeah, like 8 or something. I feel like I might even give the ranobe a try.

Dropped it at episode 6 after realising I was practically forcing myself to watch it.
Guess if I can't find a glimpse of enjoyment past the first half of an anime, it's not really worth it.
The only thing I honestly liked and that lured me in for a while was the opening, beautiful song and well executed animation.

I was extremely confused by the lack of character and context presentation and the non-linear narrative of the first episodes. If it had been just that though, I would have actually been thrilled to know more and praised the unique directing.
What did not convince me was all the rest. ...
The people in the story had this very monotone, uninteresting or frankly ugly design that was coupled with either boring dialogue or jarring statements. From the very beginning there’s a bunch of characters that are thrown to us and swiftly removed before we even begin to recognise their faces.
What was most uncomfortable to me was the lack of a main character, or rather the lack of a stable point of view. It’s unclear who the narrator of the first episodes is, and the sense of being left behind only amplifies in the second arc of the anime: new characters out of the blue, unclear character hierarchy (Is this the main character of the new arc? No wait, we’re getting a monologue from this girl now.. But this is all narrated from that other background character’s point of view??), the previous arc and its consequences are as good as gone.
I’m not asking for spoon-fed narration but at times it really felt like watching a theatre rehearsal through a keyhole, an incomprehensible, unrelatable sequence of disconnected clips.

This to me is an unsuccessful execution of that typical novel structure involving lots of dialogue and slow building before an intense, action filled arc epilogue.
Bakemonogatari, for example, comes from and it’s even inspired by the same kind of novel, but it’s worlds apart in terms of anime adaptation. An anime is meant to be watched, and you can’t demand uninterrupted attention and focus from the viewer without giving them a little bit of visual entertainment and pacing. Otherwise you’re be much better off producing an audiobook instead.
I get that in the Monogatari series we also see a constant effort in the script in order to be entertaining and light, which does not fit the atmosphere of this anime instead. And yet, I’ve watched verbose, monologue laden mistery-horror anime (such as Shinsekai Yori), that through music, photography, and editing made even the most mind boggling lines go by smoothly and even made you forget about some questionable handling of the storyline.

It might be I’m missing the whole point of this anime, but even though I tried, I failed to connect with it in any way, cognitively, emotionally or even just aesthetically, so I’ll end it here.

P.S. Huge letdown with the bait PV. Very little connection with the anime stylistically.

SS Review – Boogiepop Phantom (2019)
(Short and Sour)

Before I start, I have never seen the original anime so I’m going into this fresh. Boogiepop Phantom is about various different stories that take place at the same school with each one mainly concerning or involving Boogiepop in one way, shape or form. Each story is quite interesting and tends to involve supernatural elements in a pretty natural world, meaning the world is ordinary like the one you know but all these strange events and creatures keep appearing around this school.

Boogiepop is a very interesting idea…or at least that is what it likes to claim to be, ... Boogiepop is not one person but an idea that exists to keep normality. If anything appears which threatens normality then Boogiepop exists, you can already guess can’t you…Boogiepop is as its stated a “phantom” and in this case it’s a phantom that acts as a split personality for a girl. You can say that Boogiepop is technically possessing these girl(s) but I don’t think that’s the case. As I said, each story centres on a bunch of individuals. I’m only willing to talk about Boogiepop, I personally think talking about the other characters would spoil too much as each of the stories play very closely to their individual personalities.

The animation is very good but at the same time I would not expect anything less from Madhouse. OST fits well too.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed Boogiepop Phantom, each of the stories was interesting and the idea that is Boogiepop was interesting to see explored too.

(Side Note: Kind of reminds me of Durarara, but just not as good)

7/10

[Spoiler free review]

"A great non-linear story telling anime, but unfortunately not for everyone"

<Short Ver>
Pros:
1. The OP and ED songs are pretty awesome!
2. The story telling is very unique, definitely stood out compared to other series
3. The VA is superb. They did a fantastic work portraying their characters
4. I love Boogiepop's character.
...
Cons:
1. Not enough time to develop each character.
2. Too many characters and their designs are very similar so it would be hard to differentiate between each character if you can't remember their names
3. The art is meh. It's obvious that there's a lack of budget for this series.
4. Story can be quite hard to follow if you didn't pay full attention

<Long Ver>
I have heard about this anime before it started airing and it was hyped a lot. The light novel for this inspired a lot of talented LN authors nowadays so of course people are going to be hyped for a remake of such a classic LN series. However, after it started airing, a lot complained that the story was very hard to follow and they understood nothing. Some also said that they found it hard to connect with the characters in the series because they are very bland and have no interesting character traits. Well, after finishing the entirety of the anime, I can safely say that those arguments are correct. If you read my cons above, then you would know that I too have a problem with how they handle the characters. It's actually quite hard to remember who is who and actually give a crap about them when some of them only appeared for like 2 episodes. However, the strong points about this series ain't its characters but actually it's story.

This anime take a unique approach in story telling which is called a non-linear story telling, which means everything that happens isn't in chronological order. For example, what you see in the first arc may not have anything to do with the second arc but it's related to the last arc in the anime. Plus they keep on changing character perspective per episode or even in said episode itself, so of course it would be hard to keep track of what is actually happening. That's why I won't blame anyone for hating on this series for it's confusing storyline. It's actually very hard to follow. However, if you're someone like me who pay utmost attention while watching the series, the story is actually quite easy to understand and I fully respect the authors unique way of telling a story.

Now moving on to the art and animation, aka the overall quality of the anime. It's quite bland actually. It just doesn't seem like it's made by Madhouse and some more by the director behind one of the most popular anime for it's outstanding quality One Punch Man. If you say that this is made by studios like A1 Pictures or Silver Link, I might actually believe you. So that's one of the weak point of this series. It doesn't have the visuals to capture us audiences' attention even though it's made by Madhouse.

For the sound department, the VA is actually excellent. I have no complaints. Each VA did put in a lot of effort in portraying their character. Both the OP and ED theme are excellent. Of course when the OP is sung by a pretty famous group recently, Myth and Roid. The BGM is quite bland, nothing that stood out too much, however there are still some tracks that are pretty well done.

For the characters, as I stated above, their screentime just ain't enough for me to give a crap about them. Their designs are bland and similar so it's quite hard to differentiate them between each other. However I do like Boogiepop. I love her voice, her designs and her overall personality, however her screen time is just too few although the name of the series itself is named after her. Sadly...

All in all, I still thoroughly enjoyed every episode of this anime just for its story itself. If you're not a fan of non-linear story telling then I highly recommend you to skip this but if you are then you should definitely check it out. Thanks for reading and I'll see you in my next review.

Haiku review:

“Boogiepop” is the
sound made when a snot bubble
explodes in your face.

Slightly longer review because we still haven’t standardized on the haiku version:

Weirdly named a portmanteau of two genres of music, Boogiepop is the story of a shinigami – death spirit – that appears at times and for reasons that never become entirely clear. Well, that's part of it.

The original light novel was released in the late 1990s, a time of economic and social hardship in Japan. This may go a long way to explain the novel’s and anime’s darkness and despair, though both are always available in both media. The original series and others ... of that era (“Serial Experiments Lain,” and, a few years later, “Ergo Proxy,” for example) begin from a position of crushing hopelessness.

Japan is doing better now in many ways, and anime has long since climbed out of onerous anguish as the lone motivation for series in which there is little hope to be obtained. (Yes, there are still plenty of sad anime, but the oppressive overarching idea that all is lost and won’t be found, is no longer high on the list of selling points.) Can a new version of “Boogiepop” find relevance today? more specifically, “Boogiepop and Others” was written in 1998 – can it be tailored to the sensibilities found in the brighter period two decades hence?

Yes and no. The 2019 anime seems almost to anticipate the paranoia that would hit the world the following year and the associated lack of preparation of government and science to deal with it, as well as the lingering suspicions that the world has not been told all it needs to know. This mortises nicely with the shadowy organization that figures into the story but that never gets fully explained.

In fact, very little gets explained in “Boogiepop and Others,” which employs a little of this – strange spirits – a little of that – zombie clones – and a little of other things – a captured advanced human, evil big organizations, and garden-variety criminals – in its dystopian world building. Oh, and of course an evil genius.

The result is a tangled mess, as if they don’t quite know what they’re doing or else they do know but are keeping it a secret from the rest of us, dropping the occasional hint here and there amid all the noise of things that aren’t hints but instead the trappings of the standard school-based anime.

The series is brightly colored and well animated, which I suspect kept more people watching when they would otherwise have abandoned it. It is not without its moments, but over all it seems to me to be one of those shows that promises something profound but never delivers it.

The one saving grace: After you’ve watched “Boogiepop and Others,” go back and watch 2000’s “Boogiepop Phantom” and learn how obscure and depressing anime sometimes used to be.

Boogiepop wa Warawanai (2019) – Review

Opening line
Some stories don’t move forward. They spiral. Boogiepop wa Warawanai doesn’t guide you — it fragments itself and dares you to follow. There are no explanations, only patterns. And even those don’t always connect.

Animation – 7/10
The style is clean, minimal, intentionally restrained. Action scenes are sharp when they appear, but most of the tension comes from stillness. Characters often barely move — their expressions do most of the work. Backgrounds are cold and distant, fitting for a world where detachment is protection. Not spectacular, but deliberately composed.

Scénario – 7/10
The narrative is fractured by design. Timelines shift, characters overlap, motives ... remain hidden until they don’t matter anymore. It’s not confusing — it’s intentionally opaque. You’re not meant to be told. You’re meant to witness. The story isn’t about a threat being defeated. It’s about the shape of fear as it moves through people.

Personnages – 8/10
Boogiepop isn’t a protagonist. She’s a force — a myth wrapped in a girl. The cast around her varies from compelling to symbolic. Some feel like people. Others feel like echoes of themes — depression, repression, detachment, ego. But all serve a purpose. Each character is a reflection of something buried, and the show gives them space to unravel without resolution.

Musique & Sound Design – 7/10
The soundtrack doesn’t overwhelm. It slips in behind scenes, under dialogue, rarely stepping forward. It builds atmosphere more than emotion — cold, low, calculated. Sound design is subtle but surgical, especially in moments where silence becomes more threatening than noise.

Émotion & Impact – 6/10
There are no breakdowns, no grand crescendos. The show is emotionally distant — like watching trauma through a glass wall. But that’s the point. It’s not a lack of feeling, it’s a refusal to process. Impact comes not from catharsis, but from the stillness left behind. It doesn’t move you. It lingers.

Worldbuilding – 7/10
The setting feels ordinary, until it fractures. A city of students, memories, shadows. What lies beneath isn’t magical — it’s psychological. Hidden powers and mysterious organizations exist, but always at the edge of comprehension. You see just enough to know there’s more — and not enough to explain it. That’s its strength.

Divertissement – 7/10
If you’re looking for linear progression or satisfying action, you’ll be disappointed. But if you like assembling broken mirrors and listening to what’s not being said, it keeps your attention. It doesn’t entertain — it consumes thought. Quietly, methodically.

Innovation – 7/10
This isn’t new ground — the original Boogiepop novels shaped much of what came after. But this adaptation embraces narrative dislocation in ways few modern anime dare. It’s not trying to please. It’s trying to stay pure to its own logic. And that’s rare.

Rewatch Value – No
Once you’ve mapped the timeline, uncovered the connections, and endured the ambiguity, there’s little to go back for. The mystery is the experience. Once solved — or at least approached — the illusion fades.

Global: 7/10

Boogiepop wa Warawanai (2019) doesn’t ask for understanding. It waits, unmoving, while you try to make sense of its pieces. It doesn’t reward curiosity — it punishes it, gently, with more questions. And that’s where its quiet power lies.

It's one of those painfully mediocre series with small dialogue lines, that just break you apart.

I don't know what to say about this one. The story is about this weird mystery system where good and evil are always fighting, always spawning out of nowhere because one of the other exists. The protagonists are the people seeking to solve these things, until the supernatural trusts itself to beat each other.

I have to say, the story was just really mediocre for me. Characters don't follow that much logic, only serving as a medium for the story to continue endlessly until the end. A mystery is established, ... with a person following a strange phenomenon in their hearts, or how they're affected by another one with said powers. They discover what's happening, try to fight it, and at the end, the titular, Deus Ex Machina, Boogiepop, appears to set things right. It's a formula, like a monster of the week, with people just doing things to get to the ending. Sure, I cared about some of them, but I can only remember around four characters I wanted to see succeed.

The characters, not much to talk about. The third story was probably my favorite, and I have to go on a tangent to talk about that story. A man, whose done nothing good with his life, encounters a person who he can save at the cost of his own. It's such a simple idea, and we see the consequences of his actions taking part on the rest of the series. He's a person who mattered, for as much as he regrets having done something good for the world. Then another person gets involved with that saved one, and it's such a cathartic idea, that good inspires evil to change, and real evil to die. I loved it, and it was the sole reason I finished the anime, since I expected something similar to that story to play out.

My interest died after that. I dragged myself to reach the ending, and I didn't get much out of it. If only it was all like the third story, but you know, maybe it's just not my thing. My ADHD brain convinced me that this non-linear structure would tell me an interesting ending to everything, but when they stopped using it, it turned way worse, revealing the real problem. If you can't tell a story unless it's with a gimmick, it's not a good story to tell.

4/10. At least the fight scenes are pretty cool. The character designs, though, they really confused me on who was who sometimes. Since some dialogue was superb, I'm inclined to believe the novels are greater by a mile.

Hat Kid goes all "Society" on us.

I knew from the OP that I was going to continue this. The opening is so good and really sets the tone with music, mood, and animation. I love these anime that seek out a cinematic approach like Eden of the East or something of the sort so the budget is of quality (as it should be since this is a reboot). Characters even start realizing they hear the cool music that plays whenever Boogiepop appears. It has style! Now surely the name "Boogiepop" doesn't sound too engaging and neither does the official premise of "person who takes girls ... away before they get ugly". And trust me, there's a meaning for it, perhaps even a better spelling.

Now it IS weird, don't get me wrong. I mean this maneater eats people, kisses people to take possession of them (meaning a girl could kiss another girl but they explain it as the maneater being unisex and just switches by taking the appearance of who "it" eats.) and a bunch of other powered beings.

It's a little bit like Durarara in the sense that they tell sort of interweaving stories taking places at different times. Same with Celty being a reaper of sorts with the headless rider and Boogiepop being a reaper of her own merit.

Some of it feels like a euphemism displayed through supernatural elements and subliminal (or in some cases, not so subliminal) meanings but I also think that's if you choose to view it that way. For example, you could consider this anime to be about girls reaching puberty which can be an overall broad topic as it is but it's done like it's poetry, through metaphors. You could also say that it's about doing the right thing, helping those in need and weeding out the fakers. Or perhaps it's about overcoming your weaknesses and mixing reality with fantasy and accepting both.

Even on different sides and different stories, they all have something in common, they're following a mystery. There are some really fine standout moments and I'm interested to see what the other content has to offer.

'This anime is amazing for some, but terrible for others' would be my description of the anime if i were to review it in one phrase.

Boogiepop wa Warawanai (2019), also known as Boogiepop and Others, is a psychological supernatural mystery horror/thriller anime based on the original light novel series by Kouhei Kadono with the same name. Unlike Boogiepop Phantom (2000) which was an anime original, Boogiepop and Others (I will be calling it BaO for convenience sake) is a more faithful retelling of the light novel. Now that some context behind the anime has been given, let's get onto the review.

Story 8/10

BaO has four ... arcs and each tells a different story, albeit most of our recurring characters are present with each "Enemy of the World" given an arc. The anime follows a non-linear way of storytelling, meaning events are portrayed out of chronological order. A good example of another anime using this would be Kara No Kyoukai (which is amazing). BaO also shifts perspectives quite often, so the same event will be played through the eyes of a different character. This is, in my opinion the greatest strength, and flaw of BaO. By utilizing non-linear narratives and changing our point of view every couple episodes, BaO tries to link everything together creating this convoluted but satisfying web of stories. However, this may just be too confusing for many, and I don't blame them as BaO requires multiple viewings to fully understand what the story is trying to tell you, and most people will simply not have the time and patience for that. If you watched the first three episodes and are even slightly intrigued, I suggest you keep watching to see how the story unfolds, but if not, I'd say it's a good indication that you won't enjoy the anime that much.

Another gripe I have with the anime's story is that it is only 18 episodes, and considering the novel had 22 volumes, a lot of the story and characters aren't as fleshed out or completely scratched from the anime adaptation. This makes the story feel loose, unfinished, and rushed, so people who have already read the light novel may not taking too much of a liking to how the anime handled the story of the novels. And for the anime onlys, will constantly feel like their missing a part of the story. I would have much preferred if each arc got a 12 episode season instead as all of the arcs have a lot of potential which is unfortunately brushed away due to the time restrictions. However, for someone who is willing to be a little patient with the anime I can guarantee that the story will not only entertain, but leave some food for thought at the end.

Overall, the story is worth-watching if you can get past the hurdles and is willing to commit to the anime.

Art 7/10

I'd say that MadHouse did a respectable job in terms of art and had some moments of incredible animation, which is to be expected, as MadHouse, whether you like them or not, are responsible for animating many of the most influential anime of the past two decades.

Although the art in general is appealing to watch and is consistent for the most part, there are some scenes that leave me baffled due to their subpar quality. One scene that immediately pops up to mind is in episode 17 where we can see two characters with very poor lining, stiff movement, and most importantly, without a face. Albeit it wasn't a close-up, it is still noticeable enough to the point where I thought there was something wrong with my internet connection.

MadHouse also didn't animate BaO in the unique gritty and dark art-style of the novel, giving it a more modernised and generic look to all the characters. This may be to appeal to a newer, younger audience who would prefer to look of the more defined characters, but may be another turn-off for those who have read the light novels. This is a bit surprising as MadHouse showed that they are willing to be faithful to the original art as shown in Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei (The Tatami Galaxy).

To round it off, the art is inoffensive most of the time, sometimes amazing, and pretty terrible in a couple instances.

Sound 7/10

In regards to sound, I'd say both the OP and EDs are enjoyable. The OP by MYTH＆ROID is pretty solid, although it's not as spectacular as their OP and ED in re:zero, the song is still above average when it comes to anime OPs, and songs in general.

There are 3 EDs in the show, with two of them being made specifically for one episode, episode 9 and 18 to be exact. "Whiteout" by Riko Azuna is played for the rest of the episodes, and just like the OP, I would say it's a solid track. I personally enjoy it, but similar to the anime as a whole, it may not be for everyone.

"Sayonara" by Riko Azuna is the ED that plays in episode 9, and I think more people will enjoy it compared to "Whiteout". This song reminds me of Aimer and Milet with powerful female vocals paired with a slower bpm. The fact that Riko Azuna can produce two completely different genres of songs is actually quite impressive and I would say the anime helped me get into her music.

"See You, HeartBreakers" by Kensuke Ushio and Hajime Hyakkoku is the ED that plays on the last episode, and is a track that plays a couple of times throughout the anime. I'd say that it fits the whole theme of BaO fairly well and it's pretty powerful hearing for the last moments of the anime.

Speaking of tracks and OSTs, besides "See You, HeartBreakers", there aren't any other tracks that really stand out neither positively or negatively, I'd say they did a decent enough job implementing OSTs that don't break the flow of the story but not a good enough job in terms of elevating the experience.

The Voice Acting was also delivered fairly well, being neither a masterpiece or terrible (I'm beginning to see a trend here). If there was one thing I'd like to point out is that Aoi Yuuki did a pretty good job in differentiating Boogiepop and Miyashita Touka without making them sound like two completely different people. I also liked Saori Oonishi's performance of Kirima Nagi, and this is important as she is the character we see and hear from the most besides boogiepop.

To summarise, the sounds tracks are solid and the delivery from the voice actors are good, especially from the two main characters in Boogiepop and Kirima Nagi.

Character 8/10

Arguably the anime's greatest strength, there were some pretty good characters in BaO like Kirima Nagi, Kuroda Shinpei and the main man/gal Boogiepop. But as the characters are those who are negatively impacted the most from its 18 episode run time, you can expect some characters who fall flat. Having only 18 episodes to complete 4 whole arcs mean a lot of character development is either skipped or rushed. This leads to the ideals of some of the cast not making complete sense as we aren't given the time to see them be fleshed out as characters.

As the show fits 4 arcs into one, a lot of characters are introduced to the audience without their being ample to time to establish these characters and make us care for them, resulting in a lot of character deaths to be quite meaningless, and lacking the emotional impact it should have. I will be using two case studies from the anime who I think deserved more screentime and character development.

Naoko Kamikishiro plays a vital role in the beginning of the novel , yet she has half of her storyline completely scrapped out. While she had numerous impactful scenes in the novel, she barely gets any in the anime in comparison, really losing what made her character interesting in the original work.

Kuroda Shinpei, plays a huge role in influencing both of our main characters in Boogiepop and Nagi, paired with his dissatisfaction of his current work, instead wanting to one day fulfill his dream of being a superhero makes him admirable. Many of the characters who met him enjoys his company and it is not difficult to see why. However, Shinpei has a criminally short time on the show compared to the lasting impact he leaves. I wish they spent at least a couple more episodes on him, especially going more indepth on his relationship with pigeon and the a more detailed reason why he made his drastic decision.

Another thing to note about the characters is that many people will find it difficult to know exactly which character is which. As so many characters are introduced, with so little time, many of the characters outside our main cast of 8 or so characters are a blur. And when I mean there are a lot of characters, I mean it. Sometimes they introduce multiple characters per episode, and it is really difficult keeping up with all of them, especially because some of the females look very similar (I'm looking at you Naoko, and those two girls that appear in the last arc). This use of introducing a lot of characters would work if they were all given the time to flesh out their individual personalities.

Now to focus on the other two characters besides Shinpei that I liked, Nagi and Boogiepop.

Kirima Nagi is the deuteragonist after Boogiepop, and although she could use a little more time to build her character, she is one of the characters the show attempts to flesh out, especially in the "Boogiepop at Dawn" arc which primarily focuses on her. Nagi is introduced as a delinquent who's up to no good and this is mostly done through the rumours that fellow students have spread about her. These rumours began as Nagi distances herself from others due to her not being 'normal' having no friends besides Naoko. Although she seems pretentious at first, the show does enough to explain her character. I like that the show doesn't show us who exactly the character is until a few episodes in, creating a preconception of Nagi before we even see her for the first time. This is similar to how William Shakespeare uses Iago and Rodrigo to tell the audience about Othello creating an image of the character before they even see him. Even though Nagi appears in a lot of episodes, she is still pretty underdeveloped until the aforementioned "Boogiepop at Dawn" arc but after that arc, I believe she is the best character in the anime.

I'm glad that Boogiepop ended up being a fascinating character since they are the other deuteragonist, plus the show is named after them. According to the rumours spread about them, Boogiepop is presented as a reaper of sorts who kills a person when they are at the peak of their beauty, in order to ensure that they can no longer get uglier. Boogiepop, just like Nagi, isn't what the rumours says they are, and uncovering their motives and role in life is pretty satisfying at the end. However, it is hard to go further in-depth to Boogiepop's character without spoiling the show, so I will refrain from doing so.

All things considered, besides the main cast, many of the characters are underdeveloped, and the relationships they build with the rest of the characters seems artificial due to the fact they the audience doesn't spend a long time with them enough to justify their ideals and personalities.

Enjoyment 8/10

Being a fan of psychological mysteries, it was no surprise that I liked the show. As a whole I feel like the show does enough to be entertaining even if you don't fully understand what is going on, and uncovering what exactly is going on can be gratifying. I finished the anime in three days, and considering that I haven't watched anime besides seasonal stuff for a couple of months, I thoroughly enjoyed the show and will probably rewatch it after one or two years. Although its not one of those shows where you can turn your brain off and enjoy, for those familiar with the supernatural psychological mysteries, it is a show you will most likely enjoy and that I recommend.

Overall 7.5/10

All in all I can't say that the show is a masterpiece. It is far too convoluted and all over the place for the casual anime viewer. However, for those who fit the niche, it is a show that you'll remember for quite a while, and for those who don't, it'll be a major waste of time. Due to the number of flaws I couldn't give BaO an 8 or higher no matter how much I wanted to. In my heart the show is a 8 or a 9, but considering that the majority of people won't be able to enjoy it, for now, the show is a solid 7.5 out of 10. This ranking may change in the future after my second viewing of the show. In all honesty I wish MadHouse or some other studio will remake it sometime in the future and give it the time it needs to tell such an elaborate story and truly flesh out the characters present in the light novels. Hopefully we won't have to wait another 19 years for the next one.

Pros:

- Voice acting (sub) was very good. Not only that but the sound design as a whole was very good, also.

- Some of the characters (namely Kirima Nagi and her brother) I found to be very well written. It's always a sign that I find characters well written if I want to know more about them.

- Interesting concept revolving around the Boogiepop mythos. Not quite what I was expecting from this series. Subverted my expectations in a good way.

- The second arc in the series was very good.

... - Soundtrack was very good also.

Cons:

- Extremely slow paced, and often very confusing to follow. Many times I thought about dropping the series altogether because a few times I was so thrown off by how the plot was constructed. While it does add an extra level of mystery that I could maybe see working in some instances, I don't think it fully succeeded here.

- While the artistry was good, but nothing too much to write home about. It was quite dull and muted most of the time, even when it didn't need to be. The character designs were alright, though.

- Quite forgettable. I only finished this series earlier this month, and I still can't tell you what happened in some parts.

- Too many characters. This is probably handled better in the light novel, but in the anime they crammed too many characters in before the audience could comprehend who was who.

Conclusion:

This is a perfectly average psychological thriller series. Some parts are quite good, but overall there's a lot of better stuff out there in this same kind of genre that you'd have a much better time seeing. My recommendation is to watch only if you've read the light novel/manga first, and are already a big fan of it. If that's you, then you may enjoy this more than I did.