ERASED (僕だけがいない街)

MIKOTO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 21st GRADUATION CEREMONY

MIKOTO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Ice Hockey Club 1988 National Champions

Congratulations!

My original life, 1988.

Kayo, Hiromi and Aya Nakanishi had disappeared,

and then their bodies were found.

I blamed myself for not being able to save any of them.

I made an effort to forget about all of it.

What was left was a gaping hole in my heart.

There have been many fun things, sad things, successes and failures.

Today you graduate elementary school,

but there is still so much that's missing.

That goes for me, too.

And yet, I think filling up that missing something...

is what life is!

ERASED

Hello.

Who are you?

I'm Satoru Fujinuma, a 5th-grader at Mikoto.

I'm Kenya Kobayashi.

I'm Hiromi Sugita.

Have we met before?

You're Aya Nakanishi, right?

I hear you're good at playing the piano.

Yeah, I'm pretty good.

Have we met at piano class?

No, that's not it...

Hey, what are you reading?

Oh, this?

KING LEAR SHAKESPEARE

Shakespeare.

King Lear!

I've only read Romeo and Juliet!

My parents recommended the piano and Shakespeare to me.

What are they talkin' about?

You wanna get a little closer?

I thought I saw you before!

You're the kids who're always sneaking into that building across the river!

The hideout...

So it's totally in the open from here.

Hideout?

How childish.

Y-Y-You...

Don't call it childish.

Boys are always sneaking around building "secret bases" and "hideouts."

I bet you're playing at being superheroes, aren't you?

D-Don't make fun of superheroes!

Satoru!

Well, I have to go.

Bye!

Wait!

- Kazu? - Kazu?

Huh?

Wh-What do you want?

Hideouts...

show man's adventurous spirit!

If you have free time, visit our hideout!

Then you'll understand!

You're all weirdos!

Childish...

Yesterday was fun, wasn't it?

They're here after all.

Can a girl even understand "adventurous spirit"?

The gloves I left here and forgot about 18 years ago...

It looked like she didn't.

I don't like spending time on leveling up.

That's what makes it fun.

Hey, Satoru, Nakanishi should be going to the park soon.

It's okay.

I can see her from here.

I see.

Yesterday was a failure.

But how can I get close to her?

I had free time so I'm here to see your hideout.

Welcome to our hideout!

5th Grade, Class 4

See you!

Bye-bye!

Are you going to see Aya again?

Well, yeah.

We'll both go to the hideout later.

HOPE

So see you later!

Later, Sensei!

You mean "goodbye"!

It's strange to think of those two together.

Then I guess this solves the Aya Nakanishi problem.

Yeah.

Um... Satoru...

Kenya too... Thank you.

I think getting rid of someone's "alone time" is a great thing.

Since both of my parents work,

the house is always empty when I come home, so I can understand.

I was thrilled when you did it for me, but for Kayo and Aya, too.

Hey!

Let's go to the hideout! I'm sick of waiting.

Huh? Where's Kazu?

He went to meet Aya.

Why?

Why...

Aya knows where the hideout is, right?

Yeah, that's true, but...

Well, whatever! Let's go!

Y-Yeah!

Goodbye, Sensei!

Hurry up!

There's no rush!

Wait for me!

That's right!

Aya Nakanishi.

Hiromi Sugita.

And Kayo Hinazuki.

He murdered the three of them the first time around,

but this time, they're out of his target sight.

Still, now that clues have been lost, will I be able to find him?

See? Now he looks even more like a girl.

Amazing, isn't it?

Satoru...

Is this the end of "playing detective"?

Of course not. It's not over yet.

In 2006, Mr. Sawada said Mom knew who the real killer was.

COIN LAUNDRY

I think it was someone Mom knew back in 1988.

It's not like Sensei's candy, but after the killer lost his targets,

I bet anything he's looking for a substitute.

STAFF ROOM

Move.

Well, we're going to watch the ice hockey match.

- Is Hamada gonna be in it? - Of course.

Wow.

Well, tell him I said good luck.

- Sure! - See you later.

Sorry to keep you waiting!

Have you noticed how Yanagihara has been alone a lot lately?

Misato?

She's kind of been on the outs with everyone

ever since that business with the lunch money.

I see.

I'll try talking to her on Monday.

Okay.

March 15th 1988

Thank you!

I may be a little late today.

That's fine, but call me when you know what time you'll be home.

Sure. See you later!

See you later, Satoru!

Goodbye!

We get to ride in Sensei's car!

Really?

We can go ahead, leaving you-know-who behind.

Good idea!

How can I start a conversation with her?

Let's do it!

A bus?

Satoru...

I hear Misato's the next person who's "alone"?

Yeah, but...

She may be heading for Wakaba Gymnasium.

Really?

Mr. Yashiro said he invited her to cheer on Hamada.

Come to think of it, she was alone at the game last week too.

Thank you!

Want us to go with you?

Nah, I think I'm better off on my own this time. And it's just a look-see.

I see.

If you're still playing detective, I want a full report tomorrow.

Of course!

If anything happens, come to the hideout!

I will! See you later!

- See you! - See you tomorrow!

- See you! - Bye!

See you!

He makes a big deal out of it every day.

I know.