Anime Review | Erased
An extraordinary mash-up of drama, slice of life and “What the actual f***”, Erased or Boku dake ga Inai Machi overtakes your emotional side without warning. The infiltration of feelings may be a burden to some, but there might also be people who aren’t going to fight it. I mean the whole concept of time travel is only something that many humans wish for, right? Hold on, because there’s a lot more to it.
From friendship to teamwork and agape love; these are just some of the themes in this joint. However, it could be a bit shocking because it’s not all about fun and games, especially when other themes like abuse and murder add to the level of suspense. This is where the feels begin and unfortunately. It mirrors a reality that some people are quite familiar with.
The Never Ending Plot Twist
While this anime could add to your moral outlook on life, there’s a plot twist within everything. Satoru, the main character, has a spontaneous revival ability that is notably the most important factor in this series. Based on his will to save many, the scenes transition back and forth, sometimes more often than others to emphasize the main theme.
It’s insane when you’re living a normal life one day and the next, you’re being framed for the murder of your mother by the person who kidnapped and murdered your distant classmate when you were a child without you knowing at first. Yeah, that’s a lot to process isn’t it? Well, Satoru goes back in time to fix things. The atypical and intriguing part about it is that his mission isn’t accomplished on the first try just because he’s the star of the series, and I like that. If he did I’d have probably lost interest eons ago.
Like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle
Each part of the storyline is connected by strong plot elements and fits together like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Remember when I mentioned the part where his childhood classmate was murdered? Satoru’s emotional intelligence remained even as he went back to the past to his childhood body. Fittingly, his ability wasn’t limited to basic logic which allowed the story the reach its climax and a solution quite persuasively.
Kayo Hinazuki was the murdered classmate who Satoru saved by simply being a friend to her. Being abused by her mother, she wanted to be alone and this made room for her abduction and murder. The story gives reason for their unity and in a way, it was easier for him to connect with her because they shared a birthday. This is part of what I mean when I mention the link between everything.
Not all of the links are bad in the story
Erased continues to add suspicion where trust once was, especially since the way it’s written it’ll be difficult to notice the overarching plot twist coming. I never saw that coming until the end and that’s what made it traumatizing for me. Well played, sir. Well played. You got me. I feel like a fool for believing in you. Okay…I’m done ranting now.
So, in the end Satoru figured out the mystery of his mother’s murder and how it’s linked to three (3) child murders which occurred during his childhood. It’s also revealed that the perpetrator was abused in the past and had severe childhood trauma. Along with that, Hinazuki’s mother’s past also explains why she abused her daughter. In hindsight It makes sense now, really. They weren’t lying when they said “hurt people, hurt people”. That’s some deep stuff right there.
Final Verdict
So, triggered people hurting people without remorse is as realistic as it gets. It’s not like your typical love story and please don’t tell me…you were expecting them to kiss for the sake of love. Goddammit, they’re only ten (10) years old! Anyway, the feels were present. It’s just the ending that leaves you a bit messed up. While the tears may be unavoidable, at least this could help to bring awareness about real life situations like these.
Erased is just one of those anime that activates your emotions without remorse, leaving you contemplating how you can be a better person and appreciate the good people in your life. Well, I could only hope you feel the same. I’m honestly not a fan of rewatching anime, but this has to be added to my rewatch list. It’s amazing how this roller coaster ride ends with the perfect solution.
