7.225 minSeason 1 • Episode 13
LatestTokyo 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.
Musashino, Tokyo. An elementary schooler repeatedly attacks people in the streets. Known only to the public as "Lil Slugger", none of the victims can recall the young boy's face and only three distinct details are left in their memories: golden inline skates, a baseball cap, and the weapon: a bent golden baseball bat. Detectives Ikari and Maniwa set out to track down the perpetrator and put an end to his crimes.
Direction
Kon blurs reality through editing that gaslights the viewer.
Editing
Seamless transitions between delusion and reality, often mid-shot.
Writing
Victim studies that weaponize empathy against comfortable assumptions.
Creator
Satoshi Kon
Mamiko Noto
Tsukiko Sagi (voice)
Daisuke Sakaguchi
Lil' Slugger / Makoto Kozuka (voice)
Haruko Momoi
Maromi (voice)
Shozo Iizuka
Keiichi Ikari (voice)
Toshihiko Seki
Mitsuhiro Maniwa (voice)
Hisako Kyoda
Mysterious Old Woman (voice)
Ryuji Saikachi
Mysterious Old Man (voice)
Kenji Utsumi
Akio Kawazu (voice)
Mayumi Yamaguchi
Yūichi Taira (voice)
Makoto Tsumura
Shōgo Ushiyama (voice)
Kotono Mitsuishi
Harumi Chono (voice)
Toshihiko Nakajima
Masami Hirukawa (voice)
Nana Mizuki
Taeko Hirukawa (voice)
Mina Tominaga
Kamome (voice)
Kiyoshi Kawakubo
Fuyubachi (voice)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Parodies Japan's 1990s 'kawaii' culture and post-bubble economic anxiety, where cute mascots mask systemic despair.
Kon originally conceived this as a feature film; the episodic structure let him explore how media itself propagates delusion — each episode mimics different TV genres.
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