It has been just over a decade since the passing of director, writer, and manga artist Satoshi Kon. While his passing came at a young age, he left behind a body of work that is admired by fans of anime and cinema alike. As a result, many hold his name up to the same standards as Studio Ghibli in establishing a signature style that appealed to a broad audience.
With all of the creator's work show a strong love for cinema and anime, his films covered a variety of genre drama, romance, horror, and fantasy. Within each of these, Kon was able to bring his own vision to each project, becoming well known for his experimental, yet emotional approach. Besides his work in film, Kon also completed several manga series that are worth checking out.
6 Paprika (2006) - 7.7
After technology that allows one person to enter another's dream gets stolen and altered, it is up to Paprika to sort out the fallout. However, the device begins to meld reality with the dream world, making it difficult for the titular hero to navigate. Flowing like a dream, the story of Paprika is equal parts sci-fi, fantasy, and drama.
While on paper Paprika seems like a surrealist and abstract project, the production is actually rooted in a deep love of cinema. While Kon's love of live-action cinema resonates in all of his work, the dream transitions offer various scenes that pay homage to iconic moments in drama, action, mystery, and horror productions. Additionally, the film is masterfully scored by Susumu Hirasawa who imbues the production with an eclectic mix of distorted pop and atmospheric dread.
5 Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (1994, OAV) - 7.8
Backed by an avid cult fanbase, the current run of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure has become one of the most beloved anime series running. However, few are aware of the OAV series that saw seven episodes released between 1993-1994. Additionally, even fewer people are aware that this series gave Kon his first experience as a director on three of the episodes.
While the history of Jojo and specific 'arcs' is too expansive to successfully condense into 7 episodes, the short series still managed to capture some of the bravado and machismo that defined the aesthetic of the manga. It can be argued that approaching such a rich and visually engaging work allowed the future standout to get a taste of what the future held.
4 Tokyo Godfathers (2003) - 7.8
On Christmas Eve, three homeless people on the streets of Tokyo stumble upon an abandoned baby. Together the trio tries to search for the mother, in an attempt to reunite the two in time for Christmas. In the process, the trio learns to have pride in their own strengths and aspirations.
While good Christmas Anime is rare and far between, Kon managed to make a heartwarming tale with Tokyo Godfathers. Backed by strong personalities in the homeless trio, the desire of the group to fulfill a Christmas miracle is nothing short of selfless in the face of hardship. Additionally, a light comedic approach makes this a holiday film that can be enjoyed by the entire family.
3 Millennium Actress (2001) - 7.9
A camera crew meets with an aging actor to explore her past through a series of interviews. The crew soon finds itself riding along via flashbacks, as it is sucked right into the various roles and pivotal moments in the starlet's career.
Containing some of the best transitional sequences in anime, Millennium Actress is a work imbued with a lot of emotion. Measuring the passage of time through the woman's career, both good and bad, offers an intimate perspective on a rich and varied life. Romance at its purest and most artistic, Millennium Actress is as timeless as the cinema it celebrates through the memories of an icon of classic film.
2 Perfect Blue (1997) - 8.0
After giving up a career as a pop idol, Mima decides to pursue her dream as an actress. However, the path to stardom turns to horror as she faces the possibility of a stalker turned violent at a perceived loss of innocence. As the attacks against her intensify, Mima begins to lose touch with reality.
Perfect Blue offers an unnerving experience, blurring the lines between reality, delusion, and space in-between. Consequently, the downfall of Mima becomes an uncomfortable journey as the actresses sanity comes into question, both from her perspective and the viewers. Psychological horror at its best, the film would go on to be adapted and tweaked by Darren Aronofsky for his film Black Swan.
1 Paranoia Agent (2004, Anime Series) - 8.1
Random acts of violence, brought on by a boy wielding a golden bat, set a couple of detectives on the search for the culprit. The case becomes more perplexing as the detectives learn that the assaults actually lead to a positive outcome for the victims.
Kon's only foray into television, where he acted as writer and director, proved to be one of his most revered works in anime. Paranoia Agent combines many of the attributes that fans would come to love; an abstract approach that distorted reality, a dark atmosphere driven by strong visuals and sound design, and a love of filmmaking conveyed within the narrative. Overall, the series acts as a testament to Kon's career, and the tragedy of it being cut short in never getting another experience quite like that of Paranoia Agent.
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