Boku Dake ga Inai Machi / First Impressions

OP Sequence

OP: 「Re;Re」 by ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION

 

「掌」 (Tenohira)
“Palm”

Gosh, Boku Dake ga Inai Machi is one of those anime which every little thing feels like it’s foreshadowing what’s going to happen. I have my eyes glued to the screen as I watch and listen for any subtle clues that might solve this mystery. Obviously I’m not meant to guess what’s going to happen this early on, but it’s good to remember for later episodes. Simple things like the bruises, the students’ stories, and even Satoru’s friends could all be pointing Satoru in the right direction. It’s only the matter of what that direction is and how Satoru will make a difference.

This week we meet the very quiet, keep-to-herself, Hinazuki Kayo (Yuuki Aoi). The girl who doesn’t talk in class, has no apparent friends and wanders around after school until dark. I wish there was a better way to describe her, because she’s not weird or mean, she’s just reserved. I’ll admit that if I was an 11-year-old kid, I probably wouldn’t reach out to her either so I actually don’t blame Satoru at all for ignoring her that night at the park. Nobody probably gave it too much though either when she disappeared (unless it was school-wide news). It’s only when you find out that her body was discovered that everyone starts putting everything into an internal perspective and they talking about her. ”If only I talked to her that day…” or ”I remember when she did this…”. This is especially true for children because you don’t know any better and you don’t see the consequences of your action until they’re that bad. Now I don’t blame any of kids for what happened (not yet anyway…) but I can see why that kind of event is so traumatizing for children. It leaves a huge impression on you and you might always wonder “What if…”.

Satoru is not your average kid anymore though. He’s a 29-year-old in a 11-year-old body (Tsuchiya Tao) and he thinks like a 29-year-old would. If this was a comedy instead of a psychological thriller, there are so many jokes that I can imagine happening right now (especially when he touched Kayo’s hand!). Anyway, the internal struggle is real guys… dealing with the fact that you don’t remember anything about being 11, plus you have to figure out what you’re actually trying to accomplish now. You don’t know where to start, and you’re just happy to see that your mom is alive. Honestly, the whole thing would feel so surreal because you have a chance to re-do your life and that’s a lot of pressure. Like I was saying before, Satoru didn’t know any better as a kid about what was going on but now, with all this hindsight, he has a chance to make it right. He has his one shot to save Kayo’s life (and his mom’s) and hopefully not make himself out to be a crazy child in the process. It’s so interesting just listening to both his seiyuus talk outloud from both a 29 and 11-year-old’s perspective. I applaud A-1 Pictures for being able to portray Satoru’s circumstances so accurately. That and the mood fits so well with that feeling of gloom and doom looming over your shoulders (too much rhyming there sorry!).

Please remember to use spoiler tags if you’re a manga reader and want to share information. I will be watching the comment section. In terms of what I’ve gathered this episode… I think they’re heavily implying that Kayo is being domestically abused; particularly by her mom. I would be very shocked if that didn’t end up being the case. Someone is also lurking around who is likely the murderer’s (or Satoru’s “friend”) and all signs point to him as being the murderer. Whether or not that ends up being the case will be the question. I’m sure Boku Dake ga Inai Machi has much more up its sleeve than a quiet girl who runs away from home and meets a stranger on the street, only to be taken away and end up dead. There are some strong implications of Satoru’s future friend, Katagiri Airi (Akasaki Chinatsu) being involved so maybe she’ll have a larger role in the story. Or love interest. You know, because I like that fluff.

Bottom Line – @RCCherrie: I love how everything feels so ominous in #BokuMachi. It’s like everything is foreshadowing what’s to come. I always gets so heartbroken watching stories about child abuse. Children deserve a better upbringing.

 

ED Sequence

ED: 「それは小さな光のような」 (Sore wa Chiisa ni Hikari no Youna) by Sayuri

63 Comments

    1. That’s why I said I didn’t want to count the students out (yet) because they might also be involved =X It’s kinda sad to think that as a 11-year-old though, you’d think about being involved in something like that.

      Cherrie
      Reply

    2. I’m with you SurYo, and particularly that he is very likeable and helps Satoru, it makes you think that something is up. I hate this feeling, if someone understands what I mean lol the ‘doubt’ and ‘suspense’. Whether saving the girl will kill someone else or everything is not what it means. *messes up hair* I can’t take it!

      Mi-Chan
      Reply

  2. Loved the film reel visuals in the OP. Also digging Yuki Kajiura’s return in the soundtrack and her touch on the ED. It reminded me a little of Shin Sekai Yori.

    Oh, not a manga reader but I just want to share some of my speculations based on this latest episode. But as a precaution, I’ll put it in spoiler tags.

    Show Spoiler ▼

    isabel
    Reply

    2. Thats a good way of looking at it, Show Spoiler ▼

      still a pretty amazing show regardless, . . .my favorite of the season imo.

      endah
      Reply

  3. Never happened in anime before where a simple scene of a son and his mother having a dinner together can feel so magical. Perhaps it’s because i can understand Satoru’s regret of not being able to save his mother, or because such a display of familial love is a rarity in anime nowadays that it warmed my heart when Satoru thanked her mom for the food. Satoru that in previous episode felt quite detached to his mother into realizing just how important she is to him is what made this episode so high in my book now.

    Amiluhur
    Reply

  4. Wow! This will be one of the best of the season if the story telling continues as it has.

    This goes right to the heart for me; imagine thinking back and remembering something
    that happened to a peer when you were 11 (no, not necessarily a murder). As an adult
    now you understand what happened, why that child was the way they were; but at the
    time you couldn’t process it. You’re suddenly thrown back in time to that point, and with
    your adult understanding, you see it much clearly.

    But do you have the courage to change it?

    I have high expectations – I hope they can pull it off with the 12 episodes slated…

    mac65
    Reply

  5. I love Satoru as a character. The part of him “performing” in order to make friends makes him very down-to-earth that he feels relatable. I can certainly relate to that with some of my friendships, and he expresses it like there is absolutely nothing wrong with it, and then, somewhere along the way, if you stick to it, it will become real and deep eventually. The show felt so real in that topic.

    Another thing I love about his character is how, in a way, he never truly grew up from his days in elementary school, because the tragedy with Hinazuki hit him in a way that would even make him dull and not someone you’d have fun hanging out with as an adult, because it was all for a very good reason. He could never forgive himself for what happened, and wished he would’ve done something about it, which is why he was stuck in the past even at 29 years old. But at the same time, he could never open that box of guilt again, which is why his manga didn’t have any of his personality in it. All that made his giant time leap back to 1988 all the more worth it, because not only will he save his mom, he’ll also save Hinazuki, and therefore set things right for his life, and not just in terms of saving lives. He’s such a complex character, and it feels so refreshing.

    I’m also quite interested in Hinazuki. I wanna find out more about her and her familial condition that makes her perform in the opposite way of Satoru. It’ll be quite the joy if we get to see Satoru crack her shell and let her be her true self with him.

    I’m quite loving this anime so far. Everything about it so far has been great 🙂

    yoloalchemist
    Reply

    1. I agree with all this- even though the 10 year old Satoru we’re seeing is actually 29 year old Satoru inside the younger body, I do feel that we genuinely get a sense of what Satoru was actually like as a child.

      Aki-Chan
      Reply

    1. I heard the creator of the manga is actually going to include the manga’s ending into the anime before the it’s actually published in the manga, first time i have seen this happen, as long as the anime gets the intended ending i’m all fine.

      Hunter-Wolf
      Reply

  8. Oh man, this is getting so good. I love anime and i love psychological thrillers, put the two together and you have a winning formula! I don’t think it’s time to put the story together yet as there’s still many pieces left but i’ll try to remember the hints 😛

    Machon1
    Reply

  10. This series have me so hooked, so far i’m freacking amazed by this anime, i had high expectations about it, but they got crushed.
    Since i watched Steins;Gate i have love for time travel stories, when done right they are awesome.
    This show gave me some serious “Reading Steiner” vibe.
    Now i can only wait a long week untill next episode.

    Micheleuno
    Reply

  12. omg i’m itching so much to spoil this for everyone.
    i’ve read the manga so i know who the killer is.

    bruce willis is a ghost.
    kevin spacey is the crime boss.
    brad pitt and edward norton are the same person.
    rosebud is a sled.

    kaiba_CEO
    Reply

  14. The torture of waiting a week for the third episodes and restraining myself from reading the manga. Haven’t come across such a great mystery anime in a long time. It’s only mid-February and his birthday is in the beginning of March. I wonder what’s he going to do to keep Kayo out of harm’s way.
    …argh I want to know what happens so bad x)

    Loving the OP and ED btw.

    Yukie
    Reply

  16. If any of you guys watched Butterfly effect (with ashton kutcher) you would remember this, as an adult, he remembers having blackouts as a kid, complete lack of certain parts of his memory. Now remember what Satoru said in episode 1 when his mother reminded him of “something horrible that happened when you were young”, he had no recollection of it whatsoever until she pretty much told him.

    In this episode there’s another hint, he was trying to figure out why was his “revival” sent him back here, he couldn’t figure out what was wrong back in 1998, even after running past Kayo, only later into the episode he kind of recalled her going missing during this time.

    Now this makes me think they might incorporate Butterfly Effect into the ending of this series (adaptation to be precise) I.e after he manages to save Kayo and stop the murderer, he will simply wake up in the present time with her either at his side or just alive without really realizing who he is.

    Dwarg
    Reply

    2. His ability hasn’t been fully explained but I personally don’t think there’s a “Forward” button. He is gonna have to relive those 18 years, every single day of it.

      SnooSnoo
      Reply

  17. Man, what an episode, even if the episode was mainly getting Satoru’s (and our) feet planted on the ground to kick things off. Satoru feeling embarrassed from holding Kayo’s hand was pretty funny and honestly, if he wasn’t a 29 year old stuck in his former 11 year old body, I’d be on full shipping mode between Satoru and Kayo right now! Curses, it hurts to not ship them together! :'(

    Definitely looking forward to what’s coming next. The details are really nice like switching voices for Satoru’s inner thoughts vs his speech and things like him not remembering almost everything from his childhood. I never really stopped to think about it, but if i was transported back in time to when i was 10 or 11, i honestly would’ve forgotten most of the things that seemed so vivid in my memory.

    Trap Master
    Reply

  19. This show is an example that the industry can still have stories that speak to the heart and mind of the audience without the pmp (perverted moe pretentiousness). It does what anime used to do: being a viewer first and a fan second unlike most shows where the fan base is already preordained so there’s no excitement in anything. Kid satoru and kayo “relationship” is much more grounded in reality then nanoha fate, vivio einhart or illya miyu and kuro because this is how actual kids would act at this age not some improbable fantasy that’s based on isolation.

    masselle
    Reply

  20. I love this! During the first episode, I thought it was a bit gimmicky how he kept repeating time during the first Revival and thought that this show would be a “save of the week” type of show. But then, when his mom got stabbed, I almost cried, and would have if I wasn’t forced to pause the video. I didn’t expect the drama to escalate so quickly.

    This episode was so smooth and the children are all adorable. I love Satoru’s inner dialogue and his conversations. This show is so well written. I like all the characters so far and their interactions feel so real and down-to-earth. The show does an excellent job at making you feel attached to the characters, such as his mom, the girl, and the main character, even though it’s only episode two.

    I’m really looking forward to the rest of the episodes and enjoyed hearing AKFG for the opening.

    It’s hard to explain, but this show feels so genuine and well-crafted. I loved the details in the art (selective use of color) and the acting is so good. It’s fun to hear the different accent (at first I couldn’t figure out why his Mom reacted as him calling her “ka-san” but then I realized all the kids say “see you” differently from the Tokyo accent).

    Thanks for the weekly coverage!

    Chloesong
    Reply

    1. opps, never mind. It seems that ka-san was how he called her informally when he was little and oka-san is more formal. It’ll be interesting to see if Satoru makes other “adult” slip ups, especially at school.

      Chloesong
      Reply

  21. I hate being left out in ‘doubt’ and ‘suspense’ for a long time and this anime will probably drag my emotions down with it. Every time a car passes behind, I feel like I need to record that incident because it is somehow a clue. Because ‘Kenya’ also had a role in understanding Satoru, the fact that something bad/good is related to him makes me worry too. He kind of read through why Satoru was worried for Hinazuki too. Even then though, their sensei looks scary.

    Ahhhh the longer I’ll watch this anime, the more doubt grows in my mind -.-‘

    Ty for your review! Not a manga reader, I’ll hunt down those spoiler mongers 🙂

    Mi-Chan
    Reply

    1. The suspense definitely kills me as well >_< That's a sign of a great mystery series though so I highly recommend fans of the genre to join along =) I'm going to try and not read any spoilers but hey... I don't guarantee that I won't be looking up some extra tidbits here and there without actually reading the manga =X

      Cherrie
      Reply

  23. This season and especially emphasize one thing:
    You can have good concept and resources, but with bad decisions and executions concept would not matter much.
    You can have overused concept and poor resources, but good execution could save a show.

    However, once good concept, resource and execution meets. You have this.

    zeroyuki92
    Reply

  24. I watched the trailer for the live action version and i hope it didn’t ruin anything for me. It made the MC out to be some sort of martyr and I for one hope that’s not what happens. I wouldn’t be able to stop the feels train. I haven’t felt this betrayed by a preview ever since i watched the one made for Soylent Green. Show Spoiler ▼

    As far as second episodes go, this one was very strong to follow the well executed pilot. I’m just hoping somewhere along the way the quality doesn’t drop because there simply isn’t enough time to fit everything in. It’s been a while since I’ve been on here and it’s wonderful to know that you’re blogging this Cherrie!

    Synic
    Reply

    1. Thanks for reading and welcome back to RC!
      I agree about a strong second episode. Usually the second episode is a bit slower than the premieres but I thought Boku Machi did a good job introducing the second most critical character. Plus there’s enough to keep you interested and invested in the anime which is always a good sign.

      Cherrie
      Reply

  25. Show Spoiler ▼

    Show Spoiler ▼

    Thebex
    Reply

      1. To be fair, that is neither the strength, nor the focus of this series. Instead it is carried by its psychological/dramatic elements. Now, is the thing you two are talking about a flaw? Sure, but it isn’t a fatal one- as the two aforementioned elements are dexecuted well enough to carry it…

        Zen
        Reply

  26. Really good second episode. This is everything that last season’s Subete wasn’t, ’cause the characters here are actually relatable and empathetic. Satoru’s flaws only help to drive home a sense of realism about him that make me want to see him succeed all the more. Kayo almost hits that pitiable chord, but she’s well-rounded enough in the sense that her inner struggles betray a broader strength; a thought that has me gripping my arm chair at the idea that she could still be killed.

    https://randomc.net/image/Boku%20Dake%20ga%20Inai%20Machi/Boku%20Dake%20ga%20Inai%20Machi%20-%2002%20-%2019.jpg

    This Kenya kid’s interesting bird though. He has me wondering if Satoru’s not the only one out there with his “Revival” power.

    https://randomc.net/image/Boku%20Dake%20ga%20Inai%20Machi/Boku%20Dake%20ga%20Inai%20Machi%20-%2002%20-%2021.jpg

    One other thing that stood out. Kayo is obviously being abused, but I’m not quite ready to lay judgment down on her mother just yet. Recall in her essay that while she did mention her mother, she also called out her teachers as well? …Teachers?

    Is there any particular reason why she doesn’t feel safe at school and instead has to go out to an abandoned park?

    https://randomc.net/image/Boku%20Dake%20ga%20Inai%20Machi/Boku%20Dake%20ga%20Inai%20Machi%20-%2002%20-%2002.jpg

    …..

    Ryan Ashfyre
    Reply

  29. Did anyone notice the change of animation style once the is send back in time? It seem like the color is less vivid and the black block on top and the bottom of the anime which resemble watching a movie.

    Probably intentional.

    walaoa
    Reply

  30. https://randomc.net/image/Boku%20Dake%20ga%20Inai%20Machi/Boku%20Dake%20ga%20Inai%20Machi%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2016.jpg

    The bruises, waiting out in the park, the essay and Kayo’s personality in general both really go a long way to showing us who she is and what she is going through (or, in the previous timeline as it were, went through, but the funeral photo sort of hammers all that home. I mean, I’m not sure if this is actually the norm in reality, but in anime whenever there is funeral, the photo of the dead person is always one of them smiling, or at least happy in some way. Kayo’s photo is neither of those, and she was just a 10 year old girl. Admittedly, there isn’t much of a point to me chipping in with this observation, but given that in the series (both in anime and manga) the first time we see Kayo in any context is that photo and…well, to repeat myself, it really hammers things more.

    Right, but anyway, this episode was just as good as the first, and oh gosh it’s so heartrending. Somehow, having the movement (animation), colours and voices put to the scenes I’ve already seen just heightens that. And the little funny moments (Satoru’s ‘oops I said that out loud’ moments in particular) also hit the right notes. I’m not usually someone who has seen the source material before the anime, but I guess I can say that this is how adaptations should be, and I hope it remains this way.

    Ah, and the ending song!! I’m considering that to be the best ED of the season in terms of both visuals and the song itself (Sayuri wins, once again). But oh my gosh the spoilers in that, not least the Show Spoiler ▼

    . Admittedly I would have just thought such things abstract imagery if I hadn’t been familiar with the manga but as it is, those bits gave me the chills when I saw them represented in the ending. But even so, what wonderful visuals. I love the Shin Sekai Yori-ness of them.

    And now I’m babbling so I’ll shut up now- just, I’m not used to using the spoiler tags so if I’ve put them in wrong and what I’ve written to put inside that shows up, I apologise!

    Aki-Chan
    Reply

  31. The second episode – as noted by walaoa – not only got the black bars but also has the scenes in which the different times are presented as movie frames. So is Satoru really living the past or just witnessing it like a movie goer? Thinking about it, could changing the past result in him losing his Revival ability? Wouldn’t that become a paradox in itself? Moreover, Revival up to that point only seemed to be about helping other people, not himself.

    Regarding the murder mystery itself, there’s one scene I totally ignored the first time I watched it: There were two killing incidents. The first happened at a river and the second was the death of Kayo and juding from an article his mother reads in the first episode the first victim was also a girl, so there’s a connection. What struck me in this episode, though, is that Kayo apparently was found in a garbage heap in the woods, more or less badly hidden away. In a way it was the total opposite to the other murder scene by the river. So my current theory is that there are two murderers. The first one is the ‘serial’ killer and the second one is either a teenager or even one of Kayo’s and Satoru’s classmates. It feels somehow fitting that a young mind would hide a body in a garbage heap. A place kids would love to play in and therefore know. This scenario would also fit with the personality of Kayo because I doubt that she would willingly go with an adult. We saw the killer making a movie in the first episode so I assume that giving ice cream or doing something similar was his M.O. Would she follow such an adult? Most certainly not. So it has to be someone she knows. Of course, she also knows many adults but my guess is that an adult would most likely bury her deep in the woods.

    Waku
    Reply

  32. Man, I totally forgot about one important piece of information: The kids talk about a hideout and that they don’t go there because of the snow. Could the garbage heap be their hideout? If so, the killer is one of the group because he knew nobody would be there. And as far as I remember Kayo’s body was (immediately?) found after the snow melted.

    Waku
    Reply

    1. Apparently rumor has it that they’re just going to go with the manga’s canon ending- in spite of the fact that it won’t yet have been published by the time the anime ends…

      Zen
      Reply

  35. I saw someone mention this already, but it needs to be said again. This is strait up the butterfly effect. I’m just waiting for some kid to get diddled and someones dick to get bit off.

    Beorn4200
    Reply

  36. Brilliant anime, it definitely has the potential to be the best of this season, or even the entire year actually. It’s real pleasure watching, and the one I look most forward to each week!

    sherry
    Reply

  37. That’s some high quality mystery anime right there, i love how everything feels polished and how much the dialog and character interactions feel natural and believable, i’m definitely going to keep following this one, specially after knowing it’s getting the manga’s original ending even before the manga itself, that’s really promising (tired of incomplete shows and botched anime original endings).

    I also have to talk about the elephant in the room, they already showed the blue butterfly several times to signify the hero’s time travel power activating, most people immediately connected that with the Butterfly Effect movie and as we all know this type of time travel scenario got associated with butterflies in pop culture, but seeing the blue butterfly and the hero’s ability to reverse time for a short period (although it’s sort of out of his control) immedietly reminded me of the amazing game Life is Strange, i’m not sure which one of them inspired the other (or maybe it’s just a coincidence and both drew inspiration from the same source), i don’t see this as a bad thing, on the conteraty .. there are enough difference to make both unique and interesting, but if i’m going to say something i’d say Boku Dake ga Inai Machi is the Life is Strange of Anime or Life is Strange is Boku Dake the game .. if you haven’t played Life is Strange yet and you liked what you saw of Boku Dake so far .. do yourself a service and go play it now, it’s an amazing game.

    Hunter-Wolf
    Reply

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