Community Watchthrough - Erased

I'm a day late but still glad to be here regardless. I've watched the show quite a few years ago but I thought it'd still make a good rewatch so I joined in.

With that said, the first episode was really thrilling and nerve-racking to watch and I can't wait to get through the rest of the show! I always found that rewatching shows will shed light on seemingly new details that were missed the first time around, and this is certainly no exception.

One thing that stood out to me was the SFX. The sounds used in this episode were haunting and sort of creepy. I believe the jarring feel and suspense can be credited to the sudden (and sometimes startlingly loud) sound elements well-placed in key moments. It has that effect of making the hairs on the back of your neck stand at any given moment.

The song at the end of the episode was really nice.

So, I'm a rewatcher, and I got inspired to watch the dub with subtitles this time around to compare them. Some changes are expected, but I know from other anime that some things can change across very differently. So I'll post about notable things I noticed here!

• First: Airi feels more sassy, starting at the hospital scene. In fact, something about her tone felt familiar enough that I looked up her voice actor. Turns out it's the same voice as Makoto from Persona 5, and now I can't unhear it. So to everyone now reading this who watches the dub, you can suffer with me and listen to hyper happy Makoto.
• Satoru got a brief moment of telepathy. During Airi's ramble about the accident and the lack of injuries he thought to himself, "Casualties?" But the dub had him ask out loud if there were any damages. So that was amusing.
• Okay dub, "It's not like we're dating or anything" is VERY different from "it's not like we're close"
• Mom feels a bit more sarcastic and sassy too? I'm starting to see a trend.
• She seems to be more musing aloud about the incident in fifth grade, but she's talking to him more directly in the dub
• [Not a dub/sub note, but just noticed a butterfly among the balloons. Neat!]
• A minor one: his mom says in the subs (roughly) "The statute of limitations ran out, but he must have kept committing the crime the same way." In the dub she says "the statue of limitations ran out, and God knows how many kids he must've killed over the years?" It's minor, but does change the meaning a bit since the first feels like her reasoning things out

That's the big things I noticed. Very interesting, gonna look forward to seeing other changes in future episodes!

Managed to catch this thread before the "Episode 2" one starts, so I'll consider myself not late :)
First time watching this! I quite liked the first episode - it gives off a slight Satoshi Kon vibe, which is great in my book.
I hope it's the kind of show in which a good eye for detail will be rewarded; I strongly believe every mystery story should give all the puzzle pieces to the viewer. I suspect the people re-watching this will get a kick out of it!

I watched Erased probably like 5 or 6 years ago. So I am a rewatcher, but I don't remember much about Erased, mostly just some overall plot stuff. I'm excited though to rewatch it, since I gave it a 9/10 after watching it the first time! I'll be watching in sub as per usual and I'll be sure to mark anything that comes from my past experience to ensure that people don't get their minds poisoned by my existing knowledge. If I fuck up (which I hope I don't), send me a DM with what I should spoiler tag, and I'll throw it in a spoiler tag.

Episode 1 discussion

Satoru managed to catch up to that van really quickly. He basically passed the van, saw the driver wasn't attentive, drifted a u-turn and was behind the van all in about 1 second. That is quite a high performance moped. It's a bit nitpicky and it doesn't really effect anything. But I bothers me slightly when things aren't logically consistent. Like how quickly Satoru was able to turn around and match the van's speed, but struggled over multiple seconds to reach the front of the van. I also I think Satoru turning the van into himself should crush him, though it seems like he didn't really have any other option other then to pull the arm. It really is a miracle that Satoru didn't die from any of that, since I'd imagine a moped going head on into a car to be almost always fatal for the moped operator.

Because I think the more I talk about [my dream] the better the chance it'll come true

What a great statement. It's hard to make your dreams come true if you never talk about them.

I'm a bit confused on what actually transpired in the van incident. It seems that the van crashed into a warehouse, but Satoru crashed into another car head on? It seemed like they were connected. I guess Satoru crashed into another car, but the attached van missed it, and then went into the warehouse? If so, I think it could of been a bit clearer in the animation.

I'm not surprised that Satoru has repressed memories of 2 children going missing in his childhood. That seems pretty reasonable, though I'll admit I know very little about repressed memories.

Seems like the revival in the parking lot was a mission failed. Or was it? It seems that perhaps being ready to take action was enough to dissuade the incident.

Regarding Satoru's mom remembering presumably a suspicious person from what looks to be the 5th grade kidnapping. I just want to point out that eyewitness reports are frequently at least partially incorrect. Human recollection is just generally not good with details, and it's easy to inject details that didn't originally exist into your memories without you recognizing it. Though it seems like she was correct (in that the person who killed her was the person she was thinking about). I'm also quite surprised the killer didn't get any noticeable amount of blood on him.

I liked that Satoru was disoriented when he went back in time. There are plenty of scenarios in anime where something happens to a character and they immediately accept whats going on without even a momentary thought of wtf just happened, so I'm glad that Erased showed Satoru's initial disorientation.

Overall thoughts

A good first episode, I didn't remember much of this at all, though I expect I'll remember more as I progress. The OP played at the end and I noticed an instrumental and slightly slowed down version of the ED played during Satoru's memory of Yuuki (~10 mins in). I love the ED personally (I'm a sucker for non traditional time signatures), there was a really cool drum solo that I saw years back that I remember being really impressed by. I'll have to see if I can find it again. I always have trouble finding it.

Holy crap, I just mentioned this series in another thread! I've been loving it so far, and I can't wait to join in the discussions once you all catch up!

Oh man this is like my 2nd favorite anime of all time.

(First would have to be Gurren Lagann)

I hope anyone who hasn't seen it before enjoys it a lot.

Is it possible to change the default sort, so that the episode discussions are in order? Though Idk if that will be sufficient. Since we probably don't want a time based sorting for interior comments.

Now it's really starting to get interesting. At this point, Satoru doesn't yet fully realize what his Mom had known in the present time, which was that the murderer of Kayo was still on the loose. Because of this, he doesn't know why he was sent back 18 years for the sake of saving his mother. This is an obvious hint that the murders of the two are connected.

Here are some random questions and bits and pieces that stood out to me in this episode (Disclaimer: Though I've already mentioned that I finished this show many years ago, I want to reassure that these are not implicit spoilers. I genuinely don't remember the significance of these things):

• Where did Satoru's gloves go?
• In the middle of the episode when Satoru has a 1 on 1 with the smart friend, Kenya, something interesting happens. Kenya's eyes, which are usually brown, turn red for an instant just as a car loudly passes by.
• What did Satoru write about for his essay?

For some closing thoughts, I was simultaneously happy and sad about the new perspective that Satoru gained at the beginning of the episode when he sees his mother alive again. After returning to the past, our protagonist sincerely treasures the little moments he spends with his mother after realizing how much he took her for granted. I think this is something that a lot of us can reflect on.

Time to analyze the Sub vs Dub of Episode 2! I'll put some general thoughts as I watch in [brackets]. Also, oh my gosh I love this opening music so much. This is why Asian Kung-fu Generation is one of my favorite bands.

• So when Satoru leaves the classroom, Kenya in the dub says "Don't worry about it, I'll tell the teacher." In the sub he says "Whatever" which sounds a little more dismissive/disinterested. Tiny change, but does change the tone just slightly.
• The dialogue when his mom shows up is different. Subs have him call her "Ma", her repeat that, then he says "Nothing, I said Mom." Guessing it's a linguistic quirk that doesn't translate well into English (maybe "Kaa" vs "Kaa-san"?), so they replaced it with a generic "Something wrong?" exchange
• [They talk about the recorder argument in both, but she only asks if he found it in the dub and he says he did. Did he find it? Is he going to have to spend all night searching for it? Is the recorder forever lost??]
• When Kayo says they're fakes: subs, "What the hell? What's she talking about?" Dub: "Wait, does she know about me?" Yes dub Satoru, she totally knows you're an adult in a child's body.
• When he confirms he loves his mom, she says "That's good" in the dub but just a simple "Oh" in the sub. Such a small change that totally changes the tone of her response.
• Kazu feels even more enthusiastic about Satoru's love life in the dub
• Kind of surprised at how much they changed the wording of Kayo's essay since it's recited off-screen. It sounds more casual and naturally flowing, which to me actually feels a bit off for a written essay. The direct, blunt wording of the sub version feels a little more alarming too coming from a ten-year-old
• He thinks in the sub that Kenya told him about the essay thinking he'd become concerned about her more than having a romantic interest. In the dub, he thinks Kenya thought he was interested in her because of the essay. Not sure if this is a total change, or if it's a line that can be interpreted a couple ways depending on the translation.
• When he and Kayo talk about pretending, she says "The more you do it, the better the chance it comes true" in the dub, but in the sub "I think the more I perform, I'll become who I want to be, too." Sub feels more personal and like she's opening up more.
• The final line is different: "This time, I'm going to change her!" (dub) / "I will change the future!" (sub)

That's it for episode 2. Not many big differences to note. Also I love this ending so much too. The opening bars have always reminded me of something, just don't know what.

Got me hooked. A pretty different mood from the first one, going opposite from the action-packed requirements of the pilot: kindness was at the center of the whole thing. This episode was very sweet.
It made me remember, I heard once that Japanese people consider old age not like a burden but more as of a rebirth.

Small detail that I noticed (definitely not a spoiler, hiding this anyway in case you don't like reading theories)

Sorry folks, I've been busy the last week and haven't had the chance to watch much. Gonna try and catch up now. Though I'll probably not write as much as I would normally do, so that I can catch up faster.

Sitting in the wrong desk is the stuff of nightmares. I did like how Satoru starts with him being panicked and trying to make sense. Reminds me of how I feel in nightmares, where you're hyper focused on certain things and nothing really makes sense, which is probably exactly how I'd act if I went back 18 years.

I find it petty funny to see Dragon Quest references in here, given how much it has influenced JRPGs and anime. Almost every isekai is like 1-3 steps away from Dragon Quest.

Kayo's essay is quite dark, and should definitely be raising a ton of red flags that the teacher should be escalading (IDK if this was really a thing back then though, maybe not).

Man I love the ED. The 6/4 just flows really well and the singing has a lot of power behind it. And I'm particularly a fan of the drum beat which accents beats 3 and 6, which these (6/4) / (6/8) tend to generally songs accent beat 4 only. Anyways the offset beat is used to great effect in the ED and adds to the tension by adding rhythmic tension.

I love MCs interactions with his mother, and the real tragedy here is she didn't appeared this episode!

But that was healed with a good pace. That thing about the stolen money could have been dragged for some episodes, but it was resolved fairly quickly. Also, although it's tragic how Kayo is being mistreated, it was shown to us in a sensible manner. To think she has endured this maybe all her life...

Kayo definitely deserves more positivity, and a friendship could go a long way. MC knows exactly how to lift her spirits, and that was really great.

Even in a very tragic episode, they ended it in a pretty good note.

Wow Kayo's parents are hideous. You could really feel MC's frustration from not being able to take matters into his own hands. Despite witnessing something so horrible, he had to restrain himself from doing what's right knowing that he's at a severe disadvantage.

Also, he totally should've just smoked Hamada's ass in the race smh.

Let’s just say this episode was hard to watch.

Okay, Dub VS Sub, Part 3!

• Minor one right off the bat: when the girls gossip about the boys racing, the subs have them going "Really? This should be fun!" Dub is more dismissive and uninterested with comments like "What's the big deal?" Reinforcing my growing belief the dub is just more snarky in general
• Minor: the girls are more subtle about teasing Kayo in the sub with the comment about cheering on Satoru. In the dub they straight-up call him her boyfriend
• Kayo and Satoru in the sub: "Satoru, do you think you can win?" "I'll do my best." "I see. Then good luck." In the dub: "Satoru, you got this?" "Uh-huh, I think so." "Good. Then you better not suck." I actually burst out laughing at that one. Yep, that sells it, the dub is 100% more snarky
• His internal monologue in the dub has him confidently thinking "I can beat him, I can win! But, should I?" Subs just have him questioning if it's okay to win and if victory has any meaning.
• Hamada calls Satoru's name in the subs, then "I hate punks like you." In the dub he straight-up says "You asshole" instead of his name, "You think you're doing me a favor? I hate you!" So dub has definitely upped his hostility
• Minor one: when he thinks about Yashiro (the teacher) being perceptive, the dub states "he's as perceptive as I remember" while the sub just remarks on him being observant, no comment about noticing it in the past
• The sub has Satoru comment that Yuuki is attempting to curb his dialect when they talk. The dub has him remarking specifically on his stutter, and that it was because "he was nervous and trying to connect with me"
• Onto the heavy stuff: Kayo in the dub says "go away", but the sub feels even more disturbing with "Stay away from me"
• Satoru in the sub said her lie was so sad he couldn't answer. In the dub, he straight-up says she was too scared to tell the truth.
• I feel like her mom honestly comes across as even more sinister and cruel in the dub. Seeing her call Kayo "honey" felt wrong. In the sink scene she skips the "cool down" comment and directly says "let's get that swelling down"
• After the conversation with Yashiro, sub Satoru think Yashiro may be waiting until spring break to take action, but it will be too late. Dub Satoru skips the spring break bit and goes right to it's almost March, and emphasizes he has to do something.
• The bully in the dub straight-up says Kayo should be expelled, wow. She's even worse
• Looks like an off-screen teacher or PA announcement telling kids to turn off the lights was cut entirely from the dub
• When Satoru says they should come back and see it in summer, he says "This Christmas tree." Dub Satoru says "Our Christmas tree". Damn, Dub Satoru is putting on the moves

While a lot of the changes were small like usual, I feel like there were a lot more than last time. At this point I have concluded the dub characters are more snarky in general, even unnamed extras. And also more cruel, wow.

Dub VS Sub, Episode 4!

• Misato (the bully girl) says she's ticked off by the girls "flirting" with Yashiro in the sub. Dub: "what a bunch of flirty little tramps."
• Satoru sub: "Don't be stubborn, you can go up there too, y'know." Dub: "Instead of dissing them, go up there and show them who's boss." Meaning is a bit different.
• [Just amusing: At one point the subs say "Uh, no" while he says out loud "Ah, yeah." There's a couple moments like that where the question gets rephrased, so the sub and dub basically say the opposite thing.]
• When he talks to Kayo's mom, she says in the sub she can't let two children go out by themselves. Dub has her explicitly say "you kids are too young to go out on a date." Sub Satoru argues it's not just to play, while Dub Satoru says it's more like a field trip. She then doubles down on the "date" comment in the dub.
• Sub: He wants to save Kayo. Dub: he wants to keep Kayo safe. Subtle difference but felt noteworthy.
• Sub: I shouldn't have hinted at her abuse. Dub: Now she knows I know she beats on her. (Which, she probably already figured out given how you first met her last episode.)
• Subs has the mom yell to "get your heads out of the gutter, you perverted brats!" Dub: "You're not going anywhere, you little slut!" Just, damn. Also worth noting the sub insults both kid, so Satoru's mom's dialogue changes to say she shouldn't call her daughter that.
• Sub has Satoru's mom say she thinks their households are similar. Dub has her outright say "I'm a single mom too". Felt notable since we saw a guy at Kayo's house last episode.
• Dub skips Satoru asking himself "Why are you embarrassed?" and just focuses on "Dude, you're 29!" So uh, that comes across a bit differently
• Minor but funny: Dub Satoru adds a "Damn" to "you look pretty today". Dub Satoru just keeps putting on the moves huh? xD
• Sub Satoru suggests they go to a children's center, dub just asks her to play a game. (Also dang, I kinda wish I'd had a children's center too, or an adult equivalent? That could be fun)

That marks the end of differences this time! This episode was so nice compared to the last one before that last scene.

If I was just watching this on my own, I would have not made it past the first or second episode. Now that I have made it to the 4th episode, I’m invested.

Episode 5 Sub vs Dub! And... Wow, there are a LOT this time!

• A surprisingly big one to kick it off: So when Satoru's mom talks to her reporter friend, in the dub he mentions that they need to warn everybody but the police put a gag order on the story. This isn't mentioned at all in the subs. Subs is just "We don't know who did it, but we'd better do everything in our power to prevent it from happening again."
• Satoru's mom responds in the dub by suggesting airing it when kids aren't watching, and that she'll talk to the school to see if they'll issue a warning. Sub just has her say "Of course we do, but about airing the news at a certain time... I'll call you right after I talk to the school." Which is more about coordinating with the school to ensure kids don't see the news. Nothing about the school issuing a warning.
• Dub Satoru upon overhearing this thinks "Making me forget was her idea", as if it's a revelation. Sub Satoru meanwhile already knew that (guess he remembers his mom mentioned that the adults tried to hide it from the kids way back in Episode 1), and thinks "So mom started to act on it at this early stage."
• When talking to his mom at dinner, he says "I was helpless" in the subs, and "I tried but couldn't help her" in the dub.
• His mom in the dub tells him, "Look, what happened, happened, so it's pointless to beat yourself up about it." Subs has her more blunt and a little harsher: "You think you could've done something by yourself? That's arrogant, don't you think?"
• While the kids are gossiping after the lie announcement Kayo moved to Sapporo, the dub rumors include Kayo being beaten with a broom. Just, yikes.
• Dub says Kayo's mom was the prime suspect, but subs says she was just a suspect.
• Yashiro's announcement in the subs feels a bit more urgent/serious since he opens it with "The city has issued an advisory." He just tells the class he has an announcement in the dub.
• Ishikari TV only airing the news at morning/night so there's a "safe" channel for kids feels more intentionally planned in the sub, due to subtle wording changes
• [The phrasing in the trash scene feels a bit less intense in the dub, it's not quite as in your face. I am so glad that was just mittens in there though.]
• Back to 2006: the police mention Satoru is Sachiko's son in the dub. They also say "I'll talk to the eyewitness", while sub is more formal (and alarming in my opinion) with "We have eyewitness information"
• Dub Satoru thinks to himself about how his mom is still dead, "and everyone thinks I killed her! I couldn't change anything after all!" Sub Satoru is more focused on the present as he thinks "And I'm the suspect! That's the reality I'm faced with!"
• Sub Satoru is pretty sure he's not on the news yet, Dub Satoru wonders if he has though
• When thinking about why Sachiko's phone was taken, Dub Satoru concludes it had evidence on the killer, and the killer worried the police would've found it. Sub Satoru meanwhile wonders "Because it was possible mom would've leaked info about him?" which suggests he's thinking more about the phone as the motive for the murder than why it was taken.
• His boss says in the sub that this was the first time Satoru was absent from work without telling him. In the dub he's a bit more casual and says "one no-show won't get you fired".
• Also says Airi was worried about him though in the dub, but she was worried too in the sub. And proceeds to say in the dub he wasn't worried since he figured Satoru had a good reason, while in the sub he doesn't mention anything about being worried or not and just says he figured there was a reasonable explanation.
• [oh my gosh the dub manager said old folks can be "hella stubborn" what]
• Dub Satoru rightfully says the manager's kind of a knob (seriously HELLA?) but his heart's in the right place, while in the sub he reflects the manager's the "annoying big brother" type.
• The dub news report gives more details on Satoru: male in his late 20s, who fled before he could be questioned. Also the dub has him outright described as a suspect, but the subs say he's a person of interest.
• Interestingly, Dub Satoru thinks that his manager was trying to do the right thing ans he'd have done the same in the manager's shoes. But Sub Satoru thinks that the manager is always trying to do the right thing, so he's more remarking on a personality trait.
• Dub Airi is still more snarky. Not going to bother quoting all her lines, but they all come across more snarky in the dub
• When he asks why ("she risked helping him" in the dub, he just says "Why" in the subs), Sub Airi says "It's obvious!" while dub Airi just goes straight to "Because you didn't kill her, that's why!" and goes on to mention how they obviously loved each other at dinner.
• In the dub Airi says "No one deserves the kind of stuff you got involved in before, either." which sounds almost ominous. In the subs it's more conversational with "Though you really got involved in many incidents, didn't you?"
• [Airi called her family
• "The fam" in her dub letter. She is a teenager so at least it's not hella weird like with the manager]
• The dub manager told her she should get a fresh pizza, his treat. Meanwhile the sub manager says he "can treat her once in a while". Airi's responses change accordingly (dub says her friend won't tell the difference, sub just says it's for a friend). And... Yeah, that was basically him hitting on her in the sub wasn't it?
• He stammers a bit more in the dub.a
• Satoru as he thinks over the article, in the dub he starts to piece things together: "It's a hell of a coincidence. Or... Is it?" In the sub he's still uncertain: "What's this feeling? Something's bothering me."
• Dub Airi tells the manager she doesn't want her family getting involved in this.
• Airi's backstory is slightly different since in the sub, she mentioned planning to find a boarding house to commute to high school before her uncle invited her. In the dub, she just asked her uncle herself.
• Dub Satoru asks "Why do you believe me? You don't even know me that well." But sub Satoru asks "How can you believe in me?" It's a small distinction, but does change the deeper meaning a bit.
• In the dub, the shop owner from Airi's flashback accused Airi's dad of stealing a chocolate bar. In the subs, it outright statea one was found in his pocket. (Also wow, that is an extreme consequence for a single chocolate bar. Poor man lost everything.)
• Airi's statement after the flashback in the dub: "If someone believes in you, you're not alone. And if I was in your situation, I'd want someone to believe me." Sub: "I want to believe in you for my own sake. I believe on someone because I want someone to believe in me." It changes the tone of the response pretty significantly, since the dub is commenting on the present situation. The sub however frames it as part of her core mindset and belief system.
• He asks her to stop calling him an idiot in the dub. In the subs, he asks her to not say the sentence "You're an idiot". Notable difference because Kayo says that exact sentence in both sub and dub, and Airi used it too. I'm sure she just says "Baka" in the original Japanese, but both sub and dub have consistently phrased it as "You're an idiot." with a couple minor exceptions.

That's all the notable differences this time! Compared to the last few, this one's hella different in some parts (I'm sorry I had to). And damn that cliffhanger.

Though question: Why did the sub mention "Sachiko's phone" in the text? Is that supposed to be the sender field? Why would it show up?? Did she get Sachiko's number at the dinner?? But then why is it saved as "Sachiko's phone" and not "Sachiko"???

I'm a bit late since I just caught up after being busy for a few days, but I still wanted to contribute something.

First off, it's confirmed that the manager is a creep. This might be obvious to some, but I suspect he dislikes Satoru because of how close he is with Airi. In a previous episode, he gave Satoru a glare, hinting at some underlying animosity. It definitely feels like he's actively trying to screw over the protagonist, though from an outside perspective, he is technically doing the right thing. Perhaps he himself, like Airi, doesn't genuinely believe Satoru is the murderer, but has chosen to take the opportunity to get rid of him for his own gain.

I think it was interesting when Airi asked Satoru if he's stupid because it seemed to have reminded the MC of Kayo since that was her catchphrase. On another note, we all need someone like Airi in our life. She's a real one.

I got to say after this episode the plot thickens. I did not expect there to be a fire.

Episode 6, Sub Vs Dub! Another lengthy list. (And to think back on Episode 2 I was thinking there might not be many differences besides the usual rewording.)

• So at the flashback bit at the start, I think they changed the dialogue from last episode? Or this is new dialogue? Anyways, sub Airi talks about how her dad couldn't stand being called a thief and says "And I guess my mom did suspect that he really did it". Meanwhile dub Airi reflects more deeply on her father's feelings and says, "And mom... I bet her not believing him either was what really bothered him the most."
• Sub Airi says she didn't want to believe in people anymore, and thought she'd feel better if she hated one of her parents. Dub Airi talks about how it made her want to stop trusting people, and that she felt like she was being forced to choose sides. And wraps it up with how she decided she to love them (sub), and love and trust them both (dub)
• Manager is a bit more witty in the dub when he comes to the rescue. "You manga guys should really hit the gym more often." "Let's hurry before we get barbecued!"
• So far, I think the manager actually comes across as a little nicer in the dub. In the subs he says "I'm getting the credit for this", but in the dub he says "I guess I get to be the hero today." Comes across as more casual and friendly
• Dub Satoru briefly considers if the fire was an accident or the killer. Sub Satoru just goes straight to "Was it his doing, too?"
• Sub Satoru thinks the killer knew where she lived from the beginning or else followed her. Dub Satoru thinks he either followed her, or Airi knows him. Bit more direct connection.
• Sub Satoru is resolved to catch the killer: "Either I find him, or I get caught." Dub Satoru thinks "With any luck, I'll find him before the police catch me."
• I think the train station had an announcer in the original? That or the subtitles were for the sign, but I'm leaning towards announcer.
• The phone call is different. Gist of the subs: "Yes, let's meet. No, not here. Somewhere else. I haven't given you my name yet, have I? I will when we meet tomorrow. Because you could be the murderer of Sachiko Fujinuma." In the dubs: "Yes, let's meet, but not here. Somewhere public... No, I'm not telling you who I am just yet. Tomorrow. Because if you're not who you say you are, then you're the son of a bitch who killed Sachiko." Dub comes across as much more suspicious.
• Sub when they meet: "Thank God, you really are Satoru." Dub skips right to, "Goddamn, you look just like Sachiko." Weirdly, feels like the sub version matches up better with the suspicious tone of the dub phone call.
• Satoru in the sub is a bit more self-wallowing, saying how pathetic he is and even says he kind of deserves it since he screwed up repeatedly. Dub Satoru laments he's on the run from the police because he panicked and keeps screwing up.
• Oh hey, Sawada echoes Sachiko's exact words from when Kayo died! Same wording/versions as last episode. Also, sub Sawada call it's his favorite words, while dub Sawada just says "kinda appropriate, don't you think?"
• Sachiko was a lot more certain she'd figured out the killer in the subs. Sub Sachiko says "I know now who did", and dub Sachiko says "I think I figured out who the real killer is."
• The telling of Kayo's death is a little different, in the sub he generally just sticks to the straight facts.
  • Dub Sawada notes they know she was still alive when they locked her in the shed.
  • He says police know her mom and the boyfriend hid her body the next morning, but Sub Sawada just says they suspected that.
  • Dub Sawada then goes on to say "The theory goes Kayo was taken from the shed sometime after 10 PM", while sub Sawada says that she simply disappeared from the shed.
    before explaining how Kayo went missing.
  • Sub talks about Jun being determined as responsible, and the footprints being one of the proofs. Dub says the rubber boots were the only evidence.
• Dub Sawada wraps up the explanation with, "You see? Same crime, same pattern. It's beyond coincidental." Sub Sawada frames it as a question and asks "Do you notice a common link?" Which leads to Dub Satoru going "That means—!" while I'm pretty sure Sub Satoru just gasped in realization/shock since he had no dialogue.
• Sub Sawada notes that the killer's framing techniques decrease the number of eyewitness reports, and the crime scene circumstances change and "he slips away from the investigation further and further". Dub Sawada just talks about the framing and how while "everyone looks the other way, he kills again."
• Airi's aunt in the sub is comforting her and apologizes that they didn't notice anything. In the dub, she says "You poor thing, we shouldn't have left you all alone in the house like that." The dub line doesn't really match up with that reassuring smile, it makes it feel kinda fake and creepy
• Dub Satoru explains that Airi had slipped the phone into his pocket during the rescue. In the sub he talks about how the news says she wasn't badly hurt, but he's sure she's still in the hospital. Just totally different topics, though I think the dub actually works better since it leads up to handing Sawada the phone.
• Sub Sawada is thinking out loud to himself when he says the killer is someone who could get behind the counter, he's vocally working out the facts. Dub Sawada is a bit ahead of his sub counterpart since he's already thinking more proactively with "All we have to do is find out who got behind the counter that day."
• So, the dub feels the need to explain Sawada's thought process looking at the room list. He notes her name wouldn't be listed, so it's got to be 201. In the subs he just thinks "No vacancies... Except for room 201."
• [In the dub he says "I gotta pee like a mother"? What?? Is that a thing people say?? Did it cut off something at the end??]
• Sub Airi tells Satoru she'll go alone. Dub Airi promises she'll make sure no one will follow her. (I think she's gonna fail)
• Sub Airi tells him not to act irrationally, Dub Airi says not to beat himself up.
• Sub Satoru responds with "I have unfinished business from a long time ago", while Dub Satoru says "I try and try, but I can never make things right."
• The dub version of his manga explanation specifically states every time the grim reaper tries to save the child, someone else dies, and everyone involved with him ends up miserable or dead (versus just "hurt").
  • Airi specifically responds directly to that version. "I'm not dead, am I?" Then says people being miserable is "just his [the grim reaper] opinion". Sub Airi says she's fine and that the grim reaper is delusional thinking he's hurting people.
• Dub Satoru: "What would a superhero say?" Sub Satoru: "What would a hero say?" Dub Satoru then asks about fighting bad guys, Sub Satoru asks about fighting on your own. I feel like there's a subtle distinction between hero and superhero, even if he is talking to a Sentai ranger. The "fighting on your own" also feels a bit different since it can apply to more than just battling villains.
• At the end when speaking to Airi, the words feel like the intention is different. Dub Satoru: "It's not your fault. I know I can get through this somehow because you believe me." Sub Satoru: "You got it wrong. Because you believed me, I can hang in there."

Once again, a lot of small/subtle differences. Largely the dub changed the tone of the conversation in several scenes. I do think the manager might be the only character who comes across as nicer in the dub, between the "Guess I'm the hero today" comment and how last episode didn't have him basically low-key asking Airi on a date. Everyone else seems more snarky.

I laughed at that third wheel remark more than I should have.

Episode 8 Sub vs Dub (and no Netflix, I will NOT skip the intro so stop asking)

• Kayo continues to be a bit more talkative in the dub, making extra comments that I assume are to fill the lip flaps. And yet she doesn't mention the visitor in the middle of the night.
• Aya just says "Really?" to her friend venting about speeches in the sub, but in the dub she says she'll do great. (Also her friend called it "grad ceremony" in the dub, I've never heard anyone say that out loud)
• In the sub, Yashiro says Kayo may show up when they least expect it. In the dub, he says he's sure she'll show up sooner or later like she always does. Minor, but does change the implications
• When Yashiro talks about the police: "Yeah... If I call the police now, won't it cause someone else trouble?" Dub: "I dunno... I'd hate to open a can of worms, for someone else, that is." Tone just comes across differently.
• His self-quote changes. Sub: "Doing your best is key to everything." Dub: "Where there's a will, there's a way." Also, in the dub he claims he always says it in class, but the sub he prefaces it with "I went and told you." and follows up with "So I'll have to do my best, too, you know." So I'm guessing he mentioned that line in a private chat earlier
• The CPS people keep calling Kayo "the daughter" and "the girl" in the subs, but use her name once in the dub.
• When Satoru tells Kayo about the visit, he says in the subs "You'll be separated from her." To which she responds with a cold, "Nothing could make me happier." In the dub he comes across as less blunt and more concerned with "Kayo, they'll take you away from her." And she responds with "That's okay, I'll be way happier without her."
• [The present... That is so sweet.]
• In the sub, Kayo tells Satoru to spend the night. In the dub, she asks. And then when they freak out she just says "Dorks." (Honestly I approve of that change.)
• When she recounts the visitor, she starts in the sub with "Nothing happened, but..." In the dub she opens up with the fact someone walked in, and also adds she doesn't think he knew she was there.
• In the subs Satoru says the bus is in the center of the murder loop. In the dub he says it's the center of the killer's routine, losing the reference to the time loop.
  • He does it again later when they leave the bus. Sub Satoru wants to get Kayo away from the loop of murders, Dub Satoru wants to get out of the killer's range.
• Kenya mentions in the dub that the plan was for Kayo to be found there, but after seeing "this crap", they'd better move her. In the subs he simply says they wanted her to be found, and simply says the murder tools stuff is "creepy".
• Kenya in the sub tells Satoru to "just leave things like that". In the dub he responds more to Satoru's obvious distress by saying flipping out isn't going to help.
• Sub Satoru: "This is what happened when I didn't abandon her." Dub Satoru: "I'm helping a friend in trouble, that's what." I think this is the first one-liner I prefer the dub version
• A cultural difference I assume: Satoru's mom asks if Kayo will be sent to an institution in the subs, but foster care in the dub. Pretty sure Japan doesn't have a foster care system last I checked (the things you research for fan fiction), which explains the change
• In the dub, Kayo says the bath was lots of fun. In the subs, she just says "It was warm" which has so many more meanings
• Satoru's correction about the class trip feels smoother in the dub ("It must've been a photo I saw!" vs "I mean, I saw it in a photo!") His mom also says "Okaaaay...." in the dub, but no subs so not sure she responded at all in the original.
• [Okay, I laughed at the futon scene when it cut to show his mom between them. That was excellent misdirection by the director.]
• Looks like the dub may have switched a line about curry. In the sub, his mom says "There's still enough left for five or six people!" In the dub Satoru instead says "There can't be that much left!" Both lines are followed by his mom saying he'll have to invite someone. (I actually switched to the Japanese audio to confirm it was his mom. Somehow, I... Totally forgot I could do that until now XD)
• [Kayo, please don't cry. That is so bittersweet.]
• The dub adds a line during Kayo's mom's rampage where she says "Goddamn little—!" right before the doorbell.

Overall, I loved this episode. So many sweet moments, actually made me tear up a little bit because they're only sweet because of all the pain that preceded them. So glad Satoru could return and help Kayo get the happy ending she always deserved.

Episode 9, sub vs Dub!

• Kayo's mom is more direct about declaring her intent to murder in the dub. (Also dang Sachiko, I don't know if that was cool or if your reaction time is just really bad) Also more direct about blaming Sachiko for how she's acting (literally says "That's your fault!")
• She's just way more direct in the dub in general with how she phrases things, and more prone to insulting them. Comes across as even more aggressive.
• The CPS guy adds "We can do this the easy way or the hard way, it's up to you."
  • Line change: "Please forgive my presumptuousness" to "Regardless, we're here now." He's clearly not happy with her in the dub.
• Another line change: he says they need to talk about the relationship with Kayo in the sub, and Kayo's mom says "What about my relationship with Kayo?" In the dub he says they need to talk about Kayo's welfare, and she responds "Huh? Now that she's back home with me she'll be fine!"
• She says she's Kayo's guardian in the sub, uses "I'm her mother you asshole!" in the dub
  • Yeah, the CPS guy is definitely more "done" with her in the dub for sure. Asks a snarky "What, are you denying that?"
• Kayo's grandma in the sub says "But I made you take all of it on by yourself." Dub: "You had to deal with so much, I should have been there for you." That changes the tone a bit, since in the subs she takes on more responsibility for the situation
• [So, not a detail that's related to the sub vs Dub, but I just remembered: I think in the manga, it's made clearer that the abuse is due to Kayo's eyes strongly resembling her father's.]
• Grandma's plea to everyone is definitely has her blaming herself a bit more in the dub. "Please don't blame her" "If I was around, this wouldn't have happened"
• Satoru comes across as even more snarky and cynical in the dub at the crocodile tears. "I wasn't buying it", "Kayo wasn't buying it either"
• Sachiko opens up with "I can't imagine what you're going through" in the dub. In the sub she goes straight to saying Satoru is the most precious thing in the world to her
• Yashiro's speech to Satoru in the sub: "Your heroic efforts just couldn't end in tragedy. Kayo's going to be okay now." In the dub he's a bit more verbose. "After everything you've done, and all the courage you've shown, this couldn't have ended any better. Thanks to you, she's alive." Just feels different, you know?
• ["The Town Without Me" still hits a bit differently in the dub versus sub since the sub version is so much more blunt.]
• When reflecting over saving Kayo, it hits a little differently:
  • Sub: "I fastened her life to the future. From now on, Kayo will make her own mark. I have faith that the future Kayo faces is a bright place."
  • Dub: "I changed things so she could have a future. Now she will have a chance to grow up to be whatever she wants to be. She's on her way, and I have a feeling that she's going to be just fine."
• Ah, Kazu still leans more into the "girlfriend" line in the dub even while saying "his girlfriend moved to another town". Somehow I just like that so much, it's like some things never change no matter the situation
• Yashiro says in the subs he doesn't think Kayo's mom will be able to see her, and that she'll have a new life with her grandma. In the dub he explicitly says her grandma has full custody, and that the authorities won't let her see her for a while
• He ends with "I got my reward, too!" in the sub, while in the dub he says "Your smile was mine."
• Satoru when talking to his mom thinks in the sub "Is she psychic?" Dub: "Psychic witch!" Complete with panicked hiss effect. Dub nailed that one
• His mom in the dub teases him about looking for "another girlfriend"
• Kenya is more direct in the dub again and straight out asks Satoru if he's going to be Kayo's bodyguard.
• In the dub Kenya talks about how it looks like Satoru is bothered by something and feels a need to fix stuff. In the sub he just says he still gets the sense some thing's wrong
• When they're looking at the shoe prints, Satoru mentions in the dub there's no tread. A bigger change though: Sub has them speculate "Not to keep them from slipping", but the dub asks "Why? It'd be super slippy." Which I think are kind of opposite meanings
• In the sub Satoru notes the boxes are torn up and says somebody must have made off with the contents only. But in the dub he says some were torn open and "he didn't want to leave any evidence behind", which contradicts with the torn-up box remains
• Hiromi specifically says "I'm a man" in the sub, but just goes generic "I can take care of myself" in the dub. Notable change since Hiromi was targeted because he's male
• Kenya says "I don't mind even if you're playing detective", Dub "You should keep playing detective" (with an emphasis on "should"). In the sub he also talks about how Satoru trusts "him" and how "he" wants to believe in Satoru, while in the dub he uses "us" and "we" to include Hiromi. With Kenya's character, I think the sub is actually the correct version: he was talking about not just that moment but the previous details with Kayo, too.
• Satoru in the sub: "I won't let anyone be alone! I can save them!" Dub: "I'm the only one who can stop this! The only one who can save them!" It changes the focus a bit, especially with the final shot of the episode.

Once again, lots of little changes. Airi's words about believing in people definitely hits better in the sub with that one flashback. That aside, I do have some extra thoughts and observations that I'll mention in the rewatcher post. Including one particular line change that really stood out to me.

Episode 10 comparison! And if for some reason you haven't watched it... Watch first. I'm referencing stuff ahead. And I'm going extra-detailed on a certain scene

• Satoru in the sub mentions he blamed himself, in the dub he just felt unable to help

• Yashiro's graduation speech is a bit different.

  • In the dub, he explicitly mentions "filling the void inside of us", and that you keep learning to enrich your life and others too"
  • In the sub, he says "I think to keep learning to fill what you're missing"

• Satoru mentions what school he's from in the sub. Guessing they couldn't fit that in the dub

• Aya sees them off with a "Bye kids" in the dub and I just find that great

• "Man's adventurous spirit" becomes "totally macho"

• When Aya visits, she says "I have time, so I'm here" in the sub which sounds more like an excuse. In the dub she says "Alright, I'm here to see this macho hideout of yours"

  • Kazu awkwardly welcomes her in the sub. Dub: "Um, thanks for coming Aya! Can you stay a while?"

• Kenya in the sub says this solves the Aya Nakanishi problem, in the dub he responds more directly to Hiromi's comment and says that she's always got someone with her

• [Osamu is so oblivious and that is adorable. The dub changes Satoru's initial "Yeah that's true" to tell Kenya "maybe you should talk to him" in an obvious attempt to get off having to explain romance to a 10-year-old, and I can't blame him]

• Satoru reflecting on the kids being alive: in the sub he definitively notes they're no longer targets. In the dub he's less definitive. "They're all still alive, so I guess the killer gave up on them"

  • In the sub he wonders "will I be able to find the culprit", in the dub he wonders "how will I find the culprit". Slightly different question there

• Satoru goes from a "Wow!" to "Wish I could go"

• Sub Hiromi mentions that Misato's been alone. Dub Hiromi says she's been keeping to herself, which sounds more intentional on her part

• "A bus?" to "crap, I missed her!"

• [Oh my gosh, they're so dang obvious with all the foreshadowing.]

• Outside the bathroom, Yashiro asks: "What are you doing here?" to "Are you standing guard for someone?"

• Satoru in the sub says he needs to check on something and asks for help. In the dub he straight-up says he needs to follow someone and asks Yashiro to drive him

• Dub Satoru is more hypothetical with the "playing detective" explanation by saying "If anything, we might stop a real kidnapping." He also says they look for girls who are lonely, while in the dub he looks for girls who are alone. Definitely a difference between lonely and alone

• I remember why the school speech stuck out now:

  • Satoru in the sub: I wanted to fill the hole in the heart. Other people's and my own.
  • Satoru in the dub: Everyone has something that's missing from their lives, even me! If I can fill that void—

• Yashiro is a lot more casual about the speech in the dub with lines like "that just happens to be" and "When I teach a class, I like to..." "In my opinion..." And that more casual delivery feels a bit off.

  • He sounds kind of tired when he says "There's no difference between a good deed and a bad one."
  • Sub he uses the word "defect", dub he uses "need". Defect is definitely more extreme
  • Dub Yashiro continues the casualness with "For example, lately I've..." Sub he just bluntly states he's tried all sorts of measures to get closer to someone, no "for example" to ease Satoru into it
  • Swapped "foul play" for "I've even been deceitful". Foul play is the more alarming of the two, and sub Satoru is showing an alarming lack of awareness here
  • Dub continues to replace the void in your heart with "filling some kind of emptiness"
  • Dub Satoru asks where his car is and if it's in the shop, very clearly hoping for a yes
  • Sub Yashiro says his happiest moment was updated today. Dub Yashiro says it was updated "thanks to you", no longer trying for any subtlety
  • Yeah, he's just way more casual and conversational in the dub. Says getting that need is like heaven
  • [how the heck is neither satoru realizing how alarming this is, even dub yashiro is pretty dang sinister]
  • Dub Yashiro adds on to his line about Satoru knowing there's a kidnapper "And you're trying to catch him."
  • Yashiro in the sub says that he was going to enact his plan, but in the dub admits he was going to kidnap Aya
  • Dub also admits he ordered the dinner to place Shiratori at the scene
  • Sub's standards for a car are a little different from everyone else's. Dub, he was looking for something specific for today. Sub also has an extra line with "And I can use it as soon as I need it"
  • [Okay, an interesting audio difference: the subs have Yashiro's spiel about the car become more muffled and canned as Satoru falls into his head space. That doesn't happen in the dub.]
  • Dub Satoru: "But... He is! And now he's got me right where he wants me!" Sub Satoru: "The killer is right next to me! Yashiro!" Sub is definitely more punchy

• And... The moment

  • Sub Yashiro: "It won't come undone." Dub: "Don't. It's stuck for good."
  • "Game over." VS "The game's over."
  • "It's like you've seen the future" VS "You can see the future, or something." Definitely a lip flap one with that half-second pause.
  • "I don't want any hard feelings, so let me just say this." VS "I want to make sure you understand why you have to die."
  • "Consider this as a substitute to satisfy my desires." VS "But if I can't satisfy my needs the usual way, I have to find a alternative."
  • Sub: "Satoru, you've won peace for this town." VS "The children in this town are safe thanks to you." Sub is definitely responding to the game being over
  • To Satoru's vow: "That's what they call aiming too high." VS "Yes well, keep telling yourself that." (I think the dub might win on that one, the casual remark feels extra cold this time)
  • Dub Satoru adds "I'll kill you for this!"
  • Sub: "I'm going to leave this town." Dub: "I wish I could stay, but I have so much packing to do." (Casualness wins again)

Just, dang. Even on a second watch where I'm analyzing it and taking notes as I watch, that reveal is just fantastic. Though Satoru took way too long to pick up on the red flags in that speech in both versions.

Yashiro's casual phrasing in the dub dampened the effect a bit in my opinion, minus the last two lines. It's odd how each version feels both more direct in some ways though. Like, the subs he's just phrasing things pretty directly, but without explicitly mentioning the kidnapping and why he ordered the dinners. In the dub, he does mention those two directly, but he also uses more roundabout phrasing in other parts.

If he'd been blunt up until the end, and then just dipped into the casual tone with his parting words though... Yeah, can't get much more chilling than that.

So the big question is how Satoru lived after being sent into the lake. I was actually confused as to whether or not the protagonist died until he was revealed to have been in a coma. Despite having watched the show before, it's funny that I still can't connect the dots because of how long it's been.

It seems that Yashiro really might have stopped killing for some time, at least in that particular town. Now he's back to finish the job that was left unfinished for some reason. How's our MC going to outplay this one?

Also, I wonder what Airi is doing at this time. I think she was a high school student in the original timeline (in 2006?) which means she could be in middle school now. Did Satoru's actions influence her path in life?

The part about the spider's thread was interesting as that explains what appeared to be a string attached to Satoru's mother's head in the very first episode. This suggests that we were watching that scene from the killer's point of view as that's the only time the threads are visible to us.

Sorry for the lack of order or structure, these are just random things I thought to blurt out. Looking forward to the last episode. We're already at the end!

I personally have a soft spot for opening/ending sequences which change as the show progresses, so I'm very interested to hear people's thoughts on the updated OP this episode used?

Also, I think this is an example of parallel timelines and 'they were in a coma the whole time' done perfectly; the coma allows the story to avoid the question of whether the changed future would override Satoru's original memories on his return, which is a big tripping point for time travel plots that result in significant changes.

Episode 11. And the opening is just as breathtaking as the first time I saw it. Time for sub vs Dub. Fingers crossed I won't be compelled to note each changed line word for word, as that takes a lot of time. I'll try to stick to paraphrasing instead

• Yashiro's story is a bit more wordy in the dub. Talks about how the girl started with two hamsters and before she knew it they bred. He also says he dropped the hamsters in, doesn't mention drowning them like the subs. (One of the few instances where the subs are more explicit.)
  • He says in the dub he "couldn't believe my eyes" vs "I was captivated by what I saw". Changes the tone a bit in ways I can't really describe well, but the sub just comes off as more cold
  • [Side-note, I forgot the anime adapted this part of his backstory. I wrote about another major part of his backstory that didn't get adapted in the rewatcher thread, because one of his lines from episode 9 ended up referencing it. And turns out that line is even more brilliant than I first realize.]
  • The dub has him claim he's compelled to kill whoever the thread touched. When he talks about Satoru disrupting it, he calls it his "duties" vs his "plans"
  • Somewhat related to above: when he mentions he saw the spider's thread on Satoru, in the dub he adds "I tried to kill the boy", but simply says "But he didn't die." in the sub.
• [Sachiko is such a good mother. Also, small note: she calls Satoru "kiddo" in the dub a lot instead of his name.]
• The shift to his kid voice is jarring. The dub has him say "one of those EMS monitor thingies" instead of just "EMS device" which just makes it really hit hard that he's, well, a kid.
  • Dub Satoru definitely sounds more like a child in his internal monologue with the words he chooses. Well done translator!
• In the sub he specifically mentions that the word Heisei should've felt weird. For obvious reasons, they removed it
  • Also changed for the same reason: he mentions the kanji in the subs, but just "words" in the dub
• His question is different. "What am I?" (Sub) vs "What the heck happened to me?" So dub is a bit less of an existential crisis
• Dub Satoru definitely talks more like a child in the phrasing.
• "If it's what mom wishes, I guess I don't have to remember" (Sub) VS "If mom doesn't want me to remember what happened, it's probably a good thing that I don't." (Dub) Changes the meaning a bit.
• [Adult Kayo, so beautiful. And now with a baby.]
• Satoru when reassuring Kayo: "I'm sure that what's become of me was a result of something I wanted" (Sub), "I have no regrets because in the end, I'm where I'm supposed to be." (Dub) Once again, the meaning changes in a way I can't really describe
• And once again, Kayo is more talkative in the dub
• Dub Satoru explicitly notes that he can't remember why she'd be thanking him
• Dub Satoru is much more charming to Kumi. Says she's the reason he's been working so hard and it'll be hard to stay motivated when she's gone
• The paparazzi's dub headline feels a little more slimy even without using the word pedophile. Also, he uses "a time-traveling pal" over "a drifter in time", which absolutely mean different things
  • Well, thanks Yashiro
• Cultural change: it omits the adoption into his wife's family and just says he took on her name. Western culture doesn't really adopt son-in-laws, so..
• Yashiro mentions meeting Kumi's parents at the charity event in the dub
• "You went out of your way to visit me?" changed to "Well, thanks for taking the time to visit."
• "You and I had gone through a lot, huh?" changed to "You don't remember how close we were, do you?" Sub is definitely more ominous.
• "Take your time remembering" to "You'll remember me, in time." Dub rings a bit more ominous with that.
• "I have... My memories back!" changed to "I remember everything, you son of a bitch!" Dub is no where as impactful. Such a shame.

Having read the manga version since my first watch, I can really see how rushed the final two episodes are. If you didn't know, they basically condensed Volumes 6-8 into just two episodes. They did a good job wrapping it up, but the pacing definitely feels a bit frantic in this episode compared to the rest.

I feel like the meeting with Yashiro and that wham line about "You'll remember" would have been a better cliffhanger for this episode, and then one or two more episodes to show Satoru gradually remembering before the finale. I highly recommend reading the manga version if you get a chance! I linked the fan translations on Mangadex in the rewatcher thread, so feel free to check that out if you can't get the official release!

That said, I'm sad the next episode is the last. This really was such a good series, I enjoyed it a lot. Just well done in every aspect.

we should probably include a link to https://docs.tildes.net/instructions/text-formatting#expandable-sections so that people know how to mark spoilers.

So, I just did the sub vs Dub comparison for episode 9, and some stuff stood out to me. Be warned, this is major spoilers for the whole series, so if you're NOT a rewatcher, just collapse this thread now.

Seriously. Final warning.

Alright, here goes: Oh my gosh, the killer is so much more obvious in the subs, especially in retrospect.

His phrasing is just so much more suspect in the sub version. Like when talking about the bus, I didn't mention this in my comparison but he says something like "a good place to kidnap someone to" in the dub, but in the sub he specifically says "a place only a kidnapper would think of". Yep, he was very obviously talking about himself there in the sub.

Then there's his "advice" to Satoru about getting to know a girl. Maybe it's just me, but the wording comes off so much more creepy in the sub version compared to the dub. "I'm a cautious person, so first I'd get her to relax her guard" VS "I'd get her to drop her guard first, that way I won't freak her out". "Put another way, charm her" VS "Easy, when you're around her, be yourself." Which is just totally different advice in my opinion. The big one though: "Whatever you're good at, use it as your weapon" VS "Your interests are what make you interesting." Using the word "weapon", given who Yashiro is, just... makes that advice so much more unnerving.

But before that was an even bigger change, and one I actually marked and knew I'd have to talk about here: Yashiro's speech to Satoru after Kayo was saved.

I'll start with the dub version: "After everything you've done, and all the courage you've shown, this couldn't have ended any better. Thanks to you, she's alive."

Now, the sub version: "Your heroic efforts just couldn't end in tragedy. Kayo's going to be okay now."

The tone is totally different in the sub version when you know the truth. He's not making an observation or praising Satoru, he's basically outright saying he CHOSE to give up his plans on killing Kayo to respect Satoru's efforts. His eyes are even shadowed when he says it, a common visual storytelling technique to represent a character hiding something. I honestly don't blame the dub for missing that one. The meaning is pretty subtle, not sure I would have noticed it if I wasn't closely analyzing the meanings/intent of each version. I could see the translator not realizing it while writing/editing each line since your focus goes to a different place than when you're just watching/consuming it.

There's one more line I found notable though: There's a reference to a detail that only gets mentioned in the manga.

For those who don't know, the anime actually cut out something like two or three volumes of story set in the future, after Satoru wakes up. Naturally, the plan to trap Yashiro was much longer, and I highly recommend people go read the last couple volumes of the manga, it starts in Volume 6. If you can't buy or otherwise obtain legal copies of the manga, you can read fan-made translations here at Mangadex. Just go to about Chapter 30 as a good starting point. The main story ends with volume 8, volume 9 is basically just extra stories.

Among the things included that didn't make the cut for the anime? More background on Yashiro himself, having a whole chapter dedicated to it in Chapter 32. (Just a warning to anyone who wants to read it, his serial killer childhood backstory hits the usual serial killer childhood hallmarks. I hope you can guess what I mean by that. It's never shown in graphic detail (well, besides a panel with some drowned hamsters), but just giving a heads up in case you're sensitive to those topics.) I won't go into the full backstory and focus on the one detail, but since it's a manga-exclusive detail, I'll put this in spoilers.

Well, after writing that, I realized that line is even more brilliant with foreshadowing and showcasing Yashiro's true nature than I first thought. Dang. I'm seriously impressed at how much hidden meaning can be packed into just one line.

So yeah. This post took longer to write than I thought (over an hour apparently, wow), but I just had to get this all out. I got soft-spoiled on my first watch (curse my tendency to look up stuff I'm watching), so I can't say how obvious these details would be to any other first-time watchers. I know a lot of people have said Yashiro was very obviously the killer (if only because he was the only viable suspect as the only significant male adult in the past), but... yeah. Some of this stuff just popped out at me so much this time after knowing the full context.

Okay so while writing the sub vs Dub on Episode 8, when Yashiro mentioned his full name I just realized: "Gaku" means study and learning. I looked it up to confirm, his name even uses that specific kanji. Laziest name ever, I had to double-check that wasn't the alias.