Paprika
Director: Satoshi Kon
Written By: Satoshi Kon and Seishi Minakami
Cinematography: Michiya Katou
Starring: Megumi Hayashibara, Tôru Furuya and Kôichi Yamadera
Year: 2006
Country: Japan
One of the most acclaimed animes of recent years and the film that inspired Inception, Paprika is the final film of Satoshi Kon before his untimely death in 2010.
Based on Yasutaka Tsutsui's novel, Paprika is set in the near future where a machine called the Mini DC allows dreams to be recorded and entered. But the story really starts when this machine is stolen.
If the plot synopsis triggers thoughts of Inception, that's because this film was the catalyst for it, which Chris Nolan openly admitted to. I knew this going in but I was still surprised by just how much Nolan took from it. It's not completely derivative, Inception had it's own themes and concepts and the stuff Nolan took he used constructively.
Not that I want to keep comparing it to Inception, but I know that one of the common criticisms of Inception was that the scenes set in dreamworlds felt too real world and lacking any imagination. This is definitely not the case with Paprika, the dreams in this are l lot more imaginative and surreal. I found it reminiscent of films by Federico Fellini. Obviously being anime Paprika can accomplish things that Inception, being live action, can't.
Paprika doesn't have the same exploitation feel that some anime does. It's not overly gory and all the female characters body parts are in realistic proportion. This partnered with with an intelligent and strong female protagonist means Paprika will appeal to larger female audience than a lot of other anime films will.
Where a lot of people had trouble understanding Inception, I didn't. I can't say the same for Paprika though which is for the most part insanely incoherent. For one It's hard to tell when and when they aren't in the dreamworld.
It features an outstanding original electropop soundtrack from Japanese composer, Susumu Hirasawa. Which works perfectly in the film and also works as stand alone music.
Paprika is an above average anime. It excels in imagination, even if does lack in coherence. I didn't completely understand it but I did enjoy it, I think.
Score: 4/5
Paprika doesn't have the same exploitation feel that some anime does. It's not overly gory and all the female characters body parts are in realistic proportion. This partnered with with an intelligent and strong female protagonist means Paprika will appeal to larger female audience than a lot of other anime films will.
Where a lot of people had trouble understanding Inception, I didn't. I can't say the same for Paprika though which is for the most part insanely incoherent. For one It's hard to tell when and when they aren't in the dreamworld.
It features an outstanding original electropop soundtrack from Japanese composer, Susumu Hirasawa. Which works perfectly in the film and also works as stand alone music.
Paprika is an above average anime. It excels in imagination, even if does lack in coherence. I didn't completely understand it but I did enjoy it, I think.
Score: 4/5
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