Paprika is a feature length science fiction anime film that is based on the 1953 novel Paprika by Yasutaka Tsutsu. The film was directed by Satoshi Kon who's directorial work’s include Perfect Blue, Tokyo Godfather and Paranoia Agent to name a few. Paprika premiered in the 2006 Venice international film festival in September of that year and then showed at the Tokyo international film festival in October. After that it made its way across the world showing at other film festivals.
In the not to distant future a revolutionary new treatment in psychotherapy called PT is invented. The device used in this treatment is called the DC mini and it allows the user to view their patient’s dreams. Because this device is still in the trial stage it’s not available to the general public; but Paprika is using this device illegally to help people outside the research facility. Because this outside counselling is not officially sanctioned Paprika has to be very has to be very careful that the press does not get wind of the DC mini or herself. Before the government can authorise the DC mini to be used by anyone outside the research facility three of them are stolen. The inventor of the DC mini Dr. Kosaka Tokita (a morbidly obese child-at-heart genius) has failed to program the safety locks on the DC mini. Because the 3 DC minis were in this unfinished state when they were stolen the user can enter anyone's mind and makes them believe their dreams are reality. The chief of the department Dr. Torataro Shima is one of the first to fall victim when he thinks he is in a parade and jumps through a window almost killing himself. The team that created the DC mini and Paprika have to find out who stole the 3 devices and stop them from wreaking havoc around the city.
This is a very good anime. I loved the eye catching animation and the bright colour throughout the anime. This more then made up for the jumpy storyline. I think that yes, it is a good anime and yes, it does deserve all the praise and awards it got. But it could have been in a whole other class if the storyline was a bit longer. Saying that I would still recommend this anime if you like eye catching animation like Spirited Away because Paprika stands in a crowed of its own.
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