(CR) Boogiepop wa Warawanai

[Last Sinner]

Originally Posted by SeaDoor

Question... does this series occur before Phantom or after? before the "light-thing" or after?

I believe this is a prequel to Phantom.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by SeaDoor

Question... does this series occur before Phantom or after? before the "light-thing" or after?

This arc takes place before Phantom. The rest of the show (from episode 4 and on) will most likely take place after Phantom.

[serenade_beta]

Spoiler for ep1:

There weren't smartphones in the original, right? To be honest, if they are going to adapt the original story, I wish they would just be loyal to the original and not pointlessly modernize the content. In this day and age, and Touka never finds out she has been dressing like a weirdo and going around comforting zombies in the streets?

Also, with anime like this and Houshin Engi, but what is the techno-ing music that plays in these revivals of old anime? The ED is... somewhat passable, but the OP looks like if someone took a random song and pasted it to the visuals. I mean, I assume that is the OP. It doesn't feel a bit like an OP, but since it plays at the beginning of the episode, I'm assuming it is meant to be the OP.
...Probably?

Hmm... What to do... I kinda understand why the novel illustrator had a small fit over the new anime.
I'd like to say the way they showed the story is interesting (between ep 1 and 2), but it isn't actually all that new to me.
...I feel old now.

[shmaster]

Originally Posted by SeaDoor

Question... does this series occur before Phantom or after? before the "light-thing" or after?

Phantom occurs after Vol.1 but before vol.2
The current series adepts up to volunteer. 3 I think?

[Cosmic Eagle]

By current season contenders, this is top notch. Actually feels like OVA standard at some points

[Requiem-x]

"Because I'm automatic"

After more than a decade, I finally learn what that line means.

I'll admit the first didn't do the greatest of jobs at pulling me in, especially because it left me confused, but with the second one got me interested, even if we're going full throttle into crazy from the get go. Also, I was surprised by Nagi's design for some reason. Maybe I pictured her asa brunette in my head. Anyways, this should be interesting.

[Applehell]

Okay, I can see why they made this an hour-long/double episode. Still having the first half consist entirely of talking heads than a abrupt conclusion to the unseen conflict is hella bold move. Touka herself barely got any lines which was kind of bizarre.

The 2nd half was much more even granted the focus was mostly shared between Nagi, the Manticore and Masami, but it gave us much clearer picture of what going behind the scenes of first half. Despite employing the same storytelling techiques like DRRR!!! I found this far easier to follow. Though I'm not sure if that was because this was aired back-to-back or simply being better structured.

Whatever the case is this was good stuff. Its kind off-knitter mystery, psychological horror mixed with a bit of social commentary, we haven't had in a long time. OP is really good too and sets the mood of series. Looking foward to how next week concludes all of this.

Sidenote, rather shame what happened to Naoko, she seemed like a character a lot of connection to various members of the cast who oridnary would not meet. Real irony that it was her alien friend's clone who did her in. No good deed goes unpunished huh.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Applehell

The 2nd half was much more even granted the focus was mostly shared between Nagi, the Manticore and Masami, but it gave us much clearer picture of what going behind the scenes of first half. Despite employing the same storytelling techiques like DRRR!!! I found this far easier to follow. Though I'm not sure if that was because this was aired back-to-back or simply being better structured.

I think it's because there are less characters to keep track of. For now, at least.

[Anh_Minh]

I find it somewhat distractingly confusing. I can reconstruct what happened, more or less, but still.

[SeaDoor]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

I find it somewhat distractingly confusing. I can reconstruct what happened, more or less, but still.

I can sympathize completely. Welcome to Boogiepop.

[Shadow5YA]

Should Boogiepop be looking so smug all the time when the series is called Boogiepop Doesn't Laugh/Smile?

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by Shadow5YA

Should Boogiepop be looking so smug all the time when the series is called Boogiepop Doesn't Laugh/Smile?

The novel describes him as having this sort of weird expression that kinda looks like a smile but it's hard to pinpoint. I guess it was hard to show this visually so they just went for a smug look.

[Applehell]

Originally Posted by Kanon

I think it's because there are less characters to keep track of. For now, at least.

True, though I barely remember most of them even now.

[Anh_Minh]

The DRRR cast were more distinct, though. Here we've got a bunch of dark haired high school girls and boys in identical uniforms. Except for Boogiepop.

[Haak]

I don't recall DRRR being confusing in the first season. It only started to get confusing after that when it continued to haemorrhage more and more characters until it became a mess. I don't see Boogiepop ending up that way.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

The DRRR cast were more distinct, though. Here we've got a bunch of dark haired high school girls and boys in identical uniforms. Except for Boogiepop.

Yeah, the character design for this series is kind of... plain? Aside from Boogiepop, nobody really stands out. It's probably intentional though.

[Last Sinner]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Yeah, the character design for this series is kind of... plain? Aside from Boogiepop, nobody really stands out. It's probably intentional though.

Given the whole 'no one reacting to the guy in pain' and the male lead making the comment that everyone not reacting was normal, I imagine the hair colour is for that reason. That everyone is so generic/nonchalant/relatively heartless. Caring is generally a burden. Yes, it usually is the right think but it isn't without risk or consequences. A lot of people find caring/helping to be too much and without merit.

It's not the first time I've seen that being done and it was done in other titles for the same reason - to amplify the difference between the norm and the outliers. The first episode certainly helped to invoke empathy towards Boogiepop via this and how other characters acted.

[Requiem-x]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Yeah, the character design for this series is kind of... plain? Aside from Boogiepop, nobody really stands out. It's probably intentional though.

Phantom did have a very dreary atmosphere, and the realistic designs helped with that. Also, this is adapting material from almost two decades ago, so the need to go crazy and/or colorful most likely wasn't as strong as it is today. As far as appearances are concerned, that is, because the plot went crazy already.

[Shadow5YA]

Originally Posted by serenade_beta

[SPOILER="ep1"]There weren't smartphones in the original, right? To be honest, if they are going to adapt the original story, I wish they would just be loyal to the original and not pointlessly modernize the content. In this day and age, and Touka never finds out she has been dressing like a weirdo and going around comforting zombies in the streets?
[SPOILER]

And how would she find out? Even if random people upload a picture or video of Boogiepop on social media, her face is covered by the robes so she would only know that a weirdo was on the streets.

[Jan-Poo]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

The DRRR cast were more distinct, though. Here we've got a bunch of dark haired high school girls and boys in identical uniforms. Except for Boogiepop.

There's very little that I remember from Phantom, but it was even worse in that regards. At least in this recent adaption one girl had blonde hair.