Movies - Paranoia Agent

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	Movies - Paranoia Agent

is a 2004 13-episode anime television series. It was created by Japanese director Satoshi Kon and produced by Madhouse.

On May 28, 2005 Paranoia Agent began airing on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim using an English language dub produced by New Generation Pictures. The show has finished airing in both Japan and the United States.

Story

When darkness overcomes the heart, Lil' Slugger appears...

An elementary school boy on rollerblades dubbed Lil' Slugger (Shōnen Bat in Japanese) is said to be responsible for a series of mysterious hit-and-run assaults in Tokyo. None of the victims can recall the boy's face and only two distinct details are left in their memories: golden rollerblades and the weapon, a golden baseball bat bent like a dog's leg.

Two police detectives, Keiichi Ikari and Mitsuhiro Maniwa, are assigned to the case to track down the perpetrator and put an end to his crimes. Starting with the first victim, Tsukiko Saki, a shy character designer who created the immensely popular pink dog Maromi, the detectives follow what little clues they have and try to apprehend the mysterious "vigilante". Just when they think they have solved the case, new evidence about the attacker leads them towards a frightening revelation.

Episode Listing

# Enter Lil' Slugger (Lil' Slugger appears and claims his first victims) # The Golden Shoes (A popular schoolboy is believed to be the young assailant) # Double Lips (A woman is pushed to the breaking point as she fights her alter-ego) # A Man's Path (A security guard under pressure by the mafia manages to capture Lil' Slugger) # The Holy Warrior (The Lil' Slugger suspect takes two detectives through his video game take on reality) # Fear of a Direct Hit (The detectives come upon a startling realization as Lil' Slugger takes another victim) # MHz (One detective deduces Lil' Slugger's true purpose as his main suspect meets a grisly fate) # Happy Family Planning (Three internet friends meet and contemplate ways to commit suicide) # ETC (A group of housewives gather and share tales of Lil' Slugger victims) # Mellow Maromi (The story of the ill-fated crew charged with production of the Maromi anime show) # Entry Forbidden (Lil' Slugger meets his psychological match in the form of a frail, sickly wife) # Radar Man (The young detective dons a superhero outfit and battles Lil' Slugger to uncover his mysterious past) # Final Episode (A black mass overruns the city as the truth behind Lil' Slugger is finally revealed)

Characters

These are the major characters of Paranoia Agent. For more information on these or other characters, see Paranoia Agent Characters.

; : One of the central characters of the series, she is a famous, but timid, character designer best known for a cartoonish dog named Maromi. She carries a plush toy copy of Maromi everywhere. She is the Li'l Slugger's first apparent victim in the series, and is the catalyst which jump-starts the plot.

; Li'l Slugger : Li'l Slugger (Shōnen Bat in the original Japanese, lit. "Bat Boy") is the enigmatic figure which the series revolves around. He looks like a grinning, baseball cap-wearing juvenile who travels on golden rollerblades and attacks people with a matching gold-colored metal baseball bat that is curiously bent.

; : One of two police detectives assigned to investigate the attacks by the Li'l Slugger. He is extremely old fashioned and often yearns for the simpler, less hurried times but is often chastisized for this by his young and idealistic partner Mitsuhiro Maniwa.

; Detective Mitsuhiro Maniwa : Young, idealistic, and a flexible thinker, Maniwa is the perfect compliment as well as foil to the more rustic Keīchi Ikari. He is open-minded and often unconventional in his methods.

; : Maromi is a popular Sanrio-esque mascot created by Tsukiko Sagi. A pink dog with big black eyes and droopy ears, Maromi is considered rather cute in appearance. Maromi proves to be more than just a simple toy.

Analysis

There are many intentional loose ends in Paranoia Agent. The show is also rife with symbolism that provides more explanation to the original Japanese audience, but not to those unfamiliar with Japanese folklore and mythology. The ending is intentionally ambiguous to provoke thought and discussion. Common questions that arise are:

What exactly were Maromi and Lil' Slugger, and how did they become real?
What happened to Mitsuhiro Maniwa, and what were his and the Old Man's purposes in the story? The Old Man's purpose in the plot seems important; however it is never explained, and is left ambiguous as he passes his job over to Maniwa before he dies.
What was the meaning of Maniwa's rather creepy monologue in place of the next episode preview at the end of the last episode?
What were the individual fates of each of the story's main characters? For example, did Shogo ever patch things up with Ichi, and did Chono somehow overcome her illness? What was the ultimate fate of the troubled Hirukawa family? Although it is generally hinted that things are better off nothing specific is shown.
What did Maniwa find out in the end that was so startling? Is it in relation to the cat seen in the end on the big T.V. screen?
What was the exact importance of the otaku and his plastic anime character dolls that seemingly came to life? He, like the old man, seemed to have a part to play in the show's events.
Is Li'l Slugger gone for good? Are there other entities besides him and Maromi?
Why did Lil' Slugger kill Makoto, aka "Fox", rather than knock him unconscious like the previous victims? This may be because by hitting each victim, he helped them. Fox wanted to die, and so he got his wish. What connection did "Fox" have with the trio from Happy Family Planning? What was his connection with the old man, aka "his master"? Apparently Makoto enabled Maniwa to further understand the old man and enter and interact with the delusional reality of Maromi.
Why were Fuyubachi, Zebra and Komome (Happy Family Planning) committing suicide? Was "Fox" going to commit suicide with them? Why was Lil' Slugger afraid of the trio?*
Lil' Slugger was afraid of Fuyubachi, Zebra, and Komome because they were already dead. That's why they couldn't kill themselves. Fuyubachi realizes this near the end when he can't see his shadow. Another interpretation could be that Lil' Slugger was afraid of the three due to the fact that, unlike the other characters in the series, they seem to feel a much lesser degree of fear/anxiety, and none at all when "confronted by" (actually cornering) Lil' Slugger. Lil' Slugger is often thought to be the anthropomorphic representation of anxiety and stress, so their admiration and eagerness to meet him is possibly what sets him off. In the episode "Entry Forbidden," Misae Ikari seems particularly aware of this in her handling of the entity.

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Movies - Paranoia Agent

Story

Episode Listing

Characters

Analysis

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