The most recent animation project from Satoshi Kon of Tokyo Godfathers and Perfect Blue fame, is at as much of a creative tangent to current trends in Japanese animation as his previous work. Following the otherworldly exploits of a team of dream-reader avatars and their anxious real-world vessels, Paprika has much to say about our current social state and the influence of technology on the collective conscience.

Most interesting when read as a dichotomy of the technology overdose culture, the stabs at indulgence are blunt, hard and welcome in a climate choking on it's own salivation over “newer”, “better” and “more” on a daily basis.

The battle between the real and the illusory, in both human self-perception and the vicarious life many live through their screens is something tackled head-on by Paprika - but by no means at the expense of artistic freedom.  It's as relevant as Akira and simultaneously as creative as any fantasy epic.  The imagery is bold and the ideas never overburdened with design to the point that meaning is lost on the viewer.  For anyone slightly under-whelmed by the Ghibli fever that is sweeping the cinema, Paprika is something to be treasured.

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