History Anime / ParanoiaAgent

''ParanoiaAgent'' is a thirteen-episode anime series directed by {{Satoshi Kon}}, who specializes in mind-bending animes with some social commentary thrown into the mix. At times, the series resembles an anthology, with each episode throwing its star character through a TwistEnding -- but everything later becomes connected in a way that rivals ''SerialExperimentsLain's'' levels of conspiracy and surrealism. Besides being perfectly creepy, this show is noteworthy for the (Studio Creator/{{Madhouse}}) animation alone: the characters all have [[CastOfSnowflakes distinct designs]], and apart from some minor {{filler}}, StockFootage and other cost-cutting tricks were kept to a minimum.

''ParanoiaAgent'' is a thirteen-episode anime series directed by {{Satoshi Kon}}, who specializes in mind-bending animes with some social commentary thrown into the mix. At times, the series resembles an anthology, with each episode throwing its star character through a TwistEnding -- but everything later becomes connected in a way that rivals ''SerialExperimentsLain's'' levels of conspiracy and surrealism. Besides being perfectly creepy, this show is noteworthy for the (Studio {{Madhouse}}) animation alone: the characters all have [[CastOfSnowflakes distinct designs]], and apart from some minor {{filler}}, StockFootage and other cost-cutting tricks were kept to a minimum.

* ShoutOut: Tsukiko Sagi looks like a grown-up version of Osaka from ''AzumangaDaioh'', though given the context it could be more of a TakeThat.

** Arguably,[[spoiler: Shounen Bat ''himself''. It's a particularly bizarre and violent example, but it has been brought up.]]

[[caption-width-right:350:[-Batter Up!-] ]]

* CloudCuckooLander: Tuskiko is a deconstruction.

* The Ingenue: Tuskiko is a variation. She has the innocence of a child... quite literally. She doesn't understand why the people around her blame her for what's happening.

* MadDreamer: Tuskiko. The things she creates ''[[spoiler:talk to her!]]'' Most of the time she's off in her own private world [[spoiler:read psychotic delusion.]] If those delusions are threatened expect her to turn into a NervousWreck.

* DeadAllAlong: [[spoiler:Zebra, Fuyubachi and Kamome in "Happy Family Planning". In a variation, they actually were alive at the beginning of the episode, but then committed suicide, and the resulting ghosts failed to realize they were dead, so they kept trying to kill themselves. PlayedForLaughs.]]
** [[spoiler:Actually it's implied that they were dead before the episode started. Note that the viewer doesn't get a chance to check on their shadow before their first suicide attempt in the old building and therefore isn't able to tell of they are dead or alive. However, at the end Fuyubachi's last pill (that he took before the building scene) seems to have reappeared, which doesn't make any sense until you realize that[[FridgeBrilliance it was never gone in the first place. He didn't actually take it since he was already dead]].]]

* InnocentPanties: Kamome

* WeCouldHaveAvoidedAllThis:Sagi Tsukiko [[spoiler: created Shonen Bat]] only to avoid her strict father's scolding for losing Maromi. but Maniwa revealed that [[spoiler: her father always knew the truth: He only went to search for Shonen Bat to avoid the fact that he was so strict and her own daughter feared him, so he lied to the police and took a bat and pretended to search for Shonen Bat to show Tsukiko he cared for her]].

* SplitPersonality

* ThroughTheEyesOfMadness: In many episodes, you aren't sure ''what's'' supposed to be real.

* TwilightZoneTwist

* OuterLimitsTwist

* DroppedABridgeOnHi

* DroppedABridgeOnHim

*** His lover is later seen in bed with the Yakuza that bribed the Hirukawa, he may have been dumped.

* ThemeNaming: Nearly all the major characters have animal names - Sagi (heron), Ikari (boar), Maniwa (horse), Ushiyama (cow), Chouno (butterfly), Hirukawa (frog), the {{Otaku}} Kamei (turtle), the internet handles of Zebra, Fuyubachi (Winter Wasp) and Kamome (Seagull) in "Happy Family Planning", and so on. Note that some of them have character-related double meanings, as well - written with a different kanji, Tsukiko's last name, Sagi, means "fraud".

The police are searching for the boy code-named "Shonen Bat" ("Lil' Slugger" in the English dub), but none of the victims are co-operating fully with the police; in fact, many seem relieved and thankful for the mild concussion the boy gives them via his golden bat. All of the victims have something to hide -- but then again, so do the police...and so does the frail old man who draws chalk equations in the parking lot the police use...and so does everybody who spreads rumors about Lil' Slugger. Who is this mysterious boy, who seems to attack people only when they are about to have an existential breakdown and has never been seen by anyone but his victims? Is he a gang member, a creature of the paranormal, or something else entirely?

* ThroughTheEyesOfMadness: In many episodes, you aren't sure ''what's'' supposed to be real.

A grinning boy travels around Tokyo on [[RollerbladeGood golden rollerblades]]. He has a bent, golden baseball bat. And he uses it to bash people's heads in.

The police are searching for the boy code-named "Shonen Bat" ("Lil' Slugger" in the English dub). But none of the victims are co-operating fully with the police; in addition many seem relieved and thankful for their mild concussion. All the victims have something to hide. But then, so do the police. So does the frail old man who draws chalk equations in the parking lot the police use. So does everybody who spreads rumors about Lil' Slugger... But who is this mysterious boy, who seems to attack people only when they are about to have an existential breakdown, and has never been seen by anyone but his victims? Is he a gang member, a creature of the paranormal, or something else entirely?

A thirteen-episode series, ''ParanoiaAgent'' was made by {{Satoshi Kon}}, a director who specializes in mind-bending animes with some social commentary thrown into the mix. At times it resembles an anthology, with each episode throwing a star character through a TwistEnding. But gradually, everything is connected in a way that rivals ''SerialExperimentsLain'' for surrealism and conspiracy. Besides being perfectly creepy, this show is noteworthy for the (Studio {{Madhouse}}) animation alone. The characters all have [[CastOfSnowflakes distinct designs]], and apart from a few {{filler}} episodes there is hardly any StockFootage or other cost-cutting tricks used.

''ParanoiaAgent'' is also known for its social commentary and its analysis of human nature.

* OrIsIt

* MovingTheGoalposts: "A Man's Path" keeps raising the amount of money so that the corrupt cop who owes it to him will be forever in his debt.

** Take a look at how many screwed up"A Man's Path" keeps raising the amount of money so that the corrupt cop who owes it to him will be forever in his debt.

* OldCopYoungCop - Ikari and Maniwa