Paprika

This movie is amazing. Thats that. Its thought provoking, riveting and definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat. Its just a great movie from a great writer and an amazing director. One thing though that I would like to mention that doesnt seem to have been touched on...is the soundtrack for the movie. All of the music is original pieces by Susumu Hirasawa, who, in my opinion, is quite possibly the greatest composer in the world, definitely up there with Williams and Elfman. I recommend that anyone who sees or buys this movie to GET THE SOUNDTRACK. The opening theme "Mediational Fields" ... will make you want to drive 5000 miles an hour down a highway, the rest of the soundtrack triggers so many emotions...its amazing. When I first heard the music..i literally had tears in my eyes. It was just perfect. So, overall, an amazing movie with an equally amazing soundtrack.

Satoshi Kon’s final work Paprika is a colourful, energetic and surreal trip. It’s a film that asks us ‘what is reality?’ and for the most part does a great job of exploring the relationship between dreams and the real world. Filled to the brim with remarkable visuals from Madhouse, a good level of story complexity and even some commentary on the topic of cinema itself, it’s a big love letter to industry. While Paprika is a visual feast and directed with great attention to detail, it’s a shame that the story sacrifices clarity for surrealism at moments when questions need to be answered. The story ... contains a mix of ideas touching on ethics, discovering one’s purpose and what defines reality. Some of these ideas get ditched and others explored in greater detail, but the end result is still a very memorable film.

Our story follows Atsuko Chiba who uses newly created technology without permission, which allows people to share dreams, to help patients with stress in the form of an alter ego Paprika. Trouble starts when versions of the device with no security fall into the wrong hands. This would allow the culprit to enter the dreams of others and cause untold amounts of deeply rooted psychological damage, even enough to destroy one’s psyche.
I found myself actually drawn more towards the story of detective Toshimi Konakawa and his attempt to understand why his dreams are affecting him deeply at a psychological level. He is without a doubt the most deeply explored character, as one of Chiba’s patients. His attempt to overcome the unsolved case at his job is starting to toy with his mind and his past becomes caught up in these thoughts. Every time his dream came to the fore I was captivated. I thought the payoff for his journey was slightly underwhelming. Yet at the same time I knew the ending was only appropriate things take the direction they do considering the themes of the film - hiding our true feelings and creating a new reality so we don’t have to face the other one.

It’s only appropriate that our main character Chiba be the one to best represent the idea of discovering one’s true self. While the film initially posits Paprika as a façade for her to treat others you start to question whether her fake persona is actually a better representation of her true self – someone more free spirited and approachable. While the internal struggle isn’t as plainly laid out for the viewer to see compared to Konakawa, it’s definitely there. Kon’s clever direction goes a long way to achieving this. From the repetitious use of glass to mirror Chiba’s other side of herself or the almost unnoticeable cut between reality and dreamscapes, it all works. Chiba herself isn’t actually that interesting of a character at face level, though that’s quite intentional. She has a cold demeanour, exuding this barrier of defence around herself. Paprika acts as a means to express her repressed emotions. As a collective, the two more are complete and fulfil what the other lacks.

On my main criticism: Paprika as a film does little to explain the boundaries and the rules of its world and instead lets the film play out as an ‘experience’. Even the exposition of the movie isn’t clear at first. Though this lends to being entertaining it hinders the exploration of its themes. Something being intentionally difficult to understand without giving us an explanation doesn’t instantly make something amazing, it can be infuriating. While I actually like the idea of figuring things out for yourself and applying your own interpretation to things, there’s some cases where we need boundaries explained. This is one of those cases, in a film blending technology and the subconscious. The film’s ending actually starts to go against our understanding of reality and I just took it as one of those things I’ll have to accept. It actually reaches a point of absurdity that took me out of the experience. On top of this, the antagonist isn’t that interesting and gives the grand finale an underwhelming amount of impact.

On the topic of visuals, a much more positive point, I rarely see animation so good that I actually find myself saying ‘wow’ as I’m watching it. There are so many moments full of warped transitions, literal world-bending scenes that are breathtaking. Kon loves flow between scenes. His scene transition here was at master-level. It keeps the film dynamic and does a great job of keeping you engaged. The opening credits scene in particular is one of the most memorable moments which showcase this fluidity to Kon’s direction. If you’re also looking for a movie that utilises repetition well then this is the one for you. It allows to see several things, such as how far our characters have overcome their psychological problems or seeing things in our dreams that makes us reflect upon reality.

Paprika is a must watch. Story-wise it may get a bit too big for its own boots but it’s the perfect example of the journey sometimes being worth more than the destination.

Prior to anything, let's just take a moment to appraise the unmatched ability of Kon to play with one’s mind tactfully, uninhibitedly, preposterously.
You’ve got to admit how Satoshi loves to play riddles and run through mazes unbridled. And it begins just as the opening sequence commences, taking us through years via a short leap off a rollercoaster. However the ride wasn’t as enthralling as I hoped it could be, but I’ll put down something sort of a review to appreciate how Kon admixes reality with illusion to create a surreal world.

Paprika.
Dreamcatcher, dream reader, dream narrator.
The concept of dreaming and dreaming ... as a concept has always fascinated me beyond bounds. I’ve always wondered if I could live the dream, yes, lucid dreaming is closest to that. Then appears DC Mini, which liquidates the confinement where dreams are restricted from reality, and offers wild navigation and activity. Offering this implausible invention to aid in psychiatry, Dr Atsuki along with others connect several minds to the device. Just like the invalidity of light without dark, there’s no thrill if one doesn’t breach the sanctum of rules. And henceforth, the story unfolds in its realm proper when you flinch in apprehension as the Chief actualizes the brainstorm journey into the world of ballyhoo and caprice, throwing himself out of the window.

The story line seems a bit chaotic at times, Reality warps into dreams and dreams get engorged by cacophony, merging and personality swaps, steering from one scene to another. The fact that the device can distort a dreamer’s personality sets ablaze one’s repressed desires.
“The conceit of the daydreams residents is what the nightdreams resident want.”
The device engulfs the city at the end collective everyone’s dreams which coalesced into a huge delusion. Pinched and provoked.
The plot isn’t appealing enough to substantiate gravity and is entirely dependent on its stellar imagery. All brownie points are earned by brilliant execution of the setting.
Characters are objectively bland and lacklustre. The only one who can tickle your fancy slightly is Dr Tokita, the fat-arse genius with the child of a mind, creator of DC-Mini. The villain doesn’t let anything to forebode. Even the two-into-one entity couldn’t upgrade him from one dimension. Ended up being an old school monster of any random shounen lacking depth and maturity. The forced feel-good romance was as meh as it could be.
Music isn’t remarkable. Inputs some peppy jams. However pretty much liked the opening sequence.
Art and character designs on the flip side are fresh and crisp, with pliable and fluid animation making it the other strongest suit of the movie. The use of colours are well justified. Daydreams being vibrant, while nightmares are depicted with shades of grey.

Withal, the movie holds a message, though vague but interpretative.
Dreams are sacred and to intrude upon them in any form is committing a sacrilege.
“The dreams are horrified that their safe refuge is destroyed by technology. In a world of inhumane reality, it is the only human sanctuary left.”
Dreams are to be left untouched, unsullied and pristine. It is a temple for our vulnerable minds.
For at the end of the day, “Science is nothing but a piece of trash before a profound dream.”

(Foreword: This is based on a formal writing piece I had to do for college, and any further reviews I write will probably be done in a different style to this one. Also, I'm against the numbers method of reviewing, so just take this as a "why you should watch this" style of review rather than an attempt to critique this movie in an impersonal manner)

Satoshi is one of those directors who seemed to do no wrong. You could make a bingo card of tropes and themes from one of their movies and fill out the whole thing with any of their other works. At ... little more than a glance, Paprika seems to fit that role; a gifted and independent but somewhat mentally disturbed woman in Tokyo ends up being dragged into a surreal and somewhat horrific series of events with chase scenes, stabbing and a rather odd conclusion.

The story itself also starts out somewhat generic. Paprika beings her story exploring the dreams of an obsessed detective, in a sequence that simultaneously has little to do with the main story while also serving as a great introduction to it. The concept of exploring dreams may feel old by this point, but Paprika was actually the groundwork that paved the way for movies like Inception to come. However while Inception focuses on a dramatic story and action-heavy scenes, Paprika uses its medium to its benefit. The visuals capture and interpret the aesthetic of dreams in a manner that would be impractical, arduous and awkward to replicate in live actions. Unprompted switches between scenes, nonsensical morphing of characters and distortion of objects and surroundings can blur the line between dream and reality while also keeping them separate in a way that Satoshi’s previous work, Perfect Blue never could.

From this point the story branches out into several parts. The doctors behind the DC Mini (the invention that allows them to enter their patients’ dreams) discovers that one of its engineers has stolen a copy and is using it to wreak havoc throughout Tokyo. The investigation of the theft leads to a much larger scheme that gets Paprika and the detective’s dreams caught up in the chaos, eventually leading to the reveal of who and what Paprika is. In addition to this, there are multiple subplots involving the detective, trying to find the meaning behind his dreams, the hospital’s chairman trying to shut them down due to his opposition of invading dreams, and an executive doctor’s obsession with finding Paprika. What makes this all shocking is that this movie is shorter than the average feature film, with a run-time of only 1 and a half hours. All of these stories are crammed into 90 minutes and yet none of it feels superfluous. Even amounts of character development are spread among the cast, and each separate story has an influence on the third act.

With Satoshi Kon’s untimely death in 2010, his fifth work Dreaming Machine (which itself is referenced at the end of Paprika) never made it to theaters, making Paprika his swan song. With the amount of love and care put into every frame, it shows. Every member of the cast plays their role well, all the stories intertwine in the third act, leaving nothing unfinished and no plot point or aspect inconsistent. The visuals are unique, bizarre and beautiful and the soundtrack captures the feeling perfectly with a collection of songs that vary but also share the same base. I may be heavily biased but this is easily Satoshi’s best work and is the closest thing I've experienced to what can be described as a masterpiece. It would be a disservice to not experience this movie at least once.

Right, I feel like I should state two things: this is my first review, at least on MyAnimeList; and there are no spoilers in it.
'Paprika' follows Dr. Chiba Atsuko, a psychiatrist who, through a recently invented and innovating device that allows her to enter her patients' dreams, treats them on a subconscious level transforming herself into her read haired alter ego Paprika once inside their minds. Several prototypes of said artefact are stolen, and Atsuko alongside Paprika find themselves, or should I say herself, involved in a quite complicated and bizarre adventure that, however dangerous, may repair her spirit.
It's one of those films you recommend ... only to people you know are interested in the subjects it implicates, in this case the mind, dreams, human consciousness and strong, Alice-In-Wonderland-type visual impact. It is definitely not a movie for close minded people or audiences that are accustomed to mediocre Hollywood cinema.
It's not an easy one to watch, but if one is able to effortlessly digest its complex cinematography, whose already mentioned visual impact is accurate only due to the brilliant realism of the animation, the story, however philosophically powerful and plot-twisty, should not be a problem to process, since the symbolic meaning of each event is presented to the spectator quite digested and explicit, unlike films such as 'End Of Evangelion' or 'Akira'.
Where the movie excels is in its characters. It contains personalities whose ideals are antagonistic but both valid and worth considering. And it is there, in the triggering of a dilemma in the viewer regarding the psychological profile of each character, where the social critique and main moral message lie and where the director truly succeeds.
If you haven't seen it but are planning on doing so, expect lots of psychology, science fiction, psychedelic awesome art, suspense and of course a great end; which may question all the previous.

[9.5/10]
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The duality of yourself. A creature which, through no fault of its own, dons many masks, many personalities, many interpretations. How do you act on your first date? How do you act on your fourth? Is it different now that you are comfortable with one another? Can you finally be who you truly are? The idea of duality is what Satoshi Kon strived to analyze through his filmography. This idea, that the life you live isn't just one experience, one person, but many that live alongside one another, battling for control.
In Paprika, one of the greatest anime films ever, we see Kon at his ... most dreamlike, but ironically at his most lucid as well, explaining his beliefs in the bluntest way he ever had before.

Drawing truth from fiction, drawing reality from dreamscapes, drawing anything, at any time. Paprika feels like a piece of his soul that has stayed with us after his untimely departure because it very much feels like his story more so than any other film he's ever made. The character Toshimi, specifically, reminding me so much of Kon himself, a man who's constantly weighed down by his past, reminiscing about what he became. It very much felt like a part of Kon, one of his personas.

And so I sit years after I originally watched this film and, with fresh eyes, consume it once more. Devouring the frames with hearty indulgence and nearly suffocating from Kon's own decadence. A film which inspired Hollywood blockbusters and young, unknown creatives alike. Put simply, a feast for the mind and eyes, Paprika is a testament to the power of animation.

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[Waking/Dreaming]

We are vessels. Our bodies are objects moved by the mind. The mind being an inexplicable source of coding and crackling synapses and nerve-ends that not only speak to itself but to everyone around us. Limited only by ourselves. When the vessel rests, the mind doesn't. The mind, for whatever reason, wanders into plains that are otherwise unexplored. A dreamscape that is as undefined and inexplicable as anything we can imagine.

The idea that every object that blinks into our unconscious while the vessel is awake somehow plays a role in the dreamscape is an interesting discovery. We cannot create a face, we cannot create another vessel through ideas, so it must come from experience. And that experience shapes the entirety of the dreamscape that we inhabit once resting. This dreamscape that not only exposes our inner-most fears and desires but eclipses our understanding ten-fold.

Now imagine you had a device to experience your dreamscape vividly, lucidly, without the restrictions of fleeting memory that takes away these momentous experiences. Now imagine you could use this device on anyone. Seeing everything that they are without the barrier of tact, shyness, and reservedness. You can strip someone bare with this device and see their other side. The side that is uninhabited by worldly concerns.

Paprika is that. As a character, and as a film that is titled after the character. Paprika is Atsuko's alter-ego, her unhinged, dream-fueled, pixie. The savior. The kind of person we could be if we were living without a whim. That person who she wants to be, at least when her vessel is dormant. However, that is someone she can't be because she has a job, she is weighed down by obligation, by ethics, by tact, by everything that makes us self-conscious humans.

This device, the DC-Mini, is that fuzzy screen into a world which we don't understand. The story that is at the center of Kon's metaphor is simple. The DC-Mini was hijacked to commit a form of mental terrorism that infuses dreams with one another and ultimately drives people mad. We are taken on a whirlwind journey through dreamscapes, confusing reality with dreams and vice versa. Through this we see ideas form that otherwise wouldn't exist, and the blueprint for inspiration to arise.

As we follow Atsuko and detective Toshimi as they battle themselves and the terrorists, we begin to unfurl Kon's incredible work in subtly establishing what it means to be us. What we can learn from something that isn't real. Which, for me, is the main point of this film, the meta-commentary, the fourth wall breaking concept that changed the way I perceived entertainment.

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[Color, Sound, and Experience]

This is Madhouse's best work bar none. They are responsible for all of Kon's films and they are at their best when working with the mind of the auteur. Colors are vivid, the animation is plentiful, and the experience is unforgettable. It isn't necessarily "mind-bending", as someone may say, but it isn't supposed to be.

It is supposed to be enveloping, like a cacoon. The first scene expresses this idea perfectly. We are taken through an incredible amount of sequences in a short span of time that show exactly what the dreamscape is capable of. From scene to scene with impeccable match-cuts by Kon, only to end it with an astounding introduction credits sequence to match, as Paprika dances through the streets of Japan and becomes real, in a sense.

Susumu Hirasawa composes one of the best soundtracks ever, as well. Particular tracks stick with you for years and match scenes perfectly. My favorite being "Parade", a cacophonous mixture of synth and vocal-chopping that is unlike anything I've ever heard and is reprised multiple times throughout the film in jaw-droppingly eccentric ways.

Lastly, I can't mention presentation without Kon's utterly unbelievable storyboards. If you have never looked up this man's storyboards then you are missing out. Coming from a Manga background, his storyboards are bursting with life and often consume more than one "frame" at a time, blending into one another. This creates for incredibly detailed frames that are replicated by the Madhouse staff. They are astounding. I could go on about the dream sequences, but I rather mention a somewhat overlooked segment, when Atsuko goes to investigate the small apartment of one of the suspects. This apartment is overflowing with creepy dolls and knick-knacks. The detail in every cut here is unlike anything you'll ever see.

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[Truth from Fiction]

The theme of the waking world and the dreaming world has been well-researched and analyzed by many. I think Kon, choosing to adapt work with these ideas is no coincidence. He's a man that is clearly thinking inwards, expressing himself through the products he meticulously created through years of hard work. I see him in every frame, and to a certain extent, every character, because I feel like he is seeing himself in his own creations as well.

I want to talk about the idea of truth from fiction, and what exactly makes that such a powerful statement that is exposited towards the end of the film. Sure the climax is huge and blockbuster-like, which is honestly one of the only elements I can truly criticize from this film, the idea that ultimately stuck with me the most is that of fiction leaving an impact like no other. Kon is deservedly meta in this film. As in, a lot of parallels are drawn between the movie and movies all together. From the dreams of Toshimi involving his past as a wannabe director to his dreams being surrounded by film and those films being Kon's own work.

We derive information from these moments. The themes in entertainment stay with us more so than any kind of indoctrinated lecture on morality we might hear from our parents or teachers in our school. Entertainment is a form of positive reinforcement. It teaches through enjoyment (or lack thereof) of a product. One of my friends cites her fascination with Harry Potter as a child as one of the reasons she became who she is. She molded herself to fit the kind of person she thought would be heroic within that world, and that world is exactly what inspired her to be such a great person.

I can say the same about myself and other pieces of entertainment. And while I may not be a great person in the eyes of some, I do think I harbor morality, and logical ethics, not from reading Aristotle or Hobbes, but from seeing their ideas manifest in contemporary products that influence me without knowing. And that is exactly what Paprika is commenting on. Influence through the unconscious, because dreams are the unmistakable explosion of the unconscious, letting everything we have soaked up within that day, week, year, decade ultimately show itself in incomprehensible forms that only our unconscious can learn from.

As time elapses, we, without our own knowledge, grow from that. Establish ideas from that. Gain new insight from that. Look no further than the most influential piece of entertainment on the planet. The Bible. How the ideologies it popularized ripple throughout the entirety of the world, making itself visible in every facet of culture. Whether you are atheist, Agnostic, or religious, the holy texts and their most core and relevant values have influenced you whether you like it or not. To a lesser extent, that is exactly what every kind of entertainment does.

That is what I take from Paprika. Not just the theme of the duality of myself. Whether that be the way I act anonymously, on the internet, and in person, on the street. Or the way I am with friends versus strangers, or the way I conduct myself professionally versus casually. Where different situations warrant a facade, a mask which the majority of us wear daily. See that mask crack and fall apart once you close your eyes and let your mind run. Run into the deepest, most depraved crevices of your lusts, of your fascinations, of your ideologies. Let it erupt into fireworks of ideas, insights, and evolutions. It is unhinged.

That theme, that theme specifically, isn't even what makes Paprika so great. It is the commentary on entertainment as a whole. The truth we see in fiction. The truth we see around us, and realizing that it is no different. It is one and the same. That is, in a harrowing sense, what we are as humans. Without that, our life would not be a life of a human. It would lack ethics, it would lack morals, it would lack logistics, everything that separates us from the animals we see. Without that, our life would have no spice. No Paprika.

Honestly, this movie wasn't all that bad. I thought the story didn't make any sense at some points during the movie but I really could care less, the animation was amazing, the soundtrack was perfect, and I thought the characters we're all pretty fun and enjoyable, I thought the environments in the movie looked really interesting it sort of reminded me of Akira. Overall I'd rate this movie a low but solid 8 some of it felt really slow at times but for the most part the whole movie was fast paced and overall just an enjoyable watch if you aren't trying to pay attention ... to any of the story going on. This movie was truly a paprika alright!

I'm gonna tell you straight off the bat that this movie felt like an acid trip to me. Although, I mean it in the best way possible.
It was confusing, it was sometimes funny, it sometimes made me wonder, "wtf is going on?", but at the end, it all came clear.

Story: 9/10. The story was DEFINITELY one-of-a-kind. I gave it a 9/10 because at times, it was confusing, but that just makes you want to finish watching it to completely understand the whole thing. It takes place in the near future, having things a bit more sci-fi than it is up-to-date, and the things happening and ... what the characters say symbolizes everything that was going to happen. It makes you think.

Art: 10/10. Not much to say, really. I thought the animation was well-done and the art was nice enough for me to enjoy.

Sound:: 10/10. Again, not much to say. The music fit well with all of the events that went on, and the opening and ending was nicely done.

Character: 10/10. I thought all the characters were definitely well-developed and all unique in their own way. They all had their own personality that made them different from each other, yet they were all in the same hole of the same problems.

Enjoyment:: 9/10. Honestly, I thought there were some parts that were a bit slow-paced and could have been better if it was faster, but I enjoyed this movie quite well and finished it thinking, "wow, I've never watched anything like that." It is definitely something people need to check out. I think Satoshi Kon is an amazing director. :)

Story
Incredibly unique story line, I've never seen anything like this before...
The story seemed to be very confusing at first and at times you think, WTH JUST HAPPENED OMG!!! But by the end everything is explained and it's ust somethign you need to sit and pay your attention to and follow it, t was a very unique story.

Animation
The art work was nice but not the best, better than most though. The art work seemed detailed. Regardless of how nice the art work was, it didnt "wow" me. Lacking off on that, thus the 9 out of 10.

Sound
I don't like the style of music paprika was based ... around it's not my usul tastes but in this case it worked well, the music was a grat feature in this movie.

Characters
This lacked and only got a 7 out of 10, the characters seemed well designed but they wasn't exactly memorable. There was a nice variation of personalities but I didn't feel as if I could connect with them.

Enjoyment
I enjoyed this decently...could've been better, it's worth watching :) least once...

"Paprika" is a movie about dreams. You could even say it is a dream.

With the future of science being as advanced as it is, the development of a system where you can view and interact with dreams in real time called the "DC Mini", is being used as a psychotherapy tool.
But without limitations installed on the prototype models, they could be dangerous tool, if stolen.
That is sadly, exactly what happens.

The only one who can stop this is Paprika, a mysterious women who coincides in the body of Chiba Atsuko, the head of the DC Mini development team, along with the literally larger than life genius, ... Kosaku Tokita.

"Paprika" was originally a book written in 1993 by Yasutaka Tsutsui, who also wrote "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" in 1967. I have not read any of his books yet, but with the experience I've had with his writing so far, he's a very intelligent, imaginative writer.
This film being directed by the late Satoshi Kon, you will no doubt end up with quality product, this being the last film he directed, it's a nice good bye. We did end up with quality.

For character, Paprika and Atsuko Chiba occupy the same body. Paprika seems to have the ability to travel between dreams an reality.

Torataro Shima is a gifted psychiatrist who is supporting the "DC Mini" operation along with Morio Osanai, kind of an underling of the operation.

Seijiro Inui is the chairman of the Institute for Psychiatric Research where the DC Mini operation is being funded and taking place, and what he says goes. He's against the development of the DC Mini for the most part.

Toshimi Konakawa is a a cop, and a college friend of Shima's, and is under psychiatric treatment using the DC Mini, he's kind of a subject.

Kosaku Tokita is the genius who created the DC Mini. He is quite immature, he basically started this whole mess.

Homera Kei is a suspect who may have stolen the DC Mini prototypes, he was Tokita's friend.

The art in this picture is of high quality, which is something to expect by Satoshi Kon and his crew. There is some nudity in this production, that is basically it when it comes to obscenity in this film... Other than the messed up dreams of course.
You could show this film to a young adult.

The sound in this film is excellent. I seriously cannot get enough of Susumu Hirasawa, I thank Satoshi Kon for promoting him, as well and showing us this amazing composer and musician! The SFX are very imaginative and unique.
All of the seiyuu are excellent, nothing to complain about there.

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This is an intelligent, imaginative film. It's nothing deep (Unless you want it to be), a very unique psychological thriller, except replacing all of the gore and mind games with crazy dreams filled with parades, butterflies, enchanted forests, gibberish, and a giant naked woman eating someone else's dreams (You'll just have to see it).

This is not a long film at all, 90 minutes in fact, the shortest that movies come. For that length, this is a film worth viewing.

I would recommend this film to anyone interested. In fact, I would recommend everything Satoshi Kon has created to anyone interested, he's that good.

Dreams are chaotic sometimes. And this anime is a pretty accurate representation of dreams. It just switches back and forth like it was diagnosed with some kind of seizure. Because this anime is about "dreams", it becomes real chaotic. Real, real, chaotic.

Dementia anime are supposed to give you dementia. If it does then it has succeeded its purpose. If it doesn't then it's a failure. I didn't get dementia from this anime. In fact, I find this anime to be reasonably simple. This anime is just well-coated with a single word, "Dream". In which allows the anime to be able to have tons of ... cliches and is still reasonable.

I wouldn't really say that this anime is a failure. I think that it's just a unique form of art that people just can't comprehend. This movie is beautiful in its own way, so alluring that it is indescribable. Things just happen and happen like an explosion of rainbow colors that are probably only formed by a single color in which was formed by a half of a single color's color in which was created by a half of a single color color's color.

One hour forty minutes of my life had been spent on something messy but memorable. Absurd but penetrating. Bizarre yet eccentric. This one hell of a clutter is probably not for everyone. So the recommendation is solitary only for people who love messy, crazy stuffs. If you're not those kind of people then I won't stop you from watching the movie. Discretion, you might get lost in thoughts, get bored as hell or act like a moron who thinks that this anime is the same as Pablo Picasso's stickman drawing.

i typically dont write reviews for any of the anime i watch, but this is a justified exemption to that rule.

this is the best anime movie i have ever watched, and it will probably stay that way for eternity. director setoshi kon was, and still is a legend of animated film in my eyes.

definitely a must-watch if you have already seen the movie inception directed by christopher nolan, since this was a predecessor to that. the film was originally inspired by the writings of yasutaka tsutsui, from a novel about his recollection of weird dreams he had throughout his life.

the supporting soundtrack of the film ... by susumu hirasawa is also a masterpiece in its own right. as if the amazing visuals originally hand-drawn up by setoshi kon in the original screen concept writings wasnt enough. the music to this film will make you want to listen just to the tracks by itself, over and over again as you lose yourself in its atmospherically pleasing sound.

Holy moly what a trip.
It's so well made that it's worth watching it only for the animation alone! The music, characters, colors: They're all so nice!

I've rewatched this quite a few times already and I'd watch again now too. There's always something new to see, it's intruiging.

I've watched this with most of my friends and liked it! Though as a warning: it does have a few mature themes and such.

The only thing I didn't quite like was the romance parts, since they seemed rather pointless to me.

I like this movie quite a bit, I'd recommend it to most people and it's very well made.

When one watches Paprika, I must warn it is not an anime for newcomers. Those of you who know Satoshi Kon films will know they are masterpieces but can creep out other people's minds. Paprika is no exception. The story is based on terroism and dreams and reality becoming one and a doctor who has an alter-ego that helps patients known as Paprika. The animation is breath-taking, so many times in the film for example when Paprika is falling from the sky, you'll wish you were in her shoes. You'll envy the dream worlds conjured up. The sound is very addictive, if you don't like ... sound-tracks getting stuck in your head, Paprika is a potential to cause it. The opening theme is amazing, no arguments there. The characters are very distinguishable and memorable. The only part of Paprika which doesn't make it recommended to everyone- is that purely, many parts of the film contains disturbing scenes. However, aren't dreams actually like that sometimes. It's a very good attempt by Satoshi Kon. The enjoyment of the film is very good, however there will be times when your mouth will be left open especially in the finale. Overall, a 9 due to great story, concept, art, music and characters. The dub is very good, with proper voice actors instead of newbies. Worth definitely watching, however don't say I didn't warn you if you get disturbed.

One of Satoshi Kon's weaker movies, lackluster story development and characters with EXTREMELY forced romance in the end. Really disappointing, actually. I expected so much from the show after the opening scene which was very well done. Although I must say I really enjoyed art and especially the soundtrack which absolutely stunned me, that kinda saved the show for me. Another thing which I really liked about it is Paprika herself, very well designed character which should have been the main focus of the show instead of her uninteresting and lame counterpart Dr. Atsuko Chiba. Oh, and did i mention the most forced and unnecessary ... romance I've ever seen? Anyways, huge let down of a show but I'll give it a 6 because I like Paprika (the character) and the soundtrack.

Paprika.
It's a a magnificent film raises a question of dreams. More precisely part of the dream, names REM sleep, when the most colorful and emotional dreams accure, also dreams taking place in the slow parts of sleep, but they are shorter and less emotionally colored.In general, there are three main theories of dreams: Sigmund Freud's, Carl Jung's and the concept that sleep is a kind of encrypted message pertaining to the future of person and his entourage sent by some higher beings. I only know the name and the basic provisions of these concepts, so I won't stay on them.
Let us turn to ... the film itself.If you haven't seen this movie, i strongly recommend not to read any reviews on it.But i'll try to avoid spoiling a lot.
From the very first moments of the film, I was shocked in some sense. Full surrealism of what is happening makes me almost irresistible urge to jump ahead a bit and peek or rather steal from myself at least some shred of explanation about what is happening. And yes, the first couple of minutes my facial expression unconsciously express the phrase "What the hell is going on here? '.However, all quickly rises on the places:
Childish and boundless genius inventor (Kosaku Tokita) was created DC Mini, a device that allows people to watch other people's dreams. This device is used illegally by Paprika, Chiba Atsuko's(dispassionate and balanced head of the development team DC Mini) alter ego is a playful girl that guides others through their dreams in the experimental psychotherapy treatment.One of them is a detective Konakawa Toshimi, the protagonist of this action, which is trying to deal via paprika with a torturing him sleep. Further the narrative adventures of these characters in dreams and reality, and on their facet await us.Further analysis of the plot isn't necessary.
The overall plot is quite clear and consistent, the characters are extremely well developed, the animation is simply gorgeous, well and sound, as for me, let us down a little.
The main ideas of the film, I would name:
-Creation of human hands are not in themselves neither good nor bad, but they can only be employed by people as a tool to achieve their own goals, meet the ambitions of power, or just wreak havoc under the guise of different ideas.Invetors also quite often lack of understanding and not divining the long-playing effects and attitude to their creations by public.
Perhaps the most famous example illustrating this may be an conviction of the society invention of dynamite after a false obituary that was an incitement to the establishment by Alfred Nobel, through the testament, universally known Prize, awarded irrespective of nationality, on the money earned by them mainly due to the production and sale invented by him dynamite.
-Even the most it would seem minor facts and details that can simply be forgotten or consciously and unconsciously, are excluded from the memory may well play a determining significance in the life of man.
This paragraph i also have seen in the previously wathced work of Kon Satoshi.
Thank you for your attention and time.

While being somewhat typical of Satoshi Kon's oeuvre and style, and feeling slightly overlong, Paprika is still a masterpiece of art and imagination. The story is an excuse to explore a deep visual dreamscape that often blurs the distinction between the real and the non. Overall, the story is great, only seeming slightly overlong. Partly, the playfulness of the movie misleads us a little bit and, quite masterfully, Satoshi Kon turns out the story's true message. To any extent, the story plays out well. In part, this is due to the strength of the art.

The art is sharp and fluid and, indeed, quite masterful - ... especially in its interplay between light and shadow. As well, there is great depth, detail, and ingenuity in its depiction of dreamscapes, which truly allow the strength of the art to show through. In turn, this supports the story well and keeps it engaging. The art is, in short, outstanding. Another exceptional area of the film that deserves highlighting is the music.

The music, like the art, is one of the strongest areas of Paprika and certainly shines throughout. Playful, imaginative, strange - and yet quite catchy - musical themes abound showcasing the unusual events of the movie.

Overall, Paprika is outstanding and has only very minor faults. Indeed, it is an excellent example of Satoshi Kon's strength at bending reality and stands apart as a modern masterpiece.

Paprika!

This is probably my favorite anime movie that I have ever seen (And I've watched a lot of anime movies).

Why do I love this movie so freaking much?

Let's review the different aspects of the movie.

Story:
Though many might find it confusing or just plain strange the psychological aspects mixed with the all of information of the making of film make for a good thriller. On top of that the fantasy dream elements create a great balance between reality and the dream world.
...
Art:
Honestly I'm probably not the most qualified to judge art but I can tell as compared to the other anime and manga I've seen/read it's very well done.

Sound:
One of my favorite things about this movie is the sound track. Usually with movies or shows I might like the soundtrack but I don't make an effort to seek out individual tracks. With this it was different, my favorite tracks being "The Girl In Byakkoya" and "Parade"

Characters:
I loved the characters! Not much to say because I don't want to end up spoiling any thing about character development but these are some of my favorite anime movie characters ever.

Enjoyment:
If you can't tell I have that 10/10 for enjoyment. I loved the twist and turns of the plot and everything out of it!

OVERALL:

10/10 for enjoyment! :)

Released in 2006 and produced by Madhouse Studio, Paprika is part science-fiction and part fantasy by dealing with an unusual theme: dreams. It was directed by Satoshi Kon.

The movie feels like a complete dream, with surreal visuals and, at times, a difficult to follow story. This is, at the same time, the biggest compliment and criticism I can make about it. During some scenes, I had to stop and think: “Wait. Am I dreaming?”. This just proves the immersiveness of the movie and how perfectly it portrays its subject matter.

Despite being produced in 2006, Paprika‘s visuals managed to leave me in awe. It has a ... very particular style that fits the dream theme, complete with strange examples of surrealism and the nonsensical nature that dreams can take. If I didn’t know that it is almost a decade old, I would have thought it was released last year, as everything has a very modern style with amazing detail.

But the story doesn’t shine as brightly. It can be a bit hard to follow if you aren’t devoting your full attention to it. The desire to make it like a dream makes the story illogical. Actually, this can be seen very clearly during the conclusion, in which the villain is defeated in a very strange way that is an ass-pull and doesn’t really have any build up. Still, it was a highly entertaining ride in this regard also.

The soundtrack is composed of mostly techno songs, but it fits perfectly the imagery seen and also has its own charm. The voice acting for Paprika/Chiba is amazing as it done by the same person, but sounds completely different. It is really like hearing two completely different people talk.

Sure, the story is a bit confusing and its conclusion, specially, isn’t as great as the rest of the film, but manages to complete exactly what it set out to do: create a dream. More than that, it still manages to be highly enjoyable to watch, in a multitude of ways.

I would definetly recommend it to anyone that is intrigued by the idea of a story about dreams and also to fans of fantasy and science-fiction alike.

Re-watching this movie the other day may have saved anime for me. I was getting too far away from the raw creativity and beauty of the art form, getting lost in a sea of cliches and contrivances. Aside from Evangelion 3.0 coming out later this year, I had given up on anime as a whole. I'm not going to name names but... Eden of the East, Full Metal Panic, I'm looking at you.
Anyway, this movie is just brilliant. It's a mess of a plot really. I still don't understand a lot of it after the 3rd viewing. But that's not the point in this case. ... The point here is to loose yourself in a truly TRULY bizarre visual roller-coaster ride, the likes of which really have no parallel. This is proof that animation is capable of depicting the most surreal images that the mind can muster- those that we see when we dream. One could compare the conventions found in Paprika to those of The Cell or Inception, both live action films. However, because Paprika is not constricted to a certain level of realism like those films, it is allowed to take similar subject matter (the dream) and outshine them in nearly every facet. The things that you will see in this movie range from orgasmic flourishes of color, back to muted modern sheen, and then back again to the type of psychedelia infused imagery that would send an LSD-user into a shrieking fit of terror.
Anime is interesting to me for this reason primarily: Its difference from conventional western tropes. Maybe to an avid fan of Japanese cinema, the imagery here is not so strange. I suppose if you are subjected to anything enough, it becomes rather average. And maybe that's what happened to me back in 2010, when I, mostly just bored of seeing the same things over and over again, threw in the towel on anime. But this movie may have been all I needed- a relentlessly creative bombarding of the senses. A dream.