Boogiepop Phantom

HKBattosai Oct 4, 2018

6.5

Intro: This review of Boogiepop Phantom is going to be quick. I only watched the first six episodes due to going such a long time between viewings, which this is not an anime you can get away with doing so because its plot and story telling are quite deep and interesting. Story: Eeringly good. That's the best way I can describe it. I'm not much of a fan of Noir, but its elements are done very well and add to the otherwordly Psychological atmosphere that MADHOUSE is trying to set. Those, combined with certain other factors add to these strange occurances that have been happening throughout the series to a handful of high school students. Through six episodes it feels episodic, but everything that's been happening seems to be directly linked together as well. Animation: Bad (including the artwork), but much of it is deliberate, which it certainly does a really solid job at setting the tone and mood for the anime. This does merit some praise. However, it's to a fault I'm afraid. It's so bad at times that it hinders what it tries to accomplish. A little more polish from MADHOUSE and this could've been an even more intense psychological trip of Mystery and Horror. Sound: Horrible, at least when it comes to the English audio track. Again, it might be deliberate, but this time it does not benefit the anime at all. So this anime needs to be watched in Japanese, otherwise face the vocal audio quality drop off. In the Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0, the dialogue sound is much more nominal. The music and sound effects are excellent too! It sounds surprisingly well above average on the 5.1 surround system. This definitely heightens the edgy atmosphere. Characters: Outside of Boogiepop, the rest of the cast is too detached and independent through six episodes. In their own featured episodes they are good characters, but they don't seem very cohesive or very linked to each other, not yet any way. You will only see small amounts of their connection to a unifying story arc up to this point. Conclusion: This anime is a mixed bag due to the extremeties between the really good elements and the really bad ones, but... In the future I may pick this up again because it truly is a fascinating story. Even with the problems listed in this review, Boogiepop Phantom is entertaining just due to the few high points mentioned. Ultimately, those will probably give me enough reason to start over and finish this anime completely the next time around. Naturally, I will update this review when and if that happens. ENTERTAINMENT SCORE:  7/10 Episodes watched:  6 1️⃣Weighted Average System Score: (24 + 5 + 7 + 15 + 14 = 65/100 points) Additional Information: Video Format:  DVD (2012) Audio Format:  Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0 (with English subtitles) Publisher:  Nozomi Entertainment Equipment Used:  LG 60UH6550 4K TV, Vizio 5.1 Sound Bar System SB3651-E6, Sony Blu-ray Player BDP-S5200

Whims44 Feb 20, 2011

10

My first review for Anime-Planet, please comment and tell me what you think. I appreciate reviews of my reviews greatly. I hope I will encourage fellow anime fans to watch this series and appreciate it as i do. It's truly an unique and terrifying experience that should not be missed. It's a horror and psychological thriller and its nothing you've ever seen before. Now onto the review and thanks for reading. Story; Some claim Boogiepop Phantom has no story or is a complete wreck. To that I say, Boogiepop Phantom is coming for you. Just kidding. There are numerous stories at play in this series. I can just say that by reading the synopsis doesn't particularly tell you what to expect. It's vague for a reason and if you do as I say later (rewatching it three times), then you should not have any problems. I am going to recommend reading the manga, Boogiepop Doesn't Laugh, for more background on what happens in Boogiepop Phantom.Animation; Boogiepop Phantom is done with this tint of sepia for every episode except for the last one. There is good reason why Madhouse chose to do it this way. It's an interesting twist and to give that away in this review would be absolute criminal as its absolute brilliance. A dark and disturbing story requires a dark and disturbing atmosphere. It should go without saying that Boogiepop Phantom is a beautiful show in its own right and still a cornerstone in anime history.Sound; Only one word can describe the soundtrack: creepy. It's an intense combination of rock and techno-type music. There are several scenes in the first few episodes where the background music makes the hairs on neck stick straight up and gives you intense goosebumps. You can even break into a cold sweat because of the music and sounds you hear. The opening song is a jazzy and catchy tune and the ending is a  rock/techno deal which is also catchy. The background music is definitely a positive and strength that Boogiepop Phantom has to offer and it emulates the feelings and purpose of the show.Characters; If you like complex human drama, this show delivers. The strongest aspect of Boogiepop Phantom is the growth, change and maturity of the characters. The growth, change and maturing of the characters are in fact, the story. Some characters grow and others regress as the series goes on. If you are looking for a story about characters, look no further. Nobody is perfect in the world of Boogiepop Phantom. Nobody. They all have problems and that is the beauty of it - they do not hide it at all.Overall; I will admit that it can get confusing at times, but rest assured that after rewatching it three times once blindly, once with English commentary and the last time knowing what to expect per the commentary; that you will understand the series and its complicated but genius story. I have done this and discovered one of, if not the best, anime series I have seen since becoming an anime fan in 1996 and it's taken me 15 years to discover this series. I would  recommend not to bother with recommendations or series similar to this one, because to be frank, there is not anything like Boogiepop Phantom.

Jestershock Jun 25, 2011

3.5

Reading a plot summery about this show gives you more story than watching all 12 episodes. Someone put a lot of work into this series, but in the effort to weave a tapestry of interconnected lives it helps to have characters that stand out or can at least be identified as individuals. Every character was so bland that they blurred over each other, making the entire story even more vague than it was intended to be. The complete lack of ending in the last episode just seemed to underscore how little there was to the over-arching story.With so much great stuff out there to watch, I can't help but regret having taken the time to see this one through.