[Spoilers] Comparable with "Death Note" and "Code Geass"

Not bad. Almost very good even.

I watched it for two reasons:

1) I like shows/movies with time travel themes, and like it even more if it's in the mystery/thriller genre (which Boku dake ga Inai Machi AKA Erased is).
2) Reviewers compare it with Death Note and Code Geass, two shows that I love. In particular, the mind games between the protagonist and antagonist (though the bad guy doesn't make his moves against the good guy until later when he is aware of the good guy's existence), and the protagonist's monologue as he explains his thought process and maneuvers.

That said, I don't think it really reaches the heights of those two. For one, the "satisfaction" I got from the final meeting between Satoru Fujinuma (protagonist) and Gaku Yashiro (antagonist) wasn't as great as the legendary face-offs between the characters in Death Note and Code Geass.

Cons (-ish)

There were also bits (mainly in the beginning) that reminded me that I was watching an anime (or an anime where the setting is Japan):

Airi the jaiIbait pizza employee girl, displaying an interest in the almost 30 year old Satoru. Maybe she's just nice? I'm not saying it's wrong or impossible, just unlikely. Even more so if the anime was set in, for example, America. Though to be fair, there was the social commentary of Satoru in the park helping the kids fix their paper airplane, and two other adults viewing him suspiciously.

Airi again, visiting Satoru at the hospital. Yes, she just happened to notice Satoru saving the boy from the truck so she would help contact the ambulance and what-not, but I would assume that her duties end there. Again, maybe she's just nice? Or maybe them two are closer than what I was led to believe.

Airi, AGAIN. I find it hard to believe* that she would be willing to risk her own safety, providing shelter for the "mother-killing" Satoru after only one dinner with them.

Back to "things that remind me this is an anime": We meet Satoru's 52 year old mother for the first time. Not surprisingly, she looks like a 20-something (30 max) year old MILF. And her lips are distracting as hell. Did she inject botox or something?

These points could be explained away if there was a more convincing on-screen relationship between Airi and Satoru or there was a bit of history between them. As it is now, I think that Airi, as a love (or friend) interest remains underdeveloped. Most of her development is in the first quarter or so of the anime.

Japanese elementary school kids are the most mature kids in the whole world (I'm ignoring Satoru here). I think they are pretty cool guys. Eh, foil the plans of would-be kidnappers and doesn't afraid of anything**.

I confess that a few parts were a bit vomit-inducing ("the power of friendship", etc).

The group using the old school bus as a hideout and it being the same place that the antagonist stores his instruments of death, seems a bit contrived. Kayo (mother-beaten girl) is lucky he didn't notice her and kill her right then and there.

Pros (-ish)

Having said all that, I did enjoy it overall. I wasn't able to predict the antagonist. The "red herring" (lollipops inside the glove department of Gaku Yashiro's car) that turned out to be not a red herring after all. One of my main suspects were Kenya Kobayashi the smart blonde kid who would seems smart enough to pull off the feat (and being close enough to Satoru to predict his actions). I was half-expecting Kenya to have an adult inside of him as one of the plot twists to explain his intellect and to clarify why Kenya feels that sometimes Satoru seems like a "different person". So in this case, Satoru would not be the only person with the "Revival" power.

My other suspect was Satoru. Future Satoru. Or parallel universe Satoru. A separate antagonist Satoru that is working against protagonist Satoru. Or with him. I won't be able to explain this one. Basically an anime version of [redacted]. Hint: recent science fiction movie.

Episode 11: As simple as it was, I did enjoy the killer explaining his motivations, what makes him tick. "Spice", the cute lone survivor hamster, standing on the corpses of his drowned brethren is a decently powerful image.

The series is only 12 episodes long. Long enough that you get to know and care about the characters, but short enough so there's almost no filler (I think it lost a bit of steam after he saves Kayo for good, where he decides to save everyone). In this case, this anime has an advantage over Death Note and Code Geass.

The way Satoru's mind is visually represented is interesting (photo frames, etc).

The acting and dialogue between Satoru and Gaku is good and convincing enough. Though I question why Gaku didn't confirm that Satoru did indeed fall to his death.

Then the "first" meeting between Satoru and Airi (remember her?), the pizza delivery girl. Why am I (and Satoru for that matter) is supposed to care again? I haven't seen her since episode 6.

I don't have any complaints about the art (apart from the MILF's lips) or sound, though I will echo the sentiments elsewhere of the adult voice actor of Satoru, who for some reason, does indeed sound a bit monotone.

Having watched it very recently, that's all I have in mind at the moment. This anime gets a solid above average from me.

* To believe" in someone against all odds seems to be the or one of the themes of the anime. So all credit to Airi and her niceness I guess that everything turned out okay. We need more of her in the world, and not cynical and jaded old me.

** This is intentional bad grammar and a meme.