Paranoia Agent

Tsukiko Sagi, a shy character designer, is suddenly attacked by someone carrying a golden baseball bat. When a pair of detectives interrogate her, she describes the suspect as an elementary school-aged boy wearing golden inline skates and a red hat.

Feb 3, 2004

Yuuichi "Icchi" Taira, a formerly popular sixth-grade schoolboy, starts being bullied at school for his red hat and golden skates which strongly resemble those of Lil' Slugger.

Feb 10, 2004

Harumi Chouno, a woman with dissociative identity disorder attempts to defy her prostitute alter ego, Maria. Harumi becomes increasingly desperate when a colleague proposes. She accepts, but is terrified of Maria's existence being found out.

Feb 17, 2004

Masami Hirukawa is a low-level police officer who, despite calling himself a family man, accepts bribes in the form of cash and women from a local yakuza group. However, Masami squeezes the group a bit too much, and they send their boss to deal with him.

Feb 24, 2004

Ikari and Maniwa interrogate the boy known as Lil' Slugger, who turns out to be an eighth-grade student named Makoto Kozuka. Kozuka admits to the attacks, but he believes that the world around him is a medieval fantasy-style role playing game.

Mar 9, 2004

Taeko, a runaway teenager, wanders through the stormy city wanting to forget about her past, as her father repeatedly calls her cellphone but she always answers coldly, saying she will "destroy everything."

Mar 16, 2004

After Taeko is attacked while both Tsukiko and Kozuka have alibis, Maniwa considers the possibility of another Lil' Slugger existing and looks for connections between the victims in an attempt to pinpoint who will be next.

Mar 23, 2004

The three members of an Internet suicide pact meet each other for the first time in attempt to come up with ways to commit suicide, but hope to see Lil' Slugger.

Apr 6, 2004

Four housewives share gossip that they have heard about Lil' Slugger.

Apr 13, 2004

Production coordinator Naoyuki Saruta fights traffic to deliver the first episode of "Mellow Maromi," an anime based on the famous character designed by Tsukiko, to the broadcasting network.

Apr 20, 2004

Misae Ikari, wife of Ikari the detective, confronts Lil' Slugger when he comes for her about what humans really are and tells him about the problems he's caused.

Apr 27, 2004

Maniwa engages in battle with Lil' Slugger and investigates his past. First he visits the mysterious old man at the hospital just before he dies; his last words to Maniwa are "dance with the rabbit".

May 11, 2004

Tokyo is in ruins because of a black mass, formed by the rampaging Lil' Slugger, that envelops the town. Maniwa contacts the police chief on a screen in the cartoon world telling him what he knows; Ikari smashes the screen and is hailed a hero.

May 18, 2004