(CR) Boogiepop wa Warawanai

[serenade_beta]

Spoiler for final thoughts:

Hmmmmmm........

10/10

The only complaint I have is the modernization of the character designs and some other small stuff, as well as the super-skip-able OP and ED.
But in general, I think it was a solid anime adaption and I can't really find anything to complain about on its content.
So 10/10

For better or for worse, they even went ahead and animated more than 12 episodes just to add in an entire arc, which I would compliment as devoted...
But I was honestly pissed off a bit to having to suddenly watch a whole bunch of episodes outside of my weekly schedule.

Anyways, it is good to see an animation of one of the most influential Light Novels to have existed.
Ahh... The golden age of LNs. Before all of those locusts came along...

[shmaster]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

The "king of distortion" is Shiro's power. It can't just disappear. For better or worse, it's part of him and he has to learn how to live with it and control it properly.

The king is also "automatic", so there isn't much Shiro can do about it.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by shmaster

The king is also "automatic", so there isn't much Shiro can do about it.

I don't think so. The "King" seemed too invested in Shirou's personal issues to be truly automatic. In fact, if he was automatic he wouldn't have stopped the experiment. He backed down because he was influenced by Kei's words, which clearly suggests his consciousness is not truly separated from Shirou's.

[Applehell]

Not quite the heart pounding dramatic climax I was expecting, but it ended in a way I suppose that really fitting of the series. I really wish the show had done a better job developing Boogiepop and Takeda's relationship so that the last part would have been stronger terms of impact. On the otherhand I've come to like Kei a lot more over the recent episodes.

Still this show was quite unlike anything airing today and that was one of things that made it fun even if can rather confusing at times. I would certainly place within my top 3. I dunno if we every get a sequel to this since doesn't seem to have much of a splash tho.

[Haak]

I fucking finally managed to catch up with all the damn episodes. That sneaky four episode ambush really screwed me over.

But man this show has been a blast. The story really knows how to create compelling characters that are easy to get behind and just a really great atmosphere (Can’t wait for the soundtrack to get released).

The philosophy in the show just hits that sweet spot for me as well. Not too wishy washy and not too esoteric either. In particular I really liked that analogy of the swarm of bugs. A chaotic, disorderly and often contradictory body of movement that represents not just ourselves individually but also collectively. It did well to illustrate with character like the Scarecrow and Mo Murder too. I also liked the fact that it had enough perspective to step outside the constant existential angst occasionally, like with the Zooragi fight.

I also like how the story leaves things opened enough to interpret things the way you want, such as whether Boogiepop truly is a separate entity to Miyashita (although I do feel that some questions are supposed to get answers)

It’s also funny too see just how much Nasu Kinoko was inspired by this story because there really are so many similar attributes.

TL;DR…

similarities

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[Kazu-kun]

If we're talking about similarities with Nasu, you missed the most obvious. A character called Shirou who happens to be an archer, who also happens to suffer from survivor guilt which drivers him into trying to help others despite the fact he should fix his own shit first.

It's kind of hard not to see Nasu's Shirou as a huge homage to Kadono's Shirou with all these similarities.

[Haak]

Ah I did notice the Shirou that also does archery but I didn't bother mentioning it because it seemed so minor but the survivors guilt thing is an interesting interpretation. I never interpreted it that way though. I think Boogiepop Shirou had regrets but not survivors guilt. I still think Fate Shirou's hero complex is more based on Nagi.

[Kazu-kun]

Nagi's hero complex comes from her meeting with Scarecrow. It doesn't stem from a trauma or anything like that.

More importantly, the core issue with Nasu's Shirou is that he's basically self-destructive. The VN specifically describes his mindset as "distorted" because he believes he has a debt to pay to the people who died when the town burned down, just because he survived and they didn't. It might not be a perfect match to Boogiepop's Shirou's trauma but it's very close. Shirou too believes he has something to pay for what happened to Naoko, and he's trying to help people in his own way. The greatest similarity is that both are overlooking their own issues while focusing on helping others.

[Haak]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

Nagi's hero complex comes from her meeting with Scarecrow. It doesn't stem from a trauma or anything like that.

More importantly, the core issue with Nasu's Shirou is that he's basically self-destructive. The VN specifically describes his mindset as "distorted" because he believes he has a debt to pay to the people who died when the town burned down, just because he survived and they didn't. It might not be a perfect match to Boogiepop's Shirou's trauma but it's very close. Shirou too believes he has something to pay for what happened to Naoko, and he's trying to help people in his own way. The greatest similarity is that both are overlooking their own issues while focusing on helping others.

I would have to heavily disagree there. Iirc, Nagi starting being a hero only after her dad died and that would make the most sense considering the circumstances of her fathers death compared to the Scarecrows "disappearance". There was also a moment in her fight with the crazy lady doctor near the end of Episode 13, where the doctor notes that Nagi's weakness (that she can see visualised) is that Nagi is afraid of loved ones dying before herself. The visual representation of that is her fathers corpse:

Images

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This ties into her attitude in the first arc where she was very blunt about other people not getting in her way (before she promptly gets her throat slit).

In my eyes, this is treated as more self-destructive than what Boogiepop-Shirou was doing. As far as I can see, Boogiepop-Shirou wasn't under the belief he had to pay for Naoko's death. He was just a confused guy that didn't understand Naoko kept what led to her death a secret from him. He couldn't understand that she had a different persona (split-personalities and personas being a key theme to this arc) and sought to understand other people's different sides through helping them.

Ofcourse, this is just my interpretation. For all I know it's possible that Nasu interpreted Boogiepop-Shirou the same way you did.

[shmaster]

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

I don't think so. The "King" seemed too invested in Shirou's personal issues to be truly automatic. In fact, if he was automatic he wouldn't have stopped the experiment. He backed down because he was influenced by Kei's words, which clearly suggests his consciousness is not truly separated from Shirou's.

Although what you said is correct. That's not the right way to put it.
The King stopped because the objective circumstances (regarding Shirou) that's triggering his automatic function has changed.

Shirou will not be able to just will the King away. What Shirou subjectively is doing or thinking does not influence the King directly.
The whole objective circumstances has to change to alter the King's action. Not to mention the criteria that trigger the automatic actions are unknown to these automatic beings themselves.

And naturally, it is impossible Shirou to 100% control what he feels, where he is, who he met, etc.
Add it with the fact the triggers are unknown, to have Shirou controlling the king is ultimately impossible.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by shmaster

Although what you said is correct. That's not the right way to put it.
The King stopped because the objective circumstances (regarding Shirou) that's triggering his automatic function has changed.

I don't think so. The guy (who is still very much Shirou not matter what he says) chose to back down because Kei made him face the source of his guilt. Nothing about that was automatic or objective, at all.

Shirou will not be able to just will the King away. What Shirou subjectively is doing or thinking does not influence the King directly.

That's up in the air. I think he could.

In any case, the book leaves this to interpretation, so it's okay if you have a different take on it. I just don't agree with it.

[Haak]

So apparently the Boogiepop BGM was released so allow me to share some of my favourites:

• The Principle
• Counselor
• Descent To Grey

Kensuke Ushio, you've done it again.

[shmaster]

Speaking of the OST. I especially likes how the main theme of the four arcs differs from one another.

It really depict the directions of the three automatic beings are heading.
From Boogie, a passive but complete self accepting being. To Mianoshi who became a lonely transcended being that got left behind by the world. And finally the King of Distortion who is a being the seeks resolution and did finally find an answer to resolve himself.

[Kiyoe]

Spoiler for Boogiepop Novel Cover:

Release: May 10th.

[BBOvenGuy]

Originally Posted by Kiyoe

Spoiler for Boogiepop Novel Cover:

Release: May 10th.

Is this a new story? Or at least not one of the ones in the omnibus volumes?

[SeijiSensei]

Also, while I'm no expert, doesn't that character model follow the one in the anime more than the original design in the novels? She's less angular, but then so are the other characters like Nagi.

[Cosmic Eagle]

Originally Posted by BBOvenGuy

Is this a new story? Or at least not one of the ones in the omnibus volumes?

The art style looks like that for one of those new re-release volumes