Sony Pictures Entertainment brings the animated adaptation of Yasutaka Tsutsui’s 1993 sci-fi detective novel, Paprika, to U.S. theaters this month with a limited release. Directed by Satoshi Kon (Tokyo Godfathers) and animated by Madhouse Studios (Metropolis), Paprika first debuted on this side of the Pacific at the 2007 National Cherry Blossom Festival’s anime marathon in Washington, D.C. The film was first shown at the 63rd Venice International Film Festival on September 2, 2006.
Paprika is the story of a Dr. Atsuko, who uses a machine to enter the minds of psychiatric patients with her alter-ego Paprika. Through this illegal means, Paprika uncovers clues to catch the culprit of a high-profile theft of similar machines that can erase a person’s personality while they sleep. Much like director Satoshi Kon’s previous work in Perfect Blue, reality and fantasy blend seamlessly, confusing and enthralling the audience with each new scene.
Check local theater listing for show times and tickets. Reviews are available at rottentomatoes.com