Summary
Satoshi Kon is one of the greatest directors in anime. Satoshi Kon's combination of surrealism and character-driven writing makes all of his works great to watch in one way or another. Losing Satoshi Kon is a tragedy from which the anime world may never truly recover.
For the most part I've been an anime fan, Satoshi Kon was always a name I was familiar with, but it never went further than that. I know that he created many surreal and beloved anime series that are often ranked among the best animated films of all time, and that his death in 2010 was considered a great tragedy in anime community, but for one reason or another, I have never participated in any of his works.
All of that changed in 2023 when Perfect Blue was announced to be returning to theaters. Perfect Blue has always been one of those movies that I never took the time to watch, so this was the perfect opportunity to finally watch such a classic.
Not only did it live up to the hype, but it was good enough to inspire me to finally check out Satoshi Kon's library. I found that Satoshi Kon's work is one of the best anime I have ever seenin my lifeand it killed me because it took me so long to realize it.
Perfect Blue is everything I love about magical realism
A surreal step towards mental breakdown
The first thing that caught my attention about Perfect Blue was the art and animation under the direction of Satoshi Kon. The fluidity of the characters' movements and the attention to detail in each piece of art is always awe-inspiring to look at, especially knowing that it is somehow supposed to be almost 30 years old. Of course, tying it all together is the way Satoshi Kon's shot composition and use of camera always work to highlight the dark nature of Satoshi Kon Perfect blue colorthe story of.
Satoshi Kon's excellent direction also does wonders to emphasize the surreal nature of Perfect Blue. The film is famous for its surreal visuals that highlight the mental breakdown the main character gradually endures throughout the film and through a combination of art, animation and music, every scene in Perfect blue color sells itself perfectly as a wonderfully surreal film, while also relying on the thoughtfulness and maturity of its writing. Perfect Blue is a classy film in every way and it's still surprising that this is Satoshi Kon's debut.
Part of the reason Perfect Blue resonates with me is probably my love of magical realism. Haruki Murakami's works have helped raise my awareness of fiction for over a decade, and any work with similar themes of magical realism has become one of my favorites. like to read or watch. As such, although it doesn't quite fit into the genre, Perfect blue colorThe elements of magical realism resonated perfectly with my love for that style of writing.and I still don't believe that something of Perfect Blue's quality can exist.
I reassess what my first introduction to Satoshi Kon was like
Paranoid Agent is Kon's only drama
While Perfect Blue is what launched me on my journey of loving Satoshi Kon, it wasn't technically my first experience with his work. Years ago, I watched Paranoid Agent, the only TV series Kon made before he passed away, and although I liked it quite a bit, it didn't leave much of a lasting impression on me after when it finished airing on Toonami. However, after watching Perfect Blue, I took a different look at Paranoia Agent, and thanks to a newfound appreciation for Kon's work, I realized that Paranoid agent is an underrated gem that has captured my greatest interests.
I've always thought the animation and overall direction of Paranoia Agent was both wonderful and strange, but it took me so long to understand how well Satoshi Kon made it. Every scene in Paranoid agent is the perfect expression of surrealism and authentic craftsmanship, whether it be through the excellent animation or how thoroughly the story is crafted and detailed from start to finish. Paranoia Agent isn't my favorite anime, but it is one of the best directed anime I've ever seen, and it wasn't until I fell in love with Satoshi Kon's work that I truly realized that.
Paprika made me realize how far animation can go
Satoshi Kon's most famous film is also his masterpiece
If Perfect Blue and Paranoia Agent were what really got me interested in Satoshi Kon's work, it was Satoshi Kon's last film, Paprika, that cemented him as a legend in my mind. The surrealist style of Satoshi Kon's work reached its peak in the year Paprika. The story strives to be as strange and absurd as possible, and the creative and completely unhinged artwork and animation that accompanies it makes every scene a joy to watch. Satoshi Kon has always been famous for his imagery, and no work illustrates that better than Paprika.
When I finished watching Paprika, I realized my appreciation not only for Satoshi Kon but for animation in general. I can't remember the last time I saw a 2D animation that not only demonstrated the freedom of the medium to the same degree as Paprika, but also thoroughly combined that with compelling storytelling and an all-around engaging cast. face. While not necessarily his best work, Satoshi Kon's work with Paprika has some of the best direction in all of animeand there was no better story to end his career before his death.
Satoshi Kon's most grounded stories are what bother me the most
Tokyo Godfather and Millennium Actress are both produced by Madhouse
I was motivated to become a fan of Satoshi Kon by his surrealist style, but the stories that irked me the most were his more grounded works: Tokyo Godfather and Millennium Actress century. While Tokyo Godfathers is certainly goofy and plays around a lot with its animation, it's also a lot of fun. a very grounded story about finding a family and what one needs to be happy. The story is certainly emotional, but the contrast between its mostly grounded nature and what I know to be Satoshi Kon's style probably helped express its power more than I could imagine.
I admire Satoshi Kon's direction with Millennium Actor even more. The Millennium actress leans more towards magical realism than the Tokyo Godfathers through the genius decision to portray Chiyoko's interviews as characters who personally witnessed her history , and in doing so, The story of Chiyoko's life of loss and suffering is as powerful as it can be, is much more difficult than if it were just commonly said. The best magical realism stories use their absurd elements to enhance the grounded ones, and nowhere did I feel that was more effective than I did with Millennium Actor.
Satoshi Kon's real talent is the humanity in his writing
While Kon's visual storytelling made him famous, his real strength is his writing
Satoshi Kon always writes his characters with an incredible amount of humanity hidden within them.
As I delved deeper into Satoshi Kon's works, I realized that his real area of expertise was not animation but writing. Regardless of whether he's trying to be goofy, heartwarming, or horribly dark, Satoshi Kon always writes his characters with an incredible amount of humanity hidden within them, whether it's through dramatic events. trait that everyone would be forced to go through or the simple fact that Kon is not afraid to make mistakes even among his heroes. As startlingly abstract as Kon's animations are, it would be lifeless without his writing talent.
There will never be another Satoshi Kon and that kills me
Satoshi Kon is a genius like no other
After several months, I finally realized what a genius Satoshi Kon was, and in turn, I also realized how tragic it was that he passed away. The euphoria that Kon's work brings will always stay with me, but he passed away in 2010 so I can never experience it for the first time again. His last film, Dreaming Machine, was in production before his death, but it remains unfinished because no director can match Satoshi Kon's style, and if that doesn't do it. If he is irreplaceable then nothing can replace him.
Satoshi Kon's death is a tragedy that the anime world will never forget, and it took me so long to realize why. Satoshi Kon understands animation to a degree that other creators can only dream of, and I can't remember the last time any anime impressed me as much as his work. Even without my love for magical realism, I've always loved it Satoshi Kon about the life he brought to animation and storytelling in general, and it took me so long to realize that.
