Boogiepop Phantom...

Years ago, I picked up Boogiepop Phantom...

A scream in the night, and in that instant the world changed ... or at least, it appeared to. There have always been forces in the world and voices in the night: some friendly and other malevolent. Invisible until summoned; they slide through dimensions as people walk through doorways. They wait, and watch the doings of Man closely ... each for their own reasons. Sometimes, they appear ... and when they do, the world changes.

Everyone knows about Boogiepop: meet her one dark night and you are taken. People tell each other the stories and laugh: no one believes that she exists in this day and age. Still, there are some strange things that appear to be going on just below the surface.

Darkness takes many forms, though. Evil and good intermingle. The glass shatters. Time stands still. There is something in the darkness. You aren't alone. Are you safe? Five years ago, there was a string of grisly murders that shook the city to its core ... and in the present, psychic echoes reverberate.

Evolution 1
Portraits from Memory
A light pierces the sky and the world tears forward. Within the city Death is stalking once again. When Saotome, an ex-boyfriend of one of Moto's friends, mysteriously disappears, the whispers of Boogiepop begin to circulate. Like any teenager, Moto doesn't give the rumors much thought ... until one night when she catches a glimpse of Saotome's ghost. With her heart full of conflict, Moto is determined to find him once again and confess her true feelings for him. But is it really him? Did Boogiepop really kill him?

Portraits in Darkness
Jonouchi is cursed with visions: he sees the evil and pain within the hearts of others. Powerless to stop them, he's crushed by the burden and pushed beyond his limits. Now his existence has a single purpose: help others by removing their pain. But is his mission really working? After all, how complete is a life without the pain of regret, loss, and fear that can bind people together?

Life Can Be So Nice
Panuru they called her, but that's not really her name. Misuzu lives a terrible lie ... and a lie that conveniently serves something quite malevolent. Her life changed some years ago in many ways: some subtle and others less so. By adopting an alien philosophy, her world changed.

Evolution 2
In this enlightened age, few even believe that Boogiepop exists; she's used as an urban myth used to frighten the ignorant. But where urban myths end, reality takes up. Five years ago a serial killer held the city in fear, slashing and murdering seemingly at random. With the police totally clueless and the public held in the grips of terror, the grisly murders simply... ended.

Now, with a mysterious flash of light in the darkness, the panic and terror have returned for some and this time it has a face: Boogiepop. But she's not the only one whose stalking the darkened streets...

My Fair Lady
Yoji Suganuma's life is falling apart. Continually pushed to succeed by his overbearing father, he's retreated to the safety of his room and the comfort of his simulated girlfriend. When he's offered a drug that will 'change his life,' Yoji doesn't hesitate. Only now he can't seem to distinguish between the new girl Rie at work and his computer girlfriend. As line between reality and fiction blurs with Yoji's growing addiction, he's more determined than ever to make Rie over into his perfect 'fair lady'.

Interlude
Rumors. The stories continue to grow but what is the fact and fiction behind what really happened five years ago? Could one police officer already know the truth? Meanwhile, Suema is certain that Nagi Kirima knows something about those terrible events, but Nagi refuses to reveal anything. Her quest to uncover Nagi's secret leads Suema back to the Perfectural Hospital and a very mysterious girl.

Mother's Day
Strained by death of her father, the relationship between Shizue Wakasa and her mother was never the same after Shizue sees her mother with another man. But when Shizue is murdered by a serial killer, their relationship is left permanently unresolved. Now, five years later, the memories of Shizue return to haunt her once again when she discovers her diary.

Evolution 3
Until Ure in My Arms Again
Mamaro was never like other guys. Violent and merciless, he shows little love even to those in his family. His life has been spent looking for life's redundant parts - society included. Now Mamaro is about to discover he has less in common with other humans than he thought...

She's So Unusual
Single minded, Nagi Kirima goes through life with only one purpose: root out and destroy the evil that lurks in the darkness. A lonely life, but one her father would have approved of, as his jealously guarded theories form the basis for her work. But her pursuits have left little time for a personal life. Up to now it hasn't been a problem...

You'll Never Be Young Twice
Saki is a gifted pianist. Popular and talented, she is being manipulated to become something that she never will be. Her parents want only the best for her and are sacrificing everything for their goal. When a new teacher enters Saki's life, her faith in herself is shattered. Is she really worth all of their sacrifices? Torn and confused, she's unsure what to do. In the park late at night, though, there is rumored to be someone who brings a resolution to life's little problems ...

Evolution 4
There have been hints to the truth - pieces of the whole scattered throughout time and space. But what is the myth and what reality? Discover the final pieces in the culmination of the series.

Poom Poom
Poom Poom. Magical Poom Poom who holds a balloon and travels the sky to the wondrous worlds. And, in the world of Poom Poom everything is perfect, there are no grown ups and only powerful children who live without pain... But there are sinister under currents running beneath the apparent happiness of this little land...

Under the Gravity's Rainbow
Manaka knew nothing of the world. Trapped in the house by her grandmother, life became more and more impossible ... and one day, it ended. She knew that Death wasn't something to be feared ... that there were things beyond. And, although she couldn't possibly know what it meant, she also came to know what Echoes was... and is.

A Requiem
A year after the Rainbow disappeared, life returned to normal. Time unwinds itself and the darkness retreats. It does not, however, vanish. Some people understand that strange events unraveled. For others, the quests continue, but the veil has been lifted and sunlight has returned... Maybe.

Boogiepop Phantom has a unique look and feel. It was accomplished using muted colors - everything looks like an old photograph and has the feel of classic film noir. There are no naughty bits, but, there's plenty of gore. One of the truly unique aspects of the series is the way it examines the same set of events from different points of view. I have all four volumes on DVD. Also, I think it's worth noting that Boogiepop Phantom is one of the few Right Stuf releases that I thoroughly enjoyed. I gave Boogiepop Phantom a 3 out of 5.