Paranoia Agent is by far one of the weirdest anime shows I've watched. In many ways its also one of the most genius as well. Putting so much focus on the characters and really exploring them and their backstories but more importantly their problems. Each one is unique and each story of their always leaves you with a different perspective of them by the end. As every episode continues everything in the worlds gets more and more crazy and weird as you get closer to the ending.
The story starts off pretty straight forward. As two detectives investigate a string of attacks all caused by a boy with a golden bat. The strange thing about all these attacks is that all the victims are all related to each other. More and more victims appear as the detectives get closer and closer the person behind these attacks.
The animation had a more realistic feel to it making you see people and not animated characters. This is a trope of Satoshi Kon at this point and always elevates his works. I wouldn't say this is my favorite story of his but this I can't say I've seen as much work put into any other anime I've seen. From the quality to the consistently there really no other show quite like it.
I can't help but feel that season 2 of Psycho Pass did so much damage to the show that I had a hard time getting into this movie. Which is a bit weird because this had the production team behind season 1 yet at the same time continue on the story as if season 2 even excised at all? Its hard to tell but here we are with a short adventure. Psycho Pass The Movie is very much an anime film based off of a show as it doesn't do anything that could be considered risky or with high stakes. As well as keep every character the exact same way they are from the start of the film to the end, with no growth or change and no major events to impact them further. The majority focuses on Akane as she tries to solve the mystery of terrorists that invaded Japan. Leading up to her having to find Kogami and find out if he is a threat, but of course there is always more to the story than meets the eye. I think the addition of Kogami really help make this movie much more interesting, do they use him to his full potential? Not really. Nor do they expand on his character or have had him go through something that could change him. He does talk about events about surviving outside of Japan but nothing enough for him to change who he is. I was kind of hoping for him to become similar to Sasuke from Naruto as he left the village and began living in the world and developed a different perspective. I really like the idea of having a movie be a bridge or set up for another season of a show and that could've been the case for this show, but ultimately it doesn't do anything different or have enough of an impact to warrant anything like that. I do think that keeping Kogami outside and away from Akane does really make her character less interesting and I wish they had written a way for him to return as an enforcer just so he could return again. Psycho Pass: The Movie is a fine movie and it worth checking out if you have seen the series. I just would recommend this as a rental as I don't really see much appeal of the movie after one viewing. I do find this world interesting and would hope they continue to explore it in the future. Rating:
The finale of Erased is Here! The episode picks up right where last weeks left off and finishes off the story to the end. We find out that the only reason Yashiro has kept Satoru alive is because he is the hamster in his life. The one who understands him and is surviving no matter what. To the point that Yashiro actually begins to suspect that Satoru has some sort of power to see the future because he has been able to prevent every murder he goes after. Satoru does have a plan ahead of him as he find to a way to prevent Yashiro from killing him because he now knows that Yashiro doesn't want him to die. This does lead to Satoru throwing himself off the ledge of the hospital building but surviving the fall thanks to his friends. Yashiro gets arrested for the attempt at trying to kill Satoru as is taken away. There isn't much to say for the ending as we go through the typical motions of any ending where everything is perfect now and Satoru even gets to meet characters from his previous life. My big problem with the finale was the lack of addressing some questions and elements that this show was based off of. From his childhood friend to the time travel powers to begin with. It is never really brought up and even when the butterfly element shows up at the end it doesn't do anything but to remind us he still has the powers??? This show has continued to spiral out of control to the very end and even the final conformation with Yashiro wasn't at all handled well or smart in the context of the world this show takes place in. It is interesting because nothing was exciting or tense mostly based on the way the entire situation was handled. Even once the story was finished it never felt like it closed it all the way it should've.
A mixed bag the series has been but an entertaining one for the most part. I don't see myself re-watching this show again but it was nice ride while it happened. I do however want to check out the Manga as I know it fleshes everything out a bit more and even extends the story? I guess I will have to find out for myself. Rating:
