I'm picky about anime. Just as with American film, there is a TON of anime, and the majority of it is pretty awful. However, there are a few creators who really bend the possibilities of animation, breaking boundaries and bringing mind-blowing art to the masses. Satoshi Kon is one of these creators, and he has blown me away with everything he's done; even creating one of the greatest anime television series ever, the surreal, violent, and beautiful "Paranoia Agent". With "Paprika", Kon has outdone himself, creating one of the most amazing anime films in history.
Every time I show "Paprika" to friends, especially those who don't watch anime, they have been left speechless by the film. Don't get me wrong, I am not against 3D animation by any means, but when you see this movie, you will be amazed at the shit they pull off with 2D animation. Granted, some sequences use 3D, but it's very minor. The story follows a research facility that has created a ground-breaking piece of technology called the "DC Mini". This piece of equipment enables psychiatrists to enter their patients' dreams, and researcher Atsuko Chiba uses an alter-ego, the titular Paprika, to conduct the therapy sessions. However, when one of the DC's is stolen by someone with nefarious intentions, the effects of the machine ripple across society, merging dreams and reality with disastrous results. It's up to Chiba to discover the "dream terrorist" and return order back to the world.
With an incredible soundtrack by Susumu Hirawasa and animation that will cause your brain to explode, "Paprika" is absolutely a must-see.
