I recently stumbled upon a compelling article on the subject of Japanese mini-series Paranoia Agent (2004) that totally blew my case.

Writer Ben Hamamoto proposes that the show created by celebrated filmmaker Satoshi Kon (Perfect Blue, Tokyo Godfathers, Paprika) "is a surreal and epic exploration of what it means to be Japanese, (in that way similar to Haruki Murakami’s “Wind-up Bird Chronicle”). It makes a case that the culture of kawaii (cute) was birthed by the atomic bomb and functions as a mask for Japan’s World War II atrocities."

Fascinating stuff. Read the whole article here and then go watch Paranoia Agent.