Anime Review: Boogiepop wa Warawanai (2019) Episode 1

Boogiepop wa Warawanai (2019)

Studio: Madhouse

Genre: Mystery

Stream: Crunchyroll

Boogiepop is a series of twenty-plus light novels and an incredibly popular franchise in Japan. In 2000, Boogiepop Phantom was released as an anime series that used the Boogiepop brand to create an original storyline and acted as a sequel to the original novel. Boogiepop wa Warawanai will adapt the beginning of the Boogiepop series, which makes it a fine jumping on point for new fans.

Boogiepop wa Warawanai opens up with a lovely but melancholy opening song. The opening looks great and sets the series up for a solemn atmosphere. Four students have disappeared, assumed to have run away. While the students deal with these strange events, the protagonist is caught up thinking about a mysterious figure who resembles a friend of his. It turns out that this is actually Boogiepop, who is possessing his friend. Boogiepop tells him that there is a danger looming that could result in the demise of everyone.

The premise is incredibly interesting and full of promise. The episode cuts around a lot as the protagonist tries to piece together what is happening. The episode has a constant air of mystery to it, with an overwhelming feeling of dread and danger surrounding the characters. The schoolgirls gossip about rumors regarding Boogiepop, leading to the feeling that it is all just an urban legend. The constant gossip, the actual possession, and the choppy storytelling establish the atmosphere perfectly.

The episode’s slow start suits the narrative well and allows the events to naturally develop. Poor pacing happens way too often in anime in order to pull in the reader with excitement, but Boogiepop wa Warawanai manages to do this without blowing everything up.

The character designs are fairly simple, with most characters in usual school attire. Boogiepop’s design is great, with a simple uniform that makes the character seem to be full of authority. The animation is fairly straightforward in this first episode, without anything truly spectacular or offensive occurring. The episode is heavy on dialogue, but the characters aren’t still throughout the conversation. Little movements here and there breathe life into the conversations and keep the show engaging. The score is full of ambient sound that draws the viewer into the show’s fascinating atmosphere.

Boogiepop wa Warawanai has the potential to be special. Its slow approach to storytelling is a nice change of pace. The air of mystery and dread will keep readers engaged even if there isn’t a scary monster attack or brutal scene. Fans of horror should be interested in this new series.