Last year I saw an anime that ended up being one of the best that I have ever seen to date in my life. It was called Erased and I gave it a perfect score at the time. Having not yet revisited it I don’t know if I would give it the same score today that I gave it back then. The review for it was written in the early days of my blog, but I do know that I absolutely loved it. So when I heard they were going to be producing a live action series based on the manga/anime, the first thought that went through my mind was “Oh God, please not this again”. As most anime fans will know, the reputation for these kind of shows/movies that are based on our beloved animated series isn’t one to be very proud of. In fact, it’s downright abysmal if you look at it closely. But, since I loved the anime so much I decided to at least watch the pilot for this one and give it a chance……So, I guess you are all waiting for what I eventually thought of it huh? Okay, I will get to that after I present the plot, but how about when I say that this might just be the best live action anime adaptation ever. Did that catch your attention? Right…as I was saying let’s start with the plot first.
The aspiring manga artist Satoru has a gift. Or a curse depending on which way you look at it. With the ability called Revival he is able to travel back in time to prevent bad things from happening. He always experiences it just before some kind of calamity occurs, and he usually has a short time window to stop it. But Satoru is always able to save the day just in time. But then one day he arrives home and finds his mother dead on the floor with a knife sticking out of her back. With his hands covered in blood Satoru becomes the prime suspect for this grissly deed. Just when he is about to get caught by the police his Revival ability kicks in. But this time it takes him back farther in time than ever before. To his childhood to be exact, 18 years in the past. Now with his adult mind in the driver’s seat of his 11 year old self, he has to find a way to prevent his mother’s death and that of three of his classmates. Most notably the young girl Kayo Hinazuki who he has grown very close to. But his opponent is a very cunning and brutal serial killer that will stop at nothing to achieve his goals…….
One of the things that live action adaptations, or any adaptations as a matter of fact usually get wrong is that they stray too far from the source material. Or don’t even use it at all. And that’s where Erased really shines. This 12 part Netflix series captures the heart and soul of what made the original so great in the first place. Things like friendship, never giving up, but also it’s darker themes such as child abuse all make an appearance. In the first 6-7 episodes the people who have seen the anime will find it follows the storyline very closely. They throw a few other things and twists in the mix but other than that it resembles it’s anime counterpart almost exactly. In what can be called the second act, it diverges it’s story into other directions without going completely off the rails. In fact I liked that they also devised some original storylines as well, because else the outcome would have been very predictable.
Another thing you will notice when you start watching this is how gorgeous everything looks. The cinematography is stunning in this series. From the bleak factories, to the snowfilled landscapes and beautiful sunsets, everything almost looks like a painting. It really helps in setting the overall tone and atmosphere for this. The acting for this is also pretty good with one noteworthy exception. The children especially are extremely well cast, particularly the girl who plays the young Hinazuki. Just as in the anime she really is going through hell in this show, and the tv series doesn’t shy away from that subject either. Even though Hinazuki appears to be a little bit older than her anime counterpart, the actress that portrays her does a great job making us care about her character. In fact the only actress I didn’t like in certain scenes was the one who plays Airi, the girl who has a crush on the older Satoru. There were a couple of moments that were a bit cringeworthy in the way she portrayed them, but they don’t cause enough trouble to really become a problem.
If I want to be nitpicking I can also point out that there is a certain character that at one point has a fake beard that looks so stupid it is almost laughable. In fact I found myself wondering who on Earth came up with that. But that’s a relatively minor issue in what is otherwise a truly awesome show. With the episodes being only 30 minutes long, Erased has the name bingewatch written all over it. If you have not yet seen the anime I think you are going to enjoy this series even more than those who did. As the show basically tells the same story there are not many surprises in store for the fans of the anime. But as a fan I can say that I still enjoyed this one immensely. This is without a doubt the best anime live action adaptation that I have ever seen and I highly recommend this series. It is not as good as the anime, in that I can be honest, but it does come very, very close. Erased is a really terrific series that tells a heartbreaking, exciting and sometimes downright chilling story. I dare you not to finish this one in one go.
I give Erased a 9 out of 10 score.
It’s often happens that adaptation is far from original but 9 of 10 mean this one is not so far
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True enough 😊 This one really followed the original series very closely, but also did things on it’s own without going too far off the mark. Which is why I really enjoyed it so much 😀 Thanks for your comment 😊
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It’s good when adaptation bring something own but good then it isn’t blind copying the original 🙂
You’re welcome 🙂
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I am looking forward to checking out this one in the new year. Thanks for your review, it has made me look forward to it all the more.
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You are welcome. Yes it certainly was a very pleasant surprise for me as well. Hope you will enjoy it when you see it. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it 😀
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It seems as if live action adaptations are slowly stepping up their game. If this series is as great as I felt it will be after reading your review, then I bet it’s getting binge watched soon!
Thanks for sharing your views, Rai-san! I loved the series and I’m sure I’ll like this one too!
PS: I think he IS gonna eat that cake, if she doesn’t 😂
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Haha, I bet he will, that cake makes me hungry just by looking at it 😂
But yes this series was a very pleasant surprise in the end. I did not expect that at all (though I of course did hope it would be good 😊). You are very welcome, and thank you for your kind words and comment. Looking forward to hearing what you thought of the show 😀
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Anime Series in live action is like books adapted to movies LOL but WHEN THEY NAILED IT OMG ITS THE BEST FEELING EVER !! I loved your detailed review ! 🙂 Looks like I have to start reading the manga soon 🙂 SO I CAN WATCH THIS
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Aww, thank you so much for your enthusiastic reply and the kind words. Really appreciate it!😀
Having seen the anime and the live action series now, the only thing left for me is the manga. Which I will probably get to somewhere next year. I hope you will enjoy both that and this series (but the anime is very good as well 😀).
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I’m so happy I read this review. This is one of my fav anime. And glad the series isn’t bad
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I really was glad that it was done so good as well. The anime is definitely one of my favorites as well, so it would really have been annoying if this would not have been good. Hope you will enjoy it as much as I did 😊
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Going to watch it today
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Reblogged this on mamabatesmotel.
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Thanks for the reblog 😊 Really kind of you: appreciate it 😀
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You’re welcome, the show sounds awesome, happy holidays !
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It really is 😀 Thank you, happy holidays to you as well 😊
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Well I’ll be… looks like I outta give this a try
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Yup, that was pretty much what I said after seeing this 😂
It really was a very pleasant suprise. I hope you will enjoy it! 😀
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Sounds like Netflix has redeemed themselves with this adaptation after messing up Death Note. Hopefully they will follow this strategy in future when handling anime properties in live action.
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I still haven’t seen Death Note (honestly I kind of forgotten about it 😅), but that said the great thing is that this one was of course also made in Japan so it really got that authentic feel to it. But even then of course it could have ended up being a disappointment, but luckily it wasn’t 😊
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Looks promising!
At least I have hopes after getting destroyed by Gintama live action…
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I did not see that one, but I will definitely take your word for it 😊
This one really was a very pleasant surprise. It’s always great when a series that you enjoyed gets presented in away that really respects the original source material 😊
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The rare enjoyable live action adaptation!? I should definitely look into it
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Yup it’s definitely a rarity, but a very pleasant one to be sure 😀😀 If you do check it out, looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it 😊
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Awesome review Michel! I just added this to my Netflix queue.🤗
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Aww, thank you so much Kim, you are too kind 😊 I hope you are going to enjoy it. It really is quite a powerful series, that certainly adresses an awful topic as well. But it has really been done well. As always thank you for reading and the kind words 😊😊
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Fantastic review! I saw this on Netflix, and have been thinking of watching it. The time travel plot sounds right up my alley; the themes sound interesting too. Love shows that are not afraid to explore darker subjects. After reading this, I’m queuing the series right after Black. 😀
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Thank you very much 😀 Yes knowing your taste in movies I think this one will definitely be to your liking. I saw Black appearing yesterday on Netflix. Reading the premise for it, it really sounds interesting. Looking forward to watching that one as well 😀😀
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Hehehe fake beard, that sounds hilarious 😀 Kind of like the evil guy from a panto hehe
Glad you liked this live action anime adaptation 😀 It can be hard to find a good one. Most completely massacre the anime/manga they’re adapted from. Good to hear this one is different 😀
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There are sometimes (luckily) exceptions to the rule. For instance the Rurouni Kenshin movies were highly enjoyable as well. But yeah I was quite happy with how this turned out, because this anime really is a gem. So it would be a major disappointment if this were to somehow turn into something horrible.
As for the fake beard…oh well. I guess I can live with that lol 😀
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Well, now I’m even more excited! I watched the anime thanks to your glowing review and loved it. So I was both excited and worried when they announced the live action version. I’m relieved it doesn’t get to crazy and has a lot of similarities with the anime. I’m really looking forward to reliving this story 🙂
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I had exactly the same feeling when this one was announced. I was even a bit angry thinking how can they do this to such a truly beautiful anime. But, they definitely managed to pull it off. It really came very close to the high level of the anime, and I was really pleased with that. Glad you enjoyed the original anime by the way. It really is one of those really awe inspiring ones 😊
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Hopefully all the upcoming live actions are of this quality! (Although I’m still not sure how well One Piece or Saint Seiya are going to do…)
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Hmm, no those seem like two animes that are really difficult to translate to live action. Yiu definitely need a bigger budget for it as well. Oh well, maybe it will turn out surprisingly good. I had no expectations for this either and it turned out great 😊
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Hmmm I think I remember this one! You had nothing but amazing things to say about it and I kept it in mind to watch later 🙂
It’s lovely to see the live action lived up to the source material and even added a little something extra of its own. A perfect adaptation! Beautiful cinematography also helps ^^ I love when filmmakers consider all those details (except the beard… what the heck 😂)
I will definitely watch the anime first and then maybe this one. Even though the plot’s a bit harsh and definitely not my type of story, I think it’s one of those I will either love or hate and might as well know what the fuss is about 🙂
Wonderful review!!
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Yes, and I guess I still do lol. Seriously though the Erased anime is amazing and one of the best I have seen to date. Yes the series deals with a harsh topic in the form of childabuse, but it never gets really bad. It also tells a great story with a beautiful ending.
I definitely recommend seeing the anime first before this one. The anime is better.
Haha, yeah the beard was seriously strange. It really was quite awful and at times I even had to laugh at how bad it looked. But other than that it was an amazing series. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it when you get to see it. As always thank you again for the very kind words 😊😊
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Yeah I tend to hear not so good things about anime in live action- that’s why it’s so awesome that this managed to be such a good adaptation, not straying away too much from the source material whilst having some original content (wow what a feat!) This sounds really fantastic- amazing review!! 😀
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It was a very pleasant surprise. The original anime is just so beautiful and heartwarming that I really feared this would turn out into something bad. Luckily it didn’t. It’s really good and I highly recommend it. Thanks as always for the very kind words 😊😊
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Ah that’s so good!! 😀 I’m really glad- thanks for the rec!! And you’re very welcome 😊😊
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This sounds like a great adaptation Michel!!!😄💜💛😗 Fantastic Review and I will definitely check out this series! Most live adaptations are horrid but this sounds great and I love the premise!
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It really is an absolutely amazing adaptation and one of the best I have ever seen. The original anime is slightly better, but this really comes very close. Cool, that you are going to check it out. If you see it let me know what you thought of it. Thanks as always for your amazing and kind words 😘😘❤️❤️
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I will definitely let you know hon!😘🤗❤
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One of the reasons I love following and being part of your blogging world (aside from the humbled and kind person you are), is being introduced to some rare and wonderful animes, and this is just that. I recall liking the concept of when you wrote about the anime series though at the time I was not able to view it. Having been able to set my eyes on it as of present, I must say what a marvellous show it truly is as you mentioned. Not one for the overload of shall we say.. ‘the kawaii effect’ I really admire the approach it takes in its murder mystery. I can resonate with Satoru and Kayo being scoially awkward but one who has a heart to show.
Though having not been fortunate enough to read Mangas, I can only speak for the show to say It’s my new fondness for a show of an adapted anime series since i rarely find many for my liking. I am glad to hear you enjoyed the live adaptation, though it is not one I will be viewing since I am enjoying the series and it is the only form I would like to hold in that way to memory. A wonderful read of a post that I shall not be erasing from my memory anytime soon.
P.s I hope you had a nice Christmas and equally go into the New Year with much deserved joy.
Sincerely Sonea
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First off thank you so much for such a heartwarming and incredibly kind comment. It truly means a lot to me 😊
I can understand that you want to keep the memory intact of the original anime. Honestly I had a few moments of despair myself where I doubted if I should watch it or not. In the end my curiosity got the better of me, and I ended up liking it very much. Still it won’t ever pass the original. It was just simply to good. What I am very glad about in this live action adaptation is that they really keep the spirit and heartwarming atmosphere of the anime. That was the biggest surprise honestly.
It really is very humbling that my blog managed to get you interested for it 😊
I had a terrific and very relaxing Christmas, thank you very much for asking 😉 I hope you did as well?
I hope with all my heart that 2018 will bring you only good things and happyness. After the year you have had, you seriously deserve it. I look forward to talking with you again next year and continuing our friendship. Thanks so much for all your kindness and support this past year 😊
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Absolutely wonderful review, Michel. I did not know of the anime or this adaptation, but man did you know how to make me want to check it all out. The premise sounds amazing, and I’m even more excited to try this out when you mentioned great cinematography. Live-action adaptations… especially for mangas/animes are always so scary because how easily Hollywood can destroy it all. But when its done by other companies, I find that the odds of it to be at least a bit good are much higher! Thanks for sharing, sir. Always a pleasure to discover new things to check out. 😀
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Thanks again for yet another terrific comment 😀 It’s definitely a very good adaptation, but I also think that’s mainly because it’s made in Japan as well. It just manages to really capture the spirit of the original anime in a really great way. And certainly Hollywood has destroyed a couple of great franchises, so I’m glad it wasn’t the case with this one 😊 Hope you will enjoy the series when you are going to check it out 😊
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Good to know the live action for Boku dake ga inai machi stayed true to the essence of the source material, that’s always to be encouraged and hopefully more productions will continue to do so. I always thought one of the better live-actions was Nodame Cantabile, the drama, SPs and films were so well done.
Hope 2018 will be a good drama/film/anime year for you!
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Live action adaptations are a tricky thing at best, because usually one way or the other they just don’t stay true to the original source material. This one did, which is why it was so good. I haven’t heard of the one your spoke of, but I will check it out, thanks for the recommendation 😀
And thank you again for the wishes and your comment. I hope 2018 is going to be a good year for you as well 😀
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I finished the live action this morning!! I haven’t watched the anime but I did love this series a lot. It’s a show that I binged and I thought the acting and the cast was really good.
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I completely agree with you. This series was really amazing. Okay, the anime was slightly better, but I still really enjoyed it and like you I thought the acting was very good (I also binged it in one day lol 😂😂). Glad you enjoyed it too 😀😀
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Watched the live action series these past few weeks, and we loved it! Both me and my girlfriend are learning Japanese so this was both part learning and part just enjoying how beautiful the series was made!
Keep up the good work 😀
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Thanks so much for these kind words 😀
I’m glad you both enjoyed the series. It certainly is one of the best anime adaptations that I have seen to date.
Awesome that you are both learning Japanese. Good luck to both of you 😊
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I saw this advertised on Netflix and wondered if it was worth watching. A lot of the Japanese shows on there are really hit or miss so I skipped over it. Now I’m thinking about giving it a try.
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Thank you, thank you so much! I absolutely loved anime Erased. I actually loved it so much, that after I finished binge-watching it, I immediately started watching it again (I know it’s little bit extreme). And when I heard about live action series, my reaction was similar to yours (because there are these horrible things like Death Note 2017 film) and I though I’ll never watch it. But after reading your thoughts about it, I really think I should watch it and I think I could really enjoy it. 🙂
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Wow, thank you for the kind words and this wonderful comment 😊
Haha, you are not extreme as I watched it twice in a very short time as well. First alone, then for a second time with my mum. It’s a really terrific anime, and definitely one of my favorite ones that I have seen. It’s amazing that they really managed to create a really great live action series for it, because as you say that really doesn’t happen very often. I have yet to start with the manga for Erased, but I have been hearing great things about that one as well.
Thanks again for you very nice comment, and I hope you will enjoy the live action series as much as I have 😊
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I also hope I’ll enjoy it. 🙂
And it’s glad to know I’m not the only one, who can watch series twice in a short time.
I’ll try to keep my eye on your blog, maybe I discover something else that is worth to watch twice. 😀
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haha, oh I can watch a lot of things multiple times, as long as it’s good! 😊
And thank you, I will do my best to help you discover some new things hopefully 😊😊
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