Paprika

Excellent animation, but the storyline is a bit bizarre and hard to follow for those not accustom to anime.

I saw this movie before I had even seen "The Cell." Yes, there are some scenes which are similar to the movie starring Jennifer Lopez, but I really preferred director Satoshi Kon/Japanese novelist Yatsutaka Tsutsui's animated exploration of dream exploration. Like Lopez's character in "The Cell," Japanese psychologist, Atsuko Chan, delves into the mind of psychotherapy patients using a device (called the D.C. Mini.) But Paprika does it more intelligently than "The Cell," tackling ethical questions surrounding science, perceptions versus reality, psychology and the uses of technology to help or harm.

There are some really nice extras included with the movie -- including an interview with the Japanese voice cast (which includes Satoshi Kon and Yatsutaka Tsutsui who voiced the bartender characters in the film). Kon admits that Paprika was the film he originally wanted to do, well before his other films like "Millennium Actress" and "Perfect Blue."

Paprika's CGI-rendered scenes and animation was pure eye candy. The twists and turns of the plot will also keep you guessing. There is a Japanese and English voice track included with the movie as well.

The only problem I had was with the voice of Paprika and Atsuko Chan for the English version. The voicing for Paprika and the other characters were near perfect on the Japanese version, and almost a bit annoying on the English one. I usually prefer dubbing, but this was the first time I had to watch it subbed.

The film is set in the "near future," and the film's plot revolves around a psychotherapy treatment called dream therapy. Dream therapy uses a device called a "DC Mini," which allows the user to view other people's dreams. However, this technology has not been announced to the media. It turns out that three DC Mini prototypes have been stolen, and the protagonists of the story must find out where they went, as well as for clues to figure out what exactly is going on. As the film progresses, the narrative becomes more and more muddled between dreams and reality, to the point where the viewer is questioning whether what they are seeing on the screen is actually happening in the story, or is just someone's dream. However, this blurring of the lines really helps to tell the story that Satoshi Kon is wanting to convey in the film.

The DVD release of Paprika contains six special features. The first is the filmmakers' commentary. Next is a thirty minute documentary titled, "Tsutsui and Kon's Paprika." This documentary includes interviews with both Yasutaka Tsutsui and Satoshi Kon, and tells how the film was adapted from the novel. Next is a documentary titled, "A Conversation About the `Dream'." It runs for thirty minutes, and it features two of the voice actors, Yasutaka Tsutsui, and Satoshi Kon. They talk about the dream world in the film. Next is a fifteen minute documentary titled, "The Dream CG World"; this talks about the technological aspects of producing the film. The final documentary is titled, "The Art of Fantasy," and it runs for about twelve minutes. The final extra is previews for other titles released by Sony Pictures Classics.

Paprika is a very well-made film. Not only does it have a compelling story to tell, but the story is illustrated with some wonderful animation. However, since Paprika is an R-rated film, I can only recommend it to anime viewers who are seventeen years of age and older.

Warning, may contain spoilers!!!

So, to start off, I thought this was a wonderful film. The animation was superb and the story was marvelous. The soundtrack is fantastic and sets such a great mood to the whole film (the Parade and Opening credits are the first to pop to mind), and it stands well on it's own. So to get this on the right foot, I want it to be clear that I in no way dislike this film and think very highly of it, I just think it could have been executed a little better.

I was torn between giving it a 5 star rating or a 4 star, but I had to make my decision lean towards giving it 4 (although I would have made it 4 1/2). I have a good reason for it, so please read on before giving this rating a thumbs down, and decide for yourself whether my reasoning was sound or extreme.

I gave the film 4/5 was because of problems I found in the scripting of it. How the DC-Mini began to spill into reality was not explained very well and the origin of Paprika and who she was was a bit ambiguous. The film also didn't develop the two baddies Osanai and Inui (and how he came to be) and their sexual relationship (thus explaining some of the plot), and it hardly touched the romance between Tokita and Chiba. There is more, but I wish not to reveal too much of the plot.

It really missed the mark of the book, which I highly recommend. I am unsure if it is being sold in Amazon.com, but I was able to purchase it through Amazon.co.uk. It's a marvelous book, Tsutsui is a phenomenal writer and makes me wish I could read Japanese in order to get the full force of his skill.

At any rate, I realize that liberties must be taken with film adaptations of books, but I think the screenwriters could have done a better job in character development (which I had thought before reading the novel that inspired the film). There is so much I could say about what they could have done differently, or even better, so I would say it'd be easier if you read the book and you'll fully understand what I mean (a side note, if you're interested in Psychology or in any sort of Psychological/Philosophical field, you'll definitely enjoy reading it). Aside from that, it's a wonderfully fun film to watch filled with suspense and wonder and it's a movie that I'm proud to have in my collection of films.

As the Japanese may say, 'Sugoi'!

All i have to say about Paprika is what a wonderful movie it is. It doesn't take long after the movie starts for you to start gasping at how imaginative the movie is. With its focus on dreams the creators had no limit to what they could put in here and it shows. Buy it and watch it, then watch it again, and watch it a couple dozen times after that.

Paprika is the out going and perky alter ego of Atsuko Chiba, a young research psychologist who uses a revolutionary device dubbed the DC Mini to help patients by entering their dreams. Unfortunately, the DC Mini has fallen into the wrong hands, and it is up to the buxom Paprika to prevent the dreamworld from melding with reality.

The beautiful Paprika is seemingly a polar opposite of her reality based self. Atsuko dresses more conservatively and is more cautious, while Paprika's wardrobe is a little more hip and revealing, and she has no problem leaping before looking. It is Paprika whom we spend most of our time with as she enters people's mental landscapes in an attempt to discover who stole the DC Mini and how to stop them from destroying the line between reality and fantasy. This is a "save the world" story with some pretty unique twists.

I was quite pleased with the English dub. While it is not without fault, it is significantly better than the monotonic, melodramatic dubs that we are use to. Of course, purist still have the option of listening to the Japanese language track if they prefer, but they should give the English track a chance.

Paprika is truly a work of art. You could quite literally randomly press pause, and have an image that you would be proud to have on your wall. Reality is rigid and structured with slightly a subdued color palette.. The dreamworld is vibrant, loose and whimsical. It is a striking contrast that I have never seen in anime before.

Picture quality is simply sublime. This is a show piece Blu-ray disc. Colors are incredibly deep and vibrant, but they never bleed unlike my experience with the DVD. This disc is the definition of eye candy. Audio is impressive as well. The soundtrack is creative and memorable with one in particular nasty ear worm that will run in your head for days, but you won't complain.

The special features are pretty much what we have come to expect - commentary, behind the scenes, the making of, etc. - though they are rather in depth. Be warned, however, they the special features are in Japanese only. There is, however, the option for subtitles.

This Blu-ray transfer is what all anime should strive for. Lines are crisp (when need be), and colors pop off the screen. It is difficult to talk about the story without giving too much away, but rest assured that it is complex and mature, though I never felt lost. It is worth mentioning for those who are sensitive to nudity that there is a full nude body shot of Paprika, though only her breasts are revealed - no genitalia. This is a title that every anime fan needs in their collection, and is the perfect entry to the world of anime for those who are unfamiliar.

Tech Specs
Video: 1080p, 1.85:1
Audio: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Japanese Dolby TrueHD 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, Portuguese Dolby Digital 5.1, Chinese Mandarin/Cantonese Dolby Digital 5.1, Thai Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Thai

Over the years, I have developed a love for good quality Anime. My sister saw this movie and LOVED it. So, with some excitement I bought it and watched it with my family. It is about device that allows Psychotherapists to enter into dreams with their patients to aide in understanding dreams and diagnosing psychological disorders. However, someone steals the device and starts to use it for evil.

The movie sounded interesting so I was surprised when, it left me with sort of a confused, disoriented, mind-screw sort of feeling in my head. This is because, through much of the movie you are never sure if you are in the dream world, or in reality. Coming from western society, where all our movie dream sequences are very well defined or well explained, this movie never really tells where you are. However, it was still possible for me to follow the plot mostly, even though the end was even more confusing still.

After watching the movie (the art was beautiful), my sister helped explain it (apparently her brain is pre-wired to understand these sorts of things. She tends to reject the western notion of categorizing and dividing which I think makes her more eastern in her perception and philosophy.) Her explanations helped me understand it, but it did nothing to help our father understand or appreciate the film more.

Ultimately I find this to be an interesting film that is a must-watch if you are interested in experiencing a different way of perceiving reality. And if you have difficulty understanding it the first time, I recommend waiting a year, and watching it again. (That tactic usually helps me understand things that are initially baffling to me). The film is very artistic and intriguing, so I highly recommend watching it.

Also, Recently we found an article that found that most Asians look exclusively at the eyes when looking for emotions. So, my whole family watched only the eyes of the characters in this movie and it helped immensely for understanding what the characters were thinking and made them seem a whole lot less stiff.

I love Satoshi Kon's work such as Paranoia Agent and Millennium actress. This movie was just another one of his great works! The story was interesting and the way it was brought to life was absolutely beautiful. I really enjoyed the artwork, to me it's not your average anime, especially with a story like that. If you liked it then I suggest looking at the rest of his work. Careful though, sometimes his story lines are complicated, difficult to understand, and even boring to some. I don't recommend his work for kids.

Paprika / B000VWYJ68

*Spoilers*

When a psychology research team finds that their prototype "DC Mini" (a computer device that lets a person enter another person's dreams for purposes of analytical observation and intercession) has been stolen, their alarm that the device might be used for terrorism seems rapidly justified - members of the research team find their minds hijacked into 'waking dreams' and are driven to frighteningly disconnected, sometimes suicidal behavior. One research member leaps over a dream railing...only to find that she has leapt over a corresponding railing in the real world - an apartment balcony railing several stories above ground.

The senior female member of the research team, a confident and somewhat chilly researcher name Atsuko, is particularly vulnerable to having her mind hijacked, as she has been using the prototype DC Mini to help her patients, even before the device was completed, and has been moonlighting as a spunky, exuberant girl named 'Paprika' to do so. As Atsuko fights to protect her colleagues and patients, her mind and personality become increasingly split, to the point that Atsuko and Paprika separate into two distinct people. In order to save the city, and her loved ones, Atsuko/Paprika must reconcile their personality differences whilst navigating increasingly creepy and dangerous dreams.

By the same minds that brought us Millennium Actress and Perfect Blue, "Paprika" continues tradition by seamlessly (and often confusingly) blending reality and fantasy in such a way that the two are difficult to distinguish. "Paprika" is probably the most colorful and exotic of the trio, as Paprika turns into fairies, butterflies, and sphinxes in her quest, and must defeat frightening dolls and men with tree roots for legs. And I deeply appreciated the subversion of the usual gender roles here - there is a subtle under-text that many of the 'attractive' or 'acceptable' men in Atsuko's life are a little too obsessed with her and her alternate dream persona. "Paprika" may potential frustrate viewers, though, due to the rather confusing and unresolved nature of many of the plot threads. If you're just willing to enjoy the ride, however, "Paprika" will definitely be a pleasure for you.

Content warning: There is female nudity in this movie, as well as several scary fantasy situations. And, of course, watching people behave suicidally because they are unwillingly dream-walking is pretty disturbing in of itself.

Awarded Best Film honors at the 2007 Anime Awards in Tokyo, Japan, "Paprika " tells of a group of well-meaning scientists who invent a machine capable of controlling people's dreams - only to discover that the dreams, in a retaliatory measure, have actually begun controlling them.

This cautionary tale about the abuse of science and technology may be confusing at times - not surprising given its near-constant merging of dreams and dreamlike states with "reality" - but the concept is an intriguing one, a tribute to the fertile imaginations that concocted it: writer Seishi Minakami and co-writer/director Satoshi Kan (working off the novel by Yasutaka Tsutsui), along with a handful of first-rate animation artists who have brought it all to miraculous life on film. The execution is smart and visually compelling, filled with eerie scenes of abandoned amusement parks and bizarrely incongruous images (refrigerators dancing, toads playing musical instruments etc.) that effectively capture the bewildering and often discomfiting nature of dreams and nightmares.

In addition, the characters are well-rounded and complex, the storyline endlessly inventive and challenging, and the moral and ethical issues dealt with in a manner that is both thought-provoking and evenhanded.

Indeed, "Paprika" is so imaginative and visually stimulating that even non-anime fans may find themselves irresistibly drawn into the amazingly kaleidoscopic world it unfolds before them.

Most engaging, thought provoking animated film I've ever seen. What is a director? A meglomaniac who subjects his audience to his private dreams projected large on the screen? You will find yourself asking this and many more profound questions related to art, psychology, and entertainment after watching this.

What a soundtrack. If you can watch this on an HDTV with a surround sound system, it will be a film experience to rave about.

Also included: A great short documetary about the author of the novel and the director of the film working together. PAPRIKA transcends all concepts I had of anime. Final note, the English dubbing is superb.

If you like movies that make you think then I would suggest this movie. With a plot that never stops moving and visually stunning sequences, this is a must have for anyone who likes anime. The DVD case was just a case, no little booklet that shows the chapters or has advertisements for other movies by the creator. The DVD also doesn't have any super special features on it, but the movie itself makes up for it. I would recommend this movie to anyone seeking something new and original to watch.

It is a good movie, If you like Perfect Blue you will like this. It gives the feeling of being more innocent than Perfect Blue.

It is a mind flipping movie were even you will question through out the move is it real or not. And a good movie to do a Psychology paper on.

I would recommend the purchase of this movie. The character development and plotline is very well developed, the animation is spectactularly wonderful... beautiful to behold. It wouldn't be appropriate to spoil the plot anymore than is already done... buy it, and I promise you won't regret it.

[...] I rarely buy DVD anymore. However, this is a film worth buying and keeping on your shelf so you could watch it over and over. It's a feast to the eyes. The flood of imagery!

I've been a huge fan of Satoshi Kon since watching Perfect Blue, and this film is no exception. A unique and engaging story, gorgeous animation, and great voice acting for the English dub. As with all of this director's works, this is an adult-oriented anime, but only because of the themes involved and complexity of the story, not because of gratuitous nudity or fountains of blood. Enjoy!

The beauty of Satoshi Kon's movies is that it's a waste of time trying to play chess with the story and attempt to beat it to the end. Clever twists are there, but aren't the reward of careful viewership. Instead he celebrates the process of unpredictiablity over the product, which is good news if you're willing to just let go and be lead by the nose through his stories. Transitions from image to reality are usually subtle in his films. With Paprika, he goes all out and dunks you into a dream world one minute and yanks you out the minute after. It's the best whiplash you'll ever have. And like so many of his films, Paprika is one that stays with you long after the movie is over.

For starters, I've not ever written a review on Amazon and I almost never bother to add my own thoughts to these types of reviews but I want anyone about to buy this to know a few things before they do. I LOVE this movie, I really do and you would think that a movie that was obviously put together with such precision and detail that in the end, when they decided to tap the OTHER 'biggest' anime market out there or, the English speaking audience that they would have spent considerable time when it came time to dub the English audio. This has to be one of the worst hack jobs of most of the great anime movies or series out there. To say it is bad might just be an understatement. The voice of 'Paprika' is a high pitched Bettie Boop knock off making the watching and enjoyment of this movie just that more difficult unfortunately. Again, this is an incredible movie and DON'T NOT buy this just because the English audio sucks. Just be sure to watch in Japanese and read the subtitles instead. The plot line requires a lot of deep thought so it can be a little annoying reading and analyzing at the same time, in such depth, but watching in English audio is just painful. I really had hoped that when they decided to do the Blu Ray version of this that they'd have dumped the original English audio and decided to just re-do the whole thing. In Japan, the people that provided their voices to the characters do a deep study of the characters they play. It sounds like the English 'actors' spent about 2 weeks with a script, stopped by a starbucks on the way into the recording studio and winged it when they got in there. Even the way the lines are read you can tell the 'actors' don't even really understand WHAT is really going on in the film because the lines are delivered in all the wrong ways. It's just a little dissapointing to see all this work put into such an amazing film only to come up short on the audio. Buy the movie, in Blu Ray. But do the sub and NOT the dub.

Like all of his work, beautifully drawn from start to end. I liked 'Perfect Blue' more though.

There's something wonderfully sublime about Japanese culture and anime is definitely one of the ultimate expressions of that indefinable "something" that makes Japan so alluring. Case and point is this film where everything is so incredibly layered and working on so many different levels. Paprika is definitely a high water mark for anime and all that it represents. The main character is especially interesting, sort of like a super hero with a split personality or something...I think...I'm still not sure exactly what's going on but I've only watched the movie twice. It's definitely a film you'll need to watch more than once.

The visuals are stunning, the sound track is amazing, everything comes together. There were one or two parts that dragged but besides that this was a perfect movie.

Paprika really disappointed me, after how impressed I was by the director's first film 'Perfect Blue'.
The animation in this film is done by one of my favorite animation houses, Mad House, and is really well done.
My problem with this film basically boils down to the lighthearted nature of it. It's supposed to be a bit of a thriller, where a detective is trying to find a guy who is hurting people by entering their dreams. I thought the premise sounded quite promising, but the execution was not to my tastes.
I thought I was going to have similar problems with 'Perfect Blue', due to it's Pop Idol backdrop, but the story was quite serious, and the threats were very dangerous and real.
In this film, I rarely felt like anything dangerous was really happening. The detective would be chasing a criminal, and would suddenly turn to Tarzan, and the film would go for a laugh. Then it would try to be serious again. It does this throughout the film, and I just couldn't get into it's "lighthearted thriller" vibe.
I respect what the director is doing, but it's really not for me. I'll stick to 'Perfect Blue', thank you.

Paprika is one of my favorite movies! Amazing visuals. Awesome storyline. Fantastic music. Trippy, exciting, beautiful. I recommend it to everyone.

This was a great movie. I am a big anime fan but not usually too big on this style of animation or this type of anime.

The premise of the movie is that a device has been developed that can be used to give people therapy through their dreams (think the movie The Cell). When one of these devices gets stolen suddenly strange things start happening. What happens if a dream becomes a virus and spreads? Suddenly everyone thinks their dreams are reality and their dreams become reality (a bit of the Matrix here).

This is something that could only be done with animation. The movie can get a tad bit confusing at times as to what is real reality and what is the dream reality. Towards the end of the movie it is impossible to distinguish between the two; but that's really the point.

The animation was very good, although not my favorite style. The style was a bit too bright and childlike for what I normally like. The writing was very well done as was the storyline.

The movie kept you hanging on until the end, holding your breath as to what would happen.

The really special thing about this movie is the greater question it asks the watchers. If everyone believes something is reality does that make it real? If you are the only person who knows that the current reality isn't real what does that make you?

This was an entertaining and thought provoking movie.

Totally great fun - also great for people who might not ordinarily do anime, like me. Definitely not in the least predictable.

basic, basic plot: Prototype machine used by psychotherapists to access clients' dreams for treatment gets stolen, hallucinogenic havoc ensues with dreams going haywire for everyone. Who's behind it, and why?

The animation is beautiful, and the colors are lovely. I caught the regular DVD, not high-def, and I was very happy with it. Good subtitles. It's a bit sci-fi but I think the mystery of dreaming - and the hope that dreaming holds some key to our own internal issues - is universally appealing, so don't be put off by the machine stuff.

nudity: Some nudity which occurs in a threatening situation, but nothing x-rated or sketchy. I'd say 12 and up, if you want to show it to a kid.

visually, i really like this movie, my first time watching a blu ray and all i can say is WOW! I watched it on my ps3 and want to purchase more blu ray animation. as for the movie, I like more action, something like bersek. thats why i gave 4 stars. i wanted to watch something different thats why i gave this movie a try. im not disappointed, and i dont regret the purchase:)

Rarely do you see a movie that just takes you breath away. I was left sitting in my living room just sitting in the dark after the credits rolled. It must have been 5 min. where I was just staring off into space when finaly I said "WOW!!". Truly amazing. Great story, amazing animation, superb sound track. As soon as the opening title rolled I knew this was something special. Buy it! Share it! Watch it over and over!

Having seen Paprika only once, I'm putting down my first impressions on what may be a masterpiece of anime. I think the film will probably demand at least two more viewings just to get anywhere near an idea of what's going on, let alone to sort out the plot.

Paprika starts within a dream, and after the first viewing I'm not sure if the movie ever leaves the dream world for any semblence of the real world. There seems to be a reality within the movie, but all too often it merges with what is certainly a dream world. Don't get me wrong, this is not a bad thing, but it is intensely complicated because there's no way to be sure that there's any sort of reality to hold onto.

There is a plot which has to do with the stealing of a device that helps people enter other peoples' dreams. My question, at this point, is whether the device (which appears both within a dream and in the supposed 'real world') actually even exists in the film's 'real world' or whether it is just a figment of one of the characters' dreams.

The film seems to be exploring the boundaries of what's real, in the same way that movies like The Thirteenth Floor and, to a lesser extent, The Matrix do. However, while those other movies do reach a definite 'reality' during the course of the film, I'm not at all sure that Paprika does the same. Before seeing Paprika I had watched Millennium Actress by the same director, but while Millennium Actress is more complex than most movies it is simplistic in comparison to Paprika.

Perhaps at this point I'm trying to over-analyze the film. Maybe I should just let it wash over me for a couple of viewings and just go with the flow. It may also be that there is not supposed to be any certain interpretation, and it may be that, like a dream, it has many possible interpretations.

I'm both looking forward to - and dreading - my second viewing of this very interesting film. I'm looking forward to it in the hope that I can figure out another 10% of what the film is all about, and I'm dreading it because I may find that what I thought I knew might be completely wrong, and I might end up knowing less about the film than I think I already know. Either way though, this film experience will have been well worth the money I paid for the DVD.

This movie will not be enjoyed by folks who want to sit down and relax their brain for 90 minutes while mindless action and explosions happen onscreen - i.e. it's not for fans of Michael Bay blockbusters, but it's essential viewing for folks who are not afraid to have a film give the organ that sits between their ears a darned good workout.

Regarding the DVD itself (I bought the Blu-Ray version), the film features three or four previews, a director's commentary (which I haven't listened to yet for fear of it giving away too many spoilers), a 'making of' documentary, as well as a 'conversation about the dream' between the people behind the movie (the writer of the original novel, the film's director and the two main actors). Also, there are the usual storyboard comparisons that they throw onto DVDs whenever there's extra space, which I must admit I never bother with.

The image and sound are good, although I felt the dubbed version (which I listened to) needed subtitles in a couple of places when a crowd was shouting in unison. Since subtitles can be switched on and off easily this was no problem. One thing I noticed is that the subtitles are very different from the dub, so it's hard to watch the film in English with English subtitles - it's almost as if you get two stories, so since I don't understand Japanese I'm not sure which is better - though I suspect the subtitles are closer to the director's original intent. The film is anamorphic 1.85:1, enhanced for widescreen TVs.

One of the more lovelier things about the realm of Japanese animation is its sense of variety. American animation by contrast tends to be focused on younger audiences and those looking for more adult storylines have to go elsewhere. While the name Hayao Miyazaki has become an increasing presence among anime and animation fans in general, another name has been generating interest and he's Satoshi Kon. Responsible for Perfect Blue, Tokyo Godfathers and the Paranoia Agent TV series, Kon's stories tend to be a little bit more abstract and a bit more heavier in terms of story but like I said, variety is very much welcome in the anime field. With his latest, Paprika, Kon offers a story that's just as convoluted as Perfect Blue but enough visual eye candy to compete with the best of them.

In the near future, a new device called the DC Mini has been used to interact with patients and their dreams and offer a bit of analysis but the device hasn't been approved by the government. Head of the team, Dr. Atsuko Chiba has been using the device illegally and after helping Detective Konakawa with his recurring dream, the team's horrified to learn that 3 DC Mini's have been stolen and since programming that restricts who uses the devices haven't been installed, the thief can infiltrate anyone's dreams and cause mischief. With Konakawa and Tokita, the device's inventor, Atsuko uses her dream persona "Paprika" to figure out who stole the devices as dreams and reality gradually begin to merge.

Describing the plot of Paprika is just as difficult as watching it. Unlike Tokyo Godfathers which was fairly easy to grasp, the story behind Paprika requires utmost attention and this isn't one of those films where you can just leave it running while you do homework or clean a bit, occasionally glancing at the screen. My first viewing I was ready to label it a huge disappointment which was a far cry from Perfect Blue which on one hand I didn't understand but still enjoyed; Paprika left me with a huge case of the "what the ****s?" Second viewing I understood way more and the slowness of the story all but vanished. This film requires more than one watch to fully wrap your head around it.

Whether hand drawn or computer animated, the artists who work in Japan whether on television shows or films are incredibly talented and Paprika is another example that people shouldn't just give up on hand-drawn animation too quickly. With bright visuals, a large mixture of colors and some impressive scenes such as the parade scenes, a chase or tons of butterflies), Paprika is easily one of Kon's more visually busy films (though I prefer the painting-esque feel of Tokyo Godfathers). The transfer also brings the visuals justice as the clarity and the vibrancy gives this film a sight-for-sight-eyes look.

Paprika is kind of a hard film to recommend since opinions will vary depending on whether you got it and whether you just didn't care for it but also based on Kon's previous films, this film might not be the choice for a "starter". For those looking to start on his films, I'd recommend Tokyo Godfathers and if you're a fan, work on this or the underrated Millennium Actress. But Paprika is definately worth a look but it's whether or not you'll love it that makes it a strange selection.

I first saw this film in Manhattan. I wasn't really there to see it, I just picked it at random. It's the sort of film that shows you just how far ahead in the animation business the Japanese really are, especially compared to us Americans. The film is strongly character driven, which is important because many of it's scenes use dream sequences, and dream logic depends strongly on the characters involved in it. It's deep, involving, and has quite a few unexpected twists before the end. I recommend this film to everyone.

Like Perfect Blue, Paprika is a cross between fantasy and psychological drama. At the same time this is ground breaking Manga animation and the visuals blow away most of the competition. For many this could well be the best Manga they have ever seen and that is not an overstatement. There are scenes in this film that propel you into it headfirst plus it has lots of David Lynch style story strands.

The story is about a new device on the market, the DC Mini, which allows people to see their dreams and enter the dreams of others. It isn't long before people start to go insane and commit crimes. A hacker has penetrated the system and seeks to control the world by driving it mad.

Chiba, Tokita, and Shima try to uncover the deadly mastermind behind the chaos along with Detective Kogawa Toshimi and a fantasy character created in the dream world called Paprika. Soon dreams and the world start to merge as one and final Armageddon looms in the horizon where someone can actually dream a god into being.

From the Same director's mind who created the brilliant "Perfect Blue" movie, Animes Alfred Hitchcock of movies comes this wildly trippy story that has a futuristic concept that fuels the craziness. If you liked "Perfect Blue", this is also a movie to check out. -If you haven't seen "Perfect Blue", you need to watch that too!

Odder than Oz.
Wilder than Wonderland.
Take the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. . .animate it. . .throw in a fat Transformer. . take a naked girl who sucks the life out of demonic force until she becomes a gigantic naked woman (who coincidentally earlier blew up Professor Shorty to orgasm). . .anime it. . .stick a detective--who never, incidentally, finished his first film--on the case of a psychotic dream implanter then top it with. . .
Paprika (everyone's wet dream).
"That's all folks."

Paprika is a wonderful animated film that is perfect for people who like crazy movies, but it might be too crazy for some. I love this movie because of the wonderful animation, catchy music, unique storyline, and it's one of the most bizarre movies I've ever watched.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Scientists have invented a device called the DC Mini that can allow them to see and examine the dreams of a subject through dream therapy. When the device is stolen by dream terrorists it is up to Atsuko Chiba, her other half Paprika the woman who examines the dreams, Detective Konakowa, and Dr. Tokita to stop it before the terrorists begin to mess with people's dreams and make them insane in this insanely crazy and amazing sci-fi fantasy adventure beyond your wildest imagination.
STORY- SCORE: 9 OUT OF 10- This film has a unique story which has never really been thought of before, but the storyline and characters are difficult to understand the first few times you watch it because of how crazy this film really is.
MUSIC- SCORE: 9.5 OUT OF 10- I really don't know why I'm attracted to the music so much, it's just really catchy and feels like the music my brain has been craving something new, not yodeling music sequences though, those are lowest points of the amazing music.
ANIMATION- SCORE: 9 OUT OF 10: Not the most impressive animated movie ever, but that doesn't mean it isn't gorgeous and rather pretty compared to other animated films I've watched.
ENTERTAINMENT- SCORE: 9.25 OUT OF 10- This film is rather good, and highly entertaining and incredibly unique. You're not going to find anything like it anywhere. Not everyone who watches it will enjoy it though.
OVERALL: Highly recommendable to people looking for something new and different from the usual garbage of films these days (Will there ever be anything new or inventive from Hollywood again?).
THE GOOD: A high-quality film of gorgeous animation and design, it's beyond anything your imagination can think of, and it's completely insane in a very good way.
THE BAD: Not everyone will enjoy this film because it's really crazy, and it's a bit slow and hard to understand at first.

I've been looking for a good anime for a very long time and just could not find one, until I found Paprika. Satoshi Kon is one of the best anime directors out there and has an amazing ability to suck you right into the story line. The immagry is beautiful, while the plot is given equally good detail and attention. I'd recommend it to anyone.

A very fun and dreamlike movie. Since the movie deals with dreams, the creators seem to have more freedom to use their imaginations than with some of Satoshi Kon's previous work. Looks really great, and sounds really great too.

Great picture on blu-ray, colors look deep and rich. The story gets confusing in the beginning but when the story picks up toward the middle of the movie the story starts falling into place.

I have seen all of Satoshi Kon's work and for me Paprika ranks somewhere in the middle. Below Millenium Actress and Tokyo Godfathers but above Paranoia Agent. There's alot to like about this movie and if you're a fan of Satoshi Kon's clever way of story telling. Then you shouldn't be disappointed with this. Now for those searching for some die hard bloody action and mayhem. I would recommend against seeing this. To be straight forward, this is for an audience capable of a little thinking.

From the get go Paprika grabbed my attention with it's story. A machine called the DC mini is used for psychotherapy. Psychiatrist use it to enter patients dreams and analyze them. One of the prototypes is stolen and is being used to manipulate people by causing day dreams. Most of the time these daydreams are near fatal. A small group of psychiatrist are working together to find the culprit.

There are lots of reasons to see this movie. The plot is done so well and gives the brain a decent work out. Some people may have to watch this a couple more times. Even though extra watchings may be required, I seriously doubt it will ever feel like a chore doing it.

The animation and designs are a sight to see. It compliments the worlds greatly with the wild imagination it took to conjure this up. The moods for the real world and dream world are captured very well. Watching this reminded me of two excellent films, Spirited Away and Cat Soup. Even though character development is on the low side. The characters fit their roles approriately. They are realistic and down to earth. However, I advise you to watch this in japanese. The voice acting comes off alot stronger especially during the end. The english cast doesn't really do it justice.

Paprika has a very good plot and I really did enjoy it. But I don't feel the same way for the end. The ending just felt a bit sloppy to me and didn't receive the attention it should have gotten. Still, this was a budget well used and Paprika is one of the best movies I have seen in sometime. If you enjoy this then I recommend checking out Satoshi Kon's other works. Millenium Actress and Tokyo Godfathers would be nice to check out.

Paprika is a marvel!
A gorgeous anime that pushes the envelope of cartoon writing and design to a very sophisticated level, Paprika is both thrilling and heartwarming from the get go to its satisfying conclusion.
Though employing many standard anime conventions, director Satoshi Kon reimagines these in frames overloaded with a rich detail that escapes description and invites repeated examinations, in 2 weeks I've watched Paprika 4 times.
The basic plotline is an interesting one that I imagine Hollywood will purloin eventually...
The English language actors are not identified, that I could determine, but I believe I detected Leonard Nimoy as a significant character voice.
I recommend this terrific film and its soundtrack to your attention.

Rent this rather than buying. I viewed on Blu-ray and the quality was not much better than the DVD edition (which I viewed on my notebook which is still 720i, which means the DVD download version played at the 420i DVD max). Basically don't shell out the extra cash for the Blu-ray edition unless you are not worried about spending!

The show has bright, colorful animation that is very clean and fluid due to the assistance of computer graphics and computer editing. This show is very adult in nature and truly the plot is too complex and difficult for anyone who does not have at least a high school education.

This show rated four stars because I felt that it was very good to great but just not excellent. There is really nothing that could have been done to move it up to five stars except maybe a little more time and some plot polishing here and there.

I admit I am more critical of feature length films than the long anime series which I base a large part of the review on overall quality and value.

Pros: artistic, provocative, interesting plot
Cons: lack of character development, too short, story lacked polish

Viewing preference: Japanese with English subtitles

Paprika

Paprika is simply the most compelling work of anime and science fiction I have seen in a long time. It may not be easily understood. But it's so amazingly animated and imaginative it has become my personal favorite.

The story is based upon a new invention, the DC Mini, that allows people to enter and experience each other's dreams. The idea is for therapists to enter a patient's dreams to aid with analysis and treatment. But the invention falls into the wrong hands and causes an epidemic. Psychotherapist Atsuko Chiba uses her alter-identity, Paprika, to investigate the nightmare and track down the abusers of the DC Mini.

Most of the story takes place within people's dreams, which allows for some amazing "Alice in Wonderland" type dream imagery. It all ties in with the story. Anybody who has ever read a book on dreams or tried to figure out their own will get a kick out of this.

One thing that I really liked about the story is that it's both playful and grown up at the same time. They resist the need for unnecessary emphasis on sex that is often used in many anime films. Several of the main characters are women, but they wear real clothes. There is almost no nudity to speak of, the only exception being a dream sequence that ties in with the story.

Music is used minimally. There is some cool Japanese electro-pop that plays at a few select points in the background. Still, there could have been a lot more music in the movie. The moderate use of music seems to have been done to make you focus on the images, and the effect is a good one.

Sony Pictures Classics has done an amazing job with the DVD transfer. The images are beautiful and crisp. The US market for Japanese style anime is always growing. So I'm sure there are many who will want to check this out.

As far as special features go, there are still too few of them here. This is a trend that has continued for too long. You get the audio commentary option if you want to watch the movie again with the creators talking in your head. Then there's a short interview type segment that explores the thoughts and approaches of the various members of the creative team. Other than a few extras, that's pretty much it. I wish they could have added much more.

Fans of Sotoshi Kon will remember his popular works, Millennium Actress Millennium Actress and Paranoia Agent Paranoia Agent - Complete Collection. Still this movie is so amazing it will appeal to a wide audience and win Mr. Kon new fans.

Conclusion

If you like science fiction, anime and imaginative cinema, you will most likely love this movie.

Enjoy!!!

I was able to watch the beginning of this film but I couldn't finish the rest and I finally got to see it. I can only say that this film is a crazy wild ride. Very hard to describe but you'll be amazed if you like sci-fi films. I agree that Hollywood would never make such a daring film, not because of the money, but because of the creativity needed to create something like this. It's weird... but I guess it's like a dream.

This is an extraordinary movie giving you an insightful vision of life.
Enjoyed every minute of it.
Highly recommended.

I am mostly familiar with the works of Hayao Miyazaki and this was quite a departure from that. I was worried that I might not like it, however just a few moments into the beginning titles with it's imaginative imagery and great music that makes you want to hear it again, I was hooked. Paprika is a full story with shades of love, humor, drama, etc. The writers should be commended for the levels of humanity they have created in the characters that make you care about what is happening to them. The imagery is wonderful it stays in your mind. I still smile when I think of the alligators in the parade! This is definitely worth seeing.

I liked this from the moment I started watching. But I already had an idea of what to expect. I have most of his previous work on dvd. Millennium Actress is one of my favorites. So I'm familiar with seeing the direction of the characters and story come full circle. It's what I like about Satoshi Kon's work Satoshi Kon: The Illusionist.

As much as I enjoyed this, I wouldn't go as far as to gush about it. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone and everyone like I would a My Neighbor Totoro . That's a charming, general audience, mass appeal anime kinda title. This isn't, and I don't think it pretends to be.

Being blunt, but not disrespectful here, I imagine there will be those that are gonna wanna clown this. Why? Well, the imagery for one. Or, if you come into this cold, without any experience with anime, and miss what's Japanese about it. As an American and fan of anime for several years now, I can easily come up with bunk like "What's with the X-Men lookin' bald dude in the wheelchair?" "Jeezus H Christmas, look at that guy, that is one freakin' fat cartoon character" "That little old runt with the coke bottom bottle glasses looks like the guy from Pinocchio!" or better yet "It was confusing, and all the dolls, toys an' whatnot on parade looked silly, but dude, Paprika is hot". That kinda thing, it's to be expected. I just did it.

So yeah, my first look at Paprika is through my American eyes, and I see how mere "cartoons" here don't get much by way of respect. Let alone "cartoons" from a foreign country, complete with foreign language. And it's a shame. Not all of it is low budget junk, and besides, not all low budget junk is bad. But what's a fan to do?

Anyway, bring on the negative, it won't change my mind. I like Paprika.

As with his previous movies Tokyo Godfathers, Perfect Blue, Paranoia Agent - Complete Collection, the character designs are never drawn pretty or handsome just for the sake of looking good. They all seem to match their respective roles. Take the character Kosaku Tokita, he's this super sized, no neck havin', barely fits in an elevator kinda guy. I think it's just a way to exaggerate his embodiment of a very childlike nature. This "Child" within, the playful, imaginative one. He's a big kid, and his inventive mentality has led to the development of a device that allows others to see the actual dreams within your mind. It's called the DC mini, and it's a tool for psychotherapy (what these guys croon about Road to Ruin :)

At the opposite end of this character spectrum, approximately one light year away, in a pretty sharp contrast with Kosaku Tokita, there's the female Doctor Atsuko Chiba. She's slim, petite, elegant, hair's tied in a bun, cool and reserved. Her dress and manner is intelligent, serious and professional. To me, she takes on the role of the "Adult" inside of us - the parent, the one that scolds, the one that nurtures. She's a responsible, level headed character.


There's just enough of the real, non dream world portrayed here to propel the mystery of what happens with Kosaku Tokita's invention. And I'm definitely satisfied with the conclusion. But again, I already had an idea of what to look forward to. The little nudity and violence that''s here isn't for shock value or in place to appeal to a prurient nature. Not by any means. It's simply part of the story. Since these kinds of things aren't a common sight in animated titles that are shown on tv, here in the US, they may seem rather "strange". This is probably what moves it to the R rating.


A few other things:
From beginning to end this is packed with numerous visual details. I was impressed with the overall look. It's very consistent. They made a great effort to blend everything - 2D, 3D CGI, and it shows. Instead of me going "oh they used a computer here, that thing looks cheezy (like the cars in this one, which happens to be a really good, entertaining story Initial D: First Stage - The Complete First Season ) I found myself going "whoa" quite a few times.

The shimmering of the opening early sequence outfits is really noticeable on blu ray. And it looks cool. On the dvd, this effect didn't pop out at me like it does here. In the extras section they show and talk about it as well the other effects. To hear why they put things like this, and the reasoning behind their other choices is interesting and funny at times. I couldn't help but be reminded of Cat Soup (Liquid Art Limited Edition) as I watched the circus tent scene. It's another visual treat with some dreamy sequences not for kids. If you're still looking for yet another visually trippin' title that's open to some interpretation, you might want to rent/check out Tekkon Kinkreet [Blu-ray .

Wow...Interesting perspective on dreams. Decent psychological thriller that many will miss because it is animated format. This movie shows you how relatively tame dreams can become down right creepy. I bet you never thought a parade of microwaves, animals, and dolls would give you chills, but by the end of the movie just that music will get you going. Interesting theories about the different dimensions of personality and how some are prevalent during dreams while opposites exist while awake. I did enjoy this movie but I follow that up with What the #$%*? On another note, get the regular version because this animated tale (unlike pixar flicks) offers little improvement in high definition.

The soundtrack definitely helped shape alot of my mood during the film. Good job there, as it was nice music---esp. the pop tune. As the story went, it was full of unpredictable scenes (anticipation is good in great movies), making me always wonder what's next. Some of the really strange scenes that had a sexual nature to them caught me a bit off guard, but it's funny 'cuz I also got a touch of pleasure out of it. That sort of thing can interest me.

Fun & twisted isn't exactly a favorite but I did enjoy it. Some spots did touch that nerve where you say to yourself, 'I'm not sure I'll watch that [for the nature of it]...'
As far as Dr. Chiba and Paprika... ohhh... (starts to fantasize)

ever so delightful. it is slightly chaotic, but it makes perfect sense given its subject. you will probably be very happy you watched it. a very good soundtrack accompanies it as well. it is full of mental and aural and visual treats.

I saw Paprika over the holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years) and its use of themes immediately reminded me of an odd by captivating anime, Paranoia Agent. Though not as dark as PA, Paprika was funny and held my attention. The general synopsis is that a new device has been invented that allows an individual to travel through dreams. Paprika uses the device to help people with their psychological issues. However, it is soon believed that the device has been stolen by a coworker and is creating problems in the real world. Yes, I know vague and quite general, I don't like giving the story away.

I just have to say, the night after i watched this movie, i had the craziest dream i have ever had (and remembered).
The movie is subtitled, so if that kills a movie for you then go to a different movie page, get something else. However, if you know how to read and like anime then you owe it to yourself to watch this movie. The movie is defiantly a strange one, as i mentioned before it caused me to have the weirdest dream that i have ever had. I don't know why this has "porn" as a tag, it had very little nudity or even sexual situations. An R rating was a little harsh if you ask me, but i guess if you show a [...] for more than five seconds it gives you an auto r (i don't know if that is true or not).
If you want movies to be rational or logical then this is not for you. The story is about a device that can record dreams, and when someone steals the devices they gain control of people's minds, meshing the dreams with reality. And i have no idea how Paprika works; she is like a split personality of one of the people behind the device. It also follows a detective who is working on some psychological issues of his own, and as someone who used the dream recorder to help himself, he works with the team of scientists to find the person that stole the devices. thats a summary of the story without giving much up.
I think it would be a good movie to discuss with your friends about, like Donnie Darko.

Watching this animated movie is kind of like taking some illegal hallucinogen for the first time without a guide while simultaneously trying to file some important papers in a file cabinet for which you forgot the whereabouts. Or something like that.

It has to do with dreams and with other people stepping into and/or controlling those dreams...not a particularly original SF idea, actually. In fact, not that original at all. A lot of the visuals are really nifty and, as a number of other reviewers have said, trippy, and a couple of the characters are unique and compelling--especially the huge overweight guy who's also a technical genius.

The problem with non-linear plotlines like this one is that there has to be at least enough linearity so that the viewer can follow not only what is happening, but, more importantly, WHY it's happening. We know the superficial why here--dreams being manipulated by an evil person--but this superficial why is not really enough. As is true for another recent (and very different) animated film, Renaissance, in Paprika, it looks like the filmmakers were thinking that eye-popping visuals would make up for the lack of story strength.

The basic plotline here is just that--very basic and essentially not very compelling. Somebody's trying to take over others' dreams. But why does this evil dream controller select the individuals he does select to do so? Why didn't he select more powerful people than the ones he did? This is a vital flaw in the plotting of Paprika and while the visuals are, in fact, compelling, the lack of coherent logic deflates the power of the film.

By definition, the mere fact that a movie is animated means that it inherently has built into it significant hyperbole, exaggeration. Characters and/or situations HAVE to be over the top. A great example of an animated film that really works is the South Park feature length movie; another is the recent Hungarian movie The District. These work because in addition to their wacky visuals they both have story ideas that are unique and innovative and that therefore give both movies depth and power.

By contrast, Renaissance and Paprika have unique visuals but suffer from story ideas that, at least in the realm of science fiction or fantasy, are old and far from original. Paprika has a couple of ideas subservient to the main theme that could and should have been developed more fully to make this a more substantial movie.

Great visuals here--in some scenes, in fact, even close to breathtaking--but an hour later after viewing, a few tiny memory sparks flare up reminding you of what you saw an hour earlier...but not much more than that. To be resonant, a creative work must have a storyline that takes the viewer into a world he/she can identify with, as in, Wow, this is really a part of my real life; this relates to me. Paprika connects to that part of our lives we typically don't tend to emphasize much at all--our dreams--and essentially expects us to go, Wow, that rocks as a result.

The dream jump logic thing kind of works up to a point, and then ultimately gets kind of tiring. The characters are sacrificed to the filmmakers' need to justify their far-out visuals in the service of what is perceived to be their incredible ideas.

Sorry. I just don't buy it.