Boku Dake ga Inai Machi: The Town Without Me

[David75]

Don't worry, every culture and society have their problems.
Satoru has to deal with it too, though it's not his main problem.

[shinta|hikari]

There are actually places that deal with REAL unemployment, not imagined ones, so yeah, Japan is better off still.

[Kraco]

Is it even really so? Japan, like any old industrialised, service heavy countries is full of jobs that don't stick to the traditional office hours. There are endlessly people who must accept evening and night shifts at work. Those bastards whispering about his unemployment are also using services that require people to work outside of their primary concept of working hours. So, are those people then supposed to sit indoors all day long until they go to work? If he wasn't a wanted man, he should have educated them.

But then again, I reckon most people do realise this and those women were merely regular idiots.

[shinta|hikari]

But then again, I reckon most people do realise this and those women were merely regular idiots.

Most people ARE regular idiots.

[KrayZ33]

Dealing with unemployement is hard, dealing with it while also being despised and seen as the embodiment of failure is pretty hard to endure too, probably even harder.

[shinta|hikari]

It's not probably. The way you phrased it, you mean unemployment + stigma, which is obviously harder.

If I had to pick one or the other though, widespread unemployment (and poverty, the natural effect) is much worse than bad treatment of much fewer unemployed people.

[KrayZ33]

Well, I wonder... widespread unemployment (over a long period of time) is harder for the country for sure, but what japanese people face, because of their own absurd way of thinking, is extremely hard for each affected citizen.

These people are adults and they still act like children. For example, I'm pretty sure Yuki wouldn't have any problems finding *adult* friends or work (outside of his family) in my country. He talks in a funny way? "oh my god, lets look down on him, how could he properly represent our mighty company and if I hang out with him, they'll think I'm retarded"

[shinta|hikari]

Better than starving to death. This is literally a "first world problem" scenario.

[Buffalobiian]

-Caught up on this, and it's heavy. I actually had to take breaks.

-Statute of Limitations re:murder : and I found this article.. basically showing much the change was driven by objective/convenience.

-Red eyes are used inconsistently in this show. They might be an indicator of intent or ulterior motive, but that's as good as it gets.

-In the OP, the government official looks a bit like our MC.





It doesn't fit in with the 'physics' of this world since (?)everyone's jumping into their former selves. The idea of the MC toying with his past self to trigger his own adventure isn't new however. Killing mum could have been the only way to save Kayo.. or something? Still, no evidence of double-selves in timelines yet.

-I thought Kayo's death was the real one, and the rest of the disappearances were just fabricated to cover up the fact Kayo was murdered by relatives. I don't think that's completely ruled out yet.

-Satoru's memory could have been fuzzy from the start because of the effect of various time-leaps and intrusions - which would mean that everything's pre-destined.

[Kraco]

Episode 7 - HS




- - - - - -





I'm starting to think that when Satoru is thrown back in time into a kid's body, the undeveloped brain affects him, making his thought processes simpler, his ability to formulate plans and predict outcomes compromised, even if he still possesses the memories of an adult. With the memories he should have plenty of life experience, but it honestly doesn't seem like he's reaching that far. The plan this time had some huge flaws. It wouldn't exactly take a Sherlock to follow Satoru and other kids to that hiding place. The footprints in the snow alone would be enough for a good part of the journey. Somehow Satoru failed to think about that, it seems, even though Hinazuki being alone in that park and being alone in that abandoned bus is so analogous that it's incredibly difficult not to see the parallel. When he left her there alone for the first time I already thought that's really bad planning.

I have no idea where this is going to go next. Maybe the visitor is Yuuki and nothing happens. Maybe it's the killer, although this would be the first time we would have seen him in action like that. Who knows. Truth to be told, I don't know how to interpret Yuuki's reaction when Satoru accosted him. If he was like that in front the lazy cops looking for an easy arrest, he was done for.

[MFauli]

FUCK! Gnarling my teeth at that cliffhanger >_<

Yes, I really don´t understand Satoru´s thought process here. Even if he ignored being followed the first time they went to the bus, it should have been obvious that there´s a higher risk with every time they go and come, especially when they added another confidant. To be honest, I have no idea how he convinced Kayo of staying at the bus ... did I miss that scene?

Anyway, if I were Satoru, I´d make sure that Kayo is never alone. Have either him or his smart friend stay with her, if necessary include the girly boy, too, although he seems to be at risk of being murdered, too. But damn, just don´t leave Kayo alone there :/

Oh my god. My heartrate is still higher than normal, I hate that cliffhanger so much. Please don´t let it be the murderer.

And regarding Yuuki: Was that initial reaction supposed to be a comedic moment? Because he reacted like a criminal that just got busted ... like, totally. That was super weird.

[David75]

I hope this is a trap for the killer... But it's quite a dangerous setup.
Even more so when the culprit showed Satoru he's several steps ahead, and he proved that several times already.

[Kraco]

I hope this is a trap for the killer... But it's quite a dangerous setup.
Even more so when the culprit showed Satoru he's several steps ahead, and he proved that several times already.

I considered that for a moment, but ask yourself: If a murderer was after your girlfriend, would you use her as a bait with no backing from the police or anybody, in a location as unsecure as the one in this ep?

It just feels so unbelievable that Satoru would make a mistake this gross after telling himself this is his last chance and he'll do anything to save Hinazuki. That's why I don't know what to think.

It would be awesome if it was Satoru's mom, but the intruder looked like a man.

[shinta|hikari]

The biggest mistake he made was not telling his mom. He should open up to everything. The obvious weakness Satoru has in the current situation is his youth, which is why you need adult allies. His mom is the most obvious choice.

I mean, if he was ready to push that lady off the stairs (which he should have done), he could at least risk being labeled insane. If Kenya accompanied him to explain to his mother, it would've worked. The kid is more eloquent than Satoru at any age.

It's definitely not the killer meta-wise. It's either Yuuki or his mom, but that doesn't excuse his stupid planning.

[MFauli]

Just now I wanted to write "maybe Yuuki is watching over Kayo from somewhere near the bus", but that wouldn´t make sense, since Satoru wants Yuuki to be as far away from her as possible. Nah, no matter how you look at it, Satoru´s current plan doesn´t make much sense.

But I still wonder if any of you guys can answer my above questions or if you wondered the same.

[shinta|hikari]

Kayo followed Satoru because she's in love with him. No convincing necessary.

Yuuki's reaction was a fake out for the viewers, for us to suspect him of being the killer even for a moment. It also makes sense in their reality because Yuuki is an extremely awkward person with odd reactions that probably got him convicted in the first timeline.

[Buffalobiian]

Regardless of whether Satoru told his mum or not, she'll come to the rescue. She's on top of this.

Satoru's plans are mostly to kinda fuck shit up. See, Yuuki's alibi doesn't mean much if Kayo's murder doesn't happen (or doesn't happen on that day) if you think about it right? It's mostly done to throw off whatever pre-determined plans the murderer has in an attempt to catch him out.

The kids can't all stay with Kayo forever since they're still kids and must make it back home before bedtime to not rouse suspicion.

[KrayZ33]

I had alot of problems with how he handled things at first, but then I thought a bit about how he can't change things too much either, because that would make things even more unpredictable for him.

While he is, now, already on uncertain turf again, he can at least rule out a few or alot of things happening (or at least he thinks he can).
So maybe he is doing it on purpose - he might've chosen the wrong path again, but at least I can still understand why he's doing it that way.

We all think telling his mom would be for the best, but while she's an awesome, understanding mom, what if she takes things into her hands and starts messing it up. "I'm going to call the police, you arn't allowed to leave the house" (and all that kind of stuff).
What if his possible actions get limited instead.


"Last revival" -> why waste it by "trying" something out with lots of uncertainties.

[shinta|hikari]

So he decided to kill Hinazuki-san? I'm not buying.

And his mom is a good enough investigator and an open enough mind to notice his "power" and act on his advice in the future, as well as find out the killer's identity. I'd say relying on her is better than anything Satoru had done in this new timeline.

[David75]

The more he grows found of Hinazuki, the more painful it gets to fail over and over again (think Steinsgate)
I guess we have too little to guess what happens next.