Paranoia Agent
Publisher
Geneon / MVM
Director
Satoshi Kon
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Series
Running time
13 episodes / 25 minutes
Year
2004
Paranoia Agent Volume 1: Enter Lil'Slugger
By otaku_kei
17th Jul 05  Paranoia Agent has long been touted as one of the most unique experiences in anime viewing. The pedigree of the show is nothing to be sneered at, being the brainchild of acclaimed director Satoshi Kon, and animated by Madhouse Studios who have been behind such shows as Chobits, Gungrave and Texhnolyze. This show has been touted as trying something different, but just how successful is it? Following a collection of different characters, and a series of brutal attacks by an unknown assailant this show tries to explore peoples own self-deceptions and fears. A flawed success, or pointless attempt I think really depends on what interests you in the first place. Big cities for anyone who has ever lived in them can be very isolated places. Tokyo is no exception, and this isolation is one of the main turning points of the entire show. Each of the characters introduced in some way is effected by this isolation, so much so that the intervention and brutal attacks by Lil' Slugger come in a form of cathartic release for these people. Lil' Slugger himself remains a mystery for the most part of this release, is he real, a figment of an overworked imagination, or urban legend taken form by some opportunist? Well much as the victims are products of this isolation, so is the detective tasked with bringing to task the enigmatic slugger. Middle-aged and tasked with a high-profile case where all the leads seem to run in circles he is in the precarious position of a career dead-end due to this crime spree. This frustration with the case bleeds over and gets tangled with all the other themes that run throughout this first disc. But this is where it all comes apart. On the surface this show is amazing, not only does it look and sound good but it is also a thought-provoking piece that reflects on these fantasy bubbles that we build around our lives. But whilst this is certainly entertaining, and one of the better pieces of anime to come out this year some of the themes just do not gel together to give this show a solid direction. As is mentioned in the interview with Satoshi Kon in the extras, he admits that Paranoia Agent is born out of all his leftover ideas from his previous feature length work. This translates to some bizarre and jarring scenes in this show. And yet despite some problems with this show, this opening volume remains an engrossing viewing. Satoshi Kon is without a doubt one of the better storytellers making anime at this time, and this show manages to rise above the problems to present some fascinating questions about modern life. This release deserves to be explored by anyone who has found themselves enthralled by Kon's other works, or by any fan around who just wants something a little different. Only time will tell how this show will play out, but so far it has been worthwhile being on the ride.
R2 DVD Notes
Features: Japanese Language 2.0; English Language 2.0; English Language Subtitles; Interview with director Satoshi Kon; Multi-Angle Storyboard-to-Screen Comparison; MVM Trailers
Release information: OUT NOW
Notes: MVM have put a lot of effort into promoting his title, with reviews springing up in printed media sources as well as the plethora of online sites. This confidence in the quality of this show is apparent. Of course for such a recent show the A/V quality is great, and should be no less.
The extras are also quite impressive. The interview with Satoshi Kon is an interesting insight into what he was trying to achieve and how he came up with certain aspects of the show. This interview is only quite short, having been taken from a Japanese cable channels broadcast in 2003 but still manages to deliver some insight into the working of one of anime's most idiosyncratic auteurs. The multi-angle storyboard comparison is also insightful to see the level of planning in the pre-production stage to guide the animators in exactly what is to be transferred to the screen. All in all another release with some worthwhile extras, a rarity on the UK anime scene.
-- otaku_kei 17th Jul 05
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