Bugîpoppu wa warawanai

I'll admit my biases up front: I loved the animated series "Boogiepop Phantom." It's mix of time shifted story telling, characters over action, and weirdness won me over. When I saw the Live-Action Boogiepop movie on Ebay (with English subtitles!) I jumped at the chance.

For the most part, "Boogiepop and Others" takes place before the anime series. If you left BPP confused, there are a few more things we learn here: Boogiepop's origins (and her relationship with Toka), more about Saotome and the Manticore, Suema and Nagi's relationship, Echos' quest...and possibly the most intriguing questions: How Nagi knows what is going on, and what happened on the night the column of light appeared. A few more characters appear this time, including Takeda (Toka's boyfriend who is given a one line reference in the animated series), Kei, Naoko, and we learn more about Yurihara.

As the story goes, it is much like Boogiepop Phantom, but a little more easy to figure out. It is still told from the viewpoints of minor characters' interactions with the major characters, so we see some scenes a few times. Things slowly start to make sense and by the end, we have a good idea of what all is going on. The production values aren't Summer-Hollywood by any means, but for the most part they make due - although there is a scene of Boogiepop in the air that is a little laughable. The acting is a bit varies, with Echos, Toka and Nagi probably being the strongest and Saotome probably the weakest.

So, if you're a fan of BPP and want to learn more about the backstory, seek this out. Or, if you want a little Sci-Fi/horror film high on plot and story (if a little weak on production), go for it. I'd rate it a PG-13 leaning R...little language, no nudity and almost zero "mature themes," and a fair amount of blood, killing, and violence.

Getting used to the rhythm of the storytelling in the beginning of this movie may prove to be too much of an obstacle to enjoying it for non-Japanese audiences. The way characters are introduced, as if seemingly unrelated to each other, is something of a head scratcher. However, being left in the dark puts the viewer in the same position as several of the characters whose varying points of view about the same set of events are presented. As in the classic Kurosawa film, "Rashômon," the audience has no way of deciding which of several more or less plausible explanations of a gruesome crime is accurate, and, like "Rashômon," the least plausible turns out to be true. That said, this is no "Rashômon." However, it is stylish and entertaining as teen-oriented horror flicks go, and refreshingly not peopled with characters you want to yell at for being stupid. It's also a relief that most of the gore is off- camera and well enough represented by sound effects.

Apparently this is a Prequel to the anime series Boogie Pop Phantom. Okay boys and girls, whats the first rule of fight club--- okay make that what the first rule of anime? FIRST RULE OF ANIME - Never make a live action version unless it has no fantastical elements. The Wicked City film didn't work because whats fine animated doesn't work live action. City Hunter sort of worked because it was closer to reality Boogiepop doesn't work because its too fantastical. Also the director isn't good, nor the budget very big. I watched about 20 minutes had little interest in what was going on. It didn't help that Boogiepop looks really wrong in reality as opposed to animation. Its a cosplay production. I'll try it again after I watch the series, but for now...eh.

Having read some reviews prior to watching this, I was expecting a movie with horror elements, some people even said "gore". None of that here people, move along now.

Even though there wasn't any horror, I didn't mind a bit! I couldn't stop watching this movie once I started it. It takes place in a high school environment, which is always my favorite kind of environment for movies like this. The cast is young, I like that too. Not that I mind older people!

Apparently it's a live action film. Haven't watched the anime that goes with this movie, cause I'm not really into that, but I might check it out, since I heard good stuff about it.

What can I say? I just really enjoyed it. An exciting adventure. All the important characters were given just the right amount of screen time. Definitely gonna watch this again. Hope I can find some more movies like this! 8*

If Your a fan of the Anime Boogiepop Phantom and was left confused then You must get a hold of this movie since it covers the events leading up to the pillar of light and explains some of the unexplained elements in the Anime, actually a feeling I got from this movie is that the original idea was to release a series of movies but instead it continued in its Anime form.

Overall Boogiepop & Others (based on the original novel) is very similar to the Anime in which events are told out of order from different characters view points, the acting is strong and the plot is very well paced with a great cast of unique characters.

My only real complaints are that I think the relationship between Saotome and the Manticore is under developed and could have used some extra time spent on it and I think that Boogiepop and Echoes are both under used considering their importance, but overall this is a solid movie well worth checking out.