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Oct 5, 2009 3:18 PM
#1

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Mar 2008
418
THIS IS AN ANIME ONLY DISCUSSION POST. DO NOT DISCUSS THE MANGA BEYOND THIS EPISODE.
----------------------------------------
After a slow and boring first episode, I have to say this episode really surprised me... in a positive way.

Episode 2, "Portraits in Darkness" deals with Jonouchi and his weird visions. He was affected by a weird illness (a bone tumor) and is given a strange medicine by a doctor after she called him weak. He then sees "evil" and "pain" on other people's hearts but is unable to stop them and, thus, he loses himself past his limits.
We were also presented with 3 new characters that seem to have some connection to the overall plot (if there is one): the detective (forgot his name), Nagi (the woman holding a compass) and the "Manticore" that dons the same clothing as Boogiepop. This is getting interesting. :)

Despite my nagging on the previous episode about the art style and coloring, I guess I'm getting used to them and it actually felt right in this episode. The eerie sound effects also help the atmosphere.

Also, in contrast with the last episode, this one had quite a nice pacing. And the scene in the school infirmary, although probably unnecessary to the plot, was surprising and a nice touch as it adds a connection between characters from different individual stories (episodes).

Looking forward to the next one. :)
Mar 26, 2010 2:42 AM
#2

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Sep 2008
7062
I knew Mamiko Noto was the best when she didn't let that creep grope her. <3
She's so smart.
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Oct 7, 2010 2:16 AM
#3

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Mar 2010
489
I cant wait to see more.
Jul 7, 2011 11:05 PM
#4

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Dec 2009
1641
This has an eerie mood to it. Very nice episode.
Aug 3, 2011 10:10 AM
#5
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Jun 2010
67
Figured I'd include more relevant info from the light novels preceding the show, this time from Boogiepop at Dawn.

Aug 25, 2011 9:28 PM
#6

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Aug 2011
37
this episode was so creepy! D: so what i think i am understanding is that boogiepop is like the clean-up person working on all the stuff that was a result of that bright light. thats what i'm sensing about her.
Aug 30, 2012 5:03 PM
#7

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Nov 2009
302
Much better than the first one. Pace was quickened and it seemed more relevant. I liked the way it tied into the last ep too. Now i'm interested in continuing.
Sep 12, 2012 2:59 PM
#8

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Apr 2012
4896
Sweet, like a sweet sweet bug. <3
Jan 6, 2013 3:30 PM
#9

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Jun 2008
222
Yeah this was a better episode, but there's still a lot to be answered. The pace was good, and it tied together well. That bright light I'm taking is to be the main part of the plot, setting all the events in motion.
Dec 23, 2013 7:21 AM

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Aug 2013
179
Ahhh! I knew it, every episode is going to be a character study!
"Nothing is sweeter than your smile"
Jun 20, 2014 1:16 AM
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Jun 2013
2960
Is it me or did that girl seem like she was going allow him to have his way with her.I also was kinda shocked the first reaction he had was to eat the bug.did he ask all these females if he can basically grop them since he did ask that one girl.Im guessing we wont have recurring characters once they show up once.Weird episode.I wonder what happened to that guy hopefully we will find out but im leaning towards no more.
Jun 30, 2014 12:25 AM

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Jul 2008
10993
Ugh I hate spiders...and the fact that he did....what he did made this hard to watch.

So this is where the Baccano style came from.
Oct 29, 2014 6:42 PM

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Jun 2014
1665
"lemme grope your chest so i can eat the spider and take away your memories." ooooook...

starting to get a similar feeling as paranoia agent
Oct 31, 2015 2:00 PM

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Jan 2012
31479
Soundtracks are kinda scary .

Dec 29, 2015 12:35 AM

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May 2011
534
To be 'spirited away' by a 'demon' in the guise of a 'shinigami'? I want to see how they delve deeper into the role of Manticore. From what I see, the anime takes upon an episode nature thus far, focusing on side characters' involvement with the 'Boogiepop' phenomena. I have a feeling that the girl 'Kirima Nagi' will be heavily involved in all the supernatural occurrences, and based on deductions, the story will focus on her thereafter. That 'demon', which I presume is 'Manticore', is most likely that man-eater presented in the previous episode.

Loved the spider symbolism as an object of painful memories and guilt, yet an important form of redemption - a highly significant oriental motif (take Akutagwa's 'Kumo no Ito', for instance). Despite being feared as a venomous and overall, creepy, insect, spiders are important predators, which are vital for the food chain's balance in an ecosystem which they habitat in.
"If you reject me, I'll blast a hole in you!" Kanzaki H. Aria
Just kidding.

Jan 6, 2016 6:38 AM

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Apr 2009
649
I liked this episode way more than the first one. So Hisashi in the last ep wasn't lying about seeing the spider on Moto's chest. His way of wording it by "groping your chest" is very unsettling.. especially with his hero complex.
I'm very curious about that young girl with that spirit moth. She was seen very briefly in the last ep. Also, what's up with the doctor? I'm wondering if she has a bigger involvement with all the spiritual/demonic things going on.
And where did Boogiepop take Hisashi? I know her role seems to primarily be this world's grim reaper, but she seems to be involved with a lot of other human issues. Her stance appears neutral, but since she got Hisashi out of the way.. seems more neutral-good in a sense.

In short, I'm kinda digging this show.
Mar 4, 2016 4:54 AM

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Oct 2010
1289
YOOOOO, what is this, in a good way.

i'm already feeling this could become a new favorite jeeze
Oct 10, 2016 6:24 AM

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Jan 2014
1666
It's a good show, I have to say. Interesting for sure. Everyone said it reminds them of Lain, and I have to... Agree. Not really in contents, but style-wise. Very similar colour palette, background sounds, characters' expressions and a bit of resemblance in the narrative too... It's less cryptic and philosophical, but that's not the point of this show. I'm liking the way they're introducing us into the mystery, with this Baccano-like events' intertwining and different perspective game. I dig the show's shallow but powerful philosophy. EDIT: Not to mention, Boogiepop's voice actor is the same for Lain.
NostalgiaDrive94Oct 10, 2016 6:33 AM
Mar 3, 2017 4:41 AM

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Feb 2016
460
Let's be honest, the art and animation is nothing to boast about. But the music, my god, the music is simply wicked.

I never care much for background anime music in general because I am rarely given the incentive to take notice of it. This is different, in that they found a way to use music so effectively to set the mood to substitute what the animation lacked, which is at times more bland than unsettling. Shigurui meets Lain. Nice!

No wonder the reviews were heaping praise on the music.
Nothing can happen until you swing the bat.
Mar 23, 2017 1:30 PM

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May 2012
25828
Keeping this dark atmosphere he? Well it's not bad at all actually, even the pacing while feeling slow is actually pretty decent!

Let's see what's next.
May 31, 2017 12:50 PM
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Nov 2015
1056
So, short story anthology mode? Count me in!
No happy ending ever.
I'm gonna think about that twist.
Hope the female doctor appears again
May 31, 2017 12:53 PM
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Nov 2015
1056
HawthorneKitty said:
I knew Mamiko Noto was the best when she didn't let that creep grope her. <3
She's so smart.

Way to go Nina!!!!!
Jan 20, 2018 6:03 AM

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Nov 2012
4710
This is getting more intriguing,so much is happening each episode and every character is important despite not seeming so in their first appearance.

Actually needing to take notes on every character as they appear and what happens to them cause it seems they'll all be connected in the grand scale of things,this reminds of Kuuchuu Buranko but much more interesting for me.
Apr 22, 2018 3:49 PM

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Feb 2013
6196
I'm actually trying to keep track of the characters... this anime jumps around a lot so we'll see how I manage.

Today we follow groper boy (redid the scene from ep1) and Nagi is revealed (mentioned as the girl that blew off the boy last episode).

It's no wonder I had a hard time following this the first time through.
Nov 14, 2018 3:48 PM

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Nov 2016
31877
And I thought that Hisashi just wanted to get intimate with Moto and that she would feel better afterwards, lol.

Pretty interesting stuff.

One Piece episode 914 & 915 & 1027 were a mistake and 957 brought the salvation - FMmatron


Nov 30, 2018 11:26 PM

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Oct 2012
1289
I'm hooked, I felt like I was on the edge of my seat the whole time not knowing what strange thing would happen next and trying to piece together the story. Reminds me a bit of RahXephon and Ergo Proxy but easier to digest.
Mar 4, 2019 9:16 PM

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Dec 2015
6478
I wasn't expecting drug to be in an episode. Neither for the various cases to be "interconnected" (beyond their shared origin).

5/5


@SuperLlama All those informations are very interesting but it seems that they're actually more distracting and detrimental to the TV series tone/direction than useful to engage it. I personally regret reading the revealed points for the 1st 2 episodes and will from now on refrain from it, hoping it's not too late.
Jun 22, 2019 2:28 AM

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Apr 2013
2684
Wow this episode was insane and a very interesting concept at that
Nailed the eerie atmosphere
Aug 10, 2020 11:24 PM

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Sep 2016
163
This episode was considerably better with the utilization of audiovisuals elements to the story's benefit, seeing how there were multiple points over the course of the episode where things were left up to interpretation and not directly spelled out, which wasn't exactly a problem beforehand, but it was an electrifying feeling having to sit back and reconsider what I just watched, despite the fact I've already seen the show on more than one occasion. But, seeing how this is a critique, I guess I do have to state some things out of the blue.

The fact that we are painstakingly narrated to by the characters is still a big issue for me. As I said, the show toned this down, but it nevertheless persisted in some moments. At the beginning of the episode, Hisashi tells us over sepia-burnt still shots that he always wanted to be a hero. This is shown with a scene of him beating up some snotty bully. This entire part proves to be redundant when there was another point in the show where this same revelation could be made without the dependency on narration. Nagi and the detective had an entire monologue about the truth of growing up and how jobs like being a detective aren't what they're cut out to be, in which Nagi rebuts that those starry-eyed dreams of being a superhero are within reach. This was a great scene as it further builds up the foundation of the show's theme while presenting Hisashi's interest in crime-fighting in a more indirect way. When he hears Nagi advocate the possibility of being a superhero in real life, his eyes widen and he begins to listen closer to the conversation. This is a perfect way to illustrate his interest without being so on-the-nose. This is a nitpick to some but this gets somewhat irritating as I continue to watch. Plus, this is a critique, so I shall mention it.
Feb 25, 2021 11:44 AM

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Aug 2017
11418
I was confused a bit but the episode was better once Nagi reappeared. Eating "spiders" is disgusting. But the pacing is too fast.
NurguburuApr 15, 2021 8:15 PM
All weebs creatures of the galaxy, hear this message. Those of you who listen will not be struck by western animation. You will no longer know hunger, nor pain. Your Anime have come to lead you now. Our strength shall serve as a luminous sun toward which all intelligence may blossom. And the impervious shelter beneath which you will prosper. However, for those who refuse our offer and cling to their western animation ways… For you, there will be great wrath.
Jun 14, 2021 8:08 PM
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Oct 2016
27
I see where this is going (I think).
Either way, this one was a bit on the cliché side of things, both in it's character and thematic resolution and exploration. It is still pretty interesting because things are just building up as a puzzle and I suppose that's the objetive, but I hope for a better and more interesting thematic exploration or the puzzle is kinda meaningless.
The episodic approach is kinda smart but not that inventive.
Jul 16, 2021 5:52 PM

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Mar 2018
245
Both entranced and repulsed by this one, I absolutely love it.

If one things for certain, this show is not for the faint of heart, which could explain what feels like it's unjustified low weighted score so far.
Nov 6, 2021 5:36 PM

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Jun 2010
1873
The idea of the main character thinking he's become a hero removing supernatural vermin from people only to turn out to be a parasite eating parts of people and becoming addicted to it is interesting but it seems like cheating that the painful emotions he's ripping out of people are depicted as bugs, which immediately brings to mind an image of infestation; it seems an unfair twist when they actually represent something that's integral to the person.
Dec 2, 2021 6:29 AM

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Jun 2020
871
What happened in the very last scene where the kids from class 1 say Jonouchi has disappeared?

The background score is sometimes unsettling and scary, but is one of the best I have heard in any cinema or anime. I have many questions but loving it so far..
Apr 20, 2022 11:39 PM

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Feb 2021
2347
God this is creepy, they utilize sounds so well in this series, I'm kinda addicted to it. Although piecing together the story is kinda tricky
May 19, 2022 3:21 AM
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May 2019
15
This episode blew me anyway. One of the better things I've seen in a while, also the music was amazing
Jun 30, 2022 10:34 PM

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Jun 2020
412
started this one after hearing the soundtrack, holy shit this FUCKS

also loving the fact that boogiepop remains somewhat gender neutral
hik1komoriJun 30, 2022 10:38 PM
Oct 25, 2022 11:21 PM

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Jan 2010
7191
Well, that was sick and disturbing. I'm also now seeing the similarities to Serial Experiments Lain in terms of audiovisuals. It's pretty striking, actually.
Dec 10, 2022 10:00 PM
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Jul 2018
564084
What is this anime even about. Very confusing, I have so many questions. This episode felt longer than it actually was...
Mar 21, 2023 11:40 AM
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Feb 2019
272
Dark atmosphere and sick background soundtrack. Much better than ep 1
Aug 19, 2023 12:46 PM

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Sep 2017
4065
Well the metaphor was easier to understand in this episode: He kept "eating away" bad memories of other people until he himself was eaten away by them
But really, old anime is something else
هیچوقت بهتر نمیشه
Jan 11, 10:58 AM

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Nov 2023
1823
This episode was so nice and kept me hooked.
I need somebody who can love me at my worst
No, I'm not perfect, but I hope you see my worth
'Cause it's only you, nobody new, I put you first
And for you, girl, I swear I'll do the worst

If you stay forever, let me hold your hand
I can fill those places in your heart no else can
Let me show you love, oh, I don't pretend, yeah
I'll be right here, baby, you know I'll sink or swim
Nov 5, 7:07 PM

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Mar 2018
126
My "anti-fantasy" take to this episode is that he ended up killing himself over the mental strain that was taking the weight of other people's bad memories. Nice take on the whole "hero of justice" concept you see every now and then in Japanese fiction. Found the decision to represent bad memories as spiders to be quite interesting tbh

Wonder how much of this anime is original content vs actual source material. I've been liking it so far.
"A name... Toru Rikiishi"

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