It's my second time watching Satoshi Kon's work, "Perfect Blue" being the first. Some of its similarities are very noticeable. This particular style of portraying a story is unique, which I haven't seen very much of in other animes I've watched so far; perhaps it is truly a signature of Satoshi Kon's style.

First off, the anime starts as a typical mystery anime, displaying a variety of hints that appear to be a key to understanding the story.

Maromi was designed by character designer Tsukiko Sagi, and it became a very well-known figure. She is under pressure to create a follow-up to her first hit while struggling with a creative block. Late at night, as she walked home, she noticed a small, homeless woman who then abruptly vanished as she turned around. From there, things become increasingly unsettling, ending in her being struck over the head by an unidentified elementary school punk wearing gold skates and wielding a bent bat. This incident was reported on and made the news, attracting the attention of detectives, who then start investigating the case. Similar occurrences quickly follow, with victims describing the suspect in the same way.

At first, the incidents occur in a seemingly consistent pattern. It will somehow allow you to take a guess and predict how the story will unfold. but then it will start defying all of your expectations in order to introduce a newer concept, which will allow you to see a much bigger picture. When I noticed that, the plot was fairly simple for me to comprehend and keep up with.

You need to have a much broader perspective in order to truly comprehend the story. Take care not to misinterpret the meaning behind some of the portrayals. (Unless you are familiar with Satoshi Kon's works, keep an open mind about what it might represent and refrain from making quick judgments.)

The portrayal of the story frequently shifts from reality into a setting that is far more surreal. This allows one to transcend reality's constraints in order to express a rather complex idea, which portrays reality in an imaginative and figurative manner. sometimes making the audience puzzled about whether a particular scene is real or not. For me, this is a brilliant way to handle a psychological plot. Anyone who considers themselves a fan of psychological fiction will regard this show as one of the masterworks of the genre. Even so, as I previously stated, one of its drawbacks is that not everyone will be able to keep up with this story and thus will find it difficult to appreciate this work.

Nonetheless, it really succeeds as psychological fiction. It explores the nature of the human mind pretty well, presented in an extremely creative style. And the title is well thought out, justifying the plot.