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[Nephtis]

Did you forget to put an image there?

Huh. I'll be damned.

edit: fixed

 

[Admiral Woofington]

I don't expect and certainly don't want the series to pull any complicated time travel nonsense like that.

Seriously if the time travel aspect is used for more than a plot device and is transformed into the twist I'll be disappointed. It has all but disappeared since the beginning I'd rather it have a minimal role since more often than not when time travel becomes central there are plot holes up the wazoo

 

[Qurupeke]

The OP and the ED are stuck on my head.

 

[RangerBAD]

Seriously if the time travel aspect is used for more than a plot device and is transformed into the twist I'll be disappointed. It has all but disappeared since the beginning I'd rather it have a minimal role since more often than not when time travel becomes central there are plot holes up the wazoo

Or pull a "it was a dream/delusion".

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Actually, I just thought of something. Anyone thinking that, since maybe the person who killed his mother is his fellow student, that he also came back in time and is back in his child body as well?

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

Actually, I just thought of something. Anyone thinking that, since maybe the person who killed his mother is his fellow student, that he also came back in time and is back in his child body as well?

That's a possibility. I think any theory has merit this early in so I'm trying to avoid speculah

 

[CornBurrito]

What he said immediately after the race really hints of this possibility.

"I made the same mistake again"

It definitely stood out at that moment.

He made the same mistake again, as in, when he was a kid he also let the dude win.

Now as a 29 year old, he let the kid win. He initially had forgotten he did that in the original timeline.

It is meant to hammer home that history is repeating itself despite his efforts to prevent Hinazuka from being kidnapped/murdered.

That's my interpretation of the scene anyway.

 

[JoeyJungle]

Episode 3

The episode looked great and had some really exciting camera work at the key scenes. It helps add a visual flair to relatively mundane stuff which don't really have much to do with the story. What I find a bit odd though, is how uncharacteristic Satoru is acting. He's starting to openly butt into everything and if this isn't the sort of person he was back then, it would be really noticeable. I wonder if this is going to come up again, since Kenya already noticed last week.

Can't say I really care for how cartoonishly evil Kayo's mom and her boyfriend (?) are being portrayed, or how super suspicious the teacher is acting. There are two scenes which were just a bit too over the top for me - when Kayo's mom looks down on her in the shed and we can see RED EYES, and the final scene in the staff room with the OMINOUS music. Really uncalled for. Lol.

It kinda came up this week, the older dude he hangs out with mentioned that he suddenly seemed a lot more mature. Totally agree with the second part, though making the mom looks cartoonishly evil is kind of an efficient way of creating an abusive parent using anime tropes.

Come to think of it, I thought that he gained the ability *after* the girl was found dead? Because of his wish to have been able to be there to do something to change things.

Anyway, I was looking at ep 1 and saw this:



So, it made me think... Could it be that he already lived through going back in time and he just doesn't remember it? Maybe that's why, when he was a child, he suddenly remembered the other kid getting mad at him for letting him win? Y'know, sort of inception-y.

I was totally thinking this same theory!

He made the same mistake again, as in, when he was a kid he also let the dude win.

Now as a 29 year old, he let the kid win. He initially had forgotten he did that in the original timeline.

It is meant to hammer home that history is repeating itself despite his efforts to prevent Hinazuka from being kidnapped/murdered.

I think this might also be him rewriting his own memories of what happened?

 

[CornBurrito]

I think this might also be him rewriting his own memories of what happened?

I don't think so. It isn't like he was never 10 years old. He was. This stuff happened before.

 

[RangerBAD]

Actually, I just thought of something. Anyone thinking that, since maybe the person who killed his mother is his fellow student, that he also came back in time and is back in his child body as well?

That sort of expands more on what I said about

Spoiler

Kenya

.

 

[Cornbread78]

The emotional facials in this show are also really well done:

 

[Tuck]

The emotional facials in this show are also really well done:

Agreed completely. Especially in the 2nd and 3rd gifs you posted, the characters are very expressive.

 

[doop_]

Second Favourite anime of all time so far behind Punchline.
The quality has been so consistent i hope it keeps it up.

 

[OniBarubary]

Second Favourite anime of all time so far behind Punchline.
The quality has been so consistent i hope it keeps it up.

I really liked Punchline (it was on my AOTY list!) but this is just an amusing opinion to see in contrast.

 

[doop_]

I really liked Punchline (it was on my AOTY list!) but this is just an amusing opinion to see in contrast.

Punchline just hooked me maybe i like time travel anime.

 

[Pooya]

So far I think Erased story is ok but anime production team have turned it into much more. It just feels great to watch while the story isn't something that good. Something like Steins;Gate with production like this could have been goat.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

So far I think Erased story is ok but anime production team have turned it into much more. It just feels great to watch while the story isn't something that good. Something like Steins;Gate with production like this could have been goat.

Stein's;Gate doesn't have a particularly strong story though, as far as time travel stories go. It's a character driven show for the most part, and the time travel aspects later on get very interesting but I'd never tell people to watch it for the plot as much as a whole package.

 

[doop_]

Stein's;Gate doesn't have a particularly strong story though, as far as time travel stories go. It's a character driven show for the most part, and the time travel aspects later on get very interesting but I'd never tell people to watch it for the plot as much as a whole package.

You have very good taste in terms of anime and cartoons by the way.
Kenya is super cool.

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

So far I think Erased story is ok but anime production team have turned it into much more. It just feels great to watch while the story isn't something that good. Something like Steins;Gate with production like this could have been goat.

I'm only part of the way through the Steins;Gate VN, but so far I wouldn't say that story is much good at all, mostly because its characters are real bad. Erased is much better as a character drama so far.

 

[RangerBAD]

Second Favourite anime of all time so far behind Punchline.
The quality has been so consistent i hope it keeps it up.

Don't get me wrong, this show is excellent, but there's a lot out there. I also liked Punchline.

 

[Pooya]

steins;gate characters have otaku trope shells (maybe they thought the game would sell better like that, who knows), that doesn't do it any favors but still it manages to do a lot with that poor base. It really surprised me. The anime is serviceable. The game is something else. It's supposed to be a sci-fi story too not just an emotionally loaded murder mystery. It's a lot more complex than Erased is letting it on so far. There is more to a story than just what you think of the characters.

 

[duckroll]

Being a scifi story instead of a character driven murder mystery doesn't make something better. Being more complex doesn't make something better either. Those are all superficial differences in the type of stories people want to tell. Not better or worse. With anime/manga/games though, I find the ones that want to be the most "complex" usually end up having the weakest writing because overambitious young writers always want to run before they can even walk.

 

[Pooya]

That's true, I just meant saying S;G story isn't good because its characters are(seem) awful it's kinda being unfair to it. It's hardly even in same genre as Erased, it just shares similar themes that I feel it could have turned to a great show with a team like this unlike what we got with awful pacing and looking ugly.

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

That's true, I just meant saying S;G story isn't good because its characters are(seem) awful it's kinda being unfair to it.

I'm willing to change my mind whenever I work up the motivation to read more, but if I can't care about the characters I can't care about what happens to them no matter how many time travel shenanigans or psuedo-science theories there are. I'll value a "simple" story that gets me invested over a "complex" story that leaves me cold.

 

[Basileus777]

I'm willing to change my mind whenever I work up the motivation to read more, but if I can't care about the characters I can't care about what happens to them no matter how many time travel shenanigans or psuedo-science theories there are. I'll value a "simple" story that gets me invested over a "complex" story that leaves me cold.

S:G doesn't tell a particularly complex story, it's a character focused thriller.

 

[Just T]

Episode 3

Still going great. I thought at first Satoru was worried about if winning the race would mess up time but seems the reason for that lies deeper and maybe plays in to the whole being ”fake” bit.

Kayo’s parents truly are horrible, the abuse scene was really sad, and then forced to spew out that lie. Satoru may have the willpower but that scene showed just how powerless he was being back in that body, just shoved aside. Then the accusation in the classroom was some shit she didn’t need, glad Satoru stepped up for her and like the teacher said she was one of the helpers so it wouldn’t have been weird anyway. Class was still cruel though.

Luckily the last portion was very sweet to wash out that bitter taste. It was nice to see her genuinely smile and just have a nice time with someone. Satoru got something out of it too since he wasn’t alone this time. Watching them become friends is really heartwarming. Hopefully she can be saved from her tragic situation.

Now, for that foreboding last scene, I’m not sure what to make of it. I don’t trust Kenya or the teacher. Kenya because he seems a bit too aware and the teacher with the stares and being cloaked in the shadow, that all could be a red herring though. He does seem to want to help Kayo though, was a bit surprised they’ve been suspicious since May, that’s a long time. Will just have to wait and see what their intentions are.

 

[doop_]

Don't get me wrong, this show is excellent, but there's a lot out there. I also liked Punchline.

I know I might be jumping the gun a bit and I am sure there are better shows but this one just has a really good feeling to it, they perfectly captured school life at that age.

 

[Moaradin]

Got around to watching the last 2 episodes. Great stuff so far. Really like the use of widescreen for some reason.

 

[KenjiGlove]

I'm not really expecting any more time travel shenanigans outside of what we have right now, if I had to make a wager it will probably play out normally with some twists considering

Spoiler

They teacher and Kenya, as that was obviously foreshadowed at the end of the episode

Really great episode by the way.

 

[Nephtis]

So, another thing just popped in my head..

In all of the instances of him going back in time, he never said anything about going *forward*..

So, now that he's a kid, he's actually stuck being a kid. He's going to have to relive his entire teenage years and into adulthood. So what will happen to all of the things he fixed in the future already? Since he's apparently taking a different route, and since he has the knowledge of what will happen... Will he end up in the same places all over again? Will he be there to save that kid from being ran over by the truck in the 1st episode?

 

[Admiral Woofington]

So, another thing just popped in my head..

In all of the instances of him going back in time, he never said anything about going *forward*..

So, now that he's a kid, he's actually stuck being a kid. He's going to have to relive his entire teenage years and into adulthood. So what will happen to all of the things he fixed in the future already? Since he's apparently taking a different route, and since he has the knowledge of what will happen... Will he end up in the same places all over again? Will he be there to save that kid from being ran over by the truck in the 1st episode?

We should probably keep watching at this point way too early to speculate on his time jumping abilities considering were 3 episodes in and the bulk of the day explanation has been on episode 1. He's never had to jump forward before because it usually was a couple of minutes.

Honestly? I genuinely think that once he figures out a way to save everyone and knows who the killer is hell solve that shit and then head back to the future.

I cannot see the show making him live 20ish years of his life

 

[Crash Station]

I see some people are confused about Hiromi. Yeah, this is something weird the anime is doing. By this point in the manga, it had already been discussed that targeting girls was supposedly the killer's MO, which was then debunked when Hiromi was killed, albeit not completely as he looks like a girl.

 

[Qurupeke]

So, another thing just popped in my head..

In all of the instances of him going back in time, he never said anything about going *forward*..

So, now that he's a kid, he's actually stuck being a kid. He's going to have to relive his entire teenage years and into adulthood. So what will happen to all of the things he fixed in the future already? Since he's apparently taking a different route, and since he has the knowledge of what will happen... Will he end up in the same places all over again? Will he be there to save that kid from being ran over by the truck in the 1st episode?

Yeah, it hasn't been mentioned if he's able to return, but I doubt the series is going to focus on the kid Satoru for all the 12 episodes. I guess his failure or success in solving the mystery will return him to present.

 

[Crash Station]

Non manga reader here, my theory is that the mother killer is the protagonist from the future, why? because having Yuuki free would lead to an even bigger disaster.

I had actually started to think this too when going through the corresponding chapters.

This is the failed kidnapper:

This is protagonist when chasing mother's killer:

At least appearance-wise, it MIGHT be possible, but based on the mother's dialogue, it makes no sense.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

It'd be a twist that would straight up ruin it for me. If he can transport in time later on he could take the chance to talk to his mom or to his self at an earlier time and tell him that. It'd open up a whole lot of possible plot holes.

For the love of god don't go full sci fi.

 

[Yonafunu]

There hasn't been any reason to believe there'll be anything like physical timetravel. That would break the established rules of how his ability works. As far as we know his ability sends his mind back to a previous time. His future self would have to use other means to physically travel back in time.

Bringing all of that in would be a goddamn mess, not to mention really bad writing.

 

[QuiteWhittle]

I had actually started to think this too when going through the corresponding chapters.

This is the failed kidnapper:



This is protagonist when chasing mother's killer:



At least appearance-wise, it MIGHT be possible, but based on the mother's dialogue, it makes no sense.

That's interesting.

There's also that shot in the OP of an evil-looking Satoru dressed similarly to the killer.

 

[Ridesh]

I had actually started to think this too when going through the corresponding chapters.

This is the failed kidnapper:



This is protagonist when chasing mother's killer:



At least appearance-wise, it MIGHT be possible, but based on the mother's dialogue, it makes no sense.

I actually think that the mother's killer (which I think it's Satoru from the future) and the kidnapper are different people.

Even in the op he looks like an older Satoru.

 

[duckroll]

Satoru has an evil twin brother who only his mother knows about. Revival is actually an ancient power handed down on their family bloodline to protect the integrity of the timeline from rogue elements. Kayo, the teacher, and Kenya are all rogue jumpers from different points of the future who have to be eliminated before they can cause any damage. Satoru's brother took out Kayo, and now Satoru has to take out Kenya and the teacher as well.

The author of Erased is actually cosmicblizzard.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Can we have a scene where someone is pointing a gun at them fighting and they go 'but who is the real Satoru? "

 

[TheGreatDirector]

Spoiler

I see some people are confused about Hiromi. Yeah, this is something weird the anime is doing. By this point in the manga, it had already been discussed that targeting girls was supposedly the killer's MO, which was then debunked when Hiromi was killed, albeit not completely as he looks like a girl.

Are these spoilers?

 

[Basileus777]

Are these spoilers?

He's talking about stuff from the source material that has been cut from the adaptation, not future events.

 

[Crash Station]

Are these spoilers?

I've only been reading the manga alongside the anime, so whenever a new episode comes out I see if there's any differences. I do not know who the culprit is or anything like that.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

I'd say they at least put a dumb argument to rest

 

[duckroll]

He's talking about stuff from the source material that has been cut from the adaptation, not future events.

But have they really been cut from the adaptation or are they simply rearranged? My experience is that people on the internet like to think they're super smart when they watch an anime and read the manga at the same time, and often end up misrepresenting the intent of the adaptation before they understand what it is trying to do.

 

[Basileus777]

But have they really been cut from the adaptation or are they simply rearranged? My experience is that people on the internet like to think they're super smart when they watch an anime and read the manga at the same time, and often end up misrepresenting the intent of the adaptation before they understand what it is trying to do.

So you're saying there isn't really an evil twin brother?

Though yeah, what you say does happen. Though in this case I don't think what cosmic has said about Hiromi is beyond what you can glimmer from the TV series too. There have already been similar discussions here and in the anime OT about whether the killer has been targeting women with people countering by saying that Hiromi is probably male.

 

[Crash Station]

But have they really been cut from the adaptation or are they simply rearranged? My experience is that people on the internet like to think they're super smart when they watch an anime and read the manga at the same time, and often end up misrepresenting the intent of the adaptation before they understand what it is trying to do.

Other stuff has been rearranged, but the thing with Hiromi is the only one that bugs me because it's a weird thing to kind of skip past as it's out of character for Satoru. In the manga (not really spoilers, but just in case)

Spoiler

he immediately makes a mental note upon seeing him that Hiromi needs to be saved as well and he'll address that after saving Hinazuki. There's some other stuff like him having forgotten Hiromi's face, but that being cut is whatever.

 

[renegade_dewitt]

Has promise; I always give the Noitamina shows at least a cursory glance.

I have realized this for a while (completely off-topic in regards to the anime being discussed) but did other people realize that Noitamina is backwards for animation?

LOL! Is there is a reason for this, or is this completely coincidental?

 

[striferser]

I have realized this for a while (completely off-topic in regards to the anime being discussed) but did other people realize that Noitamina is backwards for animation?

LOL! Is there is a reason for this, or is this completely coincidental?

Anagram for animation and catchy name. Old title screen:
https://youtu.be/0stiWHFrxoc

 

[CornBurrito]

Non manga reader here, my theory is that the mother killer is the protagonist from the future, why? because having Yuuki free would lead to an even bigger disaster.

Is this why the mother said "Oh I figured out who it is!" in the supermarket? And wasn't the least bit concerned at the fact that a body clone double of her son was trying to kidnap some random girl?

Unless I am mistaken, she says "I knew it!" or something to that effect when stabbed to death.