ERASED

Episode 7

The last couple episodes of ERASED had me a little worried. Not only was Satoru's present-day story not nearly as compelling as his trip to the past, but the show's execution also fell below the high bar it had previously set for itself. While ERASED had initially promised to be just as much of a powerful mood and character piece as it was a standard thriller, there were indications in both of those episodes that “melodramatic thriller” was all it was going to shake out to be.

Fortunately, this episode marked a strong return to form. As Satoru is lead away by the police, he pleads with whatever force gives him his power to be sent one back one more time. Clever use of the police sirens hint at the formally compelling episode to come, as flashes of red light are timed to match his own mental pleading, until Satoru's wish dissolves into a medley of all the tragedies he's witnessed, and time stops once again. Satoru's second journey into the past opens in total silence, a smart choice that leaves the viewer in the same state of suspended uncertainty as the character, until Satoru turns and realizes he's back at the museum with Hinazuki once again.

That focused mixing of framing and sound design formed the first of this episode's many great aesthetic tricks. In contrast to the overly loud dramatic embellishments of the past couple episodes, every choice here felt graceful, purposeful, and beautiful. When Satoru first got home and saw his mother again, the camera hid his tears, instead revealing his joy at seeing his mother purely through her reaction. When Satoru is briefly uncertain whether Yuuki is the good person he hopes he is, the music doesn't hammer on dramatic keys - instead, we get a series of claustrophobic angled shots, ending with an ominous frame where Yuuki's box cutter ends up pointed directly at the camera. And when the show wants to emphasize the teacher's all-seeing position, the show uses a match cut to transition from his shining eyes to a pair of lampposts hovering overhead, implying his lurking presence without saying a word.

This episode wasn't just full of smart, purposeful shots; it was also just very pretty, and proceeded nicely at the slow but inevitable pace of Satoru's first journey to the past. An early meeting between Satoru and Kenya used the school stairs to physically represent their uneven relationship, as the two each tested what the other knew. Kenya apparently not only knew about Hinazuki, but had also realized Satoru had undergone some sort of personality shift; and as Satoru laid out his plan and Kenya pledged to help, the scene gave off the impression that even compared to adult Satoru, Kenya is still wise beyond his years. When Satoru stated his desire to be a hero, Kenya replied “you don't become a superhero after achieving results. You already are one.” Kenya's philosophy seems much more likely to serve him well in life than Satoru's constant fretting over finding the “perfect answer,” and making sure he has absolutely no regrets in life.

In contrast to Satoru's careful time alterations from his first attempt, this time he decided to go for broke, entirely removing Hinazuki from her mother's life as soon as the party was over. His “abduction” of Hinazuki was heavy with that strange sense of nostalgia that gave the early episodes such a weird charm. Small shots of Hinazuki steepling her toes after admitting what a nice time she's having, or broad cuts of Kenya and Satoru walking home through the trees, all conveyed a vivid atmosphere, placing the viewer directly in the world of the characters. In spite of the lurking danger, this episode's brightest moments felt like a treasured camping trip, or the fear and excitement of sneaking out to meet your first crush. ERASED is always very watchable, but episodes like this demonstrate how rich of a show it can be.

Overall: A

ERASED is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Nick writes about anime, storytelling, and the meaning of life at Wrong Every Time.