Boku Dake ga Inai Machi: The Town Without Me

[Buffalobiian]

Well, then the murderer is the teacher. Good job, anime, at keeping it a secret for the twist! ;>

OR whoever the teacher decided to call at the end of this episode!

Those brown leather shoes are supposed to be important. I bet you it's the 'mistake' that will lead Satoru to him.

[shinta|hikari]

Yeah, they wouldn't make a scene about a footprint otherwise.

[MFauli]

episode 9 is out
------------------

Huh, what´s with the fugly girl at the end? Ma ii.

Good to see Kayo successfully saved. Now I´m actually most curious how future Kayo is like. Bet she´s a stunningy beauty!

I´m glad that Kayo´s mother wasn´t forgiven, it was made clear that she´s a bad person, no matter the circumstances. And it´s true. Herself being the victim of abuse is an explanation, not an excuse. But WTF, Satoru´s mom is kinda suicidal, isn´t she?! That swing with the shovel would have killed her, had little Satoru not pulled her back. W T F. That was too lucky. Don´t understand why they didn´t simply use the scene to make her look badass, but somebody who waits for a shovel coming for her face isn´t badass, no matter how calm. phew

And then there´s obviously the candy-in-the-car scene.
This is now the second so-called red herring scene. First one we got with Yuuki. Now we´ve got one with the teacher. Using the candy to lure in children? No no, he quit smoking, that´s his substitute. Sure.
But then there´s the fact that Yuuki regularly meets with the other girl ... WHY?! I´m sorry, even if it turns out that Yuuki is innocent, he´s a goddam weirdo. When you´re 23, you don´t hang around with little school kids.

So now´s the question: Yuuki and the teacher are the only two elder male characters we know from Satoru´s past. Is one of them the killer or are both red herrings? If so, who IS the perpetrator?
I cannot imagine it to be a new, yet unknown character, because it´d be somewhat random, thus unsatisfying.
Therefore, I expect some sort of twist, either that Yuuki AND the teacher are the killers, worked together, and somehow the teacher used Yuuki to stay off prison. OR one of Satoru´s friends is the killer. His smart friend, once again, appeard TO smart. "analysis", aha. That´s how an elementary schooler talks.

[Ryllharu]

Huh, what´s with the fugly girl at the end?

Because Satoru is a dumbass. He still thinks that protecting the victims will help him prevent his mother's murder. Kayo was the most vulnerable, the easiest to start the chain, but he's approaching this backward. He should be using the girl he knows will be the next victim and the clues they gathered from pure luck to find the killer, preventing everything.

Hiromi isn't going to be next or second, he's always third. His purpose is to throw the police onto someone else's trail, but while also accidentally proving that Yuuki is innocent to the people who knew him.

The more Satoru changes the past, the less he can rely on what he knows unless he jumps forward again and gets flooded with altered memories. In allying with Kayo at the beginning, he alienated this other girl. She's bothered by what they've been up to for all kinds of reasons (probably something stupid like she has a crush on one of the boys) ever since he humiliated her about the missing money that she accused Kayo of stealing.

The altered timeline will have the girl following them to get back at them, or whatever the scenario might be. That in turn puts her outside, alone, vulnerable. She will be the new victim number 1, then some girl from the other school, then Hiromi again.

Satoru saved Kayo, but hasn't changed anything that leads to his mother's eventual murder. He's only delayed the start of it and changed some of the potential victims.

[Edort4]

I almost got hanged and torched for saying he isnt thinking and doing this wrong. He needs to get the killer, maybe even set a trap to catch him red-handed but now he is doing the same he did with Kayo. I still dont understand why didnt he stalk the bus until he see the killer. Unless its a joint effort between more than 1 killer (some kind of sect) if he knows who it is its way easier to follow him than to protect 2, 3 or even more potential targets.

At least he got some reinforcements, so it not totally overwhelming, but still it makes no sense to me how he expects to change things by making the killer target other children and only being reactive and not proactive.

I would say he is treating symptons. Not causes. And that can only take you so far.

[MFauli]

At this point, if he wants to reap any sort of success, he HAS to tell everybody the truth, both his friends and his mother. It doesn´t matter if it sounds crazy, it´s about life or death, and I´d say he´s been a real role model for somebody his age (lol), so it´s not like some kid obsessed with manga and games is going up to his mom saying "mom, there are aliens!". If an earnest child like Satoru tells it in the right way, he should get their support. It might not even be them believing him 100%, but it might make them believe enough that there is a real danger around. His smart friend already is like that, saying he thinks it´s all 99% nonsense, but he cannot dismiss that 1% chance. That´s what Satoru needs to rely on, and with his mom, too.

I simply don´t see how Satoru can solve the problem without others´ help.

[shinta|hikari]

I think that girl at the end likes Satoru, and the reason she bullied Kayo is because Satoru acted like he likes her.

Now that Kayo is gone, I've lost 99% of my interest in this show. But 1% tells me I'm still gonna stick around hoping Kayo comes back.

[lelouch]

Kayo comes back.

yeah...in a BOX!!


Bus getting cleaned up immediately after Satoru reveals that's where they were to the teacher? I think this series will end in one of three ways:

1) Teacher is the killer
2) It will leave who the killer is "open-ended" in one of those annoying fucking endings where you don't know for sure...in which case i'll still believe it's the teacher
3) Might be the kid -- they've been focusing too much on him for his own good. and he had that weird fucking grin on his face when talking to Satoru

[shinta|hikari]

yeah...in a BOX!!

That's fine too. Eternal loli FTW.

[Buffalobiian]

I'm still in this for pizza girl.

Wasn't that bus also the clubhouse of some random kids at the elementary school? Putting murder tools there seems a bit dangerous.

Not only did the bus supplies get evacuated after Satoru revealed his hideout, but the killer also went with footprint-hiders this time.

Satoru's also the best stalker in this show' He's got those skills down pat.

[KrayZ33]

I didn't like that "mental breakdown" of Kayo's mother, it felt really forced.

The "ending" to Kayo's arc was overall rather underwhelming... but the funny thing is, Satoru thinks so too. At least it looked like he would've prefered it to go somewhat differently.

[Ryllharu]

It's supposed to be, that's why they specifically mention that Kayo had no sympathy for her mother, nor did Satoru or his mother. Kayo's mother only felt bad for herself. Not what she had done to Kayo over the years, just her own fate. "My life has been so hard," instead of, "Look at what I've become, everything I hated."

The only one who got overwhelmed with emotion on a sincere level was the teacher. He's a good person. At this point, I'd be really disappointed if the major bullshit twist was he was the murderer. It's incredibly unlikely, but lots of series are capable of ruining themselves when the author gets caught up in their own plot twists and paints themselves in a corner where deus ex machina is the only way out. They might end up that way anyway, if they don't start foreshadowing the actual murderer in the past.

[KrayZ33]

The only one who got overwhelmed with emotion on a sincere level was the teacher. He's a good person. At this point, I'd be really disappointed if the major bullshit twist was he was the murderer. It's incredibly unlikely,

Why would that be a "bullshit twist". It all comes down to how they present the murderer... reasons and motives and all that. It would be alot worse if it's someone we havn't seen yet or with no connection to the victims.

So the teacher is actually still a prime suspect, considering Satoru's mom has to know the murderer and the murderer himself has to know about Juki(? that was his name right?), about Kayo's circumstances and that the boy (forgot the name) is not a girl.

So it can't be anyone totally unrelated to these children.
It would be even more obvious if we find out that the teacher is also teaching at that cram-school for example.

[Ryllharu]

Why would that be a "bullshit twist". It all comes down to how they present the murderer... reasons and motives and all that. It would be alot worse if it's someone we havn't seen yet or with no connection to the victims.

It really helps when you actually include the whole sentence. I already explained it.

It's incredibly unlikely, but lots of series are capable of ruining themselves when the author gets caught up in their own plot twists and paints themselves in a corner where deus ex machina is the only way out. They might end up that way anyway, if they don't start foreshadowing the actual murderer in the past.

- The teacher could have pretended to help, while ensuring that he'd still have the opportunity to abduct her. He is in the prime position to do so. The Child Services people and the grandmother could be fakes. They're not.

- He barges into the apartment earlier. That would have been an opportunity to have him look like he's scoped out the place a few times before. But it was the Child Services people who led their group to the back door.


Instead, the series has spent considerable time making him look shady, when he's been helping the whole time. The mysterious phone calls? To Child Services, and tracking down the grandmother. The hidden stuff in the glove compartment (rushed a bit it seems)? Candy, but not for luring little kids, to quit smoking. They want you to think it is him.

The only reason it would be him is if the author fucks up, realizes there's no place to introduce the real murderer properly, and comes up with some sinister bullshit backstory for an existing character that had no foreshadowing. It happens in thriller novels and movies all the time. Usually something stupid like a random phone call, or a newspaper clipping that comes in the mail, or was left on a desk as an afterthought. No foreshadowing, no hints, just a quick turn from supporting character to villain.

When the audience can't play along, because the author is deliberately withholding information or doesn't have a properly developed idea themselves, there's no point in watching a thriller series.

Same problem as Rokka no Yuusha.

EDIT:
I knew I'd find someone who can explain it better.

There is a distinct difference between "suspense" and "surprise", and yet many pictures continually confuse the two.

We are now having a very innocent little chat. Let us suppose that there is a bomb underneath this table between us. Nothing happens, and then all of a sudden, 'Boom!' There is an explosion. The public is surprised, but prior to this surprise, it has seen an absolutely ordinary scene, of no special consequence. Now, let us take a suspense situation. The bomb is underneath the table, and the public knows it, probably because they have seen the anarchist place it there. The public is aware that the bomb is going to explode at one o'clock and there is a clock in the décor. The public can see that it is a quarter to one. In these conditions this same innocuous conversation becomes fascinating because the public is participating in the scene.

The conclusion is that whenever possible the public must be informed. Except when the surprise is a twist, that is, when the unexpected ending is, in itself, the highlight of the story.

[shinta|hikari]

In short, the teacher is likely a red herring.

[KrayZ33]

It really helps when you actually include the whole sentence. I already explained it.

ehh... not really

The only reason it would be him is if the author fucks up, realizes there's no place to introduce the real murderer properly, and comes up with some sinister bullshit backstory for an existing character that had no foreshadowing. It happens in thriller novels and movies all the time. Usually something stupid like a random phone call, or a newspaper clipping that comes in the mail, or was left on a desk as an afterthought. No foreshadowing, no hints, just a quick turn from supporting character to villain.

When the audience can't play along, because the author is deliberately withholding information or doesn't have a properly developed idea themselves, there's no point in watching a thriller series.

You are basically saying that as long as the viewever doesn't get a glimpse about the murderer's motives, it's not thrilling.
I say revealing a motive, if there is one, at this point in time is pretty much the end of the story, unless you make it so that anyone could have a reason.
The thing is, there is nothing you can gain from killing random children, which means the motive is the killing itself and that means it could be everyone. And we know that the murderer is killing randomly, or rather, sets other people up for the fun of it, pretty much ever since episode 1-2.

So it's quite the opposite... the author fucked up if it's anyone but the teacher tbh. It can't be Yuki, because Satoru's mom said so before she died and the only other male character we've seen who could be the culprit is the teacher - or any person alive we haven't seen yet, but *that* would be bullshit.

[MFauli]

Perpetrator is Satoru himself. In the future where he´s older, he managed to control his ability, so now he doesn´t have to rely on random travels back into his younger body, no, he can travel time like we imagine one would, keeping your current body. Future Satoru is a broken personality, murdering those children to provoke his younger self. Why? To prepare him for what´s gonna happen to him in the near future.

There, my outta-nowhere prediction. I only don´t know who else would be the murderer, if we assume that the police officer he saw in the present IS it, meaning that it´s gotta be somebody who´s already older in his childhood´s time.

[Buffalobiian]

-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.

-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.

There, my outta-nowhere prediction.

Thank you for your "out of nowhere" prediction MFauli. But we all know credit really goes to Hououin Kyouma.

[MFauli]

Thank you for your "out of nowhere" prediction MFauli. But we all know credit really goes to Hououin Kyouma.

You worded it weirdly, so it doesn´t count!!1 :>

Nah, you´re welcome :P

[kmkze04]

Man am I glad I picked up this series.

Anyways to jump in, I really don't think it's the teacher, Yuuki, or Kenya. But, I am seeing Yuuki is central to at least the three loners so far, he's definitely an easy set-up for anyone who trails him, and I do think he's actively luring children in but doesn't actually go through with anything. Plus there was the "tell" at the start when Sachiko said she was wrong about Yuuki, as well as the fact he's in jail when Sachiko is murdered. Same goes for the teacher, as he would be an easy assumption since he knows basically all he needs to about the children and can gain their trust easily. The car scene was another red herring not only with the candy but about "lowering their guard". I've heard of people using candy as oral fixations for smoking, just like gum or the like. So far all the adult males introduced in 1988 aren't working for me.

Satoru is slowly learning how to more or less "stalk". At the start he was stupid, and I think that's the way the story is intended. He was obviously a pretty loser 29-year-old, the only thing he knew how to do well was react to his Revival, but otherwise the storyline following him only being desperate to mess up the plan of the killer rather than entrap the killer makes a lot of sense. He only started getting a little smarter with the help of Kenya, who we can see is pretty much genius level. If Kenya was the one with Revival, he probably would've caught the killer on the first shot. Conversely, if Kenya is the killer, unless he's just messing with Satoru, he'd have swept Satoru clean off the board by now without any trouble.

Buff's theory is really good, especially considering that along with the physical similarities of Sachiko's killer, there's hints that "the same MO over and over again" and faking things until they become real (repetition again) can also be applied to Revival being a bunch of repetitions that eventually corrupted Satoru because he kept having to re-experience the same pains, giving rise to a sick alternate personality. Ignoring the holes in that which can be twisted into playable ground by anime physics, the only hole that I can't see filled by that theory is now there is an assumed adult killer in 1988. We see Satoru may have adult thoughts, but definitely never an adult body on Revival. So unless we end up with a time travel Revival (lame, I sure hope not), it's not any of the children, even though I'd like to meet a sadistic and vengeful Kenya or Satoru. Two killers or a copycat, I don't think it's likely either. And Sachiko definitely said "that man" in the first episode which alludes to only one killer. Probably more of an ageless type like herself. Oh, and the resemblance in the OP may not have been meant to be resemblance so much as just showing the three girls as the main targets of the killer. Red eyes I think just plain implies violence in this series also, not a telltale color like in Durarara or otherwise.

So for now I think the actual killer is yet to be truly introduced. Kind of like Aya Nakanishi, we're only getting to meet her now after seeing her photo a couple of times. I think the killer is going to be a real surprise reveal at the end. Someone probably in Sachiko's past but not a big figure in Satoru's. Likely going to be used for some kind of segway into a second season.