Another classic from the director of Tokyo Godfather and Perfect Blue. Satoshi Kon is a master of anime movies that deal with blurring reality that keeps you entertained and mind-blown like no other.
The difference between Paprika and Satoshi Kon's classic is how he integrated technology into his story.
Plot Overview
In the future, a new technological device called the DC Mini will allow the user to view people's dreams. They use this device to treat people with mental health problems and recurring nightmares. The head of the team, Doctor Atsuko Chiba, uses it illegally for psychiatric purposes. She assumes the identity of Paprika in the dream world.
Paprika counsels Doctor Toshimi Konakawa, who has problems because of his recurring dream. She hands over a card with a website name on it. However, since the DC Minis are prototypes, they have limited access restrictions, which allow other people to enter their dreams. This becomes a grave threat, especially when people steal something from the other. Meanwhile, Chiba's department chief, Doctor Shima, throws himself out of the window and survives. When she enters his dream, she discovers that someone stole something from it and realizes that it was an inside job. Doctor Tokita, the inventor of the DC Mini device, recognizes the perpetrator.
The incidents continued to grow, and they began imposing a strict ban on using the DC Mini. Paprika begins her quest to find the real cause of the unusual events and quickly solves them before the world turns upside down.
Review
Paprika is a mind-bending anime movie tagged as very influential in portraying dream sequences and the possibilities of technology and virtual devices. It closely resembles Christopher Nolan's classic film, Inception, but we cannot confirm whether that was true.
I like the dreamlike nature of its animation. It may be a little weird for casual anime viewers, but its uniqueness is something to behold. It's very imaginative and creative and comparable to Studio Ghibli's characters.
Paprika shines the most as Satoshi Kon delivers an outstanding piece of art through a powerful and well-structured plot.
It's a good 4 out of 5 stars.