Customer Reviews

Boogiepop Phantom - Evolution 1

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If there's one anime out there that defines ingenuity, exemplifies great directing, and has one of the most original and intriguing plots ever it would definitely be the horrifying masterpiece Boogiepop Phantom. Boogiepop Phantom's story line takes place in Japan and is based around a mysterious beam of light that has occurred there recently. Sound simple enough? Hardly; not only does Boogiepop?s brilliance shine with one of the most complex plots ever seen but also in how the series ties a host of original concepts together into one unbelievable story line.
One of the best turn - ons of Boogiepop is how amazing well its plot pulls you in with its creativity. It successfully does this by taking a path very different and having its plot go backwards and the time frame flip back and forth between the present and the past of five years prior to the events. Another thing great about Boogiepop is that does something completely new and creative for a large portion of the episodes. That is, it does episodes based solely on one seemingly unimportant person and their involvement with the story. Then, in the following episode, shocks you by revealing how valuable these irrelevant people really are to the story. Also, the most amazing thing presented in the series was the extraordinary directing. Directing this impossible story and making it mix it to perfect consistency with the shows great character development, plot, and all the craziness that encompasses Boogiepop is purely ingenious. This alone deserves kudos for being pulled off so well when faced with such a mixed - up story. Still, although the show may have these wonderful points, it is not without flaw.
Although great, Boogiepop Phantom is still far from perfect. A major problem in the series is the amount of time it may take to pull you into the story. Much of this is probably due to the fact the first episodes may seem a bit gory and excessively crazy (which are a problems on there own) for most people?s tastes. The only other big problem is the difficulty it may take to adjust to the way the story is presented.
All things said, though, Boogiepop is an extremely original, well - done anime. It intrigues, wows, and will have you guessing to the very end. If you are looking for an incredible anime to engross yourself in, then Boogiepop Phantom will surely rock your world in more ways than one.

You know, rating this DVD's quite difficult; it's the kind of show you'll either love or hate. If you knew and loved Lain, well it's right up your alley. But where Lain was groundbreaking, Boogiepop is more polished, easier to follow. It's quite unfair to just compare the two titles though.

What you will notice immediately when you pop in the DVD is the quality of it, the menus are gorgeous and set the right mood. You get some cool stuff too, like a commentary track (A first as far as I'm concerned), the two promos of Boogiepop and even a music video. A very well polished DVD.

Now, the show itself; three episodes who feel like three short stories each with a different main character. Those stories are tightly interlocked thought, they often meet one another and the central characters. A scene you saw in the first episode takes an entirely different meaning, when you see it again from the point of view of another character at in the second. This is what make the show so effective, we may not understand the main mystery, but the individual stories are easy to follow. And the myteries unravel along the life of many people. And nothing, absolutely nothing, appears gratuitously in that story. Pay attention and it deffinitely pays off! It's like a big jigsaw puzzle, where every piece is part of a whole.

It's a smart show, it's a fascinating mystery with characters who feel really human despite their usually unnatural fates. A word of caution though, it's dark, the atmosphere is dark, the stories are dark and often gruesome.

In brief, I love that anime, it's among the best I've ever bought and I highly recommend it.

If you liked SERIAL EXPERIMENTS LAIN, you'll absolutely love this series!! It's got an amazing supernatural thriller that functions more like a ghost story than a slasher/supernatural-action film that passes for horror films these days. What's more is that the story is an intelligent mystery which unfolds as each episode proceeds -- but it makes sense (a lot more than LAIN did, that's for sure).

"Boogiepop" is a mysterious organization that protects the world from an invading menace in this late-night suspense thriller, beginning with a mystery surrounding the disappearance of several students around a high school with a student who can see and consume the emotional spiders of grief & regret in each person, a young girl regretting a missed chance at love for another who has become a monster unbeknownst to her, the "God of Death" Boogiepop Phantom, and the detective somehow involved with the Phantom.

And no dirty tentacles on this series!

Boogiepop is very similar to Serial Experiments Lain, but has more character development (thanks to the persistent inner-monolgue narration) and even more insistent weirdness. Boogiepop is more refined and subtle, but just as hypnotic. The animation is a little better and the writing is more fleshed out.

Simply put, this series (so far) is a great follow-on for the Lain fan. The same style is back, with a very different plot and a new theme which is at once more down-to-earth yet more fiercely outlandish. To see the show is to understand.

With a name like "Boogiepop Phantom, " you might think that the "angel of death" would be a force to be dismissed and perhaps be jeered at as well. Still, if you look at the ranks of the schoolkids as they begin to disappear and the bizarre events unfolding in an otherwise "normal" community, you might rethink that first impression. In fact, you might yourself hoping beyond hope that the array of cryptic noises and accompanying doom never cross your path while wandering the streets alone. Here, three tales of misfortune painted to fit on a larger, twelve-step canvas are introduced, weaving their own separate entities that need one another in order to survive. It is a strange jigsaw puzzle to watch unfold, too, with it bits of gruesomeness coming slowly at first and then rushing in like crimson waves. Still, this is one of the reasons I find myself charmed and, at the same time, somewhat chilled by the concepts introduced.

As far as an anime goes, the visual detail is stunning and the character depths work out really well. Instead of tales that introduce short lived characters to feed to the disposable wheels of a storyline, all of the episodes focus on one character and fleshes out their particular struggle. This adds an element that many plots find themselves lacking; that of empathetically appealing characterization and sometimes revilement because of the things taking place within the character's lives. Odd things that are spoken in one episode will make sense in another, and people that look like they might have been trustworthy in one tale could perhaps turn out to be serial killers in others. Couple this with the fact that the music reminds me of some of the most electronically inspired crypticness that I've listen to, that the ideas fleshed out within the tales themselves are some that work really were but that are a bit on the depraved side, and that this is a graphic depiction of the horrors that people inflict upon themselves and upon others, and you have yourself something that is actually a stunning piece of depraved artistry.

For anyone looking for a story that drifts past the realms of normality, focusing its eyes instead upon something that would seemingly be mundane ant first but that explodes into the horrific, then this is a story for you. It is floating to the brim with spoiled hopes and dreams that clog the sight of the watcher, showing you why the phantom has decided to grace the world and why you shouldn't talk to strangers - especially if they look nice or if they appear in the forms of the ones your heart is most stricken by. You simply have to be patient with it and remember that it is a program looping into another and finally working toward a common goal, that of painting a picture that can motivate one to fear. Personally, I find that this gives me a warm feeling I can embrace all day long.

This is a hard series to introduce. A spear of light suddenly pierces the night sky, there is a power interruption, and suddenly we are in the middle of a complicated story with little preparation. Each of the initial episodes picks up one thread, and follows it as it crosses others. At each intersection we are gradually presented different points of view, but in most cases it is finally up to the viewer to discern the underlying meaning.

After the start, episode one focuses on Moto, a young girl, who is haunted by regret for never having confessed her affection to Saotome, another student who was dating Moto's close friend Yasuka. He has disappeared, and the story quickly goes strange as specters, a serial killer, and a strange creature called the Boogiepop appear on the screen like jigsaw puzzle pieces.

Each episode follows a different, but related character. In the second, we meet Jonouchi, another student, one who can see emotion conflicts as 'bugs' eating away at the hearts of those around him. Unlike most people who have visions, though, he develops the ability to remove the bugs and make a meal of others misery.

In the last episode we meet Misuzu, who is called Panuru. She has developed what at first appears to be a great positive attitude and philosophy. That we then get to see crumble away into horrific self-delusion and tragedy.

All of the main characters are broken in some way, Their vulnerabilities seem to grant them special powers (seeing those bugs, and other creatures equally spooky). In the midst of these human islands a deeply layered set of story arcs unfolds. A returned serial killer, a light in the sky, a hunter called the Boogiepop, and enough other indicators to leave us hungry for explanations.

This is a series as brilliant as Serial Experiment Lain, with which comparisons are inevitable. Not because of thematic similarities, but because of an original creative staff that not only tries new things, but are exquisitely focused on making every single moment work. From surreal imagery to a rich and complex sound track, Boogiepop Phantom is a series that stays with you long after the final DVD is back on the shelf. Definitely 6 out of 5 stars.

ALSO - One of the most interesting features of this DVD is a commentary channel done by Jeff Thompson and Joe DiGiorgi of the US production team. Suffice it to say that, because of the disconnected manner in which the episodes come together, their explanations are often 'the light at the at the end of the tunnel.' They actually manage to give the viewer a basic framework for the series without ever really giving anything away, which is a blessing. In addition they spend a good deal of the time explaining what goes into the process we call dubbing. For once, I have some understanding of why the US versions of things can deviate so widely from the Japanese.

If this series were real.... your worst fear would probably be named Boogiepop. The angel of death or Hades` equivalent. Boogiepop Phantom is one of the very few anime that will get you to really think about the meaning of life and why we are here. It shows exactly how imperfect the human mind really is. If you're looking for gore, violence, scifi and all-around darkness...(withmore than the occasional bucket of blood), this is it. Perfect. Children under the age of 10 should not watch Boogiepop Phantom. Young children beware......This series is not for the light of heart.

While many will discuss that this title looks like Lain, the premise for both shows are way different, and both mean entertainment on their own way. Following Nagi Kirima and the haunting events that happens in the present and 5 years ago set the mood for this show. The mysterious Boogiepop appears from time to time, almost like an deus ex machina, and the biggest mistery is what Boogiepop Phantom is suposed to mean or to do.

From the girl who sees the past and the mother who has only the present, Boogiepop is a show that's not supposed to wrap up things in the middle, but left you wondering until the next episode, where it trashes what you thought you know so far.

What you have with this dvd is probably one of the most intriguing and most advanced storytelling I have ever experienced in an anime. Its complex storyline is matched by its equally rich visuals. I don't even know where to start on my review, I'm still in such a daze over what I've seen.

Boogiepop starts with some sort of strange event. A column of light shoots into the heavens and the entire city is blacked out. Nothing is the same after that. Kids have been mysteriously disappearing and some people say that the Boogiepop Phantom, or Death appeared to take them. There is also a serial killer stalking the streets. Is the Phantom just an urban legend that has sprouted up to explain all the senseless murders or is there some supernatural forces at work? Moto is a high school girl whose proclamation of love will never be heard because the boy she loved is one of those that disappeared. Well, that is until he forms out of thin air in front of her eyes from a mass of white energy.

Episdode 2 has to do with one of Moto's classmates, Jonouchi. He was standing on the balcony when the white light and blackout occurred and ever since then he has gained a special ability, or curse. Some people he sees have a very large spider over their heart, obviously some regret, some sadness, or sin that is eating away at their soul. He is able to grab the spider and eat them, destroying whatever it is that holding back the person's life. Well, we all know things have a price, so will Jonouchi be able to pay his?

The last episode has to to do with Misuzu. Misuzu has an imaginary companion who espouses a form of free love and indeed, love of all life, and the world. Even though a large part of life is suffering. She wants to promote this philosophy to the entire world. Well, when a shape-shifting entity appears to be summoned by her thoughts and claims to want to help her, she begins to have grandiose dreams that the whole world will think as she does. Even if it kills them.

And who is the Boogiepop Phantom? Is she the friend or enemy of humans? And who is Nagi Kirima, who seems to be the self-appointed gaurdian of the city, seeking to save its inhabitants from the evil that lurks in the shadows.

I have never seen an anime like this before. Horror manga strike me as a little laughable and lack the means to really scare you. Boogiepop, on the other hand, succeeds very well in raising the hairs on the back of your neck. You can sense that all these characters are twisted together, and that something awful is going on in the city even though we're not clear exactly what. I loved its complexity. And I loved not understanding everything. This series is one you could watch over and over and get new meanings from it each time. I would suggest you look at it twice before trying to make sense of it. The faded look of the colors and the unsettling sound design of the dvd just add to the dread and uneasiness of the experience. If this holds up, I believe this could be on the most unique animes ever produced and is guaranteed a cult following. If you would like the richness of a novel in an anime, you should check this out.

Very little extras:

Japanese Promos
English Director Commentary
Music Video Montage from the series

If you liked this anime, I would recommend the dvds: The Ring, Ringu, and The Eye. I would also recommend the manga The Arm of Kannon.

This series is amazing. Although it starts off a bit confusing with these first three episodes, it doesn't drag a bit. The storyline is so in depth that you will probably be revisisting past episodes just to catch what you might have missed. While some people have compared it to Serial Experiments Lain, they really can't be compared to each other...both are good in their own right, but at least this series answers more questions than Lain. By the end of Lain more questions are brought up than there were to begin with, but with Boogiepop a fair amount of questions are actually answered; you just have to pay attention. I would recommend watching this in English first and then Japanese simply because you have to pay attention to so much that is going on that reading subtitles and trying to make sense of the sometimes cryptic quotes becomes overwhelming in addition to watching the animation. The animation in itself is very good. All the scenes are relatively dark even if it takes place in daylight. A lot of the scenes are a bit disturbing (think a boy making a cat explode), but that isn't just for the benefit of blood and gore. Everything that happens in this anime happens for a reason. The story is told in an out of order way. This is for the effect of not revealing too much about the story until the 'right' time. The series is basically about a group of kids who have been affected by a beam of light that mysteriously appears in the first episode. These kids become gifted with powers and are then taken by Boogiepop, a 'grim-reaper' of sorts. Boogiepop is basically a dark superhero trying to protect the town from the Manticore; a man-eating monster than has taken a human form. To truly understand this series, Boogiepop & Others (the live action Japanese film) should be viewed in addition to the series. If you can get your hands on a copy, it would be well worth it, as the film goes more into what the light is, whereas the series only touches on that briefly in one of the later episodes. Overall, this gothic/horror series is very enjoyable if you can handle a little blood and a confusing story.

Prepare for mystery, horror, and an awesome story!
5 stars isn't enough for this incredible anime...

Not recommended for kids under 15, but everyone else should be able to handle it.