Some shows are so good, that one will do just about anything to see the next episode as soon as possible. Well, I got Paranoia Agent (and a few other anime items) on DVD a week ago, and watched the last 4 episodes in one sitting.

That said, I am convinced that PA is one of the best mystery shows ever created.

****SPOILERS BELOW****
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Except not quite here.

Just a fair warning so you don't have any regrets: I won't divulge the details just yet, but what I will say in the meantime, is the basic answer to the mystery.

***READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...SERIOUSLY, THIS TIME***
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That theory that I conceived in my last blog entry?

It's almost right on the ball.

I kid you not. I'm proud to say that for the first time ever, I've pretty much solved a mystery (and a very difficult one at that.) Lil' Slugger IS in fact a figment of Tsukiko Sagi's imagination. I won't say why, but I will say the number 1 in the old man's equation indeed does apply to Lil' Slugger.

How?

Because the paranoia is produced by ONE person (in this case, Tsukiko Sagi) and then, it spreads like a sickness, as I reasoned in my previous blog entry. The paranoia grows stronger and stronger, which explains why eventually, Lil' Slugger began killing people instead of just knocking them out. (Of course, that's all metaphorical. In actuality, everyone except Ushiyama and Hirukawa was knocked out by THEMSELVES, and not Kozuka.) Ultimately, the paranoia acts like a virus; it starts out small-scale, and then it infects everything.

Hence the title: "Paranoia Agent." Dun dun dunnn!

All in all, the last 4 episodes are great and I will be certain to review them in detail when I have more time. "Paranoia Agent" has been a real blast and I do hope that Mr. Satoshi Kon makes something else that's just as diabolically ingenious in the near future. Or else... *raises bat*

What is truth?

"Etc.", episode 9 of Paranoia Agent, helps clarify this (or further distort, depending on the way you look at it.)

So far, to the audience, Lil' Slugger's identity and purpose is an enigma (thanks to contradictory and/or new evidence presented each episode.) Like the audience, the group of gossipers is also speculating as to what Lil' Slugger is up to. Ironically enough though...it is the very idea of the gossiping in the episode that appears to hold a major piece of the puzzle in solving this totally "whacked" mystery.

Every story told in "Etc." deviated completely from the way Lil' Slugger would normally slug someone. This is not to say that they *all* went on wild tangents (most of them did), but there was always something distinct in each of the stories that had an aura of absurdity to it in comparison to the way the Lil' Slugger stories were told in the first 7 episodes (save episode 5, which was like watching a metaphor within a metaphor.)

I'm also guesstimating that when the writer's wife said, "But that's a famous..." (only to be subsequently cut off by the other women), I think she was trying to say that the incident was taken from a famous novel or movie. I don't just say this because it seems like the best fit; I say it mainly because the way the story was presented seemed slightly melodramatic for real life (or rather, anime life.) If this is true, then this would also probably contribute to the "Maromi being popular and acting as a medium" idea somehow.

Another thing that I noticed in this episode was the recurrence of the number 4. First, if you look at how the gossiping women wave their hands, it looks like (to me anyway) that they tuck their thumbs in (hence presenting 4 fingers.) Second, the wall of the nervous student has the number 4 on it. And lastly, the number 4 is heard is when the boxer reaches the 3rd plate of food. Perhaps even more importantly, it is the 4th time he stops that he sees Lil' Slugger with the whole buffet.

What does this mean?

Well...episode 4 was when Kozuka was captured. It's also when Hirukawa DIDN'T get rendered unconscious. To me, episodes 4 and 7 are pivotal turning points. In episodes 1-4, we had standard procedure: people being whacked into unconscious-ness. In episodes 5 and 6, there was a bit of a limbo-like period. In episode 6, specifically, we found out that Lil' Slugger still existed despite Kozuka's arrest. But then, in episode 7, a major turning point: Lil' Slugger kills. And since episode 7, that's what he's been doing.

One could also make the case that Lil' Slugger's power has been increasing every episode, considering the fact that in episode 6, Hirukawa's daughter got amnesia. It's really quite ambiguous at this point as to how Lil' Slugger's power is being altered, increased, distorted, etc. so I'm not going to jump to any conclusions just yet.

Probably the most interesting thing I noticed though, in "Etc." was the abundance of the circle. Yes, the shape. Or at least, a circular-like shape. To be specific: the gossipers' circle, the room that the student was taking the test in, the mother's womb, the baseball players huddling around the pitcher (plus the baseball stadium itself), and finally, the island in the middle of nowhere with the palm tree on it. What is the significance of this? Well...

Two takes on it:

1. Entrapment

and

2. Letting something go on and on so much, that it simply turns into something near-ridiculous.

Perhaps Lil' Slugger is a complete fabrication altogether.

We know that the Old Man's equation beared the number 1 in it. So perhaps Lil' Slugger was just a figment of Tsukiko Sagi's imagination, a stand alone complex (a la Ghost in the Shell) if you will. Tsukiko saw Kozuka somewhere before and imagined that he attacked her(?) Kozuka himself then got wind of Lil' Slugger and began to mimic him via the holy warrior image. Next, thanks to *Kozuka's* influence, the rumor of Lil' Slugger spread even moreso. Finally, with Maniwa playing the role of the messenger, the rumor of Lil' Slugger is spread everywhere. Hence, people began to believe that Lil' Slugger was the person who was attacking people instead of the people themselves. What I wouldn't understand under this theory is how Lil' Slugger's power "increased." Perhaps the more people knew about Lil' Slugger, the more harm they inflicted upon themselves? And if my theory is true, how can the virus that is Lil' Slugger be stopped? Does it have something to do with Maromi, the *other* popular culture item?

It all sounds a bit convoluted, I know, but I think the important thing to remember is that somehow, Lil' Slugger has SOMETHING to do with the idea of 1, and that truth is a very subjective term.

That's my two cents for now.

All in a all, another fantabulous episode with very insightful things to present. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Episode 8 of Paranoia Agent:

Happy Family Planning? Those writers sure have a sense of wicked, twisted humor.

I'll keep this one shorter. If you thought Paranoia Agent was messed up before, this one takes the cake. The best way to describe this episode is...

"*laughs and shakes head*

Oh my god..."

A nice combination, wouldn't ya say?

Well, it's like that at least until the end of the episode anyway. The fact that even the suicide gang (namely the old man) was afraid of being trapped in a corner was slowly unraveled. At that point, I could feel the secondary, dark forboding tone of the episode coming to fruition.

Everyone keeps saying that this episode has nothing to do with the previous 7, but it definitely does (why else would it be a part of the series?) I mean, of course the episode made a point of proving that even Lil' Slugger was afraid of them, (then again, was that REALLY Lil' Slugger?) and that conversely, even the dead are afraid. But also, remember the radio frequency? Double-trouble? Perhaps it all has something to do with tapping through to the dead (though I doubt that would be the final conclusion.)

Do discuss! Perhaps keeping this post shorter than the last PA post will make you want to say some-
thing.

I'm worried.

Okay, not WORRIED, but concerned. ...That really wasn't much of a euphemism, was it?

Anyway, I'm *concerned* that the Family Guy may be trying too hard at certain points in its new episodes. While there HAVE been episodes that were more about cultural commentary than just strictly characterization, it seems that some of the jokes have become not just random, but sophomoric.

In other words: They're targeting young teens (aka the male version of the AI crowd)

Either that, or they're losing their edge.

BUT DON'T VENT YET. WAIT.

I'm not done yet.

I still think that most of the episodes have been very funny, and I appreciate the fact that the writers have been listening in on their audience's
favorite things (i.e. the evil monkey.) Plus, I like how FG slowly, but surely re-integrated characters other than the Griffins back into the mix this season. They've really done quite a number with Quagmire and Cleveland (but especially Quagmire) this season, and that's a plus.

Also, from the last episode: a nice reference to the Brian/Lois relationship.

The most important thing though, that I'd like to mention is the use of references/flashbacks in general. A lot of them are still hilarious, but maybe I'm just not as "inside" as I should be, as I am having a MUCH more difficult time getting the reference jokes; they seem so obscure now. Granted, certain episodes have swung one way more than others (e.g. the episode where Meg became a star had a nice blend, while the Cleveland-Loretta Quagmire episode was more character-driven.) Does anyone else feel this way??

I still like FG (it wouldn't be listed as one of my favorite shows after all), but I am perplexed sometimes. I am concerned that FG will become what the Simpsons has come in the past several years. In other words: focusing a lot more on inside character jokes and not making as many cultural jokes that would appeal to a wide array of people (or if not that, simply being less *clever* in making those jokes.)

Though considering how FG seems to have a bit of a rivalry with The Simpsons, I'm not too worried.

(hence concerned)

If anyone out there is following this show, PLEASE respond. PA is definitely one of the must-see cult shows today (anime shows rather, which have a cult following in themselves), so it's not every day that I get the chance to talk about it.

I suppose the best thing to do right now would be to go over the last episode (episode 7) and make some comments. ...Or a detailed analysis.

***EPISODE REVIEW BELOW. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.***
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*ahem*

The last episode took a very unexpected turn: Kozuka, the Lil' Slugger suspect, was KILLED. By Lil' Slugger.

Huh? What? Who? Where? When? Why? How?

Moo?

The secret to this strange occurrence appears to lie within the subconscious of our slowly-emerging protagonist, young detective Manawa (sp?) Or at least, his Lynchian-like dreams.

Remember those Doublemint commercials? You know, the snarkily fun ones with twins? And remember the Teen Titans episode where Mumbo traps the TTs in his hat and he has a magic show where everyone in the audience looks like him? Well, try to think of both of those things, except even more messed up. That's kind of what Manawa's first dream is like. If you haven't seen either of those things, that's okay; you are now officially integrated into "the fantabulous world of double, or how I learned to write scenes of stoner genius nature" (David Lynch used milkshakes for his highs, so go figure.)

Moving on.

So, the Old Man appears in Manawa's dream in a magic show. Appropriately, as the show has already begun to hint, the old kook is seemingly the original architect behind what is happening to the characters of PA. In the video game, he was an ancient master. This time, he's a magician, and he has some tricks up his sleeve (if you can find me another appropriate, yet less clichéd saying, I'd like to hear it. ...Besides the hat one.) Suddenly…

One Old Man.

Two Old Men.

HUNDREDS OF OLD MEN.

TOO. MANY. OLD MEN.

*regains composure*

What is the significance behind "double?" (Besides the parallel at the end of this episode, that is.) Well, here's a theory of mine that might bridge it all together:

The Old Man created the video game that Kozuka was playing and reenacting. Based on the fact that we saw the moon in this episode (also depicted in conjunction with Manawa operating some kind of broadcast system or recorder, it seems that frequency somehow plays an important part in bringing Lil' Slugger to life. Somehow or another, the game that the Old Man created must have had some kind of glitch in it, and whatever that glitch was, it caused things to happen in the real world that would normally happen in a fantasy world. The Old Man was then soon driven into insanity (or senility), trying to figure out the answer to some kind of equation. This equation that he's trying to solve seems to give the answer to how the chain of events involving Lil' Slugger was instigated.

A second theory that I have based on the way the PA commercials have been formatted is that Lil’ Slugger was a mythological tale of some sort that has existed for centuries. Or perhaps it’s a fusion of the two theories. Ultimately though, by all logic, all signs SOMEHOW point to Maromi, the pink plush doll of definite weirdness.

On a symbolic/thematic scale, there is also something at work which hasn't completely been tied together. It can be deduced that somehow or another, Maromi is an incarnation of Goma, or something similar to that. The question being: If Goma really is paranoia, then what does that mean? How did Goma come into existence for that matter? And why did we not receive a direct answer from the old woman about what Goma really is (in episode 6) if she was supposed to know that information? Was it embedded in her words? Could it have something to do with the idea of her family being torn apart? Do all of the victims now share a bond with each other because of their experiences with Lil’ Slugger? Will I stop asking questions? Yes.

There is also the matter of what the significance of the game metaphor really is, as well as the opening credits and ending credits. First, we know that the Holy Warrior attacks people who are glowing red. People glow red when they are paranoid, presumably. Hence, something that is unclear is whether or not Hirukawa was “red” at the time he was attacked. As far as we know, he was not attacked by Lil’ Slugger and was only hit by Kozuka, considering that he was not rendered unconscious; everyone attacked by Lil’ Slugger so far has experienced the same fate. Thus, chances are that Hirukawa probably took the pill that was given to him by the slimy mob guy, and in turn, became "yellow" (perhaps even green, if we’re going with stoplights here.) But even if this is true, then there is still one problem: Hirukawa still felt trapped at the time, just like the other victims (well, mostly. Keep reading.)

This leads me to believe that there is indeed some kind of catalyst that allows Goma to take over its victims, hence bringing a new idea to the table: Hirukawa was not around whatever this catalyst was. OR, simply put, the pill that Hirukawa took somehow NEGATED the effects of the catalyst. Considering how the first four victims had direct contact with each other, it seems to add up. What I don’t understand is how Kozuka and Hirukawa’s daughter got knocked out under this particular theory. Sure, it makes sense in terms of the paranoia idea, but there’s still something else. Conversely, how Ushiyama got attacked by Lil’ Slugger is a mystery to me. Of course, we didn’t really see his side of the story. As of now, the only possible conclusion that I can make is that Maromi was used by all of the victims. ...Or something.

The intro credits: Everyone is laughing. Why? Is it because they are not afraid of anything any more? Or is it a reverse reaction caused by their paranoia?

The end credits: There is significance to the Crane noise in the background. Somehow, it has something to do with Tsusigo Sagi. I just can’t remember exactly. Also, the order in which the victims are shown appears to be significant, as well as the brief flashes of them (now that we’ve learned of the double idea, it appears that the flash has something to do with that.) Also, the way Manawa is positioned in the circle has relevance. And of course, a giant Maromi in the center.

And so, it ends. Oh wait. No it doesn’t! Let’s talk about Detective Manawa. There is a whole crapload of irony coming his way. Why? Well, now he is AWARE of the fact that Lil’ Slugger goes after people who are paranoid. And now that he is having dreams in which he finds himself surrounded by strange things, he too, feels trapped in a corner. He feels paranoid BECAUSE of Lil Slugger's existence. Talk about paradox-o-rama! When will he be knocked out by Lil’ Slugger? My guess is near the final episode. There are still others that have yet to be slugged, including the old woman, the older detective, and another woman.

Now it really ends. Okay, not quite. There is still one final matter at hand. A disturbing one. Why, unlike the rest of the victims, was Kozuka KILLED!? (or committed suicide.) Was it because he tried to mimic something that already existed? Or it something else?

My head is spinning. Is yours?

Thanks for reading! Once again, respond if you can. I look forward to more commentary.