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"...The actual events probably form a very simple story. From a distance, they appear to be quite confusing; to have no clear threads connecting them whatsoever, but the reality is that this is undoubtedly a much more straightforward, commonplace tale." - Boogiepop and Others
Thus opens the first volume of Boogiepop, and this statement perfectly describes the main theme of Boogiepop - the importance and relevance of all perspectives both in stories and, ultimately, the world at large.

Without getting into details, the first volume conveys this idea by presenting different parts of the same story from five different perspectives, which all come together to form ... a simple, yet thematically deep story, but apart seem confusing and disparate. While the story itself isn't all that revolutionary, using the way it is told to add thematic depth without over complicating the story is what truly sets Boogiepop apart. With each perspective we experience, more of the larger story is revealed to us and more of the hanging threads left by the other perspectives begin to come together. Additionally, with each perspective revealed to us, new themes are introduced and old ones reinforced.

Talking about themes, Boogiepop has a lot of them, from the impact even seemingly ordinary people can have on the world, to the effects that the pressure society puts on the youth can have, to the effects of an uncaring, cold system only concerned with itself, and to both sides of humanity, the irredeemably evil to the all-redeeming good. However, one common point which ties together many of the themes is the effect of the lost decade on society and those within it - when Boogiepop was originally written, Japan was it the midst of a decade of recession followed by stagnation. The youth were promised a future and that future never seemed to come, and that had a profound effect on Japanese society which can still be felt today. However, Boogiepop also balances those themes out with many more hopeful themes which focus primarily on the actions of ordinary people, and the good those actions can do, the impact those actions can have.

Ultimately, Boogiepop's story and world are thematically deep without being all that complex or convoluted, and although the structure is a bit more complex, it is effectively used to further increase the thematic depth of the story.

On the other hand, Boogiepop's characters all have a certain level of complexity to them. They are effectively used to move the story forwards, to display varying perspectives, and to explore Boogiepop's many themes. Although they are not always handled perfectly, not only do they serve their purpose, but they vividly display how both the world around them affects them, and how, on occasion, they affect the world. Additionally, unlike many stories, they feel very human - flawed, but not made of flaws - and they don't feel like tropes or a collection of tropes.

Finally, the art is... Fine. There's not much to say about it, but the character designs range from solid(most characters) to great(Boogiepop). But unlike most modern LNs, there isn't all that many illustrations, mainly just text.

Overall, I highly recommend reading Boogiepop to anyone who is interested in LNs or looking for a unique story. Boogiepop has never really gotten a proper adaptation (While Phantom captures much of the style and impact of the LNs, it is an anime original story, not an adaptation), and it is both interesting and entertaining to read, with the ending and the complete story also leaving a substantial impact on me personally.

Scores:
Character: 14/15
Story: 10/10
World: 10/10
Structure/Writing: 10/10
Art: 4/5
Overall: 48/50 (9.6)
Recommendation: Highly Recommend