Erased

This twelve part series is centred on Satoru Fujinuma, a man with an unusual ability. If he is near the site of an accident he will find himself projected five minutes into the past, enabling him to avert it. One day he gets home and finds his mother, murdered on the floor... he soon finds himself wanted for her murder! As he tries to get away from the scene... then he is thrown back in time. It isn't five minutes though; it is eighteen years! He is a child again, back in his childhood home in Hokkaido. Here he tries to do things that may prevent his mother being murdered; this involves trying to save three children who were kidnapped and murdered at the time. Satoru has no idea who the killer is but is convinced that the man who had been sentenced to hang for the crime is innocent.

I watched the anime version of this but it was long enough ago not to recall key events. I really enjoyed this version. The story progressed well with the concept of Satoru's time-travelling abilities explained early on. Things pick up even more as the action moves to 1980s Hokkaido; its snow covered urban landscapes creating a create atmosphere. The cast, particularly the youngsters, do a really fine job making the story tense and believable despite its fantastical premise. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to anybody who likes a mystery and wants something a little different.

These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.

I was not expecting this live action series to be as good as it was. The direction was stellar and always made sure to draw your eye to crucial details in scenery. The acting is also top notch, even the child actors, everyone fit their roles well.

Story wise it was emotionally fulfilling and the characters go through a lot of development. The mystery of who the killer is may be a bit obvious, but it isn't the focal point of the whole series so I believe it can be excused.

Music was always utilized well and never used unnecessarily, adding to the impact the soundtrack has when used. The theme song is pretty nice too, though it would be nice if Netflix at least translated it for the final episode.

If you were to choose between watching this and the anime, you should definitely watch this live action series, as it has much better direction and stronger storytelling. If you have seen the anime and are wary about this series, I can confirm this is actually a much better version of ERASED than the anime is.

9.5/10

Once you get past the fact you're watching a Japanese show, and have to read the subtitles -- which doesn't take long -- Erased becomes addictive.

It's a drama/mystery/science fiction series involving Satoru and those around him. I won't include any spoilers. As is the case with many shows, the less you know about it, probably the better.

Binge-watched the first six episodes.

I know nothing about the manga or any previous tellings of this story. I was pulled in during the first episode and binged the entire series. I thought the younger actors were nothing less than phenomenal. The secret of the evil doer was kept until the script demanded. I loved the fidelity the characters portrayed to the very thought of doing good. I rate this high because more people need to watch it!

I'm not particularly a manga or Japanese movie/tv fan and I didn't know the cartoon and movie existed. I might have to check them out.

From the perspective of someone who is watching this without any expectations and randomly found this on Netflix:

This show is absolutely amazing. Just bingewatched the first 6 episodes. The acting is brilliant, the characters are so amazing, and I'll admit I almost shed a tear in several episodes out of sheer glee. This reminds me of how I enjoyed the film Amelie; a pleasure to see all the unique nuances, especially after watching one of the most terrible films I have ever seen in my life a few days ago called Stasis.

I hope the rest of the season is as good but I could probably die happy after only 6 episodes. Thank you sincerely to those who made this with such endearing people. I want to hug you and them.

By the way, the show Haters Back Off needs more 1 star reviews. Please take the time to downvote terrible shows so I can experience more of this and less of that.