Well, this past week, while planning my article, I wasn't sure what to write. I'd seen "Civil War" (finally), but everyone's talking about it. I finally saw "Deadpool" and adored the heck out of it, but everyone's reviewed that, too. Hmm...what to review?

And then, after talking to one of my friends, it hit me: "Erased." Or, if you want to use its Japanese title, "Boku Dake ga Inai Machi" ("The City Where Only I Am Missing").

I'd call it "the Japanese 'Broadchurch'/'Gracepoint'" in terms of tone and atmosphere, even if the three series have wildly different execution. Originally a manga (Japanese comic), "Erased" follows the adventures of struggling manga artist, Satoru Fujinuma, an emotionally lost 29-year-old who delivers pizza to pay rent. But, unlike most starving artists, Satoru has a unique ability that happens at random: He can inadvertently time travel, usually a couple of minutes or so into the past, in order to stop tragedy from happening, a process he calls "Revival."

But, even with this ability, there was one tragedy Satoru was never able to prevent: the abduction and murder of three children in his neighborhood when he was a child, in 1988. Like with most tragedies that happen at a young age, Satoru is haunted by it, especially since he saw one of the victims, Kayo Hinazuki, shortly before she was abducted. He feels like he could have saved her and blames himself for what happened (even though it wasn't his fault in the slightest as he couldn't have known).

Fast-forwarding to the present day (2006, in this series), Satoru's past resurfaces when he begins to investigate the crime. After a series of incredibly unfortunate events unfold (no spoilers here, that would take the fun out of it all), Satoru is sent back in time on yet another Revival – this time, to his childhood. Now that he's been given the chance, can he save Kayo Hinazuki and find out who killed her and the other children? And, better yet, how can he navigate without arousing the killer's suspicion when he has the mind of a 29-year-old and the body of a 10-year-old?

Long story short, this series is a taut thriller that takes viewers on a speedy, suspenseful ride. I will warn viewers that the reveal for the killer isn't the focus of the story, but the question isn't who killed them, it's why, and the why is what makes it all the more unsettling, just like with "Broadchurch." The pace is unrelentingly intense, but even then, it gives viewers time to breathe, especially in some of the character-building scenes, such as the now-famous park scene and the Christmas tree scene.

On that note, the character-building in this anime is phenomenal. The characters feel realistic, and the 10-year-olds sound like 10-year-olds. I grew attached to every one of them, especially Kayo (my sweet child, bless her soul). Each has understandable motivations and goals in their lives, and they could easily be people I knew in middle school or would see on the street. On that note, Satoru is a great protagonist, and he's a wonderful character to follow. Satoru's mother, Sachiko, is also a phenomenal mother. Even the kids, Hiromi, Kenya and the rest, are well-written!

The writing is also top-notch with the comedic scenes sprinkled throughout not feeling pushed. Along with that, there is one area I have to praise this series on, and it's realistic portrayals of grief and child abuse. Like in real life, this can get graphic, and it's difficult to watch. To the writers' credit, they did their research. "Erased" has the most realistic portrayal of child abuse I have ever seen in fiction, and I laud the writers for not using it as a cheap "tragic backstory" ticket. It affects the plot and has actual consequences for the characters.

A particularly poignant example of this realism is in the breakfast scene later on in the series. No spoilers here, but I've talked to people who have studied how abuse affects children and who have watched this series, and they were shocked. "It's just like in real life," they said. In regard to grief, the characters respond in a realistic manner. To that effect, "Erased" is more mature than your typical anime, and it's shocking in a refreshing way in a genre saturated with fluffy series (no offense to the fluff, of course. I love me some fluff).

The music is phenomenal, really pulling at the heartstrings and making the viewer feel. Even the opening theme, "Re:Re:" by the J-Rock group Asian Kung-Fu Generation, showcases the emotion behind the show overall. It also has one of the best openings for a show I've ever seen. I mean, look at it! That's so awesome!! The ending theme is also gorgeous and wonderfully artistic. On that note, the animation and art in this series are incredible.

Even if it's animated (which has never been a deterrent for me, since I prefer animation to live-action overall, but I know many don't like animation), the series feels real. It was the most hard-hitting thriller I've seen this year, and for fans of suspense, mystery and a little bit of sci-fi, "Erased" is perfect to watch. Plus, at only 12 episodes, it's short, so you can easily fit it in your schedule. I watched it with friends as it aired (it aired to match the dates in the series, which is a nice touch), and we were waiting with baited breath for every new episode. More recently, I showed it to some friends from my hometown, and let me say, it's a series that is even better the second time around since you get more details and can see how everything unravels. It makes sense.

Now, you can find it all free (and legally) at Crunchyroll and Funimation's website. It's only in Japanese right now, but an English dub will be released soon, for anyone who prefers dubs. Still, I'd recommend the original, as the acting is wonderful. Every one of the actors pulls their weight, and I was blown away by how good their voice-acting was!

My one complaint for the series, overall, is that the ending felt a bit rushed, and some of the villain's backstory had to be cut, but really, it's a very small one. They had to fit eight volumes' worth of story into six hours of animation, so kudos to them for doing that so well overall.

So, i,n short: Go watch "Erased." You won't regret it.

Rating: 4.5/5