Boogiepop Phantom / Boogiepop wa Warawanai

Review By: John Fragglepuss Evans

Genre: Dementia, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Psychological, Supernatural

First Aired: Winter 2000, 12 episodes

Summary: A series of horrific murders took place five years ago causing terror all over the city. A pillar of light appears in the night sky and a month later the rumors of meeting Boogiepop and being taken in the night begin to circulate. The rumors begin as more of a joke, but as strange occurrences happen more frequently, the tone of the city changes. Are the unusual happenings in the night a result of some new drug or is there some truth to the Boogiepop Phantom?

Boogiepop Phantom appears episodic at first but is more than that. The series is focused on a short period of time and each episode follows a different character throughout that time period. As such, some scenes are seen more than once, from different character’s perspectives. A multitude of characters show up throughout the series with it being an ensemble cast. The character designs are fairly basic, but they are realistic which makes the show even spookier. The animation is unique in how it uses a reduced color palette, making it appear like a mix between a dream and reality. It’s important to pay close attention to the events of the series since the larger plot is unfolded over time in a nonlinear fashion.

You might enjoy this if: You want to watch an intellectual mystery horror that will leave you guessing after each episode.

You might not like it if: You are not familiar with the Boogiepop universe and don’t have the patience to learn about it.

Note to the Viewer: The series is directed by Takashi Watanabe, director of Heavy Object, Ikki Tousen, and Demon King Daimao.

AMV – Boogiepop Phamtom AMV by Mind Warp Entertainment

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