Boku Dake ga Inai Machi: The Town Without Me

[KrayZ33]

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

I don't think it's fair to call it that. I even agree with him not letting her go home... it's just that I would rather try to invite her to my home instead.

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.

There is absolutely no way I'd believe a 12 year old that he could time travel without proof. This is typical for shows like these, you'd think "Man, why doesn't anybody notice it?" - but in reality, a world with no superpowers, that is just ridiculous.

She didn't even "bother" enough to actually believe him when he said Yuuki wasn't the culprit.

[shinta|hikari]

The thing is, he HAS superpowers. He has ways of making her believe because he has a 29 year old brain. If he can't even do that, that's his failure. His mom didn't believe him back then because he was a kid with no evidence. This time, he can convince her or fool her or whatever, but it doesn't change the fact that getting her to help save Kayo is the best move he has.

Hinazuki-san is the mother, not Kayo.

[KrayZ33]

Hinazuki-san is the mother, not Kayo.

edit: oh, nvm you meant Kayo's mother

The thing is, he HAS superpowers. He has ways of making her believe because he has a 29 year old brain. If he can't even do that, that's his failure. His mom didn't believe him back then because he was a kid with no evidence.

So what, just because he has it doesn't mean I believe him... unless he can proof it, how do you proof it though? Especially when your memory of the past is basically non existent, it's not like he can use anything that happens in the future.

[MFauli]

Yeah, shinta, how exactly would he proof his superpowers? You wouldn´t remember everyday stuff to predict, so he´d be left to predict big events in history, and unless those happen just around the corner, tough luck. And having a 29 yo brain ... so what? He was a mangaka. So he can draw well. Totally unheard of for kids to enjoy drawing. Likewise any sort of knowledge ... his mom would just praise him for being such a smart kid and that´s it. Being a timetraveller comes in last in terms of "reasonable explanations".

[shinta|hikari]

Explain stuff a kid wouldn't know or understand to his mother. A 12 year old kid shouldn't be able to talk and communicate like 29 year old guy. He doesn't need to prove time travel. What he needs to prove is his truthfulness.

The idea is not to open up with the time travel story. First you ease the mother into thinking that something major changed about her son (like how it happened with the smart kid), and then explain the details one by one. If that fails, the mother thinks her son is making shit up, the end. If it succeeds, he gets an ally.

Do you guys really think that mom, who supported his crusade to save Kayo, will ground or punish him for trying to explain things to her? At worst, she won't believe him. Satoru himself that his mom might even praise him for getting caught doing a crime while trying to save Kayo.

And I also said that he can try fooling his mother into it. For example, he can say that he saw Kayo's mother beat her in front of him, brutally even. Now he becomes a witness, and the beating becomes an actual crime. With Kayo under police protection, she is safe from the killer. It doesn't matter if he is lying because he knows the beating is true. Now that Kayo trusts him, she'd at the very least admit to being beaten to save Satoru from being labeled a liar and punished.

In fact, he can actually beat himself, and then blame Kayo's mother just to make it more believable. There are so many better ways to fix this situation given what he knows, but he chose a pretty dumb solution, part of which was pushing Hinazuki-san down the stairs.

You know what's funny? Apparently, so many people know about Kayo getting beaten, including his mom, the teacher, his friend... I mean, wtf? Why hasn't it been stopped? How many witnesses do you need to start a proper investigation?

EDIT: I remembered one important piece of convincing info. Satoru knows the guy who is his mom's old coworker/friend. Kid Satoru doesn't know him based on the flashbacks. That's already info he could only get from the future, and depending on how maturely and coherently he explains it, it can convince someone reasonably well.

[Kraco]

If he was smart enough to convince her mother he's a fricking time traveller, he would be smart enough to come up with a plan to save Hinazuki without needing to reveal his time travelling powers. But, alas, he's not in the possession of an above average IQ. The biggest problem was mentioned by MFauli: He would need to reveal solid information from the future that nobody would possibly be able to guess, but what are the odds of suitable events happening right then and there, furthermore, events reported on the TV, newspapers, or the radio so that the mom could verify them? No convenient www around, after all. Simply knowing some reporter dude isn't enough, surely. The mom would just suspect he overheard something or was spying on her. Further confusing her mother is no good. He could lose all of his credibility in the worst case.

[shinta|hikari]

So what if he loses all credibility? Is he making use of his credibility right now? All he is doing is act like a kid, which makes his 29 year old self useless.

The only way to argue risk vs. reward is if the more conservative method actually accomplishes something and the risk is actually valid. In Satoru's case, neither is true. His method (trying to kill Kayo's mom, stashing Kayo in a bus alone) is way too dangerous, and he isn't making use of his mother's trust anyway by sneaking out at night.

Like I said, you don't need to prove time travel. All he has to do is appear sincere, and his mother will likely believe him. Don't you guys remember how Satoru's mom reacted when he saved that girl from being kidnapped? Did he have to prove time travel back then? No, his mother just moved according to his request. That's the kind of person she is. I wouldn't suggest talking to her if she was a prude. She is clearly a very open-minded, intelligent person. All Satoru needs is to gather enough circumstantial evidence, act like a proper adult, and explain properly. There are limits to the lies a 12 year old can come up with. His mother will be forced to believe him if he lays down everything he knows. I mean, how can someone his age suddenly become a genius, gain so much life experience, know so much about Kayo's case, and even know the reporter?

Even excluding that, my idea of lying about witnessing Kayo's abuse or faking an attack on himself is still a far more effective way of protecting Kayo than leaving her alone in a bus.

[Buffalobiian]

You either show that you're sincere by not lying, or you become willing to do anything to achieve your goals including lying/deceiving. I don't think you can do both and get away with it for long. Not in a situation like this. Especially when you're not Light-tier.

If I chose to reveal this to the mother I'd do it matter-of-factly while knowing I knowing it's a gamble. My last line would be to tell her that I don't expect her to necessarily believe me, but to not obstruct my actions because they're important to me.

[shinta|hikari]

That's exactly what I'm proposing. It's one or the other, but both are options he didn't take.

My main problem with the recent developments is his inability to learn from his mistakes. He keeps repeating the wrong things and even attempting utterly stupid ones without proper planning. He already did this twice for crying out loud.

I actually think killing Hinazuki-san is a good idea, but getting caught by your friend while doing so? That's beyond stupid.

[KrayZ33]

I actually think killing Hinazuki-san is a good idea, but getting caught by your friend while doing so? That's beyond stupid.

As if he could possibly know that he's being stalked by one of his friends for 2 days already.
I'm not even sure if killing her was part of his plan, looked more like a coincidence to me.

[shinta|hikari]

You generally look around and make sure it's safe before trying to kill someone. Y'know, witnesses are a bad thing for killers.

Doesn't matter if it was his plan or coincidence. What matters is he actually tried to do it, which means he thought it was a good idea at the time.

[KrayZ33]

You generally look around and make sure it's safe before trying to kill someone. Y'know, witnesses are a bad thing for killers.

Doesn't matter if it was his plan or coincidence. What matters is he actually tried to do it, which means he thought it was a good idea at the time.

No to both. Thats just not what it means to kill someone on impulse.

[shinta|hikari]

So you're saying he simply stopped thinking and tried to kill the mother with no plan?

Good job Satoru! They ought to give him an award for being so smart.

[KrayZ33]

So you're saying he simply stopped thinking and tried to kill the mother with no plan?

Yes.

Good job Satoru! They ought to give him an award for being so smart.

A human is just that, a human. This has nothing to do with being smart or dumb.

[shinta|hikari]

It has everything to do with being smart or dumb. The ability to control one's impulses is what makes us human, not having impulses.

I was being lenient towards Satoru's actions in his first revival, but this is his second attempt. Falling prey to impulses and not thinking things through is being stupid. I'm not even asking him to be a genius. Just don't do blatantly stupid shit.

[KrayZ33]

It has everything to do with being smart or dumb. The ability to control one's impulses is what makes us human, not having impulses.

That's comming from the person who said killing her is a good idea.

He's personally affected by this, unlike you. The second attempt is even more crucial and taxxing on him, because in his timeline, he will have no chance to proof his innocence anymore.

And what is that statement even supposed to mean, that every man and woman, who ever acted on impulse is dumb and probably not even human? Animal instincts and occurring emotions are part of our live and that will always be the case. Even our laws realise that.

[shinta|hikari]

Yeah, killing her is a good idea. Getting caught while doing so is stupid. I thought you understood that after reading my posts. You seem to be mistaking "being smart" to "being moral," which is not the case.

He also has a lot more time and energy invested/dedicated to his situation than I do. Yet despite that, he almost threw it all away by acting on impulse instead of coming up with better plans. The stakes have always been high. That doesn't excuse acting stupidly.

[KrayZ33]

We should stop arguing here, because I don't even agree with you that he's acting stupidly, he acted naturally.

And

Yeah, killing her is a good idea. Getting caught while doing so is stupid.

This is the biggest bullshit I've read here in a while tbh... but then again, probably not. It's absurd nonetheless.

[shinta|hikari]

Natural and stupid aren't mutually exclusive, though. People do stupid shit all the time.

EDIT:
Just read your edit about my statement above. I basically meant humans have the ability to think and should do so, mainly because you brought up the human excuse, which is actually true. People act on impulse and make mistakes. Those are natural. That doesn't make those actions, and the people doing them, right or smart.

[KrayZ33]

But it's only stupid when they get caught... I guess?
If someones is actually able to avoid tax, he's smart... if he gets caught (by someone who's activiely looking for him), he's stupid?

Those are natural. That doesn't make those actions, and the people doing them, right or smart.

Yes, but you totally fail to sympathise with him on an emotional and situational level and can only see things rationally from the comfort of your couch.