| “ | When I detect adversity approaching, I float to the surface. That's why I am Boogiepop – phantasmal, like bubbles. | ” |
–Boogiepop | ||
Boogiepop (ブギーポップ, Bugīpoppu) is the titular protagonist of the Boogiepop Series. He is the alter ego of Touka Miyashita. He is famous around the girls as the rumored Shinigami, a creature who kills people when they are at their most beautiful point, before they can grow ugly and old.
Personality
Unlike his alter ego, Boogiepop most often wears a serious expression, the closest thing to a smile he shows being his trademark "asymmetrical expression". He is relatively quiet and soft-spoken, talking in an archaic manner that appears both feminine and masculine. Boogiepop automatically "floats to the surface" when he detects enemies of the world, and he considers his natural duty to defeat these malicious entities. As such, he doesn't have any dreams or hopes, instead encouraging the ones he meets to do so for him.
Boogiepop's only friend is Keiji Takeda, Touka's boyfriend, who he met during his fight with the Manticore, and spent his days chatting about random things with, before eventually disappearing after his job was done. The fact that he made sure to say goodbye to Keiji, even after his job was over, showed that he really enjoyed the boy's company.
In spite of his cold-looking exterior and the nature of the rumors about him, Boogiepop is a very compassionate individual, helping the distraught Echoes when he was about to give up on his search of the Manticore, and admonishing the people who ignored him when he was clearly injured. Boogiepop is quite fond of whistling the tune of Wilhelm Richard Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.
Appearance
Despite being an alternate personality of Touka, and therefore having the same appearance as the girl, Boogiepop is described by others as looking oddly masculine. Therefore, most people who see Boogiepop are able to tell that he is different than her, even if they don't know anything about him.
Boogiepop has shoulder-length dark brown hair and brown eyes. Over Touka's school uniform, Boogiepop wears his signature purple pipe hat, decorated with metalic ornaments and a chain, and a long purple mantle, yet again decorated with many circular metalic ornaments. Touka unconsciously carries around the outfit in a bag when Boogiepop is about to resurface.
In the anime, Boogiepop has short, reddish brown hair styled in a bob haircut.
Background
Boogiepop first surfaced during the serial killer incident that happened years ago. Boogiepop tried his best to eliminate the threat of the killer without being noticed, but unfortunately was eventually spotted by Touka's mother when trying to escape from a window. This caused some friction in Touka's family, as her mother was considered insane after no traces of Boogiepop's existence were discovered. During this time, Boogiepop also first interacted with Nagi Kirima, who he would later collaborate with again in defeating other malicious entities. After defeating the serial killer and inadvertently saving Kazuko Suema, Boogiepop again disappeared inside of Touka Miyashita.
Trivia
- Boogiepop's name is explained in the series: "When I detect adversity approaching, I float to the surface. That's why I am Boogiepop – phantasmal, like bubbles."