Paranoia Agent Collection - Reissue [DVD]

I bought this collection on the basis of the first couple of episodes seen on a region 0 Anime sampler.Kon is master when it comes to messing with the mind. The characters are all well designed, and all have flaws....flaws that bring them to breaking point and within the reach of "Shounen Bat". I'm not going to spoil your pleasure but would say that its not all dark, Episode 8 "Happy Family Planning" has some lighthearted moments as a trio of misfits try and fail repeatedly to accomplish their shared goal...but for the most part we are treated to displays of just how screwed life and some people can be...Not for those seeking an easy view or a touch of fanservice. I have to confess to watching the dub rather than the sub; so sue me, the acting was good. (if you want to see a dub as good as any sub, watch Haibane Renmei... ultimately a more heartwarming experience)Paranoia Agent is an excellently made series that will mess with your head.EDIT I wrote this a while ago. In the preview of ep 8 there is action that doesn't appear in ep8. It turns out that for years 90seconds of ep8 has been cut from the UK releases due to concerns about hanging. I believe that the recent reissues on blu and DVD (2021) have had those cuts restored. So buy NEW!

This is a really good anime, with a lot of adult themes that include: suicide and crime. Each episode leaves you wanting more! As I write this review, this is the only work of Satoshi Kon that I have seen. I must say, I am very impressed with the plot. But, I was left rather confused at the end of the anime, as the programme still remains much a mystery for the fans to try and work out. If you enjoy psychological, and thriller animes, then this is certainly for you!Each episode has a separate theme, and explores each character's life as you come across them. The main story is about two detectives trying to solve the case of 'Lil Slugger (or Shonen Bat if you watch it in Japanese) who whacks his victims over the head with a baseball bat, but each crime is linked and each episode explores most of his victim's lives.There isn't much else I can say without ruining the plot. There are 13 episodes in total. But, as I have said above, this is a very good anime and I highly recommend anime fans to watch it!

This series really left my jaw hanging; a disturbing insight into todays society and of the rules and systems we follow. Mixed with themes of psychological dramas and even light comedy; and finally all through the gauze of two detectives trying to catch a pre-teen serial killer... Who we don't even know exists or not.The way the series crosses from dreams to reality is really quite amazing, and constantly demands your full attention.I absolutely loved it, and don't feel ashamed in saying that once it was over, I genuinely decided to go right back to episode one and watch it again (although this time via a DVD player, rather than online stream).Which brings me to the DVD itself.The packaging on the boxset is fantastic, and my only quarrels would that it is using the term 'L'il Slugger' rather than (much preferred) 'Shounen Bat'.Another quarrel would be the slight inconsistency with subtitles between various discs, but these are only minor errors, and nothing to really make a fuss about.Ultimately I would recommend this a great deal, whether a fan or not, it's worth having in your anime collection.

This is a very high-class article.The plot is intriguing, taking off in a quite unexpected direction less than half way through. The characterization is likewise excellent and remarkably plausible in the way the characters react to some extremely strange events indeed.Visually the series is a delight, and the individual proponents are much more differentiated and individual than in most anime. There are some real coups de theatre as the style unexpectedly changes radically in response to plot developments.The 18 rating is very much appropriate. There is not so much overt sex and violence as very explicit treatment of some very dark subjects. (This is a work in which an episode featuring a suicide pact which includes a young schoolgirl is treated as light relief!)Despite this, the final denouement is oddly cheering, and as in other works of Satoshi Kon's, deeply moral. A right choice is made, involving great moral courage.And if you ever felt that there was something just a bit creepy about Hello Kitty ...

A darkly fantastical tale, about the urban legend that builds up around a series of attacks in Tokyo. All the seemingly unconnected victims, are facing a personal crisis, or are backed into a corner by issues in their lives. Each of them reports that they were attacked by an assailant in gold inline skates, and weilding a baseball bat. Even the police investigating the attacks become embroiled in the madness that starts to sweep the city, as they are drawn deeper into the enigma that is "shounen bato." (bat boy)The animation style well reflects the sometimes somber nature of the episodes, though at other times it is bright, and lively. This deserves its 18 certificate, as the storyline deals with some heavy situations. All of them though adding to the suspense, and unnerving quality of this seriously good anime.

Great series.This version has captions for the various signs that pop up throughout the series, and the internet posts that Tsukiko Sagi scrolls through.Unfortunately this version also includes (at least) one censor, namely a scene in 'Happy Family Planning'.As far as I know this is the only scene in the series that required censoring. I have another version (by Studio Anime, which lacks the aforementioned captions) where this scene is not censored.It's a real shame, would have perfect of not for this cut.

When the package arrived the case was shattered. I mean, a crack or two is often acceptable. This case was broken to peices, I have no idea how this could have happened in transit, it must have happened before it was packed.