Anime Hajime Review: Boogiepop Phantom

Series Synopsis

I don’t know how I’m going to do this.

A bright pillar of light beamed into the night sky. As quick as it appeared, it was gone. Now the effects of this phenomenon begin to affect the residents of an unnamed town.

Those who possess a weak will, easily become susceptible to manipulation. People become the carries of strange and in many cases dangerous forces that inhabit the world. Some try to run while others embrace their fate; or that's what they keep telling themselves.

This town is no stranger to unexplained events. Five years ago there were a string of violent murders. Many unnerving and terrifying rumors began to spread; including, but not limited to supernatural beings and secret organizations. However there was one that rose above all others; the urban legend known as Boogiepop (voiced by Kaori Shimizu).

The shadow has built a reputation of being an Angle of Death. Whenever Boogiepop is close, you can hear an eerie whistle to signal the time has come. Although the talks of Boogiepop have died down over the years, the presence of this spirit continues to linger.

Unfortunetly for those suffering from the pillar of light, it is all too real. There are things out there that seek to cast the world into darkness. Contrary to the rumors, Boogiepop may be the only thing that stands in their way.

Series Positives

If you’re like me and know nothing about the original, and quite extensive, source material, then Boogiepop Phantom is going to be one hell of beast. This is not for casual viewing.

Think Serial Experiments Lain, but even more what-the-f@#$; that’s something that I thought I would never say.

This is a show I’m having trouble wrapping my mind around. On one hand, seriously what the hell. On the other, I couldn’t stop watching and it was hard to put down. Yet now I'm exhausted and want to go take a nap.

I can't quantify Boogiepop Phantom in terms of like or dislike. If there’s one thing I can say, it wasn't boring.

Atmosphere

Holy Christ this show is creepy.

Boogiepop Phantom goes for the psychological and unknown. Never is anything waiting to say “Boo”. Instead the story tries to emulate the feeling of someone always watching you; and it succeeds.

The vast majority of this series is darkened. It’s hard to see anything and it’s often impossible to get a clear look at something before the story's ready to reveal it.

In episode three, a girl named Misuzu Arito (voiced by Megumi Nasu), known to her many as Panuru, appears to be in a constant state of bliss. She claims her happiness is from accepting the world as being a truly beautiful place; a view she adopted from her best friend. This is of course a deep seeded lie she's been telling herself.

Slowly Misuzu beings to lose to delusion, believing she's the embodiment of her dear friend's philosophy. The darker her mind goes, the more the truth comes out. Flashes of Misuzu’s friend appear all around her, increasing in their frequency. This causes great distress for Misuzu since her friend is covered in blood and repeatedly calls her a liar.

These quick snippets, combined with the dark surroundings help create an intense and frightening tone. If scary's too strong of word, then these scenes are at the very least unsettling; a perfect word to describe Boogiepop Phantom.

The Music

Any horror anime worth its salt knows that the choice of music plays a key factor in the overall execution. Boogiepop Phantom clearly understands this.

Now if I’m being completely honest, music isn’t the word I should use to describe what's going on in this show. Nails-on-chalkboard is perhaps a better explanation to what's going on, but the sounds used are often not as important as how they're used.

The soundtrack in this series is effectively used to induce discomfort. While not ear wrenching, these are not sounds that you’ll want to keep listening to. Combine this with the slew of creepy images, troubling themes, and overall despair, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for a fantastic physiological horror story.

Series Negatives

Have pen, paper, and a wiki at the ready; you’re going to need them.

Believe me, there's an important distinction between liking something and finding something interesting. Though they often come together, they can be separate. Boogiepop Phantom is pretty good; the atmosphere and distressing tone creates an effective horror experience.

That beings said, I still have a few words.

Missing a Piece

The story is as convoluted as you can imagine. There are a few recurring plot points and characters, but this is a tale about a series of incidents. We'll see many of the same scenes several times through different perspectives.

Something from an earlier episode may suddenly show up later on and tie into what's happening to something else. A few of these moments are rather frequent so it is easy to remember what's being referred to. However, that’s not always the case and you’re going to be left scratching your head.

If you’re thinking you can remember everything based on the characters involved, that's a lot easier said than done. It's difficult to tell one person from another since many of them don’t have significant physical traits to distinguish themselves. Hell this is a problem for Boogiepop itself since there's a character that takes its likeness.

These designs do play up the realism, but it would be beneficial if people at least had a distinct personality. For a few characters this happens, but for most everyone else, their brooding, depressed, and gloomy.

This is not the kind of situation a show should find itself in. Yet, even with all this going against it, Boogiepop Phantom does manage to weave everything into one. It might take you a moment, but an image does take shape.

Once you think you’ve put the whole puzzle together, you’ll notice something. You still can't see the full picture; one glaring piece is missing.

What is the pillar of light we keep seeing? It's never once explained despite being alluded to the entire time. Yes we see what it has caused and how the characters of the show were affected, but something clearly happened at this moment that is not talked about.

I think this won’t be a problem for anyone who's familiar with the original source material. Yet an anime should be self-contained and stand as its own merits.

Final Thoughts

There’s a lot going on in this series, so much so that’s it’s probably going to push a lot of people away before they give it a chance. This is…understandable. Still, I won’t say this is a bad series. Confusing sure, but if a show's able to keep my attention despite that; well something must be going right.

Boogiepop Phantom does manage to create a world that is both creepy and uncomfortable. On more than one occasion, certain images and scenes left me feeling a little uneasy. This is a show that recognized how to create horror.

For those who are willing to give this series a try, knowing full well that it’s not going to be easy, I think you’ll be able to get something out it.

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