tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post267751262308703727..comments2023-11-05T02:01:53.847-06:00Comments on Antagony & Ecstasy: PARANOIA AGENT, EPISODE 2: "THE GOLDEN SHOES"Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09491952893581644049noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post-23452007715254053732016-09-12T22:55:27.412-05:002016-09-12T22:55:27.412-05:00Wow man, reading your break up of every single det...Wow man, reading your break up of every single detail you found important about the show reads about as well as a necessary supplement for those watching the show.<br /><br />The mere existance of your prose has made my watching of the show more enjoyable, even though I already saw every single episode, reading what you said just brought to light many of the inner thoughts I had that I couldn't quite put to words.<br /><br />Thank you for this pageAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11558633366155796099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post-42496709986345430562010-09-11T16:11:47.103-05:002010-09-11T16:11:47.103-05:00Ilmae that's really interesting to know, becau...Ilmae that's really interesting to know, because it tallies with a Kon interview on the DVD where he was describing the premise of the show and it didn't really sounds like what I thought of paranoia as being. This info you've given me makes it all fit in better. THanks =DAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post-16771923596645320612010-09-03T20:10:39.278-05:002010-09-03T20:10:39.278-05:00"the first time that the "paranoia"..."the first time that the "paranoia" part of Paranoia Agent makes itself known"<br /><br />I have to disagree with this. It might be because I've seen the rest of the show (but I don't think it is, otherwise I wouldn't want to risk this sounding like a spoiler), but more because the word "mousou" in the Japanese title isn't strictly limited to what we would consider "paranoia" - delusions such as, say, seeing a pink cuddly toy walking around and talking to you would also fall under this definition (I don't think there has been anything within the context of the show to suggest a genuine fantasy setting with sentient toys).<br /><br />You could also go back to some of the sentiments expressed in the snatches of mobile phone conversations at the very beginning of the series and see the "paranoia" (as this show would consider it) in them, and possibly even in the anxious nature of Tsukiko's boss. The theme pervades virtually every moment of the series, imo.<br /><br />Apart from that, I love your analysis of the episode and Yuichi's character.ilmaestrohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18112632544852577922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post-50814986663058613012010-09-02T13:09:41.422-05:002010-09-02T13:09:41.422-05:00Great comments all around. And special thanks to S...Great comments all around. And special thanks to Sparrowsabre for that note about character names - it's great to have a couple of vets around to help out with the incredible density of this show. And by God, it's just about the densest television that I think I've ever seen.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09491952893581644049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post-87182059226851762202010-09-01T12:57:35.490-05:002010-09-01T12:57:35.490-05:00I also felt sorry for Ichi at his birthday party b...I also felt sorry for Ichi at his birthday party but he kept digging himself into<br /><br />Nice heads-up with the names Sparrow. Ushi does indeed mean cow in Japanese. The bit where Ushi gets clobbered was well directed and made me smile due to Yuichi's fantasy but it pulled my heart strings because Ushi was such a thoroughly decent chap.<br /><br /><br />The directing was brilliant. The whole episode managed to evoke that adolescent fear of falling out of popularity in school but when Yuichi's world view became so visually warped it was truly menacing and made his final relief all the more chilling.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post-5508801918231939952010-09-01T07:20:50.879-05:002010-09-01T07:20:50.879-05:00Sparrowsabre,
Excellent commentary. And yes, I do...Sparrowsabre,<br /><br />Excellent commentary. And yes, I do LOVE that moment when Shonen Bat just whizzes past Ichi. I can't quite describe the feeling, but it's sort of like 'Woah, that's some awesome timing, Mr. Kon!'<br /><br />And yes, I have watched this show before, but I am also rewatching and rediscovering it in much more detail. The last time, I could make neither heads nor tails of some of its obvious mysteries (still waiting to ask my REAL burning question) and so I resigned myself to just enjoying the bizarre personal lives of the characters. This time round, I want to savour the nuances, which is why it's all the more fantastic to have people to discuss it with.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post-42572647481042073002010-09-01T06:33:47.182-05:002010-09-01T06:33:47.182-05:00heh, something I just noticed, after throwing his ...heh, something I just noticed, after throwing his skates away ichi's face reddens and he looks like he's about to cry in almost the same way Tsukiko did before being attacked by Shonen Bat.<br /><br />I also wanted to note that I love Kon's direction in the scene where Ushi's hit when Shonen Bat glides past Ichi silently.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post-82922914019769674362010-09-01T05:53:27.728-05:002010-09-01T05:53:27.728-05:00From you comment last time I suspected that you...From you comment last time I suspected that you'd seen the whole series Densua, but from this t sounds like you're watching along too =). You and Tim are both in for a treat. <br /><br />And while I agree at this stage Shonen Bat seems like a kind of hero, you'll see it's not so cut and dried as that. One of the most telling things about the series came from a Kon interview on the dvd about why he chose the title. At the time I hadn't finished the series so it didn't gel with my personal understanding of Paranoia Agent, but once it comes to a close it really makes a lot of sense.<br /><br />As much of a narcissistic and unpleasant person Ichi is, I did feel bad for him when no one showed to his birthday =/ and just so you don't agonise over it, it's never revealed who took the pictures of Ichi hitting Ushi, though I have a theory about it which I shan't digress at this stage since it's based on things in later episodes.<br /><br />Something worth noting: to fully understand the previews it's best to know the meanings of the characters names. <br /><br />I wouldn't advise wikipedia since it's spoilerific, especially with regards to an alternate interpretation of Tsukiko's surname, so don't look that up =P. So I'll try and stay a step ahead to inform you of their names so you get the full message of the previews. Most of them are associated with an animal of some kind whether direct translation or wordplay, for example Sagi (Tsukiko's surname) is a type of bird, Ushi is a cow, Kawazu is frog, Taira (Yuichi's surname) means fish, hence the ep 2 preview talking about a "fish out of water being stepped on by a cow".<br /><br />So the character in the next ep is represented in her name by a butterfly, for reasons that will become evident quickly, I think ep 3 is possibly one of my favourite in the series, with a lot of undertones similar to perfect blue in a way.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14812333.post-6334068603003791462010-09-01T04:06:07.254-05:002010-09-01T04:06:07.254-05:00By Jove, I love Yuichi. A more obnoxious child I h...By Jove, I love Yuichi. A more obnoxious child I have never known. I don't know why, but calculating snobs sliding oh-so-obviously into dementia have a tendency to win me over just through sheer force of personality. He's like this little precursor to Light Yagami - another character who gave me plenty of 'lulz' - only more puerile.<br /><br />Now, food for thought of the day:<br /><br />Looking at the title, 'Paranoia Agent' seemingly has a double meaning. Even as Shonen Bat triggers suspicion and mayem i.e. paranoia among the general public, he only targets those who are experiencing immense pressure and fear i.e. paranoia in their own lives. I suspect Shonen Bat is meant to be a sort of perverse hero, an exactor of peace of mind through bludgeoning. Nothing clears your head like a good whack, right? Or, at the least, it puts you in a coma so you forget all your problems - haha. Just some food for thought.<br /><br />PS. 'Ichi' literally means 'one'. So, like we'd count 'one, two, three', the Japanese count 'ichi, ni, san' etc. Thanks, wikipedia!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com