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LightFykki's Paranoia Agent Tv Review

Paranoia Agent tv Review

Don't be paranoid, or Shounen Bat will get you!

The peace was disturbed as numerous attacks on people have been made in Tokyo. All the witnesses say they all saw the same thing - what appeared to be an elementary school boy with a bent bat and rollerblades. The first victim is Tsukiko Sagi, the creator of the famous character Maromi. When the police interview her, Shounen Bat (or Lil' Slugger) seems like something she made up. But as more and more people say they saw the same person attacking them, the police are starting to believe. Little do the detectives investigating the case know what they have just gotten themselves into.

One by one more people are attacked, and time is running out. Can the detectives Mitsuhiro and Karino solve the case before it is too late?!

Credits: daos

Story & Characters

Set in the dark modern times, we are delivered with the new show that might fry your brains in and out. It is Paranoia agent…
The story is very dark yet very bright. Talking alone about it would be completely impossible. It is almost as impossible talking about the characters here. So, I will go step by step and try to explain the story by each divided part.

World:
The world in this anime is very normal looking at first. Cars all driving around, people hurrying to their jobs, high degree of stress, mobile phones ringing, dogs barking, people shouting… Yes, that is how Paranoia agent begins. You would actually think that it would be just another normal and boring anime.
Well it goes that until you come to some other episodes, like the second one. You will be surprised how the developers thought about this and how it goes even later. Everything is tuning around you, the world that you know plays not importance anymore. You will forget about it, the story itself will make you forget of it… That is until the last part. Then everything will come together and you will understand the full being of the world that they live in.

Plot:
There is no actual plot. Not in the first few episodes that is, it is just a normal detective type anime where two detectives investigate these mysterious attacks by a person called “Shounen Bat”.
But then from sixth episode things become really mixed up! Everything that you knew by now you can slowly put aside, because this is one of these animes that will make you think even after you finish the episode. You will be dying to see the next one and to see were you or not in right. But even then, you are not. It is almost impossible to see to where this anime leads and who actually is behind all that. I just like how it will all come together at the end, but that is what is good. It will just keep going on like that.
For the first five episodes the story is as I described, sixth and seventh will make your brain go across the whole globe of confusion and interest as well. Episodes after that until the 11th one might appear as some kind of fillers because they seem not to have any connection with original characters. You would be surprised how right and wrong is that. See it for yourself.

Characters:
I can’t believe that I am writing this… I just can’t! Why? Because how to describe all of them. There are many, many characters for this short anime. And this is the strongest part of it, you won’t believe it…
First of, there is no main character or protagonist in this anime. If so, then tell me who it is? You could find any random character, but I can find another one which might be closer than that one. There just isn’t, every character seems to play an important role and then they disappear. Some character will return at the end, but then there will still be several of them, so that doesn’t clear up things.
You could say that Shounen Bat is the main protagonist, but actually he could be both protagonist and antagonist. He is one of those that appear to be hero at the beginning and yet deadly, only to reveal it’s true self at the end.
Other thing that is worth mentioning is that all characters are so different from each other. Each one of them has something that others don’t and each has its own back story. And while it might appear at the beginning that there is no connection at all between all these characters, soon it will all come together and you will notice a pattern that follows around them.

Second and different look:
No matter how you look at this, you can’t watch this as a normal series. This whole show is paranoia. Remember that you have to watch this with clear conscious and to take in note everything that goes around it. Many might wander and not fully understand it, but then again this is not an anime for anyone. If you are prepared for it, prepare your brain and thoughts as well.

Pros: unique plot, makes you think and get more into the anime, returning and complex characters
Cons: might be too confusing to some, storytelling tends to change tempo and the way of presenting

Rating: 9

Art

This show has very specific anime style. Not the classic, but more realistic style. Thing is that even then it is not quite realistic because it doesn’t work on certain details. It seems something like combination of avant-garde and realistic style made into one presentation.
Even though many of you may not like this overall style, it still will make you into watching this anime because of it. It is very appealing and it makes for the theme of it. Details are presented there though, but not in the characters, but more in the environment and changes that happen of them. They are disturbed by many illusions, describing or just some things that even I couldn’t understand.
They change a lot in that aspect, even from character to character. Interesting, but you would still hope it would remain as just one style. That is for the first half of the anime, later you will get used to it and maybe even begin liking it a lot.

So what you will mostly like here, moving of the roller coasters of the Shounen Bat, or… Or I don’t even know what. Thinking about it, most characters here walk, everything goes slowly, until it comes to the climax and high point of the situations and something actually does happen. It can either be Shounen Bat or maybe just some other action performed by some character.

What is interesting is, like I said, how the animations change either if they are shown by some cartoonish style, video game one, or to say even cardboard style, they all play their own part.
Speaking about cardboard drawn out buildings and characters, you will see that later, when everything comes in and out for one detective.

Pros: changes and differences of the style
Cons: again, changes and differences of the style

Rating: 7

Sound

This anime has one of the weirdest openings that I have seen and one of the catchiest too. Ending song is so calm and relaxing, you actually might almost fell asleep just by looking at the video and listening to that song.

Other than that, it is not bad, but it can get somewhat boring. For example, while the OST is nice in general it actually is just a variation of the ending songs, by changing its tempo and such. There are some other good music though, like the one when Shounen Bat comes or when something is about to happen. Overall there are some nice songs, but not too much. It might actually be even better that way, because this is one of these animes that are not looking for whole lot of it. Few songs are more than enough.

Voice acting is nicely done, but too narrow and sharp, but it depends by characters. While some are very nicely done, some lack and aren’t impressive at all.
Sound effects are good. Again as songs, they are not much and you would actually want that they are presented at some situations, but those that are presented, are good, mostly by the actions that Shounen Bat does.

Pros: sound effects, opening ending
Cons: short soundtrack and quality of voice acting at certain parts

Rating: 8

Presentation

Presentation of this anime is also pretty much like I explained about the story. Story itself is hardly expressing and this one too.
But there are some things that I want to point out. You see, the whole story moves around that Shounen Bat, but who is he actually and what is his purpose? Will they actually catch him and what is the meaning behind all that illusion? That is what you will be discovering in the whole twelve episodes that this anime has to offer.

Sometimes things may seem different, like funny. Yes, this anime is yet death serious, but also it has some funny episodes. Funny if you take it, some might take it as just randomly weird. Everyone will have different opinion on this, it is just not something that you can take and watch freely. You have to think from it.
There are many random things, like how in 10th episode there actually explain the whole cast of producing an anime or any other cartoon show like in this case. The real thing, from the real life, you heard it correctly. Yes and in the mean time Shounen Bat goes and murders all these people.

It is also interesting that Shounen Bat just dispatches people, but not really kills them. Later he kills everyone. Well not everyone, but that is for you to watch and see what it takes to stand against this illusion.
This show goes from being average boring, to being more and more and more interesting until it reaches its climax at the end.
It is a mind sick, blown up thriller, with a lot of psychological moments. It is also a comedy, random, action, love packed anime with some emotional moments as well.

You have not seen psychological anime until you have seen this one. Just because of all these things and what it has to offer, it can be downgraded by some and easily forgotten. Others will want to even watch it again, maybe with friends. I do recommend that everyone watches this with someone else, just because of all the side talking that you might have.
If you are not one of them, still gives this anime a try. It might disappoint you and you can easily forget it, or it might be one of the best animes of this genre that you have ever seen.

Pros: each episode is different on its own, many genres combined in one
Cons: this anime is not for everyone

Rating: 8

Final Verdict

8.1667 (good)

Reviewed by LightFykki, Oct 07, 2011

Comments

  1. LightFykki Oct 07, 2011

    It is funny if I comment on my own post huh... Heh, well since I never find time to truly explore this site, I just want by this to truly thank anyone who comments on my reviews, saying either bad or good critics or just something randomly, it is always appreciated, I respect everyone's opinion.

    And also sorry if I wasn't that good at my anime reviews, but I really do try hard at them. By the next week I am going to start with posting some of my video game reviews (starting with all the main Final Fantasy titles) and by those I am way better and more experienced than with these ones. Still I will write both, just to take a shot to see how it is writing video game reviews here, because this site is strict with giving you sections in which you have to write and in which to give marks, so I am not entirely free to make my own review, but still it is good.

    Again thanks for everyone who has shown support to me, if not commenting but also by looking at my reviews.
    As I always give my professional look at certain series, so that's why I said that this Paranoia agent might not be liked by everyone... But for me, watching it I couldn't even look at flaws I just enjoyed it. So aside from the review, I really recommend this series.

  2. angelxxuan Banned Member Oct 08, 2011

    I remember watching Paranoia Agent when it first came to tv, I have not seen anything close in comparison with it's unique style, who know there could have been a main character of the show, it was just someone that was doing all the "things" I have to admit it is similar in style in the same "justice" format of another anime. but I was always impressed how this anime flowed, I was drawn in by episode one. I was interested in it because it was the first anime I watched with cussing in it ;) nice review, not too long, easy to follow and understand and a good over all kudos to how you kept it flowing and not jumbling up the review and even took the time to explain the setting for the anime :)

  3. SnickerdoodleNinja Retired Moderator Oct 09, 2011

    Oooh, psychological anime...me likie. :)

    Anyhow, I really like how organized and detailed your review was. I might recommend checking for grammar and elaborating on just who/why the series is not for everyone, since the point is rather vague otherwise. You talked about it some, but I think it would have been nice to have a little bit more on that point. Overall, though, very nice job and I look forward to reading some of your video game reviews! :)

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