To begin with, let me tell you what to expect without revealing any spoilers: a man named Fujinuma Satoru has the ability to time travel minutes before a tragedy to prevent it from happening, and ends up traveling eighteen years into his past to prevent a series of kidnappings and murders from happening - this is triggered by the murder of his mother. Sound interesting? Well, it may appeal to some crowds, but likely not to others. This is why.
See, some expect more explanations to situations, more science fiction involved, more mystery involved. It's not hard to figure out who the kidnapper and killer is from early in the show, and Satoru's power is never really explained; this can cause some disliking. But, if you really look at this anime from a broader sense, then you'll quite easily see that the main points weren't to figure the killer out or comprehend Satoru's time travel. The points of this show were directed to the suspense of each episode, the wonder of what will happen next, and the fates of each character. Sure, you might know who the killer is, but do you know what will happen knowing that information? This anime does a good job of keeping viewers on the edge of their seat.
S H O R T C O M I N G S
Like I mentioned, those who are fans of sci-fi and mystery anime might not be satisfied with what this anime has to offer. The characters also have motives and actions that are not clearly explained, such as why Satoru concludes that preventing the kidnappings in his childhood would prevent his mother's death eighteen years into the future. Boku dake ga Inai Michi isn't strong in story and character, but let it be known that this is an anime adaption to a manga, which offers much more perspectives and information - and this anime is only 12 episodes.
P R O S
One of the greatest parts this anime gives watchers is the fact that it can sway hearts. While the story isn't too strong, the suspense and the feelings of dread, relief, excitement, happiness, suspicion, sadness, frustration, etc. make up for it. The characters are quite endearing and original, the art and animation is consistent and fluid to the very end (the eyes aren't enormous and the movements aren't choppy), and skipping the OP and ED is practically a crime for how good it is. My enjoyment from this anime is high because my expectations on the art and sound are met, and this is memorable to me because I don't often watch thrilling shows such as this so the feeling is exciting.
C L O S U R E
Overall, I'd say that this is worth watching to many, maybe not the best recommendation to some. It all depends on the crowd for anything, but for the most part, Boku dake ga Inai Michi/ERASED is a wonderfully-done anime that deserves its attention and love.
Story: 7/10
Art: 8/10
Sound: 9/10
Character: 7/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Overall: 40/50 ~ 80% ~ 8/10
