Paranoia Agent Volume 3

Featuring three stand alone episodes with the only recognisable face being that of the distorted Shounen Bat, Paranoia Agent #3 is none the less a successful ride through the realms of the weird and despite containing no real plot development (the mystery of Shounen Bat is hardly even discussed here), the off beat animation styles and spastic story telling techniques vary enough to keep us interested in continuing to watch.

At this point in a review I usually get straight down to summarizing the story but the problem with Paranoia Agent #3 is that there is little to debate or speculate here- during these three distinctly different episodes, we are dragged in three completely different directions. Mirroring the insanity of its cast, there is no linear plot for us to grasp.
Things get off on a particularly harsh note as we follow a trio of suicidal people who met through an internet chatroom. They plan to die together and go to great lengths to do so, only to be disturbed in their final moments of preparation. Immediately you will notice the surreal animation style, but as this episode twists and turns, the real shock of this mini-story lies in its memorable conclusion.

The next two episodes are similarly weird- both in their distinctive presentations and the way they play with narrative structure. Paranoia Agent isn’t so much a deconstruction of the human brain as experimentation with bizarre direction and mood- the art may look strange, but every episode here is drawn in a way to convey the vivid atmosphere and emotion felt by their characters.

Otaku should particularly delight in the third and final episode on this disc- a charting of the hectic lives lived by those working in an anime studio. Every character is visibly ill or unhealthy-looking, grafting under the extreme pressure of hitting unfair deadlines. Here Paranoia Agent is as much a satire of modern life as a shocking mystery series.

Still I’m left with the lingering itch of trying to understand the purpose of Shounen Bat- he is obviously a savour for those in need of relief from life, but still- I wonder whether or not he is a real person, or perhaps a kind of supernatural phenomenon? I’m gradually starting to believe that indeed, Shounen Bat was once a real person but as his crimes continue to multiply, his urban legend is itself deluding desperate people into either harming themselves or other people in his name.

In Summary

Cutting satire and shocking twists are the phrases I’m left uttering in the wake of Paranoia Agent #3. We may be no closer to understanding the myth and purpose of Shounen Bat, but these episodes are none the less excellent examples of experimental and intelligent anime; while director Satoshi Kon uses his world renowned skills of turning contemporary story telling inside out, anime studio Madhouse do well to match his tone and sophistication by developing such a weird and wonderful set of art styles that are remarkable in their subtle ways of conveying intense mood and emotion.