Paranoia Agent: The Complete Series Box Set

This four-disc boxset from MVM Entertainment includes all 13 episodes of Paranoia Agent, as well as the 'Prophetic Visions' at the end of each episode in which a tuxedoed old man cryptically previews the contents of the next instalment (paradoxically, even the final episode has one of these, so don't forget to wait till the end of the closing credits).

Purists should note, however, that the excellent eighth episode ('Happy Family Planning') has not only received an 18 certificate from the BBFC (where all the other episodes have a 15 certificate), but also suffered a cut of 80 seconds for a scene that depicted a young girl cheerfully attempting to hang herself alongside two older male accomplices. Despite an overall elliptical quality to the episode, this cut is conspicuous, disruptive and belittles the viewer (in a series that, frankly, is FULL of disturbing material). Bad call, BBFC!

Paranoia Agent's exquisite imagery is presented in Anamorphic Widescreen, and can be heard in its original Japanese (with several subtitling options) or in an impressive English dub.

In an economic five-minute interview conducted in late 2003 for Japanese satellite TV, director/creator Satoshi Kon discusses his combination of ideas that had been refused for his three previous films, his identification with the middle-aged character Keiichi Ikari, and his belief that "the world as a person perceives it is a world filtered through his fantasy or paranoia". The interview ends with an ellipsis recognisably akin to the overall enigmatic strategy of the series: "To tell the truth, this Paranoia Agent is...".

The first episode is switchable (via the dvd players angle function) for ongoing comparison of storyboards to the final product, and it is also possible on disc two to view the arrestingly surreal imagery of the opening and closing sequences without credits, while disc three has an image gallery.

Finally disc four has a full audio commentary on the last three episodes, by Kon, screenwriter Seishi Minakami and producer Satoki Koyoda - although in fact they only rarely comment on the events on-screen, instead preferring to discuss the project's conception, production, sound design and visual style in general, as well as its opening and closing credits, and the kaleidoscopic 'eye-catches' designed by Kato to mark the beginning and end of ad breaks. The three men's subtitled conversation, dubbed 'Paranoid Radio' by Kon, is informative, articulate and surprisingly good-humoured, while giving the impression of a production schedule that was every bit as pressured and hectic as the one portrayed in Episode 10. If only all audio commentaries were as engaging as this!