Paprika

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Alternative Titles

Japanese: パプリカ
English: Paprika
More titles

Information

Type: Movie
Episodes: 1
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Nov 25, 2006
Licensors: Manga Entertainment
Studios: Madhouse
Source: Novel
Genres: Avant GardeAvant Garde, Award WinningAward Winning, MysteryMystery, Sci-FiSci-Fi, SuspenseSuspense
Themes: Adult CastAdult Cast, PsychologicalPsychological
Duration: 1 hr. 30 min.
Rating: R+ - Mild Nudity

Statistics

Score: 8.041 (scored by 293293293,293 users)
1 indicates a weighted score.
Ranked: #6382
2 based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Popularity: #413
Members: 583,586
Favorites: 5,213

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8.04
Ranked #638Popularity #413Members 583,586
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Episodes: /1

Synopsis

The world of dreams can be an incredible window into the psyche, showing one's deepest desires, aspirations, and repressed memories. One hopeful tech lab has been developing the "DC Mini," a device with the power to delve into the dreams of others. Atsuko Chiba and Kosaku Tokita have been tirelessly working to develop this technology with the hopes of using it to deeply explore patients' minds and help cure them of their psychological disorders.

However, having access to the deepest corners of a person's mind comes with a tremendous responsibility. In the wrong hands, the DC Mini could be used as a form of psychological terrorism and cause mental breakdowns in the minds of targets. When this technology is stolen and people around them start acting strangely, Atsuko and Kosaku know they have a serious problem on their hands. Enlisting the help of Officer Konakawa, who has been receiving this experimental therapy, they search both the real and dream worlds for their mental terrorist.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Background

Paprika was director Satoshi Kon's last feature film before his death in 2010. It won several awards around the world, including the Tokyo Anime Award for Best Music in 2007, the Newport Beach Film Festival for best animated feature film in 2007, and the Feature Film Award in the 12th Animation Kobe Awards in 2007.

A live action adaptation was planned with Wolfgang Petersen (The Never Ending Story, Troy), but the project appears to have been scrapped.

Characters & Voice Actors


Staff

Maruta, Jungo
Producer
Kon, Satoshi
Director, Script
Mima, Masafumi
Sound Director
Katou, Michiya
Episode Director, Director of Photography


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Opening Theme

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"Mediational Field" by Susumu Hirasawa
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Ending Theme

白虎野の娘 (Byakkoya no Musume) by Hirasawa Susumu
"Byakkoya (白虎野)" by Susumu Hirasawa




Reviews

May 6, 2025
Yes, it's one of the best films in all of anime history, and even in all of Japan.
A film about dreams, where the impossible becomes possible
and where reality is a dream, and a dream is reality for some.

A film that is absolutely worth watching.

You might get confused in the film and may not be able to differentiate between truth and reality.

I have a question I want to ask: Can dreams be the path to absolute happiness? Can a dream affect reality? Is what I'm experiencing someone else's dream? I also want to add something else.

The characters in the work are vague, but they ...
Jul 11, 2025
Mixed Feelings
Paprika is the epitome of a young child ending their school assignment with “…and then I woke up.” In other words, the story appears to be the writers’ first rendition of what could constitute as “the unexpected.” In light of the fact that the story does indeed rely on its visually disjointed storytelling, the reality that tells a straightforward theme paints a different picture. Owing to its convoluted depiction, the story seems to be concerned with appearing to have a facade of a dreamlike depiction under the mystique of “visual storytelling.” From unexplained pseudo-sci-fi mechanics to cartoonish supervillains, the execution of its feels juvenile in ...
Feb 25, 2025
FunnyFunny
This is the same person who directed Perfect Blue. Let that sink in. This film does have some brilliance. There's a story about a guy constantly chasing something in his dreams. That was a nice sequence with a plot twist. Unfortunately, it's not really connected to the overall plot, so meh. And before anyone says that I'm not intelligent enough to understand the plot, this plot isn't really hard to understand. It isn't like Utena where you have to watch multiple times and really think, in order to get it. Each rewatch, you catch something new and ...

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Recent Forum Discussion

Poll: Paprika Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page )
Krelian - Apr 24, 2007
317 repliesby Feriqra »»
Jun 9, 3:00 AM
What the hell did I just watch?
RandomPerson4 - Dec 30, 2012
26 repliesby LuxuriousHeart »»
Mar 11, 5:01 PM
questions about paprika [spoilers]
darrenkbenn - Sep 14, 2021
4 repliesby LuxuriousHeart »»
Feb 24, 8:51 AM
So, who killed the victim in that homicide case?
Samu-tan - Aug 27, 2010
9 repliesby Beatnik »»
Jan 1, 2024 9:00 AM
For what reasons do you like this movie?
Unknow0059 - Apr 16, 2017
10 repliesby nekogaro7 »»
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