Anime Review: Paprika (2006)

Anime Review: Paprika (2006)

Paprika (パプリカ), is a Japanese animated science fiction film, based on Yasutaka Tsutsui's 1993 novel of the same name, about a research psychologist who uses a device that permits therapists to help patients by entering their dreams. It's directed by Satoshi Kon, who has produced other anime like Tokyo Godfather and Millenium Princess.

And it is, no doubt, the most confusing and puzzling animation I have ever seen. For once, I am actually getting a headache trying to follow the storyline. One gets the feeling that the animation was produced merely for the sake of producing an anime on Blu-ray.

The video quality is typical of most Blu-ray animations, not something to write home about. The style of animation is reminiscent of the famous Japanese animations such as Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle, both by Hayao Miyazaki, though very much lacking the finese.

Personally I find the animation as a whole, sadly disappointing. The storyline is confusing at best, and the characters are easily forgettable. The main character, Paprika (which is a spice made from the grinding of dried fruits of Capsicum annuum (e.g., bell peppers or chili peppers) has nothing much to do with her namesake except that she is wearing a red top, and has a saucy demeanour.

All in all, is this animation worth buying?
No, not really...
Should you be getting this anime on Blu-Ray?
Hell no..

2 out of 5 stars.

Paprika - screenshot 01

Paprika - screenshot 02

Paprika - screenshot 03

Paprika - screenshot 04

Paprika - screenshot 05

Paprika - screenshot 06

Paprika - screenshot 07

Paprika - screenshot 08

Paprika - screenshot 09

Where to find it

Visit the links below to read more reviews on Amazon. There are other disc formats available also. Do note the region code for the disc and your player before buying.

Country-specific Amazon links for Paprika [Blu-ray]:
Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.fr | Amazon.de | Amazon.co.jp - DVD

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8 Comments

Weird... I have seen Paprika,

Weird... I have seen Paprika, and liked it a lot.
I bought it as a gift for a friend (DVD), and he also likes it.
While I agree that the plot is convoluted, I liked the dream like quality of it. Little by little dreams and nightmares start getting real and the normal world end been one with the dreams. Is kind of surreal, and the real plot wasn't lost to me at the end.
Is a weird movie, but I like weird!

Harsh, very harsh! I loved

Harsh, very harsh! I loved this movie. Special mention has to go the beautiful soundtrack, a very unique mix of electronic samples and beats that goes very well the story and the style of the animation.

Maybe it's an accquired

Maybe it's an accquired taste, would you guys be kind enough to let me know if there are any similar animes to Paprika that I could watch up on and perhaps learn more about this particular genre? Appreciate it =]

This movies is one of my

This movies is one of my favorites! I found the plot to be intriguing and not confusing, but then again I do like movies that make me think and not show me every detail.
I thought the animation was nice, I have the dvd I don't know what else comes in the blue ray version.

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