There are no spoilers here, proceed safely. :)

“Boku Dake ga Inai Machi” also known as Erased is a thriller live action adapted from a popular manga (which further inspired an anime) of the same name and I must begin by saying that I have watched neither. I went into the story without comparing it with other adaptations, and without having an idea of the storyline.

Erased has a very fast paced plot packed into twelve half-hour episodes; it has no "filler episodes." But don’t let this deter you from picking up this drama because despite its fast pacing, the story is well explained, brilliantly executed and supplemented with great characters and good acting.

“Boku Dake ga Inai Machi” follows our protagonist Satoru who has the unique power of undergoing spontaneous "Revivals" which pull him back into time again and again until he manages to correct the wrong happenning around him. In the very first Revival that the audience see, it is clear that while Satoru emerges as a hero, there are still collateral damages involving him.

The story picks up after his mother’s murder; Satoru is a wanted suspect and is taken in by Airi, an eccentric co-worker, when he is pulled back in time. Normally Revivals take place for incidents taking place within one to five minutes ago but this Revival surprisingly takes Satoru back to his childhood. Satoru soon understands his mission; to save his mother in the future timeline and to stop the Revival, he must save three children who were kidnapped and murdered in his childhood.

“Boku Dake ga Inai Machi” keeps you guessing. Even when you narrow your suspect, the story twists. And there is always a collateral damage. Will it be Satoru this time? Will he be Erased?

“Boku Dake ga Inai Machi” combines beautiful scenery from Satoru’s hometown which will not only indicate the passing of time but also reflects on the current mood and is used to depict that yet another Revival has taken place pulling out protagonist back in time. Satoru was a brave person for that was how he was raised by his mother. This drama had a interplay between two mothers—Satoru’s mother who is one of the best I've met in a drama, and Kayo’s abusive mother. Apart from Satoru, the side characters were pretty real, they had their motivations for what they did and contributed to the story in their own way.

Speaking of characters, Erased had a really well written antagonist; a serial killer with an obsession to fill his void in his convoluted way. The most surprising thing was how the show traced the similarity between the murderer and Satoru; each trying to fill a void in their own way. This was something I also noticed in another Japanese drama I watched recently, "Ishi no Mayu."

The concluding scenes were heartening, with each of the older children from the town leading healthy lives and pursuing their own passions. Satoru stops trying to hide himself away, and that shows in the success of his mangas.

Two themes strongly resonated with me after watching Boku Dake ga Inai Machi; first being the importance of a family and no, I don't mean blood bands. I mean a family; people who keep you safe. People who cherish you. People who protect you and become your safe spot. A family can be anybody really, it can be a group of three boys who protect you. The second is trust and the faces people put up. Another underlying message is that there is always something that can be done.

Rewatch value is a bit low because I hardly rewatch dramas except my favorites, and because once the criminal is exposed a second time will not hold the same amount of suspense but the emotional journey may be worth a second time; there are many scenes like the Christmas Tree and scenes with Satoru and his mother and of course my eccentric girl Airi, that I would like to revisit.

8.0/10 for this gripping story, I would encourage everyone to give it a go. :)