Boogiepop Phantom is an episodic denpa series which pitches these questions to its characters throughout its 12 episode run, and will leave you asking the same to yourself. Based on the universe of the still ongoing light novel franchise by Kadono Kouhei, Boogiepop's exploration of memory takes on many forms throughout. The presentation of memory throughout the show is often non-linear, with the narrative of many episodes jumping forward and back in time in order to slowly drip-feed the viewers hints about the puzzle that is the main protagonists of each episode. From memories of a brother's personality in the past (ep7, "Until Ure In My Arms Again"), to repeating conversations caused by memory erasure (ep5, "Interlude"), each episode takes a different approach both in topic and presentation to the larger topic of "memory", with the degree to which it is apparent fluctuating.
This culminates in the stories of Manaka Kisiragi and Mayumi Kisaragi. Both characters appear throughout most of the series, interacting with many episodes' focal characters. Manaka is a woman who appears to be high-school aged when compared with other characters, though her verbal communication is limited to repeating what is said to her. She is an evolved human, or MPLS, with the ability to utilise "Memory Butterflies" in order to extract memories from people and bestow them unto them too. Her mother is Mayumi, a hospital patient who experiences amnesia which causes her to forget all new events. She is seen throughout the series relying on a set of flashcards to note down people's names and events. In terms of memory and communication the two are polar opposites, with Manaka being unable to communicate but overflowing with knowledge on memories, and Mayumi being unable to remember new events but able to communicate with others.
Their differences reinforce a theme that is present due to Poom Poom, a being created by Manaka who is seemingly able to rid people of their regretful memories by giving them a red balloon, causing them to regress to a childlike state. In the same way which Manaka and Mayumi are both unhappy either with or without their memories, after accepting a red balloon from Poom Poom, Saki (ep9, "You'll never be young twice") eventually commits suicide in spite of being freed from the expectations and disappointments from her past.
But when both remembering and forgetting brings despair, what brings hope?
In the end, Boogiepop Phantom does not loathe or love the past, but explores its impacts in extremes before settling on the fact that neither extreme is worthwhile: a thought that is much easier typed out than integrated into life. It's a beautiful series both visually and plot-wise which explores many more themes than the ones mentioned in this review. I began the series with questions which only increased throughout my time in its world and kept me hooked the entire time before landing on one question when I reached the end. I knew what I felt Boogiepop Phantom would answer, but the one thing I'd yet to figure out was simple:
What is memory to me?
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