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Why BokuMachi is so damn good
🕑 Added 2016-02-25 21:14:53 +0000 UTCSince making my What's in a Scene video, I've continued to think about Boku Dake Ga Inai Machi, like, a LOT. The show does so many things well that it's hard to pinpoint just one thing that makes it great. As a thriller, its ability to build and pay off tension is nearly peerless. As a mystery, the way it creates a breadcrumb trail of clues is super satisfying and gives you a lot to think about. As a work of cinema - holy shit, is the cinematography and editing ever on point.
But while I was watching episode 8, the moment that took my breath away wasn't the tense scene at the beginning with the killer stalking around hinazuki's bus hideout. Nor was it the badass confrontation with her mother at the end of the episode. Although in terms of tone both scenes were pitch perfect. Instead it was the morning after hinazuki stayed over at Satoru's house - When kayo wakes up, sees the breakfast satoru's mom lovingly made for her, and just breaks down crying - with very mamoru hosoda-esque tears, I might add. The simple edit showing her previous breakfasts speaks VOLUMES about her home situation. About how what tore her down more than her mother's violence was her mother's neglect.
It's a fucking powerful, emotional, human scene of a kind that's all too rare in anime. Yet this show has moments like that almost every episode. And that, fundamentally, is what makes it a great show - underneath the clever writing and filmmaking, BokuMachi has heart. BokuMachi has a LOT of heart.
Some people who've read the manga say it gets stupid from here, but even if the plot meanders off a bit, I have a feeling that the emotional core of the show will stay steady. I have a hard time seeing this conclude as anything less than a 9/10 for me.
Comments
Wyatt
What shows are a 10 for you? I only have 3 10s myself, out of hundreds of anime. I give BokuMachi an 8 so far, personally. I think that Airi got a little too much focus in episodes 5-6. And honestly, as I said on Twitter earlier, the plot doesn't just meander later: It fucking explodes and falls off a cliff, and remains to never really recover
Foolash
I appreciate when someone can Like a thing a lot, with explained reasons like these despite my own personal views. It's not the worst show & I can see the appeal but.... aside from most of the directing/editing I myself can't see this as more than a 5 or 6 out of 10 show. The mystery is dull & cliffhangers are forced, usually leading to nothing in the next episode. (the blonde kid with spooky red eyes & loud spooky music @the end of episode two being the funniest one. Nothing happened with that!) The MC is just such a dull dumbass, he leaves in the middle of Fucking daylight back in present times without any disguise at all which baffles me. Hell he didn't even wear one when he tried to push Hinazuki's mother down a flight of stairs. Speaking of dumb, Airi not going out the window when her house was on fire takes the cake. A chocolate bar, fucking Nutty Crunch causes a divorce. I hate a lot more about it, but this is not the place to do it. The OP is still fuckiiiiiiing Great, I will say.
