Paranoia Agent

[Rocketboy1313]

The video
http://sfdebris.com/videos/anime/paranoiaagent1.php

I am actually a big fan of this series, I tend to think of it having the same tone/feel as "Twin Peaks" even though that might seem like a hugely off kilter comparison.

I am glad sfdebris is putting in more research and interpretation because even though I love the feel of the show I never deep dived into the creator's intent, preferring to just let the strangeness sit on my mind. This series of reviews will finally give me the context I was too lazy to look for myself.

Thank you.

[Edvarius]

I remember little bits and pieces from this show, but it has been a long time since I've seen it. Still, I remember "Maria's" freaky face right before she gets smashed by Little Slugger. I swear she looked like she'd be right at home in the Joker's gang. But anyway, from what I remember at least this is a very interesting series, and there are definitely parts I'm looking forward to seeing commented on later.

Also given the other shows SF Debris has reviewed I suddenly wonder how Mulder and Scully would handle this case if they were the ones that had to deal with it.

[Bojak90]

I was really delighted to see Chuck cover this show, especially since it's not easy to get copies of the DVD (other than ones marked (only for distribution in Hong Kong) so despite having a run on Toonami back in the day, it's kind of slipped into obscurity.

In my opinion it's right up there with Millenium Actress and Paprika for Kon's best work and I still get overcome with emotion in two scenes ("who are you calling Dad?").

I am interested in seeing his thoughts on episode focusing on the group that meets up to commit suicide. The episode is mostly divorced from the main plot but it's certainly memorable.

[aceina]

this anime is weird i remember it well and its very very anime

[Darmani]

Man I remember this blowing my mind and introducing me knowingly to the works of Satoshi Kon.

I do think he’s missing some bits. Media and the rise of internet as a social phenom in society was often a theme of the director and this work was *partially* a reaction to then recent trends. This is kinda critical at least for *my* initial reaction. Ichi, for instance, is a victim of the then practiced but not out and out popularly understood method of cellphone and picture taking and abuse. Cyberbullying's grandparent.

Also he says it but he is missing the names are important. The big thing is that the work is blackly humourous from the start. Ushi means cow, straight up, and pictures and symbols as well as in shhow examples of the episode title or characters appear, and finally Ushi is attacked while basically acted out a visual pun (keep the spirit up being interpret able as “carry a tree”) TBF this IS set up as him campaigning.



The funny thing is at the conclusion Fish brat (Ichi's name is a reference to this and later becomes relevant to understand the needless symbology and yes to spoil some needless is the point) might be right about Ushi. Also this was early 2000s just as cameraphones were new and revolutionizing and creating this powerful gap in terms of expression and lives of kids (the row of posters for the class elections are amazingly produced for elementary schoolers, this is important as Ushi's is crayon) so was the full picture of “douchebag” or the modern iteration.



just little notes on my part.



Though tbf as always well researched and observant with good work tying these tales together and noting some of the themes. It is a work INTENDED to be interpretted so any analysis that isn’t intentionally malacious doesn’t strike me as bad to the work. Even if wrong.

[Wargriffin]

Hears review opening

OH NO NOT KLINGON HELL AGAIN

____

PA is interesting to analyze... but I just didn't enjoy watching it for some reasons...

[Sam]

I've never seen paranoia agent but I am familiar with Satoshi Kon and his work to criticize the Japanese lifestyle. During high school, I found myself gaining a great interest in Japanese culture. During my youth when i was barely a teenager i had watched Japanese cartoons called anime through the eyes of a child who just assumed it was another cartoon. But as I grew older I fell out of Japanese culture and began interacting with the real world whether through tv shows and movies. Two things contributed to this my Nintendo DS being stolen and Toonami going off the air. I eventually got my DS back but my Pokemon Pearl game was still gone so I never picked up another Pokemon game again. I also stopped using my Wii cause I thought only kids games were on Nintendo (how wrong I was). Long story short I grew up and I got back into Anime by a combination of my cousin (who never fell out) and a few friends in my class. As well as let's plays of games like Persona 3 FES and so on. After watching many breakout anime (Cowboy Bebop, Angel Beats, and Death Note) I began seeing a pattern of what I saw as strange things happing so I started studying Japanese culture with the question "Why is Japan so weird?" I started with that and kept going until I reached the conclusion "A lot of reasons". I'm fascinated with Japanese culture and its people. I have equal parts love and hate for its country. Started in ignorance, grew into curiosity, and finished in fascination.

[Darmani]

It is weird you think that chuck would focus on the fact that the artist had to be triggered in order to remember the person who attacked her.
But he focuses more on the reporter's sleezing.

I need you think that would be just as important as the stuffed animal talking to her since it would established what kind of character she is in her State of Mind

Then again he's going for a sense of this is all alleviating them for now

The Maria sequence I understand had to be edited but what's disturbing is that it seems as if she slept with almost all of the male cast including a picture that could either be the younger detective or yuuichi.

She even wakes up with a picture at one point with her posing with the older Detective.
Considering the theme and focus of her work and episode I think this is essential for setting up what's going on

I am net picking sorry
It's just these feel like major events and focuses on the episode at the very least for entertainment or confusion and puzzling
But they go unremarked or mentioned in the review.
Even early on you could figure that this was a connected in thology
Stories along theme much like Kino's Journey
Each with individual Focus characters but connected by how what they experience reflects on each other and come together in a deeper whole

[Endar]

I'm kind of surprised Chuck didn't notice the Gundam in the background of the classroom when the pictures were sent to everyone.

[Nevix]

For the general episode talk: My takeaway from Paranoia agent is how much everyone is in denial and sublimation, as well as selfishness, which is a lot of what Chuck covered in his speech.

Japan... has a variety of cultural issues that are tied into the plot of Paranoia Agent, as well as the mentioned cultural changes/additions of the internet/cell phones to the Japanese culture.

But... it's rather spoilery to talk about the LAST episodes of the series, as that's were a lot of the denouement happens, and everything starts REALLY making sense.

I was really delighted to see Chuck cover this show, especially since it's not easy to get copies of the DVD (other than ones marked (only for distribution in Hong Kong) so despite having a run on Toonami back in the day, it's kind of slipped into obscurity.

In my opinion it's right up there with Millenium Actress and Paprika for Kon's best work and I still get overcome with emotion in two scenes ("who are you calling Dad?").

I am interested in seeing his thoughts on episode focusing on the group that meets up to commit suicide. The episode is mostly divorced from the main plot but it's certainly memorable.

Oh, that episode is rather... unsettling, and creepy. It's one that I kind of cringe at nowadays, but also respect and understand for what it is. (Trying to not spoil it for everyone.) It's really well done.