Kon Satoshi Dead at 47

Some really bad news today. Kon Satoshi, director of “Perfect Blue” and “Paprika”, passed away August 23rd, of pancreatic cancer.

Kon first caught the attention of anime fans with “Perfect Blue”, a thriller about a pop idol having a mental breakdown over the demands of fame and the sexual nature of the minor acting roles she could get. Originally intended to be a direct-to-video release, it caught the attention of the company and turned into a feature.

Kon followed it up with “Millenium Actress”, which explored Japan’s past through the lens of its film history; “Tokyo Godfathers”, which explores the society of homeless in Tokyo; and “Paprika”, about subjective reality and dreams. He also created and directed the series “Paranoia Agent”.

If you haven’t seen his stuff, make a point of doing so. Kon didn’t create the usual anime; there aren’t any big eyed schoolgirls, mecha, or naughty tentacle monsters in his work. He really was a superb filmmaker, and losing him this young is a true tragedy. Our condolences to his family, friends, and fans.

[ via Inquisitr ]