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Satoshi Kon was a huge influence in the anime industry. If you’ve been an anime fan for any length of time, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of him. At the very least, you’ve probably heard of at least one of the animated titles he directed.

Notable works include: Perfect Blue (1997), Millennium Actress (2001), Tokyo Godfathers (2003), Paranoia Agent (2004) and Paprika (2006).

His aspiration in life was to become an animator, but thankfully he blossomed well beyond that. In his career he was credited for being an animator, screenwriter, manga artist, and a director.

His ability as a director is what I truly want to highlight here. Though keep in mind, he had other talents too. Each of them just as prolific and noteworthy in their own way.

In the 90’s animation was striving to do new things, and reach a larger audience. Kon fit the needs of the industry well in regards to that. He was able to utilize the anime medium to its fullest potential as an art form.

Now, let’s make no mistake about this. Kon was a master in directorial design. Love or hate his works, he took to his craft with a keen eye for detail. Each of the films he directed are unique. None are without depth. His productions are incredible.

Even if his works aren’t exactly mainstream media, his influence impacted the anime industry unquestionably. Satoshi Kon’s films are way ahead of their time thematically. They challenge viewers, and often they require more than a single viewing.

In order to completely catch every minor detail Kon skillfully embeds into films like Millennium Actress, it’s best to watch them at least twice.

They’re darker by their nature, and tend to require a more mature viewer. One that is able to critically think about the themes that are so prevalent in his media. His works are often saturated with several layers of metaphor to drive the stories forward.

Kon was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. 2010, leaving behind a legacy in anime that shouldn’t be forgotten. With the flood of new anime every season, there is no shortage of things to watch. In fact there’s not enough time in a day to watch them all, but to cast aside those older gems would be a disservice to anime as an art form.

I have memories of watching his works with my friends. I spent way too many nights huddled under blankets and starting popcorn fights over his anime, and I’d never be able to thank him, or the medium of anime enough for that.

So, that’s it then.

This is Kernook, from The Demented Ferrets…

“Where stupidity is at its finest and level grinds are par for the course…”

The Demented Ferrets…

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