Satoshi Kon has become one of my favorite filmmakers. His movies are always something different and interesting. But I never watched a series from him, so it was time for me to check this out.
It’s obviously still very “Kon-ish”, but with a few differences. This being a series of 13 episodes, he had time to explore many different themes. However he still had one story in mind, so he tried to wove those themes into one plot. I think in general he succeeds, but there are some problems.
The first half of the series was great. First he introduces the concept of Shonen Bat, then each episode starts as a standalone story, each story very gritty and powerful on its own. But towards the end of each episode he ties the character to the main plot. This way, we slowly realize how the big picture fits.
The second half of the series feels a little less coherent. The stories are a little less interesting (like the one where 4 housewives tell tales about Shonen Bat), and only tie peripherally to the main plot. The episode about the creation of the Maromi anime was cute at first, but once it got to the 6th explanation of each person’s title, it got boring. Another episode about the 3 suicides was interesting, but again not as relevant.
The resolution of the main mystery seemed to arrive just a bit later than I expected, though I can’t really complain, since there are only 13 episodes.
There are many scenes that take place in a fantasy world as a nod to many video games. By the end the fantasy world and the real world blend together, which is exactly what we saw in Paprika, a later movie by Kon.
Another great work by Satoshi Kon, though by nature less tight than his features films.
Rating: 4 Stars
I think I agree with you that the show loses the thread a bit in the second half, although to be honest it’s been long enough since I’ve seen it that I don’t remember it that well. I’m a big enough Kon fan that I’ll probably rewatch at some point.
I think it’ll be worth re-watching. Down the line I might do that too.