'Boogiepop wa Warawanai' Latest News: Japanese Horror-Mystery Light Novel by Kouhei Kadono Gets Adapted Into Anime
An anime adaptation has been announced for the Japanese horror-mystery light novel "Boogiepop wa Warawanai (Boogiepop Never Laughs)," also known as "Boogiepop and Others."
According to the Anime News Network, the announcement was made during the "Dengeki Bunko 25th Anniversary & New Work Unveiling Stage" event that was held at the Dengeki Game Festival 2018 on Saturday, March 10.
The light novel, which was written by Kouhei Kadono and illustrated by Kouji Ogata, was the first of a series and was launched in 1998 by MediaWorks. It subsequently won the fourth Dengeki Game Novel Contest that year and is now celebrating the 20th anniversary of its successful debut.
Japanese animation studio Madhouse is directing the anime series under the direction of Shingo Natsume. Tomohiro Suzuki is in charge of writing and supervising the series scripts, while Hidehiko Sawada is handling the character designs. The music is being composed by the Japanese musician Kensuke Ushio.
The light novel has been published in English by Seven Seas Entertainment. It tells the story of a creature that's been the subject of an urban legend that children tell to each other. This creature is known as the Boogiepop, and he is described as the Angel of Death, who can release people from their pain.
However, when a rash of disappearances involving female students breaks out at Shinyo Academy, both the police and faculty chalk it up to just a bunch of students running away. But Nagi Kirima knows better and suspects that something mysterious and foul is afoot.
Then again, could it really be Boogiepop or something even more sinister than a mere product of an urban legend?
The light novel has previously inspired a live-action adaptation in 2000 which starred Sayaka Yoshino as Boogiepop and Maya Kurosu as Nagi Kirima. A manga adaptation written by Kouji Ogata has also been published by Mediaworks from October 1999 to May 2001, with a total of two compiled volumes.
More information about the "Boogiepop wa Warawanai" anime will be released in the coming days on the series' official site.