Boku Dake ga Inai Machi, or by its American title: ERASED, was a modest manga, claiming a humble amount of sales in Japan. Eventually, the title was claimed by A1 Pictures for an anime adaptation. Which released in the winter of 2016 to unanimous acclaim from fans of anime and scrutinizing critics.
The series was lauded for its realistic portrayal of physical abuse in an intriguing science-fiction/time travel setting, along with stellar cinematography, worthy of a full-budget, full-length motion picture. That was until all of ERASED’S commendable qualities were lost on a lackluster ending, leaving the anime populace in puddles of man/women-tears. (Seems to be a recurring theme in most A1 Pictures animations. [Cough, cough SAO.])
That’s not to say that ERASED is on the pleb-tier of SAO, it’s honestly leagues beyond SAO’s quality. But where did ERASED go wrong? How did this (almost) masterpiece of an anime descend into the roaring hellfire of ‘would-be-good-anime-if-not-for-incompetent-writing?’ Well friends, I am here to answer that question, with a comprehensive review on ERASED. Let’s get started.
Plot
ERASED follows the story of Satoru Fujinami, a 29 year old man, living in middleclass Japan. Satoru is an aspiring manga artist, but is frequently rejected by publishing companies, resulting in him shredding his manuscript and tossing his work into a river. Due to his inability to find a job he works at a local pizzeria, delivering pizzas.
However, despite the banality of his aforementioned backstory, (Spiderman anyone?) Satoru possesses an unexplained ability: Involuntary Time Travel, which he dubs: ‘Revival.’ Which usually results in him being sent back a few minutes at a time to stop nearby catastrophes from occurring. Be it car crashes, fires, murders, etc. All of which he prevents gracefully, until he is injured while saving a child from a vehicular accident.
After healing in the hospital, Satoru returns home to find his middle-aged mother cooking. Not having seen his mother in some time Satoru is apprehensive to enter his apartment, giving the audience an impression that Satoru holds some scorn towards his mother. He enters regardless, and his Mother informs him that she heard about the accident, and decides to stay at his home until he fully recovers.
The next day Satoru-accompanied by his mother-leave a grocery store to cook dinner. During their exit, Satoru experiences another Revival, but is unable to locate the source. Until his Mother notices a child abductor, whom she locks eyes with. This frightens the criminal and he releases the child, driving away in his car.
Later that night, Satoru’s Mother is alone at home, reminiscing on another child abduction that occurred 18 years ago during Satoru’s elementary school years. Since she suspects that the man from before may be the real culprit who framed the currently incarcerated man: Yuuki.
After researching, Satoru’s Mother is ambushed, and is fatally stabbed. Satoru returns home and finds his Mother dead, and the police encroaching on his position. In a panic Satoru runs and experiences another Revival, this one sending him to 1988.
And that, is the basic plot. Enticing right? At first, yes. But by far the most haphazard segment of ERASED is its structure of the story, often misleading the viewer with very schizophrenic plot-points. From locating the murderer, to solving the abductee’s domestic problems. The latter of which gains precedence and is written exceptionally well, leading to the former being sidelined, and rushed.
It honestly feels like slamming into a brick wall, it happens that fast. Just as we (as an audience) are getting invested in the show’s depiction of abuse, and its consequences, we’re suddenly thrust into a long-winded, exposition heavy monologue describing the murderer’s motivations. The sudden shift in subject matter was disorienting, leading to that lackluster ending I was talking about. Wherein the murderer acts out of character for the sake of revealing himself. Did I mention we’re also treated to a needless child-character with cancer who impacts the plot in no way, other than a plot-device to lure Satoru to a convenient location to be murdered? That’s tear bait for you, oh, and plot contrivance!
Jeez that was meandering…let’s move on.
Setting, Art & Cinematography
Yeah, remember that cinematography I gushed over? This is where my passion pays off.
Now, despite the plethora of problems I listed above, A1 has always gotten aesthetics right. Never before have I encountered an A1 production that did not have dazzling artwork, fluid animation, etc. Belittle their integrity all you want but A1 has mastered the art of motion and stunning set pieces. However they have never been skilled in adding nuanced symbolism. This is where Erased ascends above its contemporaries.
When praising the shows subtle symbolism, use of coloring, blocking, etc. most point to the well-directed park sequence, where a young Satoru comforts Kayo, a victim of domestic violence.
In the scene we are treated to Kayo standing alone in a dark park, lost in thought, where a nearby lamppost illuminates the vicinity. Surrounding her in a delicate orange glow. This image alone works wonders: http://i.imgur.com/bsk442P.gif
The picture is very dense with meaning. Throughout the anime Satoru tortures himself, plunging his psyche into despair for not preserving the life of Kayo. This moment serves as his redemption, with the lamppost accentuating his need for atonement. The lamppost serves as a beacon for his hopes, beckoning for him to save Kayo with his second chance through Revival.
Furthermore, Satoru is detached because of his guilt, leading to some good blocking. You see, (in the linked picture) Satoru is positioned away from the light, making his detachment ever more prominent. With the battering snow representing his own personal struggle.
Also, as Satoru approaches this shot occurs: http://img1.ak.crunchyroll.com/…/9d00e59de9935e14a7bb0bec99…
This shot further highlights both character’s struggles. They both combat guilt and shame, but in different circumstances, with the tree forming a formidable wall between them. This tree epitomizes Kayo’s isolation, but Satoru’s willingness to penetrate this isolation to better the future, and by extension, himself. This ‘wall,’ is eventually shattered by Satoru’s invitation to his birthday party, offering Kayo a temporary refuge from abuse, which Kayo reluctantly accepts.
This scene! This scene alone is what makes ERASED so enticing. It just dribbles with character!
Another scene I’d like to highlight is the ‘Christmas tree’ scene here: http://45.media.tumblr.com/…/tumblr_o1cm6yXu601qgrwpxo4_500…
This is where Kayo’s layered character is revealed and her barriers are shattered. Preceding the above gif, Satoru invites Kayo to see his ‘special tree.’ Along the way, they are intercepted by two playful fox, who circle the duo then scamper off. Another scene dripping with subtleties, though this one more obvious.
You see my friends, after a brief fact check on the omnipotent machine known as…Google, I discovered that red fox are symbolic in Japanese mythology. Foxes exemplify loyalty and protection, a perfect parallel for both Satoru and Kayo.
In this instance Kayo inadvertently protects Satoru, by unwittingly offering Satoru redemption. While Satoru offers Kayo respite and comradery in a harsh situation. This eventually culminates into a poignant scene, wherein Satoru shows Kayo the tree. Resulting in a seamless swivel shot of the tree, dripping water from its glimmering icicles.
Once again, the tree is gnarled and splayed, but stands tall regardless. This represents Kayo’s willingness to stand proudly, despite her permanent scars. The tree’s decrepit state is a physical manifestation of her scars, but the beauty of it in spite of her past is her newfound determination.
Oh boy I rambled…as for the setting it’s serviceable. Not the greatest, it resembles every other Japanese town in every other anime. However, this is alleviated by stellar art design. And while I’m not much of an artist, I was thoroughly submerged in this world through the stimulating visuals alone.
The flurries of snowflakes to add to the ‘cold and harsh theme’, meticulous attention to detail, and varied shot composition are what gives ERASED a distinct edge over other anime that attempt a much more cinematic approach.
Characters
Lastly, I’d like to invest some time on the focal point of the series: the characters. Namely Satoru and Kayo, who exhibit the most growth and development as characters.
As mentioned above, Satoru is on a quest for redemption, convinced that exposing the murderer will not only save his Mother in the timeline but also countless other innocents. This eventually breaks Satoru, until he finds solace in his trust with Airi; his coworker. Giving him the proper motivation to complete his journey. Albeit with repercussions. And while not much is none about Satoru’s past, we know enough to sympathize with his struggles and root for him.
Kayo has even more depth, often showcasing common symptoms of abuse victims, allowing the viewer to continuously suspend their disbelief with very raw subject matter. I don’t want to delve further into her arc, since it is among one of the most effective I’ve seen, but it goes without saying that Kayo is far and away ERASED’s best character.
Now, before I conclude this review I’d like to bring in one dishonorable mention: The murderer himself *Name withheld for spoiler purposes*. Holy shit…this character is a mess. As if this shows plodding pace at resolving the primary conflict isn’t bad enough get a load of these problems with _____ through a numerical format.
#1) Sudden reveal, further toppling what made ERASED an engrossing series.
#2) Pivotal traumatic experiences that occurred to _______ in the manga are omitted, resulting in an insubstantial reasoning for his murders.
#3) Blatantly obvious blocking to ‘hint’ at him being the antagonist; seriously this occurs in his second on-screen appearance.
#4) Arbitrary breaking of defined character to reveal ______ in a ‘dramatic’ scene.
Oh boy…
Conclusion
Now, is ERASED a fantastic show despite its glaring flaws? Yes and no. Yes, because it perfectly encapsulates a character study (Kayo and Satoru) in earlier episodes before devolving into mild idiocy. It also showcases great artwork, character designs, and a moving musical score by Yuki Kajiura, the composer of SAO and .Hack’s soundtracks. No, because later episodes are littered with idiotic sequences, and cliché moments.
Even so, EARASED managed to do two things: entertain and captivate me for hours on end. And, inspire me to write this colossal review due to the mediocre ending.
I award ERASED an 8.3/10.
