>>281704565
>>281704786
>they were ghosts
Is a midwit interpretation.
Satoshi Kon (like a lot of Japanese) are very into Jungian psychology, and the themes are spread throughout his works.
The entire concept of Paranoia Agent centers around the Jungian concept of the collective unconscious in which the "unreal" is made real by everybody believing in it (in simple terms) which shouldn't taken much explanation in how it relates to the story as a whole.
Let's dive deeper now.
What is Shounen Bat, exactly? Well obviously he is what everyone wants him to be. But more direct to Jungs work he represents the archetype of change: The Magician.
These three are not ghosts. It makes zero sense why there would be fucking ghosts randomly in the story, and less sense why Shounen Bat would be running from them.
Until of course you realize they are also manifestations of the archetypes of humanity. >The Innocent
>The Sage
>The Rebel.
It was not by random intent that the middle aged guy was hinted to be gay. Kon's intent was to show that these three aspects of humanity are actively seeking change through death.
It is a commentary on Japan's suicide culture (with some more nuance, of course).
If you are wondering, we actually do meet the other archetypes throughout the show. The detectives wife who returns to meet him after her death represents the Caretaker, for example.
And Maromi is a Shadow. Yes the same type of Shadow from the Persona series, which borrows thematically from Jungian concepts.
