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ブギーポップ [Boogiepop] (Publication order) #6
Boogiepop at Dawn
There is an urban legend about a shinigami that can release people from the pain they may be suffering. This Angel of Death has a name — Boogiepop. The legends are true. Boogiepop is real.
When a rash of disappearances involving female students breaks out at Shinyo Academy, the police and faculty assume the girls have run away. But Nagi Kirima knows better. Something mysterious and foul is afoot. Is it Boogiepop or something more sinister...?
Told in a non-linear fashion that invites the reader to piece together the sequence of events and solve the mysteries alongside the characters, Kouhei Kadono’s first Boogiepop novel took First Place in Media Works’ Dengeki Game Novel Contest in 1997 and ignited the Japanese light novel trend. Today there are more than 2 million Boogiepop novels in print, plus a manga series, a live action feature film, and an unforgettable anime series, Boogiepop Phantom.
In 2006, Seven Seas released the first three Boogiepop novels and manga to critical acclaim. Now, Seven Seas is pleased to relaunch the novels in their original light novel format, along with three never-before-released novels starting with Boogiepop at Dawn, which chronicles the long-awaited origin of the mysterious Boogiepop.
292 pages, Paperback
First published May 10, 1999
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143 people want to read
About the author
Kōhei Kadono
92 books53 followersKōhei Kadono (上遠野浩平 or Kouhei Kadono) is a Japanese author, best known for the Boogiepop series, which has also been adapted as a live action movie, manga and anime.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 12, 2016
Even though the events in this novel pre-date those in Boogiepop and Others, they're told from a flashback standpoint and in such a way as it expects you to understand where its all leading to. The significance to Kirima meeting Kuroda Shinpei for instance or Niitoki Kei's involvement with Boogiepop.
This is an easier book to read then Others, the pacing is a little more familiar to English readers and the existentialism is dialed back a notch. I wouldn't say this is an easier book to understand, it does muddy the waters even further for some characters even while shedding light on certain other ones.
The book is again broken up into sections, each one building upon the one before it. This is a book mainly about Kirima Nagi's beginnings as a 'super-hero' and Miyashita Touka's beginnings as Boogiepop.
The only problem there is for Dawn is that some of the references and innuendos won't bare understandable fruit for a couple more novels--except at this point in time the English Publisher (Seven Seas) hasn't reached that point nor does there seem to be any forward motion in that area. Actually the news is rather dismal as Light Novels in general tend not to sell well in America.
This is an easier book to read then Others, the pacing is a little more familiar to English readers and the existentialism is dialed back a notch. I wouldn't say this is an easier book to understand, it does muddy the waters even further for some characters even while shedding light on certain other ones.
The book is again broken up into sections, each one building upon the one before it. This is a book mainly about Kirima Nagi's beginnings as a 'super-hero' and Miyashita Touka's beginnings as Boogiepop.
The only problem there is for Dawn is that some of the references and innuendos won't bare understandable fruit for a couple more novels--except at this point in time the English Publisher (Seven Seas) hasn't reached that point nor does there seem to be any forward motion in that area. Actually the news is rather dismal as Light Novels in general tend not to sell well in America.
October 25, 2020
4/10
Boogiepop: The Retcon
Disappointed
This was a truly disappointing read. I was really excited for this volume as its a prequel story to the origin of Boogiepop, and the reasons Kirima Nagi decides to do what she does. However, the story retcons all the really cool and interesting parts of their characters, which is devastating as they are my two favorite characters.
Starting off with Boogiepop: The two iconic parts of his character is his name and the asymmetrical smirk he often makes. I really loved this part of him as it added to the mystery and general eccentricity of his character. Turn out he does this cause when he first emerged within Miyashita Touka he saw this guy dying. The guy dying talked to Boogiepop and said that Boogiepop must just be an illusion that he's dreaming up in his final moments that's "like a bubble, that will pop and vanish in a moment". After saying this the dying man made the famous asymmetrical smirk before dying. Also, we learn that the reason Booiepop likes Wagner is that when he was brought to a psychiatrist, the psychiatrist played Wagner during their session. So as you can see this just destroys a lot of Booiepop's character by making all the things that make him who he is due to external factors and coincidences.
Next is Kirima Nagi. I really love her character. She's a steadfast strong and badass gal, but as we find out, she's not like this cause of her being her and also cause of her father's death but because she's a mutation. She is an evolved human, someone who is born smarter, stronger and all-round not easily scared. This really frustrated me as I was reading this volume cause these were all things I really respected and loved her for, but now we find out that she was just born like that, AND that she isn't the only one like that.
I would have given this book a worse rating but I did enjoy the story it was telling and there were alot of really fun and cool parts to it. Howver they were sadly overshadowed by the retconning of two amazing charcters. Like if Boogiepop never met that guy, he just wouldnt who he is as we know him. This has definitely marred my love for the series and I doubt Im gonna not be able to think about it when I reread the first volume again >:/
Boogiepop: The Retcon
Disappointed
This was a truly disappointing read. I was really excited for this volume as its a prequel story to the origin of Boogiepop, and the reasons Kirima Nagi decides to do what she does. However, the story retcons all the really cool and interesting parts of their characters, which is devastating as they are my two favorite characters.
Starting off with Boogiepop: The two iconic parts of his character is his name and the asymmetrical smirk he often makes. I really loved this part of him as it added to the mystery and general eccentricity of his character. Turn out he does this cause when he first emerged within Miyashita Touka he saw this guy dying. The guy dying talked to Boogiepop and said that Boogiepop must just be an illusion that he's dreaming up in his final moments that's "like a bubble, that will pop and vanish in a moment". After saying this the dying man made the famous asymmetrical smirk before dying. Also, we learn that the reason Booiepop likes Wagner is that when he was brought to a psychiatrist, the psychiatrist played Wagner during their session. So as you can see this just destroys a lot of Booiepop's character by making all the things that make him who he is due to external factors and coincidences.
Next is Kirima Nagi. I really love her character. She's a steadfast strong and badass gal, but as we find out, she's not like this cause of her being her and also cause of her father's death but because she's a mutation. She is an evolved human, someone who is born smarter, stronger and all-round not easily scared. This really frustrated me as I was reading this volume cause these were all things I really respected and loved her for, but now we find out that she was just born like that, AND that she isn't the only one like that.
I would have given this book a worse rating but I did enjoy the story it was telling and there were alot of really fun and cool parts to it. Howver they were sadly overshadowed by the retconning of two amazing charcters. Like if Boogiepop never met that guy, he just wouldnt who he is as we know him. This has definitely marred my love for the series and I doubt Im gonna not be able to think about it when I reread the first volume again >:/
February 28, 2019
Boogiepop at Dawn is a tough one to put my finger on. This outing feels more like a collection of short stories than an actual novel. Sure, you could argue that's how all the Boogiepop novels are written, but I feel the links between the different storyline threads are more tenuous than ever before. That's not to say that this a bad novel, just that its different than its predecessors.
The individual stories in this book are very good, in fact, they are what every fan has been dreaming of since the series' debut. After 5 books of tiptoeing around the subject, we finally get to find out about Kirima Seiichi's death, and on top of that, we also get a boogiepop origins story. All the different threads are handled so well, in a manner that really appeals to the die-hard fan.
My biggest disappointment here, comes from the fact that the short stories in this book are so important to the Boogiepop universe. I know that seems a weird complaint, but I really feel that each story here should have had its own novel, instead of squeezing it into a small chapter. The end result made each vignette seemed rushed, which is a real shame when it has been hyped for so long.
But that negative is only a minor complaint. This book was very good, a true fan's dream. I just cant wait for more!
The individual stories in this book are very good, in fact, they are what every fan has been dreaming of since the series' debut. After 5 books of tiptoeing around the subject, we finally get to find out about Kirima Seiichi's death, and on top of that, we also get a boogiepop origins story. All the different threads are handled so well, in a manner that really appeals to the die-hard fan.
My biggest disappointment here, comes from the fact that the short stories in this book are so important to the Boogiepop universe. I know that seems a weird complaint, but I really feel that each story here should have had its own novel, instead of squeezing it into a small chapter. The end result made each vignette seemed rushed, which is a real shame when it has been hyped for so long.
But that negative is only a minor complaint. This book was very good, a true fan's dream. I just cant wait for more!
September 14, 2021
it's a boogiepop origin story that doesn't actually explain boogiepop's origin, which is perfect, incredible, owns so hard. nagi getting more of a focus again as the shining star of the reoccurring cast rules so much too, it's just a real good one.
August 8, 2019
I was thinking of giving this a 3*, but the
"....."
as a dialogue in place of silence is so wasted and pointless and DROVE ME NUTS!
I also have not seen the anime or read any of the other books (this book was a gift). I figured, eh, it's a prequel. I've read prequels before a main series and enjoyed them fine. I felt very distanced from this. It had its interesting moments, but the writing wasn't well done. Even though it is a light novel, just a like an extra sentence to describe the characters would have been nice.
"....."
as a dialogue in place of silence is so wasted and pointless and DROVE ME NUTS!
I also have not seen the anime or read any of the other books (this book was a gift). I figured, eh, it's a prequel. I've read prequels before a main series and enjoyed them fine. I felt very distanced from this. It had its interesting moments, but the writing wasn't well done. Even though it is a light novel, just a like an extra sentence to describe the characters would have been nice.
May 22, 2019
Esto... fue decepcionante.
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January 22, 2025Time to learn Japanese to read the remaining 17 novels
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews