Japanese and American popular culture share many fascinations, among them a love of urban legends and modern-day folklore. Such obsessions show up routinely in anime as well, with Boogiepop Phantom (compare prices) being one classic example.
Originally released in 2000, Boogiepop Phantom appeared on video in English but -- as is the fate with many anime titles that don't begin with "Dragon" and end with "ball" -- lapsed out of print. Being able to find a copy of the series became something of an urban legend unto itself. But now Nozomi Entertainment -- the folks who gave us the excellent reissues of The Dirty Pair and Revolutionary Girl Utena, among others.
Boogiepop Phantom is set in a modern-day Japanese metropolis (they call them urban legends for a reason), where years ago a slew of murders disturbed the peace. Now people are disappearing at random -- or is it at random, exactly? -- and the shadowy figure named "Boogiepop," who allegedly appears when someone is about to die, is being whispered about as the culprit. But a great many other things may be going on under the surface ...
Read our review of this most unusual hybrid of thriller, horror, surrealism and dark fantasy, and be sure to chime in with your comments as well.
Image: Boogiepop Phantom, courtesy Pricegrabber.
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