If you’re a fan of director Satoshi Kon’s brilliant anime series Paranoia Agent, but haven’t seen any of his feature films – you might consider seeing possibly his greatest film to date: the dazzling, futuristic Paprika (2006).
Paprika opens with police detective Konakawa Toshimi being counseled by “Paprika,” a lively red-haired young woman. As it turns out, Paprika is actually the alter ego of Dr. Atsuko Chiba, a research psychoanalyst. Using the “DC Mini,” an experimental device that enables the viewing of a person’s dreams, Dr. Chiba enters the dreams of others in the virtual persona of Paprika in order to treat them.
Three DC Minis get stolen from the lab, and evidence points to it being an inside job. One by one, the scientists at the lab and other characters are brought into the dream world, as the real world and dream world begin to collide.
Dr. Chiba avoids dealing with her emotions and focuses instead on science, while Det. Toshimi is haunted by a recurring nightmare that seems important, but which he can’t discern the meaning of. Their stories intertwine throughout the film as each comes to a realization of their own truth and, in Dr. Chiba’s case, a recognition of what is missing from her life as well.
A recurring image of a dream world parade of cultural icons and strange creatures, symbolic of what captivates people and what people dream about, weaves in and out of Paprika, eventually spilling into the real world at the climax of the film.
Of Satoshi Kon’s feature films – Millennium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers and Perfect Blue being the others – Paprika is by far my favorite. The art is full of colorful kinetic imagery, making the film a visual feast; and the music score is top-notch, particularly the solemn yet quirky background music of the dream parade.
Paprika was produced by Madhouse/Rainbow SPA and distributed by Sony Pictures Classics.
Jan Suzukawa works in the manga industry as a freelance editor and English adaptation writer. Website: www.jansuzukawa.com. Blog: jansuzukawa.blogspot.com.
