ANIME REVIEWS: 2023
Here are quck and short reviews of anime I've watched in 2023!
Chainsaw Man (2022)
Director/creator: Ryuu Nakayama, Tatsuki Fujimoto
Year released: 2022
Genre: Action/comedy/horror
Episode count: 12
Date finished: 1.18.23
Premise: Denji, a poor teenager who hunts devils with his chainsaw dog, Pochita, is whisked into the dangerous and secretive world of professional devil-hunting after Pochita replaces his heart. Now with chainsaw powers and devil blood, Denji is tasked with hunting down the notorious and elusive Gun Devil by his mysterious boss, Makima. Paired with Aki, who is hellbent on revenge, and Power, a quirky blood fiend, Denji embarks on dangerous quests to keep his newly found life.
My rating: 9/10 While Chainsaw Man is one of the most popular new-gen anime/manga series, and arguably the best, the true message of it somehow manages to elude most watchers. While presented as a slapstick shounen series filled with blood, guts, and gory action scenes, Chainsaw Man is actually the story of what it’s like to grow up in a terribly cruel and oppressive world. It has a lot to say about class, and how much people are forced to give up in order to live a somewhat comfortable life. I am not quite smart enough to write a real good analysis on this.
Paranoia Agent (2004)
Director/creator: Satoshi Kon
Year released: 2004
Genre: Mystery/psychological
Episode count: 13
Date finished: 1.20.23
Premise: Tokyo is sent reeling after the designer of the popular cutesy character Maromi is attacked by a child with a baseball bat on roller skates. The assailant, nicknamed Lil’ Slugger, appears to attack those who are emotionally cornered. With terror spreading amongst the city’s population and paranoia consistently building, detectives Ikari and Maniwa soon discover the case is much stranger than it seems.
My rating: 10/10 Paranoia Agent is a masterpiece of a psychological thriller, as it flaunts Satoshi Kon’s talents for the surreal (as seen in Paprika) and the mysterious (as seen in Perfect Blue). The mystery of Lil’ Slugger is quite richly layered, and each episode, which you first assume isn’t connected, chips away at it. The paranoia that overtakes each character hints at the theme ‘the only thing to fear is fear itself,’ except once you realize that to most of them, Lil’ Slugger’s violent attacks only bring a sense of relief. Paranoia Agent is truly binge-watchable and creates a satisfying commentary on the dangers of escapism and self-victimization, with references to the toll of World War II on the Japanese psyche.