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Paprika (2006)

This is your brain on anime.

Science FictionThrillerAnimation

When a machine that allows therapists to enter their patient's dreams is stolen, all hell breaks loose. Only a young female therapist can stop it and recover it before damage is done: Paprika.

Release Date
October 1, 2006
Runtime
1h 30m
Rating
7.8/10 (2839 votes)

Director: Satoshi Kon

Cast: Megumi Hayashibara, Tohru Emori, Katsunosuke Hori, Toru Furuya, Akio Otsuka, Koichi Yamadera, Hideyuki Tanaka, Satoshi Kon

Production: Madhouse, Sony Pictures
researchjapandreamsbased on novel or bookprocessionpsychoanalysismad scientistdream girlparallel worldadult animation
IMDbOfficial Site
Budget
$3M
Revenue
$1M
Full Cast (30 people)

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Reviews

The Movie Diorama - 8/10

Paprika sprinkles its spicy originality across a sprawling vibrant fever dream. Dreams are windows to the imaginative capacity of the subconscious. Manipulating memories to fabricate worlds unbounded by the physical laws of reality. An endless wave of colours and possibilities, requiring no legitimacy for their existence. In psychology, dreams are a method for interrogating the mentality of its su...

January 16, 2020

Alunauwie - 8/10

Paprika explores a surreal world where dreams and reality collide after the dream-entering device DC Mini is stolen, unleashing chaos that erodes the boundaries between the two realms. Through striking visual contrasts—nightmarish logic, vibrant dream parades, and fractured reality—the film reveals buried trauma, guilt, and ego within each character. Ultimately, it presents dreams not as an escape...

January 1, 2026

Paprika

Paprika

This is your brain on anime.

This is your brain on anime.

7.8
90 min

When a machine that allows therapists to enter their patient's dreams is stolen, all hell breaks loose. Only a young female therapist can stop it and recover it before damage is done: Paprika.

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Production Info
StatusReleased
Original LanguageJapanese
Revenue$946,590
Release Date10/1/2006
Director & Writers

Directed by

Written by

,

Produced by

,

Production Companies

Spoken Languages

Production Countries

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Cast

Megumi Hayashibara

as Paprika / Atsuko Chiba (voice)

Tohru Emori

as Seijiro Inui (voice)

Katsunosuke Hori

as Torataro Shima (voice)

Toru Furuya

as Kosaku Tokita (voice)

Akio Otsuka

as Toshimi Konakawa (voice)

Koichi Yamadera

as Morio Osanai (voice)

Hideyuki Tanaka

as Guy (voice)

Satoshi Kon

as Jinnai (voice)

More from Satoshi Kon

Images

Paprika poster
Poster
Paprika backdrop
Backdrop

Videos

15th Anniversary Trailer

Trailer

Official Trailer

Trailer

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Paprika about?

When a machine that allows therapists to enter their patient's dreams is stolen, all hell breaks loose. Only a young female therapist can stop it and recover it before damage is done: Paprika.

How long is Paprika?

1h 30m

When was Paprika released?

October 1, 2006

Who directed Paprika?

Satoshi Kon

Who stars in Paprika?

Megumi Hayashibara, Tohru Emori, Katsunosuke Hori

What genre is Paprika?

Science Fiction, Thriller, Animation