Paprika
Arguably the most well known of legendary director Satoshi Kon’s works, Paprika takes all of the mind-bending, psychological aspects of his style and refines them into an imaginative thriller of a film. After a group of scientists invent a machine which allows them to dive into the dreams of whoever they choose, an unknown assailant attempts to steal the technology for his own purposes and goals, manipulating the thoughts and actions of whoever’s dreams he can enter. To stop him, they enlist the help of Paprika, an agent developed to dive into the dreams of others and use her mastery of the dreamscape to uncover the true meaning behind their most secretive dreams and deepest nightmares. Together, they pursue the culprit in a race against time, desperate to put a stop to his ambitions before they cause the real world and dream world to collide.
Boasting mind-bending visuals matched only by the intriguing story and characters, this movie is a must-see for anyone who wants to see an anime that does something other mediums could only imitate (case in point: Inception). For an animated work that’ll give your eyes and mind plenty to chew on, look no further than this phenomenal work.
