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20 Years of Boogiepop




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Zendervai



Joined: 06 Apr 2012
Posts: 197
PostPosted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 12:25 pm Reply with quote
I missed Boogiepop Phantom entirely and I haven't had the chance to watch the new anime, but I have been able to read the first novel omnibus and I have the second one ready to read.

Coming into the whole thing as of a month ago, I have to say that I actually really like it. Admittedly, I'm a huge sucker for idiosyncratic and odd stories, but Boogiepop and Others really is pretty good. I do think the VS Imaginator books are better, but that's mostly because it's less about piecing together a story with no consistent viewpoint and no real explanation and more about how people react to society and how they face the expectations and problems in their lives. At least that's how I read it.
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Renster



Joined: 03 Oct 2008
Posts: 1
PostPosted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 1:08 pm Reply with quote
Firstly, this is a very good article and I'm very impressed by the amount of depth and details it goes into. I really enjoyed reading it Kim Morrissy.

I remember watching Boogiepop when I was 12 back in 2002, at the time I really didn't understand what was going on but I just watched it because it was "anime". I still enjoyed it mostly because of the angsty atmosphere and gore. Now since the new one came out I went ahead and explored all of the literature. I've finally begun to understand what feelings it tries to bring within the reader. Since I'm older now and not an angsty teenager I can understand the points the novel is trying to make. All I can say is I wished I read these novels when I was younger.


Last edited by Renster on Wed Mar 20, 2019 8:06 pm; edited 1 time in total
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dm
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Joined: 24 Sep 2010
Posts: 1345
PostPosted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 1:21 pm Reply with quote
When Boogiepop Phantom first came out the word in anime circles was that it was "like Serial Experiments Lain", and it was in many ways: it looked different from a lot of other anime, the story was non-linear and complex, it had secret, powerful organizations lurking in the background. For this Lain fan, it was enough to keep me interested in the series long enough for the series to get its hooks into me because of its own merits.

Kouji Ogata's art helped, too.

I'm glad more of the novels are being translated. I'll need to go back and re-read the earlier books to refresh my memory.

The Boogiepop and others live action film is also noteworthy for having an early, and different Yuki Kajiura soundtrack.


Last edited by dm on Wed Mar 20, 2019 1:36 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Aresef



Joined: 22 Jun 2005
Posts: 909
Location: MD
PostPosted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 1:32 pm Reply with quote
Thanks for writing this. Boogiepop Phantom was the anime that got me into anime, and has a special place in my heart. The live action film has its low-budget horror charms, too. I don't have CR or anything like that, so I'm just sitting here waiting for a home release. Know anything about that, btw?
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danpmss



Joined: 30 May 2015
Posts: 761
PostPosted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 4:53 pm Reply with quote
I just feel bad that the rushed adaptation of the first novel turned off a lot of people for the lack of its strong characterization (don't get me wrong, as it does present all of the important information, but it really lacks in substance). Because the other arcs were really nice in comparison, especially "At Dawn".

Other than that, I must add that I don't really agree with the negative japanese review and even would go as far as to say Boogiepop Phantom nearly works as a standalone isolated sequel for the first book (or in this case, as an intended sequel for the movie, which was good enough on its own right as an adaptation). It really takes some rewatches, but most of the information necessary for you to have an idea of what's going on is in there already.

But it really seems more like they actually did it on purpose and it failed because of it, since in my opinion, Phantom is better experience being watched first, then reading the first book/manga adaptation of it/watching the movie, then rewatching it for further clarification.

It's a shining solid example I have for a multimedia project done right, even because the mystery aspect was in there all the way through without failure and lack of proper representation.

The worst I can say about Phantom is the character design being a bit bland and the whole thing feeling far more sinister and somber than the already dark source material when it didn't need to. But even the latter is more of my personal likings, and it wouldn't at all be the same haunting and thrilling experience otherwise, especially when the staff did such an amazing job with the storytelling in the script, clever use of their darker setting and not-so-colorful storyboard palette and most important of all, the execution with which they tried to mimic the Boogiepop style of presentation... although lacking a deeper character writing like the books do so well (also very worth noting, the sound directing is probably the best I've ever seen in any anime of this genre and among the best overall, in my humble opinion, and I've watched my fair share of thousands).


Phantom is one of my few 10/10s, and I highly recommend new fans who got into the Omnibus releases and the new anime (albeit the first arc of it was just... okay, compared to the book) to watch it whenever they feel like it.


Last edited by danpmss on Fri Mar 22, 2019 4:50 pm; edited 1 time in total
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consignia



Joined: 06 Jul 2011
Posts: 391
PostPosted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 5:42 pm Reply with quote
I watched Phantom off the back of At Dawn. It had been a long time since I saw Phantom, but it was so much clearer with At Dawn and the first story in mind than I remember. The fact there's so many continued threads from those two stories give the rewatch as a whole so much context. Even a small cameo from Spooky Electric, even if it's one of the most pointless scenes in the entire show.

I did enjoy the rewatch, but the additional clarity certainly highlighted it's flaws. For a start there are too many threads which don't tie together in the end; is the show a set of vignettes in Boogiepop world, an epligoue to the two books, or a story about Manaka's effect on city? All three are pretty distinct, and occupy various parts of the series but never really converge.

Definitely worth a watch for those finishing off the current series, as long as you can enjoy the grimmer tone.
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yuna49



Joined: 27 Aug 2008
Posts: 3804
PostPosted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 7:59 am Reply with quote
Aresef wrote:
Thanks for writing this. Boogiepop Phantom was the anime that got me into anime, and has a special place in my heart. The live action film has its low-budget horror charms, too. I don't have CR or anything like that, so I'm just sitting here waiting for a home release. Know anything about that, btw?

Seems an unlikely candidate for a physical release in these days of shrinking demand for discs. Just subscribe to Crunchy. For the price of a boxset you'll have year's worth of contemporary anime.

Nor can I imagine any actor upstaging Aoi Yuuki in the title role. She's extraordinary here.
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Aresef



Joined: 22 Jun 2005
Posts: 909
Location: MD
PostPosted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 10:54 am Reply with quote
yuna49 wrote:
Aresef wrote:
Thanks for writing this. Boogiepop Phantom was the anime that got me into anime, and has a special place in my heart. The live action film has its low-budget horror charms, too. I don't have CR or anything like that, so I'm just sitting here waiting for a home release. Know anything about that, btw?

Seems an unlikely candidate for a physical release in these days of shrinking demand for discs. Just subscribe to Crunchy. For the price of a boxset you'll have year's worth of contemporary anime.

Nor can I imagine any actor upstaging Aoi Yuuki in the title role. She's extraordinary here.


Ah nuts. Guess I'm signing up for *another* streaming service. I can dream of RightStuf picking it up though.
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Zendervai



Joined: 06 Apr 2012
Posts: 197
PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 1:11 am Reply with quote
Aresef wrote:
yuna49 wrote:
Aresef wrote:
Thanks for writing this. Boogiepop Phantom was the anime that got me into anime, and has a special place in my heart. The live action film has its low-budget horror charms, too. I don't have CR or anything like that, so I'm just sitting here waiting for a home release. Know anything about that, btw?

Seems an unlikely candidate for a physical release in these days of shrinking demand for discs. Just subscribe to Crunchy. For the price of a boxset you'll have year's worth of contemporary anime.

Nor can I imagine any actor upstaging Aoi Yuuki in the title role. She's extraordinary here.


Ah nuts. Guess I'm signing up for *another* streaming service. I can dream of RightStuf picking it up though.


Considering that it squeaked in under the bar for a Funimation simuldub, it'll probably get a home video release via Funimation.
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omiya



Joined: 21 Sep 2011
Posts: 1822
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
PostPosted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 6:59 am Reply with quote
Besides the original 2 disc soundtrack, which I picked up in 2014, there was also released: Boogiepop: Music Album Inspired by Boogiepop and Others by Yuki Kajiura in 2000.
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