We had another stellar episode of Paranoia Agent this week, one that pulled together three of the show’s central characters, along with the private realities they’re each inhabiting, building up towards a dramatic faceoff with the demons they share. Mitsuhiro was an excellent choice of primary focus character for this sequence; his combined old-detective profession and willingness to go along with the fantasies of the younger generation mean he’s essentially the sole invested bridge character, the only person who can bring all these elements together. And it was also nice to bring Sagi back into the focus again; in contrast to Mitsuhiro’s conviction, she feels more overwhelmed than anyone by the events going on around her, meaning the scenes stuck in her head felt even more frightening than they would otherwise. Just one more great episode of a truly fantastic series.
You can check out my full writeup over at ANN, or my notes below!
“Rumors help him grow. Imagination nurtures him!”
We’re back to the static-infected world of the younger officer, opening with a menacing trip through his weaving conjectures
Leading up to him as a hero in a cape fighting Shonen Bat. This sequence is actually really dynamic and well-directed
He tosses away his broken sword. It’s an umbrella
And then he goes to meet the “Ancient Master,” the old man in the hospital, who tells him “dance with a bunny”
“Radar Man”
He wears the cape and hat over his old detective suit. He’s both the old generation and new at once
Interrogating Mrs. Ikari on how she drove back Shonen Bat
“He and Maromi are the same?”
He’s continuing his investigation, but doing it by embracing the madness of this case’s scifi nature
Maromi’s become a cultural phenomenon. Bringing a “sense of peace” as well
Sound design is great in this one. The radio theme means we get static all the time, from both the detective’s radio and the TV broadcasts, interspersed with the mellow songs
There’s a little sketch of Shonen Bat in Sagi’s old drawings
And now Radar Man is following a spectral bunny girl
Bunny leads him to the otaku’s home, where he talks to the dolls while the otaku works on models of all the victims so far
And then the hacking-doll helps him investigate. A great interface for the hacking sequence
Sagi was attacked ten years ago, apparently. And the assailant was never found
Ominous shot of the floating Maromis
Sagi’s boss begging her for a new character
He grabs and threatens her… and then crashes his car. Goodbye boss
Shonen Bat is huge now
Beautiful painted backgrounds
“Maybe I was too strict with her as a child, and she had no mother figure to offset my harshness”
A bat lies inside a broken “Maromi” doghouse at Sagi’s father’s home. When she was cornered as a child, she said she was attacked, and her father swore he’d get the attacker, carrying around a bat
Maromi is the sense of comfort, Shonen Bat is the weapon enforcing it
Rumors blaming Sagi at her boss’s funeral
Radar Man confronts her on the phone, and Maromi cuts the cord. “Don’t think! It’s not your fault! Run!”
Radar Man appears! A terrific battle!
Keichi visiting his old family home in his revery
The Maromis have disappeared, and with them, the peace gained from Shonen Bat for all the characters