The answer is no. I don't only like Erased; I respect it as well. I respect it knowing its limits, I respect how simple─yet effective─the plot ends up being, and I respect how it never feels as though it has lost its focus. This respect is what allows me to look past how it failed to go beyond my expectations. When you see an anime with as much hype as this I think it gives the impression that what you are about to watch is going to be a mind blowing, almost religious, experience, but it's not. Erased is humble and grounded, and remains so throughout its entirety.
Be that as it may, cohesion alone is not enough to make a show great. It's the unique and eye-catching art, the fantastic voice acting, the somber and ruminative OST, and the lovable (at times unbelievably so, admittedly) characters that really make this 100% worth watching. From the first episode you can tell that a lot of thought has gone into every detail of the shows presentation, and it evidently paid off judging from how many people were hooked by episode four. Erased is also very good at generating tension; it's almost as though it makes use of its predictability to instill a sense of dread in the viewer. You know the bad thing is coming, but you don't know when, and you don't know how, but the things you do know is what gets you scrunched up, biting your nails waiting for whatever is going to happen to happen.
That being said I do have something other than sugary words for Erased, but they generally have to do with limitations of a 12 episode time constraint. The first is a dramatic moment in episode six: it just doesn't have the weight it's intended to─mostly because of the small amount of time you've spent with the characters by this point. Another thing that bothered me is how accepting the cast is of the main character butting into others business. I understand that this is necessary to move the story forward, but couldn't they have just a little bit more resistance from those around him? Just to placate my suspension of disbelief? I dunno, it bothers me but it's a very minor gripe for an overall enjoyable show.
In closing, Erased can be a little misleading at first─it might convince you that it's all about the mystery, when in reality, it's actually a touching story about how your actions can effect those around you, the bonds that result from those actions, and the trust that comes from those bonds. Yes, there is a mystery, but if that's all you're watching for, you will be disappointed by the end, and will wind up among the horde of people throwing up 3's and 4's to balance out the hype this show has generated.
If there's anything I want you to take from my scatterbrained 5:00 am review it's this: don't expect this show to blow your mind, but do expect a solid story with plenty of emotional impact.
