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Paprika main image
4.234 out of 5 from 10,174 votes
Rank #333


In Japan, a team of scientists have created a medical breakthrough: a device that allows the wearer to enter the dreams of a patient, for the purpose of healing. The talented Paprika is a master at her profession, but complications have now appeared in the form of a “dream terrorist” – an unknown foe who inserts nightmares into the minds of those who use the device. The victims are swept up in a ghoulish parade of dolls, kitchen appliances, and musical animals, and are reduced to a vegetable state – or worse. Now, Paprika and the team of scientists must delve into the minds of those affected to figure out the source of the tampering before more people, including themselves, are damaged beyond repair.

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Name Role
Masashi ANDO Character Design
Satoshi KON Director
Susumu HIRASAWA Music

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Official Editorial Reviews

Title Author Score Date
Paprika vivafruit 8.5/10 Jul 11, 2007
Paprika sothis 6/10 May 4, 2007

Community Reviews


Title Author Score Date
Paprika FullmetalCowboy24 8.7/10 Dec 1, 2013
Paprika hamletsmage 5.5/10 Jul 10, 2012
Paprika LunarNeko 8.5/10 Nov 16, 2011
kimaguresan watched Paprika at 1 of 1 episodes
milktree wants to watch Paprika
CaNnIN wants to watch Paprika
NoblesseOblige rated the Paprika anime 5/5 stars
NoblesseOblige watched Paprika at 1 of 1 episodes

Recommendations if you like Paprika

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Paranoia Agent

Paranoia Agent

In the streets of Tokyo, a new menace has surfaced: Shounen Bat, a young boy who wears golden roller skates and a baseball cap, and likes to whack people on the head with a golden baseball bat. These seemingly unconnected and random attacks soon become a police investigation... but after all is said and done, is there a pattern to this chaos?

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Besides the rather obvious correlation that these anime are the work of genius Satoshi Kon, there is a more fundamental similarity, in that they both deal with an obscure enemy and an unreliable reality. In Paprika, the world of dreams intrudes itself forcibly on the world of the waking; whereas, in Paranoia Agent, there is a fundamental warping of the meaning of "real". This overarching theme of Kon's is also present in other works of his, such as Millennium Actress.


The characters of both Paranoia Agent and Paprika are often faced with delusions between reality, dreams, and imagination. Or in some cases, they simply go insane.


Up for a little insanity on the edge of dreams and reality? Here comes! Paprika and Paranoia Agent serve a similar dish, disclosing what our seemingly-so-innocent day and nightmares and fears can do with our lives - should they become just a bit more real.

In very similar style, with a bit of ironic attitude, both anime follow a story of blending between the real and the imaginary, and not only in the story, but on the screen. The insight into our thoughts and that immersive, but not intimidating feeling of growing uncertainty put these two works as close together as it gets.


Both Paranoia Agent and Paprika probe the power of man made illusions and how these affect reality to the point of merging with it. Paranoia Agent contradicts linear modes of story telling as the series progresses while Paprika is deliberately oneiric from the start. The artwork is similar and Satoshi Kon's trademarks are very visible in the way PA and Paprika push the limits of animation in general. Image surpasses the role of medium and becomes an experimental endeavour of psychological valence: PA and Paprika offer this autonomy of imagery without compromising a highly complex exploration of what it is that shapes and defines reality.


Both Paprika and Paranoia Agent are similar in many ways. For one, both feature murder mystery-type story lines. Also, the animation style and feel seems similar to me, despite the fact that Paranoia Agent, at times, can be a lot darker or lighter than Paprika.


These anime are out of this world abstract with excellent music. I was totally baffeled by their endings, and couldn't help but say 'WOW!' Both of them had points that are very deep, and make you think your life is like a dozen roses. I'm absolutely positive that if you liked one you are sure to like the other.


Awesome animation combined with fairytale like story elements and some crazy characters? Hell yeah!

I'm sure you'll love both series!


Both Paprika and Paranoia Agent are deliciously confusion masterpieces by Satoshi Kon that trigger the viewer to think about what´s going on. These are shows everyone can draw their own conclusions from, since not everything gets explained clearly, leaving enough room for your own interpretation. Out of the two, Paprika is a bit easier to understand, and has more visual spectacle, but they are definitely two of the same. Last but not least, both shows have a fantastic soundtrack that sets the mood perfectly for the spectacle up ahead. If you enjoyed one of these anime, do not miss out on the other!


Both being a series created by Satoshi Kon each series offers up amazing visuals, great soundtracks, interesting characters, and a creepy atmosphere are all things that both series us to keep the viewer both interested and thinking about what exactly happened even after finishing it.


Both series are under the production company MADHOUSE which has produced nothing but splendid series in the past few years. Additionally, both series are the brain child's of Satoshi Kon, a legend in psychological thrillers and anime. While Paprika has a more sci-fi edge to it that makes the psychology within it more obvious, Paranoia Agent's psychological themes don't become evident until the later episodes. All in all if you liked one series, the other is sure to be well received by you.


Both Papirka and Paranoia Agent are thought provoking Psychological works of Satoshi Kon. They have a great link with the mysteries and ambiguity of the human psyche. While there may be dihherences in the way they show the underlying messages they are still relativley the same. This can be said about all Satoshi Kon's works however. If you like one I truly don't see how you could not like the other. Paprika is quite upfront about its message on human psyche. The whole movie is based in peoples minds.


First off, these are both the brain-children of Satoshi Kon, which means they are full of psychological drama. Secondly, they both deal with having inner thoughts brought to life in some rather crazy ways. Both anime also deal with collective consciousness in some way, and require a little more brain power than usual to understand. If you like one, try the other out. 


Both are Kon aime that blur reality and fiction and emphasize the significant influence of the media.

Perfect Blue

Perfect Blue
  • Movie (1 ep x 78 min)
  • 1997

When popular pop idol Mima decided to retire from her group, Cham, and become an actress, she had no idea that one person's obsession would soon spiral out of control. With death threats, letter bombs and a forged website which details her every move, Mima finds herself slowly becoming trapped in a nightmare she can't seem to escape. With murders piling up and her mental state slowly degrading, can she discover who the culprit is, before she becomes the next victim?

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If you enjoyed the psychological confusion that Perfect Blue offered, Paprika gives you the same spice, and much more. Paprika and Perfect Blue are created by the same person and thus the style is evidently the same. They both have a very scattered execution which is good, because they're both mysteries. Paprika has the aspect of entering and altering people's dreams which makes its plot very interesting. Also, it's a recent movie so the boosted art and animation quality is a bonus. Perfect Blue was mysterious and has some horror aspect.


Perfect Blue is another movie that questions the difference between dreams and reality. Keeping you on the edge of your seat, this psychological thriller is a much darker version of Paprika.


Both Perfect Blue and Paprika are directed by Satoshi Kon, fit into similar anime realism genres which are rich in Satoshi Kon's social commentaries, and have intellectually stimulating themes.


What is reality? What are dreams? When do we know when we're in either state? Paprika and Perfect Blue explore these ideas with a great deal of success - both have dark undertones which are caused by deep-seated trauma. If you liked either of these, the other will surely appeal to you.


If you enjoyed Paprika, you will most likely enjoy Perfect Blue. Both anime's are total mess with your mind, and end happily. The plot in Perfect Blue is amazing, however there is one particular scene which was rather upsetting to me, and almost ruined the whole anime, but it didn't. In the long run I can understand why that scene was important, even though I didn't like it. Also, in Perfect Blue, there are a couple of scenes which were almost identical to those in Paprika. Both animes deal a with a woman trying to figure out who she is/wants to be. In Paprika, its the scientist and her dream self, and in Perfect Blue its her "pop idol" self versus her "actress" self. I loved it, it was upsetting, interesting, and kept me guessing as to what was going to happen.


Both movies deal with the human psyche and transcend traditional storytelling by not quite letting the viewer feel sure about what's real and what is not.


Perfect Blue was one of Satoshi Kon's early works, and I think is his best. If you enjoyed Paprika's style of story, then you will love Perfect Blue's engaging story of a pop idol turned actor who discovers she has a stalker. Kon keeps the suspense coming with every scence, and you will be mesmorized by how well Kon executes his stories. Both movies have interesting characters and an interesting story that only Kon could express.


Both films refers to the thin border between reality and dreams or illusions. They are also well made, have very addictive plot and touch some delicate problems of human's psychology, so if you enjoyed one, you won't be disappointed by the other.


Both of these animes are like a closed-room-mystery. The whodunit has to be in the presented cast, and the answer keeps you guessing until the final reveal. With psychological drama surrounding the human conscious, these movies are quite similar. 

Spirited Away

Spirited Away
  • Movie (1 ep x 125 min)
  • 2001


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Both these shows have a beautiful atmosphere to them. The colors and characters are vivid and full of life. Some may say Paprika caters to an older audience, but both shows engulf your senses in the sights and sounds of even the most minute details.


As for me, I think in both of these you just get suck into the movie the way that one part of you is on the couch, but another is already in the movie. Yes, Spirited Away is kind of more fast paced, but both of them is so continious that there is no time to go and look for a snack as you just can't take eyes of the screen.


These movies each have a very surreal feel to them, similar art, and a lot of colorful scenes floating around. Although S.A. is definitely aimed at a younger audience, I still think these series work quite well with one another.


Both of these movies are basicly set in a world besides our own and humans intruding there. While SA deals more with the spiritual side of this, Paprika is more about what people dream about.

If you liked one, cheack out the other.


Both series will delight the viewer with a unique artstyle, characters, and atmosphere.  While Paprika does somewhat move towards a slightly more mature audience than Spirited Away but both are sure to draw you into their worlds making the viewer not wanting to miss a minute of either.


Both of these anime are taken from a world full of mystery, wonder, and beautiful colors. While Paprika is a little more cerebral than Spirited Away, both offer a land of pure imagination to explore. The animation style of "let's animate a thousand little things at once" is also present in both animes. 


These movies boast fluid and eye-catching animation with magical qualities. Paprika is for more mature audiences, but both movies follow a female lead trying to reestablish the status quo and they take them on a journey with many ups and downs that are sure to engage anyone watching.

Millennium Actress

Millennium Actress
  • Movie (1 ep x 90 min)
  • 2001

What starts as a simple interview of a legendary actress becomes a journey through the history of Japan. But this is no ordinary lesson; from the perspective of this actress, we learn of the beauty and sadness of love, the pain and regret and joy of the Japanese people and their film, through this film: Millennium Actress.


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Besides the rather obvious correlation that these anime are the work of genius Satoshi Kon, there is a more fundamental similarity, in that they both deal with an unreliable reality. In Paprika, the world of dreams intrudes itself forcibly on the world of the waking; whereas, in Millennium Actress, there is a gradual melding of the fictional world of film with the documentary reality of the actual world. This overarching theme of Kon's is also present in other works of his, such as Paranoia Agent.


Although it might be because both movies are from the same director (Satoshi Kon) Millennium Actress and Paprika, while having totally different themes, create a very similar atmosphere when you watch them.

As both movies progress though their respective stories it becomes more and more difficult to distinguish the different layers of reality and fiction (Millennium Actress) or the psyche of the characters (Paprika).

Both movies are festivals of colors and imagination and succeed in engulfing the viewer in true fantasy cinema.


Millennium Actress and Paprika share the same thematic core: blurring the borders between fictional projections and reality as we see it. MA blends cinematography with real life events while Paprika unleashes the world of dreams unto our own. Both are imbued with Satoshi Kon's unique flair for the bizarre and take anime as a medium to a whole different level; the stunning visuals fuse perfectly with non-linear plots that immerse the convoluted yet appealing narrative into the fabric of imagery itself.


These two films, by the same Satoshi Kon, are very alike in that a lot of the time you find yourself asking, "...Wait, what?" They're intriguing and wonderful, and you can easily get lost in the storyline.


Both series do wonderous work in blurring the line between reality and illusions.  In Millennium Actress it happens steadily as the movies the actress has been in slowly melds with documentary that is being filmed and in Paprika the world of dreams comes into the real world making it hard to distinguish between reality and fantasy.  Amazing visuals, sound, and storytelling all do wonders in drawing the viewer into either film as expected of any work done by Satoshi Kon.


Aside from sharing the same director, these two movies detail a female lead experiencing several different adventures in very surreal environments within flashbacks or dreams. Paprika has more of a thriller plot whereas Millennium Actress recounts the bountiful life of its lead. Both movies also share themes of discovering one's self.

Serial Experiments Lain

Serial Experiments Lain

"I have only abandoned my body, I still live here" - are the words emailed to friends of Chisa, several days after her death by suicide. As Lain delves deeper into the world of the "Wired" (also known as the internet), the line between it and reality becomes more and more unclear. Close the world, open the nExt.

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At first glance Lain and Paprika might not seem very similar, Lain being very slow paced for the most part and Paprika being such a riot of energy. Yet both challenge the meaning of reality and the role of perspective. In Lain and Paprika technology has permitted man to dismantle experience, uncovering a deeply disturbing world that deconstructs certainty in a fluid nexus of ambivalence. Lain's stress falls more on existential questions while Paprika deals more directly with the distorting power of dreams but both break the barrier of physical limitations as they capitalize the potential of anime to create truly bizarre and rewarding experiences


Both Lain and Paprika are about surrealism, and the manipulation of technology for one's needs. Also, both main characters become 'someone else' when in their virtual worlds.


Both of these great animes consider the human psyche and consciousness as well as the impact of technology on people. Both have interesting characters and deep elements to challenge and intrigue.


Both of these titles take two worlds that are considered to be seperate from reality (be it dreams or the internet) and show what happens when they start to meld together. The main characters also have more in common than may meet the eyes.


Both Paprika and Serial Experiments Lain have many similarities. Probably the biggest and most prominent factor is the twisted and confusing plot that both shows have. Both don't appear at first to make sense, yet makes you think and wonder about what was presented and what message was trying to be given. On top of that, they both center around technology and its affect on the human psyche and on humanity itself. The visuals are also similar in the genre or design, because both are very strange and a bit crazy. If you liked one, try the other out and see what you think.

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