Characters of the Boogiepop series - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Characters of the Boogiepop series, by Kouhei Kadono

Kouhei Kadono

is a Japanese author, best known for the Boogiepop series, which has also been adapted as a live action movie, two manga and an anime.- Biography :Born December 12, 1968, he graduated from Hosei University...

. The Boogiepop series

Boogiepop series

The of Japanese light novels is written by Kouhei Kadono and illustrated by Kouji Ogata. It includes titles from different media, each connected by repeating characters and related plots...

includes fourteen light novel

Light novel

A is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting junior high and high school students . The term "light novel" is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese term formed from words in the English language. Light novels are often called or for short...

s, a live-action film

Film

A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...

, an anime

Anime

is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....

, two manga

Manga

Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...

, and several short stories

Short story

A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...

. While most characters feature in multiple titles in the series, every new addition introduces many new characters. There are also only four key protagonists who feature in every title.

Japanese voice actors

Seiyu

Voice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...

and voice actors

Voice acting

Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called...

for Boogiepop Phantom

Boogiepop Phantom

is a twelve episode anime television series produced by Madhouse Studios, based on the Boogiepop light novel series by Kouhei Kadono, particularly that of Boogiepop and Others and Boogiepop At Dawn...

, as well as actor

Actor

An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

s for Boogiepop and Others

Boogiepop and Others

is a light novel and manga authored by Kouhei Kadono and illustrated by Kouji Ogata, and a live-action movie directed by Ryu Kaneda. The light novel, the first in the Boogiepop series, was released in 1998 by MediaWorks and won the fourth Dengeki Game Novel Contest.The story takes place in an...

, are listed under the appropriate character. A list of all titles the character appears in is also present for each of the minor characters.

Protagonists

(Boogiepop Phantom)

Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

: Sayaka Yoshino (Boogiepop and Others)

While many female students at Shinyo Academy whisper of a shinigami

Shinigami

is the personification of death in Japan. It's unclear when the concept entered Japanese culture; it may have been imported from China , or possibly been imported from Europe during the Sengoku era—that period in European history featured a common motif of the Grim Reaper gathering souls...

, few people know that Boogiepop actually exists. He is the alter-ego of Touka Miyashita. Normally dormant, Boogiepop rises to the surface to fight the enemies of the world when they appear. Boogiepop's appearance and voice are ambiguous: they seem both masculine and feminine at the same time. However, hidden beneath his signature black cloak and black, pipe-shaped hat, little is ever seen of him. Straight-faced and to the point, Boogiepop acts as mechanical as he claims to be. Boogiepop speaks in an archaic manner and seems fond of whistling Wagner's

Richard Wagner

Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg is an opera in three acts, written and composed by Richard Wagner. It is among the longest operas still commonly performed today, usually taking around four and a half hours. It was first performed at the Königliches Hof- und National-Theater in Munich, on June 21,...

. Boogiepop's name is explained in the series: "When I detect adversity approaching, I float to the surface. That's why I am Boogiepop – phantasmal, like bubbles."

The backstory, where Boogiepop first inhabits Miyashita as a child, is described in Boogiepop at Dawn. In Boogiepop and Others, Boogiepop holds vigil over Shinyo Academy. He establishes a meaningful friendship with Takeda Keiji, as they sat each day and spoke to each other, mainly about Boogiepop's nature, but also about personal topics from Takeda's life. After Manticore reveals itself and attacks Niitoki Kei, Boogiepop intervenes, using his microfilament

Microfilament

Microfilaments are the thinnest filaments of the cytoskeleton, a structure found in the cytoplasm of all eukaryotic cells. These linear polymers of actin subunits are flexible and relatively strong, resisting buckling by multi-piconewton compressive forces and filament fracture by nanonewton...

wire so that Tanaka Shiro could finish it off. Manticore crosses Boogiepop's path again in Boogiepop Phantom

Boogiepop Phantom

in the form of his two residual aspects: Saotome Masami, who continues to be a direct threat, and Boogiepop Phantom, who seeks to protect highly evolved humans from the Towa Organisation. When strange incidents occur around Miyashita, Boogiepop tracks down Poom Poom and faces his creator, Kisaragi Manaka. Once Manaka loses her power, however, Boogiepop has no further interest in her death and protects her from Boogiepop Phantom. When Miyashita travels to Tokyo for her University entrance exam, Boogiepop arises and heads to Akihabara, where he corners and finally defeats Manticore. Boogiepop Returns: VS Imaginator Part 1 sees Boogiepop investigating the possible return of Imaginator, another one of Boogiepop's recurring foes, while being the target of the Towa Organisation. Using Anou Shinjirou as bait, Boogiepop lures out Spooky E and attempts to kill him, but the synthetic human manages to escape.

Boogiepop keeps minimal contact with other people and as such there are few who know much about him. While the paths of Boogiepop and Nagi Kirima tend to cross, as they both seek to protect the world, they have had little interaction. Their relationship is not a close one either, with Kirima resenting the way Boogiepop comes and goes as it is convenient. In Boogiepop Returns: VS Imaginator, we learn about Boogiepop's previous battle with Imaginator. Boogiepop has little further interaction with other characters until he meets with Anou Shinjirou, his lead to Spooky E.

(Boogiepop Phantom)

Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

: Sayaka Yoshino (Boogiepop and Others)

An ordinary, happy school girl at Shinyo Academy, Miyashita is in love with her boyfriend, Takeda Keiji, and close friends with Suema Kazuko. She finds it troublesome to deal with Niitoki Kei, partly because Niitoki has a crush on Takeda, but more so because Niitoki has met Boogiepop and as such knows both sides of the person. Not particularly good at school, she does not stand out in any way. Unknown to most, she was hospitalized as a child and this saw her life change, though even Miyashita herself does not seem to know the truth of what happened and was simply told that she had been possessed by a kitsune

Kitsune

is the Japanese word for fox. Foxes are a common subject of Japanese folklore; in English, kitsune refers to them in this context. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. Foremost among these is the ability to assume...

. Unknowingly, when the world is in trouble, she carries a Spalding sports bag containing the effects of Boogiepop, her alternate personality. She has no recollection of her time as Boogiepop and alters her memories to explain the blanks.

(Boogiepop Phantom)

Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

: Maya Kurosu (Boogiepop and Others)

Known as the Fire Witch to many, Kirima has few friends due the way she distances herself from others: she knows that she is too dangerous for "normal" people to associate with. She lives with her stepbrother, Taniguchi Masaki, though he is unaware of her actions or lifestyle. She has a messiah complex

Messiah complex

A messiah complex is a state of mind in which an individual holds a belief they are, or are destined to become, a savior. The messiah complex does not appear in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ....

and seeks to save the world from whatever may threaten it. Having lost her father, the famous writer Seiichi Kirima, and her first love when she was quite young, she seemingly lives both their lives in place of her own. Gifted both physically and intellectually, she has the tools she needs to carry out her self-appointed mission. The Towa Organization has given her the code name "Walpurgis" .

Her backstory, where Kirima becomes a self-styled "hero of justice", is described in full detail in Boogiepop at Dawn. In Boogiepop and Others

Boogiepop and Others

, Kirima's friend Naoko Kamikashiro requests her assistance with helping Echoes find Manticore and keep it from killing students at Shinyo Academy. Kirima agrees; she intentionally gets herself suspended from school, to gain the freedom to investigate. Following the trail of the drug, Type-S, Kirima comes to suspect that Manticore has taken the form of either Niitoki Kei, Saotome Masami or Tanaka Shiro. As Manticore attacks Echoes, Saotome slashes Kirima's throat, killing her. However, when Echoes turns into light to kill Manticore, he uses some of his power to resurrect Kirima. Kazuko Suema also attempts to draw close to Kirima during this time, despite her attempts to distance herself from everyone, which develops into an awkward friendship. In Boogiepop Phantom, she is investigating the aftermath of the "pillar of light" incident and the nature of the electromagnetic field

Electromagnetic field

An electromagnetic field is a physical field produced by moving electrically charged objects. It affects the behavior of charged objects in the vicinity of the field. The electromagnetic field extends indefinitely throughout space and describes the electromagnetic interaction...

around the city, seeking to stop the events that it causes. Her investigations reveal that Manticore is still alive, so she attempts to end matters with electromagnetic pulse

Electromagnetic pulse

An electromagnetic pulse is a burst of electromagnetic radiation. The abrupt pulse of electromagnetic radiation usually results from certain types of high energy explosions, especially a nuclear explosion, or from a suddenly fluctuating magnetic field...

blasts; Boogiepop Phantom intervenes to stop this plan. Her investigations ultimately lead her to Paisley Park, where Poom Poom and Manaka attempt to bring her to their side, but prove hostile when she resists. In the end, Boogiepop's intervention saves her. Even though they are both fighting for the same goals, Kirima dislikes Boogiepop.

Throughout her story, the main theme is how a childhood trauma can influence the growth of an individual. Nagi means "calm" or "lull". "After a storm comes a calm" is a Japanese proverb, which can also be translated as, "after a storm comes Nagi", referring to how she tends to resolve certain situations. The "kiri" in Kirima means "mist" and the "ma" means "space", "time" or "pause".

(Boogiepop Phantom)

Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

: Mami Shimizu (Boogiepop and Others)

Having once been marked as the next target of a serial killer, Suema develops an unusual interest and knowledge in criminal

Criminal psychology

Criminal psychology is the study of the wills, thoughts, intentions and reactions of criminals. It is related to the field of criminal anthropology. The study goes deeply into what makes someone commit crime, but also the reactions after the crime, on the run or in court...

and abnormal psychology

Abnormal psychology

Abnormal psychology is the branch of psychology that studies unusual patterns of behavior, emotion and thought, which may or may not be understood as precipitating a mental disorder...

, as well as the desire to not let anything occur around her without her knowing. Suema struggles to find acceptance among her peers at Shinyo Academy. They look upon her as weird and exclude her, as a result of her unusual interests, though she is friends with Kinoshita Kyoko. In Boogiepop and Others, Suema first hears the rumours about Boogiepop, but dismisses them as fantasy, although she investigates a possible sighting of the shinigami

Shinigami

. After seeing Nagi Kirima interrogate Kinoshita, Suema searches for Kirima's house and tries to learn what she can from her. She comes to learn that Kirima was involved with stopping the serial killer who had been stalking her, but was surprised to hear the claim that it was Boogiepop who saved her. Their relationship remains distant, despite Suema's efforts to change this. In Boogiepop Phantom, Suema meets Touka Miyashita for the first time and they quickly become close friends. She is relatively unaware of events as they unfold, and is entirely focused on studying for her University entrance exams with Miyashita. Suema appreciates how she is so unconditionally accepting of her and looks out for her friend. In Boogiepop Returns: VS Imaginator Part 1, we learn that Suema and Niitoki Kei are on friendly terms. Suema is approached by Kotoe Kinukawa, who seeks her help in regard to her relative, Jin Asukai. Suema investigates him and realises that something unusual is happening. After seeing a sketch of Suiko Minahoshi in Asukai's office, she goes to the place where Minahoshi had died, only to meet Aya Orihata for the first time and encourage her to take pleasure in life and fulfill her goals. Suema repeatedly just misses learning about what is really going on in the city. Throughout her story, the major theme is how a childhood trauma can influence the growth of an individual. Her backstory, where Suema was stalked by the serial killer, is described in full detail in Boogiepop at Dawn.

Boogiepop and Others

(Boogiepop Phantom)

Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

: Yasufumi Teriwaki (Boogiepop and Others)

An alien sent to Earth to evaluate humanity. When Echoes takes on human form to engage with human society, he inadvertently takes on a form more highly evolved than current humans. His knowledge is sealed away by restricting his ability to speak to only repeating the words used by others around him. This is why he is named Echoes, in reference to the Greek nymph, Echo

Echo (mythology)

In Greek mythology, Ekho , "echo", itself from ἦχος , "sound") was an Oread who loved her own voice. Zeus loved consorting with beautiful nymphs and visited them on Earth often. Eventually, Zeus's wife, Hera, became suspicious, and came from Mt...

. The names of many characters in the Boogiepop series are also references to Western music, particularly rock. Echoes is a song from the album Meddle

Meddle

Meddle is the sixth studio album by English progressive rock group Pink Floyd. It was released in October 1971.The album was recorded at a series of locations around London, including Abbey Road Studios...

by Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...

. Sometime after coming to Earth, he was captured by the Towa Organization, who misinterpreted him as a mutant

Mutant

In biology and especially genetics, a mutant is an individual, organism, or new genetic character, arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is a base-pair sequence change within the DNA of a gene or chromosome of an organism resulting in the creation of a new character or trait not...

human and experimented on him, creating their synthetic humans from what they learned. They also attempted to clone Echoes, but their failed attempt resulted in the creation of the human-eating Manticore. When Manticore escaped from the lab in which it was created, Echoes gave chase. Boogiepop and Others

Boogiepop and Others

begins with Echoes becoming disheartened in his search and disillusioned with humanity. As he collapses in the middle of the city, Boogiepop gives him the encouragement he needs and helps him when he is mistreated by the Police. He then meets Kamikishiro Naoko, with whom he shares a telepathic link. Kamikishiro learns about who he is, what he has been through and what he is trying to do. She shelters him at Shinyo Academy and calls for her friend, Nagi Kirima, to help. After Kamikishiro disappears, Kirima captures three students, believing that Manticore would be disguised as one of them, but Echoes senses that they are all ordinary humans. After he releases the students, one of them, Saotome Masami, stabs him through the throat with a poisoned mechanical pencil. With Echoes weakened, Manticore reveals itself, and attacks him. Echoes is unable to face Manticore and is bitterly defeated. When all hope seems lost, Echoes speaks his own words for the only time: "my body into information, transmit to source." At this, Echoes turns into a pillar of light that passes through his enemies, disintegrating Saotome Masami and mortally wounding Manticore. From Echoes' perspective, we are able to see how unjust prejudice is. He also demonstrates how insensitive modern society is to the misfortunate.

Boogiepop Phantom

often references the pillar of light and, just like Echoes, Kisaragi Manaka speaks in repetition. Echoes makes a brief appearance at the end of the second-last episode.

Appearances: Boogiepop and Others, Boogiepop at Dawn, Boogiepop Phantom

Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

: Asumi Miwa

Kamikishiro Naoko is a third year student at Shinyo Academy, and going out with both Kimura Akio and Tanaka Shiro. Though known to be a kind, happy-go-lucky girl, she often sings Life is Brief. By chance, she finds Echoes collapsed in the street, and is compelled to help him. Despite his inability to communicate effectively via speech, Kamikishiro finds that she shares a telepathic

Telepathy

Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...

link with him, and learns of Manticore. It is suggested that Kamikishiro saved humanity through the compassion she showed Echoes.

Appearances: Boogiepop and Others, Boogiepop at Dawn, Boogiepop Phantom

Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

: Tetsu Sawaki
Tetsu Sawaki
Tetsu Sawaki is a Japanese actor. Sawaki was born in Osaka, Japan.-Filmography:* Bright Future * Border Line * Ashita wa kitto * Gaichu...

A second year student at Shinyo Academy, he finds himself in love with Kamikishiro Naoko.

Appearances: Boogiepop and Others

Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

: Takako Baba

A second year student at Shinyo Academy, Kinoshita is introduced to the drug

Narcotic

The term narcotic originally referred medically to any psychoactive compound with any sleep-inducing properties. In the United States of America it has since become associated with opioids, commonly morphine and heroin and their derivatives, such as hydrocodone. The term is, today, imprecisely...

Type-S by Kusatsu Akiko.

Appearances: Boogiepop and Others, Boogiepop Returns: VS Imaginator Part 2, Boogiepop Phantom

The father of Nagi, and a prolific writer

Writer

A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....

, Kirima released several novel

Novel

A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....

s, but is best known for his works on psychology

Psychology

Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...

. His works are frequently referenced in the Boogiepop series, and also feature in the Jiken series.

Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

: Erika Kuroishi

A first year student at Shinyo Academy, Kusatsu has a crush on Saotome Masami.

Appearances: Boogiepop and Others

Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

: Kai Hirohashi

A second year student at Shinyo Academy, Niitoki is the President of the Discipline Committee. Though she looks like a much younger girl, other students often come to her, seeking her assistance and treating her like an older sister.

Appearances: Boogiepop and Others, Boogiepop Returns: VS Imaginator Part 2, Boogiepop Overdrive: The Piper

Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

: Hassei Takano
Hassei Takano
born in Chiba Prefecture is a Japanese actor. He has portrayed various superheroes in tokusatsu dramas, beginning with in Ultraman Gaia in 1998, a role he reprised in the 2008 film Superior Ultraman 8 Brothers...

Saotome Masami is a first year student at Shinyo Academy with an unusual desire: he wishes to be killed by a woman stronger than himself. His advances on Kirima Nagi were rejected, but when he meets Manticore he professes his love, and seeks to help it conquer the world. Under his direction, Manticore takes the form of Yurihara Minako, and they experiment in controlling humans --- Type-S (S for Slave) results from this. The two fall deeply in love with each other.

Appearances: Boogiepop and Others, Boogiepop in the Mirror: "Pandora", Boogiepop Phantom

Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

: Daijirou Kawaoka

Takeda is a third year student at Shinyo Academy, with aspirations to become a designer. He is going out with Miyashita Touka, and becomes Boogiepop's first true friend.

Appearances: Boogiepop and Others, Boogiepop in the Mirror: "Pandora", Boogiepop Overdrive: The Piper, Boogiepop Missing: Peppermint Wizard, Boogiepop Stacatto: Welcome to Jinx Shop, Boogiepop Phantom

Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

: Hideyuki Kawahara

A first year student at Shinyo Academy, and a member of the archery

Archery

Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...

club. Tanaka is pursued by Kamikishiro Naoko, who professes her love for him. Though initially reluctant, he eventually goes out with her.

Appearances: Boogiepop and Others, Boogiepop Overdrive: The Piper

A third-year middle school student, and the step-brother of Kirima Nagi, Taniguchi recently returned to Japan from Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...

, and is currently living with his step-sister.

Appearances: Boogiepop and Others, Boogiepop Returns: VS Imaginator, Boogiepop Countdown Embryo: Erosion, Boogiepop Wicked Embryo: Eruption, Boogiepop Bounding: Lost Moebius

/ (Boogiepop Phantom)

Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

: Ayana Sakai (Boogiepop and Others)

Minako was a second year student at Shinyo Academy, until she was consumed by Manticore, an imperfect clone of Echoes created by the Towa Organization who was considered a monster. It escaped from the lab it was created in, hoping to preserve its life. Minako started as a loner, so Manticore finds it easy to hide itself by interacting with as few people as possible. "Manticore

Manticore

The manticore is a legendary creature similar to the Egyptian sphinx. It has the body of a red lion, a human head with three rows of sharp teeth , and a trumpet-like voice. Other aspects of the creature vary from story to story. It may be horned, winged, or both...

" means "man-eater". The Manticore in Boogiepop and Others

Boogiepop and Others

feeds on humans and gained its name after the Persian

Persian mythology

Persian mythology are traditional tales and stories of ancient origin, some involving extraordinary or supernatural beings. Drawn from the legendary past of the Iranian cultural continent which especially consists of the state of Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Central Asia, they reflect the...

monster for this reason. Manticore initially aims only to survive and hide among human society. Saotome Masami, however, led it to believe in its own superiority. After killing Minako, Masami discovers Manticore, but before it can kill him, Saotome explains why Manticore would find Yurihara's form more beneficial and confesses his love to it. Listening to Saotome's logic, Manticore lets him live and help it, assuming the form of Yurihara to hide from its pursuer, Echoes, for whose superior power it held a deep-set fear. Believing itself safely hidden, Manticore managed to avoid conflict until it believed it had Echoes trapped, at which point it attacked him. As it begins to take on more human attributes, its motivations shift towards love. Seeking to align himself with Manticore, Saotome inquires to what other powers it possesses and gleefully explains how these powers could be used to control the world. When Manticore tells Saotome of its powers, he initiates experiments in controlling humans. As they work together, the two fall deeply in love with each other. Despite their initial success enslaving Akiko Kusatsu, repeated failures with the Type-S drug wear heavily upon Manticore. As Kirima Nagi draws close to them with her investigations, Manticore finds itself pushed into a corner. At this point Naoko Kamikishiro stumbles across Manticore and Saotome, looking for Echoes. Manticore kills Kamikishiro and Saotome devises a plan that would free Manticore from its past. He manages to stab Echoes with a mechanical pencil filled with Manticore's poison. Its greatest opponent now weakened, Manticore reveals itself and attacks. About to lose, Echoes transforms himself into light, directing the beam towards Manticore to destroy it. Manticore is saved by Saotome, who is disintegrated. It suffers severe burns to half its body. After losing Saotome, the only tie it had to humanity, it reverted back to being a monster. Seeking to use Kei Niitoki as a means to restore itself, Manticore chases her, but is captured by a wire. Boogiepop reveals himself, and tells Shiro Tanaka to shoot an arrow through Manticore's head, finishing it off.

In Boogiepop Phantom

Boogiepop Phantom

, remnants of Manticore survived the pillar of light through the electromagnetic field

Electromagnetic field

surrounding the city, though the fragments split in two. One part maintained the basic form of Yurihara, but took on the cloak and hat of Boogiepop to become Boogiepop Phantom; the other took the form of Saotome, and survived as Manticore Phantom. Boogiepop Phantom became aware that it would only exist for a short time and used this time to protect the "special children", ones who had evolved after Echoes became the pillar of light. It searches for evolved humans and preserves those it finds under the city, until the day when humanity catches up with them. It chooses, however, to avoid significant exchange with Nagi Kirima and Boogiepop. It also sees Manaka as a threat, but when it tries to kill her, Boogiepop intervenes, explaining that she has lost her powers. Manticore Phantom cares only about its own survival and continues to devour people in the city. After meeting Arito Misuzu, Manticore Phantom attempts to use her as a pawn to draw more food to itself. It also uses Kishida Ichirou in a similar manner, though while it revealed itself to Misuzu, Kishida remained unaware of Manticore Phantom and of what it had used his body to do. It then sees a chance to get revenge on Kirima, whom it still sees as an enemy, but Boogiepop Phantom intervenes before Kirima arrives. When made aware of its limited life-span, Manticore Phantom panics and enters the body of Ichirou Kishida, another "phantom" living through the electromagnetic field, and travels to Akihabara

Akihabara

, also known as , is an area of Tokyo, Japan. It is located less than five minutes by rail from Tokyo Station. Its name is frequently shortened to in Japan...

, a place with sufficient electromagnetic activity to maintain its existence. Manticore Phantom hides there for a year, devouring people in Tokyo, but Boogiepop finds it. Boogiepop destroys Kishida and Manticore Phantom with an electromagnetic pulse

Electromagnetic pulse

blast. In Boogiepop Returns: VS Imaginator Part 1

Boogiepop Returns: VS Imaginator Part 1

is the second novel in the Boogiepop series by Kouhei Kadono, and was illustrated by Kouji Ogata.-Plot introduction:The year before the incident with Manticore, Boogieopop fought against Imaginator. Now, Imaginator is attempting to return and complete its ambitions...

, Boogiepop compares Spooky E with Manticore, claiming the Manticore is the stronger.

Manticore demonstrates the stark contrast between a person treated as an object or as a failure, and a person given love. Minako's name derives from a character from the song and album Tarkus

Tarkus

Tarkus is the second album by the British progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer, released in 1971.In 1993 the album was digitally remastered by Joseph M. Palmaccio...

by the band Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...

Appearances: Boogiepop and Others, Boogiepop Phantom

Boogiepop Returns: VS Imaginator

Anou is a third year Middle School student. When Taniguchi Masaki changes to his school, Anou finds himself confused by his feelings towards the boy, so directs his frustrations towards him.

Appearances: Boogiepop Returns: VS Imaginator, Boogiepop Phantom

An art teacher and councilor at a cram school

Cram school

Cram schools are specialized schools that train their students to meet particular goals, most commonly to pass the entrance examinations of high schools or universities...

, Asukai makes the students feel better by telling them what they want to hear. He is able to see people's hearts in the form of plants growing from their chests, and the flaws of their hearts are represented by something missing from the plant.

Appearances: Boogiepop Returns: VS Imaginator, Boogiepop Missing: Peppermint Wizard, Beat's Discipline

A relative of Asukai Jin.

Appearances: Boogiepop Returns: VS Imaginator

A girl who was assumed to have leapt from the roof of Shinyo Academy, she was actually a being known as Imaginator and has fought against Boogiepop. She possesses the ability "Strange Days"

Appearances: Boogiepop Returns: VS Imaginator, Boogiepop at Dawn, Boogiepop Paradox: Heartless Red, Beat's Discipline, VS Imaginator Part IV "The Night Watch under The Cold Moon" (Night Watch trilogy), Spectral Speculation of Soul-Drop (Soul Drop series), Controversy about Iron Mask (Night Watch trilogy)

Orihata appears to be an ordinary Middle School student, but she is actually a synthetic human from the Towa Organisation, working under Spooky E. Her original mission was to experiment with interbreeding between humans and synthetic humans, but after she meets, and falls in love with, Taniguchi Masaki, is focuses on the mission of finding Boogiepop. Her name is a reference to the musician Prince

Prince (musician)

Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...

's claim of having a 'good' personality named Camille.

Appearances: Boogiepop Returns: VS Imaginator, Boogiepop at Dawn, Boogiepop Countdown Embryo: Erosion, Boogiepop Wicked Embryo: Eruption, Boogiepop Bounding: Lost Moebius, Boogiepop Phantom

Correctly known as , Spooky E is a synthetic human from the Towa Organization. Spooky E has the ability to generate electricity from his body, and is able to control the minds of humans with this power. Initially sent to investigate what became of Echoes and the result of the pillar of light, his mission changes to finding Boogiepop. His name also derives from Prince

Prince (musician)

claiming to have a 'bad' personality named Spooky Electric.

Appearances: Boogiepop Returns: VS Imaginator, Boogiepop in the Mirror: "Pandora", Boogiepop Missing: Peppermint Wizard, Boogiepop Countdown Embryo: Erosion, Boogiepop Phantom, Beat's Discipline

Appearances: Boogiepop Returns: VS Imaginator, Boogiepop in the Mirror: "Pandora", Boogiepop Countdown Embryo: Erosion

Boogiepop in the Mirror: "Pandora"

Appearances: Boogiepop in the Mirror: "Pandora"

Possesses the ability "Whispering"

Appearances: Boogiepop in the Mirror: "Pandora"

Possesses the ability "Aroma"

Appearances: Boogiepop in the Mirror: "Pandora"

Appearances: Boogiepop in the Mirror: "Pandora", Boogiepop Overdrive: The Piper

Possesses the ability "Automatic"

Appearances: Boogiepop in the Mirror: "Pandora", Boogiepop Paradox: Heartless Red

Appearances: Boogiepop in the Mirror: "Pandora", Boogiepop Overdrive: The Piper, Boogiepop at Dawn, Boogiepop Wicked Embryo: Eruption

Boogiepop Overdrive: The Piper

Trivia: "Waikyokuō" is the Japanese translation of "The Piper" from the song "Stairway to Heaven

Stairway to Heaven

"Stairway to Heaven" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released in late 1971. It was composed by guitarist Jimmy Page and vocalist Robert Plant for the band's untitled fourth studio album . The song, running eight minutes and two seconds, is composed of several sections, which...

" Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...

Appearances: Boogiepop Overdrive: The Piper

Appearances: Boogiepop Overdrive: The Piper, Boogiepop Missing: Peppermint Wizard, Phantasm Phenomenon of Memoria-Noise (Soul Drop series)

Appearances: Boogiepop Overdrive: The Piper

Boogiepop at Dawn

A young female doctor who discovers a Towa Organization 'evolution-drug' by accident and begins experimentations.

Appearances: Boogiepop at Dawn, Boogiepop Phantom

/ /

A Towa Organization agent whose tasked to be on the look for humans who might be 'over-evolved', his disguise being that of a detective. Meets and befriends a young Kirima Nagi. His name is an allusion to the song "The Scarecrow

The Scarecrow (Pink Floyd song)

"The Scarecrow" is a song on Pink Floyd's debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn , though it first appeared as the B-side of their second single "See Emily Play" two months before...

" by Pink Floyd from their 1967 debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn

The Piper at the Gates of Dawn

The Piper at the Gates of Dawn is the debut album by the English rock group Pink Floyd, and the only one made under founding member Syd Barrett's leadership. The album contains whimsical lyrics about space, scarecrows, gnomes, bicycles and fairy tales, along with psychedelic instrumental songs...

Appearances: Boogiepop at Dawn, Boogiepop Phantom

A Towa Organization agent who delivers messages to other agents. She is in love with Shinpei Kuroda.

Appearances: Boogiepop at Dawn

One of the Towa Organization's agents top assassins. Guised as an ordinary businessman under the name of Masanori Sasaki. The name Mo Murder is a song by Krayzie Bone

Krayzie Bone

Anthony Henderson better known as Krayzie Bone, is an American rapper and is a former member of the rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.-Solo career:Krayzie Bone recorded his solo debut, Thug Mentality 1999, in 1998...

Appearances: Boogiepop at Dawn, Boogiepop Countdown Embryo: Erosion, Beat's Discipline, Boogiepop Phantom

Appearances: Boogiepop at Dawn, Beat's Discipline

Boogiepop Missing: Peppermint Wizard

His name derives from the character Captain Walker from the rock opera

Rock opera

A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...

Tommy

Tommy (rock opera)

Tommy is the fourth album by English rock band The Who, released by Track Records and Polydor Records in the United Kingdom and Decca Records/MCA in the United States. A double album telling a loose story about a "deaf, dumb and blind boy" who becomes the leader of a messianic movement, Tommy was...

; it is also the name of a song from the Tommy soundtrack

Soundtrack

A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...

Appearances: Boogiepop Missing: Peppermint Wizard

His name comes from the combining of the two rappers The Notorious B.I.G.

The Notorious B.I.G.

Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough...

and Ice Cube

Ice Cube

O'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...

Appearances: Boogiepop Missing: Peppermint Wizard, Beat's Discipline

Appearances: Boogiepop Missing: Peppermint Wizard

Named after Squeeze, an album released by The Velvet Underground

The Velvet Underground

The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...

in 1973.

Appearances: Boogiepop Missing: Peppermint Wizard, Boogiepop Paradox: Heartless Red

Boogiepop Embryo

Possesses the ability "Strange Days" which is a reference to the album and title track Strange Days

Strange Days (album)

Strange Days is the second album released by American rock band The Doors. The album was a commercial success, earning a gold record and reaching No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Despite this, the album's producer, Paul Rothchild, considered it a commercial failure, even if it was an...

by The Doors

The Doors

The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...

Appearances: Boogiepop Countdown Embryo: Erosion, Boogiepop Wicked Embryo: Eruption, Boogiepop Paradox: Heartless Red

Possesses the ability "Tightrope" , an allusion to the song "Tightrope

Tightrope (Electric Light Orchestra song)

"Tightrope" is the title of the opening track to A New World Record by Electric Light Orchestra.Recorded in 1976 at Musicland, Munich, West Germany, The song features a dramatic orchestral opening before transforming into an upbeat rock song...

" by the band Electric Light Orchestra

Electric Light Orchestra

Electric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...

Appearances: Boogiepop Countdown Embryo: Erosion, Boogiepop Wicked Embryo: Eruption

Name is an allusion to 1971 album Pearl

Pearl (album)

-Personnel:* Janis Joplin – vocals, guitar on "Me and Bobby McGee"* Richard Bell – piano* Ken Pearson – organ* John Till – electric guitar* Brad Campbell – bass guitar* Clark Pierson – drums-Additional personnel:...

by Janis Joplin

Janis Joplin

Janis Lyn Joplin was an American singer, songwriter, painter, dancer and music arranger. She rose to prominence in the late 1960s as the lead singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company and later as a solo artist with her backing groups, The Kozmic Blues Band and The Full Tilt Boogie Band...

Appearances: Boogiepop Countdown Embryo: Erosion, Boogiepop Wicked Embryo: Eruption, Beat's Discipline

Possesses the ability "The Slider" which is a reference to The Slider

The Slider

The Slider is the seventh studio album by British glam rock band T. Rex, released on July 21, 1972. Produced by Tony Visconti, it was the band's second record released with their new glam rock style opposed to the band's previous folk oriented music....

, an album by the British band T.Rex. The name might be a reference to Fortissimo

Dynamics (music)

In music, dynamics normally refers to the volume of a sound or note, but can also refer to every aspect of the execution of a given piece, either stylistic or functional . The term is also applied to the written or printed musical notation used to indicate dynamics...

as a musical term, but it also is the name of an album released by Japanese group Kryzler & Kompany in 2001.

Appearances: Boogiepop Countdown Embryo: Erosion, Boogiepop Wicked Embryo: Eruption, Beat's Discipline

Name could be an allusion to the jazz album The Sidewinder

The Sidewinder

The Sidewinder is a 1964 album by jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan, recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood, New Jersey. It was released on Blue Note label as BLP 4157 and BST 84157. The title track was one of the defining recordings of the soul jazz genre, becoming a jazz standard. An edited version...

Appearances: Boogiepop Countdown Embryo: Erosion, Boogiepop Wicked Embryo: Eruption

Appearances: Boogiepop Countdown Embryo: Erosion, Boogiepop Wicked Embryo: Eruption, Beat's Discipline

His name might reference mbryo (band)]|Embryo] as the name of the German progressive rock band, but Embryo was a song on Works

Works (Pink Floyd album)

Works is a Pink Floyd compilation album released in 1983 by their former American label, Capitol Records, to compete with their then-current album The Final Cut...

, an album released by Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd

in 1983 and was also a song on the album Master of Reality

Master of Reality

Master of Reality is the third album by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in July 1971. It is sometimes noted as the first stoner rock album...

, released by Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...

in 1971.

Appearances: Boogiepop Countdown Embryo: Erosion, Boogiepop Wicked Embryo: Eruption, Beat's Discipline

Appearances: Boogiepop Wicked Embryo: Eruption, Beat's Discipline

Possesses the ability "Countdown" named after the song "Countdown

Countdown (Rush song)

"Countdown" is a Rush song that describes the launch of STS-1 and the Space Shuttle Columbia as the group watched from a VIP area called Red Sector A at the time. The song incorporates audio from voice communications between astronauts John W...

" by the band Rush

Rush (band)

Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...

Appearances: Boogiepop Countdown Embryo: Erosion

Boogiepop Paradox: Heartless Red

Appearances: Boogiepop Paradox: Heartless Red, Beat's Discipline

Trivia: "Mrs. Robinson

Mrs. Robinson

"Mrs. Robinson" is a song written by Paul Simon and first performed by Simon & Garfunkel. When released as a single in 1968, it hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US, for their second chart-topping hit after "The Sound of Silence"...

" is the famous song by Simon & Garfunkel from 1967.

Appearances: Boogiepop Paradox: Heartless Red

Boogiepop Unbalance: Holy & Ghost

Appearances: Boogiepop Unbalance: Holy & Ghost

Trivia: Beat

Beat (King Crimson album)

Beat is an album by the British rock band King Crimson, released in 1982.Of King Crimson's thirteen studio albums, this is the only album that does not have a title track, although its title is included in the name of the song "Heartbeat"....

is an album released by King Crimson

King Crimson

King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...

in 1982.

Appearances: Boogiepop Unbalance: Holy & Ghost, Beat's Discipline

Appearances: Boogiepop Unbalance: Holy & Ghost

Possesses the ability "Moby Dick"

Trivia: "Moby Dick" is a song from the 1969 album Led Zeppelin II

Led Zeppelin II

The finished tracks reflect the raw, evolving sound of the band and their ability as live performers. The album has been noted for featuring a further development of the lyrical themes established by Robert Plant on Led Zeppelin's debut album, creating a work which would become more widely...

Appearances: Boogiepop Unbalance: Holy & Ghost, Beat's Discipline, Ginyōriai Castle, Boogiepop Intolerance: The Ark of Orpheus

Boogiepop Stacatto: Welcome to Jinx Shop

Appearances: Boogiepop Stacatto: Welcome to Jinx Shop, Beat's Discipline

Appearances: Boogiepop Stacatto: Welcome to Jinx Shop, Spectral Speculation of Soul-Drop (Soul Drop series)

Appearances: Boogiepop Stacatto: Welcome to Jinx Shop

Trivia: "White Riot

White Riot

"White Riot" is a song by English punk rock band The Clash, released as the band's first single in 1977 and also featured on their debut album. There are two versions: the single version , and a different version on the UK album...

" is a single released by The Clash

The Clash

The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...

in 1977.

Appearances: Boogiepop Stacatto: Welcome to Jinx Shop

Trivia: "Gimme Shelter

Gimme Shelter

"Gimme Shelter" is a song by English rock band The Rolling Stones. It first appeared as the opening track on the band's 1969 album Let It Bleed. Although the first word was spelled "Gimmie" on that album, subsequent recordings by the band and other musicians have made "Gimme" the customary spelling...

" is a song from the album Let It Bleed

Let It Bleed

Let It Bleed is the eighth British and tenth American album by English rock band The Rolling Stones, released in December 1969 by Decca Records in the United Kingdom and London Records in the United States...

, released by The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...

in 1969.

Appearances: Boogiepop Stacatto: Welcome to Jinx Shop

Boogiepop Bounding: Lost Moebius

Trivia: "Brick

Brick (song)

"Brick" is a song performed by Ben Folds Five released on their 1997 album Whatever and Ever Amen and later on Ben Folds Live. The verses were written by Ben Folds about his high school girlfriend undergoing an abortion, and the chorus was written by the band's drummer, Darren Jessee...

" is a song from the album Whatever and Ever Amen

Whatever and Ever Amen

Whatever and Ever Amen is the second album by Ben Folds Five, released in 1997. A remaster was made available on March 22, 2005. All of the extra tracks had been previously released except for a cover of the Buggles song "Video Killed the Radio Star", which is a staple of Ben Folds Five's live...

, released by Ben Folds Five

Ben Folds Five

Ben Folds Five is an alternative rock trio formed in 1993 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The group comprises Ben Folds , Robert Sledge , and Darren Jessee . The group achieved mainstream success in the alternative, indie and pop music scenes...

in 1997.

Appearances: Boogiepop Bounding: Lost Moebius

Appearances: Boogiepop Bounding: Lost Moebius, Boogiepop Intolerance: The Ark of Orpheus

Appearances: Boogiepop Bounding: Lost Moebius

Boogiepop Intolerance: The Ark of Orpheus

Appearances: Boogiepop Intolerance: The Ark of Orpheus

Trivia: One Hot Minute

One Hot Minute

One Hot Minute is the sixth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 12, 1995, on Warner Bros. Records...

is an album released by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...

in 1995.

Appearances: Boogiepop Intolerance: The Ark of Orpheus

Possesses the ability "Treason Reason"

Appearances: Boogiepop Intolerance: The Ark of Orpheus

Trivia: "Fallen Grace" is a song from the album The Whispered Lies of Angels, released by Undying in 2000.

Appearances: Boogiepop Intolerance: The Ark of Orpheus

Boogiepop Phantom

When Manticore was defeated by Echoes, its remnants survived in the electromagnetic field

Electromagnetic field

surrounding the city. One half of Manticore continued to use the basic appearance of Yurihara Minako, but also imitated the cloak and hat of Boogiepop: it calls itself Boogiepop Phantom. Boogiepop Phantom protects the "special children" by preserving them beneath the city, until such time as the world is ready for them.

When Manticore was defeated by Echoes, its remnants survived in the electromagnetic field surrounging the city. One half of Manticore took the form of Saotome Masami, and continues to devour people in the city.

Poom Poom was created by Manaka Kisaragi. Originally he was born from the memories of Mamoru Oikawa, but later evolved into the Poom Poom of Akane Kojima's creation. By handing out balloons to people holding regret about the direction their lives have taken, he separates their childhood hopes and dreams from them, which play with him in Paisley Park, leaving only an empty shell behind.

Trivia: "Poom Poom" is a song from the album Crystal Ball, released by Prince in 1998.

Called Panaru at school, Misuzu teaches people about accepting the world for what it is, and loving it none the less. However, Misuzu has repressed her memories of the truth: she had found the corpse of her best friend, Megumi Toyama, five years ago. Unable to accept this, she tried to repress the memories by living Megumi's life and soon becomes allies with Manticore Phantom under the pretense of her spreading of Panuru's worldview, a ruse for Manticore killing humans.

Jonouchi wanted to be a hero, but when he spent a year in hospital due to a bone tumour, he had all but given up. Dr Kisugi offered him a drug to help realise his dream, but it did not seem to have an effect. On the night the pillar of light pierced the sky, something happened to Jonouchi. When he sees his father the next morning, there appears to be a "bug" over his chest; looking at other people as he goes to school, many people seem to have these "bugs". As an experiment, Jonouchi removes and eats a bug from a fellow student, and seems to lift all regret from them.

A highly-evolved human, Manaka grew at an unnatural rate, and had the ability to draw memories from her surroundings in the form of butterflies of light. As her grandmother grows old and weak, she kills Manaka before she herself died – not wishing for "the devil's child" to be left free. When the pillar of light pierced the sky that same night, Echoes inadvertently revived Manaka. Soon after, her grandmother died, and Manaka was free to go out into the world. By drawing memories from everywhere, she learns everything there is to know in the world; she even learns about Echoes, and begins repeating back the words she hears others speak, similar to how he had.

When Mayumi was pregnant, she would do anything for her unborn child. When Dr Kisugi offered a drug to ensure she gave birth to a strong child, she took it. When she finally gave birth to Manaka, something happened to Mayumi's mind: while she could still remember everything from before she gave birth, she was unable to make new memories after this point.

More than anything else, Akane wants to write children's books for a living. When an advisor at the school tells her to give up her dream and pursue a science-based stream, she gives up her dreams. She destroys her works, including the story of Poom Poom.

Morita was a police officer, but he was at some point killed by the synthetic human named Snake Eye, who assumed Morita's identity. Snake Eye has the ability to move any part of his body in the manner of a snake, and control the minds of humans who meet his gaze. He monitors the city for evolved humans, and kills those he finds.

Trivia: "Snake Eye" is a single released by AC/DC

AC/DC

AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...

in 1998.

Though a kind child, and highly protective of his sister, Sayoko, Mamoru begins to change after his father fails to fulfill a promise with him. As his father's business goes bankrupt, he begins to obsess about "useless things". After a pillar of light pierces the sky, Mamoru believes he has gained the ability to destroy these useless things, but the truth is that he can only chose what is to be destroyed.

Mamoru's younger sister, Sayoko has cared deeply about her brother ever since he saved her when they were young children. Even as he turns obsessive about "useless things", and abusive towards her, she never gives up on her brother. After the pillar of light pierces the sky, Sayako unknowingly gained the ability to destroy whatever her brother desires.

A student in Nagi's class who cheated on a math test to get a high score. She is the first person on whose guilt Jonouchi tested his power. However, she lapses back to cheating and later meets with Misuzu Arito, whom she admires for her seeming tranquility.

Yoji's father has high expectations for him, but he only wishes to study computer graphics and make games. He becomes obsessive about a virtual girlfriend he created, but after meeting Rie Sato, he begins to blur the line between reality and fiction, and believes she is his virtual girlfriend. Through abuse of the drug, Type-S, Yoji becomes more confused as his mind degenerates.

A close friend of Moto Tonomura, Yasuko had gone out with Saotome Masami back in middle school, but dumped him when she became more outgoing.

Yoshiki was oblivious to the true feelings of those around him until after the pillar of light pierced the sky. He gained the ability to hear people's thoughts, and learns what they really think of him.

An shy girl with obesssive compulsive

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Obsessive–compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts that produce uneasiness, apprehension, fear, or worry, by repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing the associated anxiety, or by a combination of such obsessions and compulsions...

habits, Moto rejects men, but harbours an old crush towards Saotome Masami. She never told Saotome her feelings because he had gone out with her friend, Yasuko Suzuki.

Called Panaru by her friend, Misuzu Arito, Megumi was one of the victims of the serial killer, Fear Ghoul.

Mother of Shizue, her relationship with her daughter became distant after her husband died. When Shizue caught her with another man, she misinterpreted the situation, and ended their relationship.

Daughter of Sachiko, she draws distant from her mother after her father died. Seeing her mother with another man, she comes to believe that Sachiko had not truly loved her father, and becomes disgusted with her own mother. She also becomes disgusted at the thought of sexual relations, to the point of physical illness. She seeks the assistance of Dr Kisugi to overcome her troubles.

Voiced by: Soutarou Kobayashi (Japanese), Bill Rogers
Bill Rogers (voice actor)
Bill Rogers is an American voice actor who works in the New York area. He has worked on various dubs, and in stage productions. He is currently working at Pokémon USA and DuArt Film and Video voicing characters on the Pokémon anime.-TV Roles:...

(English)

A police officer, and friend of Officer Morita. Every time Officer Yamamoto learns anything about what is happening in the city, Snake Eye erases that portion of his memories.

Voiced by: Fumiko Orikasa
Fumiko Orikasa
is a Japanese voice actress and singer who works for Atomic Monkey. Her record label is Geneon Entertainment. Shopping is one of her hobbies. She is a skilled dancer, and is referred to as "Oririn" by fellow voice actors and fans. She also performed a fair number of anime insert and character image...

(Japanese) Lisa Ortiz
Lisa Ortiz
Lisa Ortiz is an American theatre and voice actress, best known for her roles in English anime adaptations. She is perhaps best known for the roles of the high-elf Deedlit in Record of Lodoss War, Lina Inverse in Slayers, and Tony Tony Chopper in One Piece...

(English)

A bright and popular girl, Saki has loved to play the piano since she was a child, and her parents sacrificed everything to fulfill her dream.

External links

Boogiepop: The Ultimate Guide at Gomanga.com

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