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The Paprika anime is a very interesting case in the industry because of how little commercial success it had and how much of a cult favorite it has become. The concepts that it explores with the dream thieves and dream detectives while showing the very nature that people hide have made it a modern cult classic.
However, a lot of people have wondered why the Paprika anime film has an R rating. This is something that connects directly with Yasutaka Tsutsui's novel that inspired the film and how the story itself has some key elements. There are certain elements that perhaps are not cut out for a lot of younger people, especially when it comes to the nature of the dreams the film shows.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Paprika anime film.
Explaining the R rating and other elements of the Paprika anime film
It's important to understand what R-rated is before jumping to conclusions with the Paprika anime film. R-rated simply means that this film or TV show cannot be watched by people under 17 years old or should only be watched with the supervision of an adult, preferably a parent. This is because content that shows a lot of graphic violence, n*dity, s*xual assault, and many other things could have a negative impact on the youth.
This is why this story has been deemed as R-rated over the years. Anyone who has watched this production by Studio Madhouse can confirm that it features a lot of n*dity, s*xual assault, and disturbing images that are a direct result of the dreams that are shown.
Of course, this movie has gone on to become a cult classic in the anime community. Needless to say, a lot of people, especially young ones, are interested in seeing what the fuss is all about. However, it's important to understand that this film has some elements that are the most sensitive to children in the audience.
Where to watch and the story of the film
People can watch the Paprika anime film on platforms such as Vudu, Google Play, Amazon, and iTunes. The film came out in September 2006 and was a commercial failure, although it has gained a lot of praise for the interesting take on dreams and how they represent people, viewed nowadays as a cult classic.
The story itself is set in the near future and has a very clear premise. It is based on a novel by Yasutaka Tsutsui and shows that people in the psychology industry have come up with a tool called DC Mini. The tool has the capacity to have people invade and see others' dreams. This comes with a lot of breakthroughs in their field but also with a lot of dangers, and then several devices are lost, leading to a lot of chaos.
Director Satoshi Kon, who passed away in 2010, had already made Perfect Blue in the 90s. Thus, he knew what was like to add a lot of dark and disturbing elements to animated films. The Papikra anime movie goes even further, adding a lot of disturbing elements while serving as a phenomenal analysis of the human psyche. Some people have even drawn parallels between it and Christopher Nolan's Inception.
Final thoughts
The Paprika anime film is a cult classic of the medium but also a great example of how animated movies can still push the envelope. Seventeen years after its release, this movie still holds a lot of value from different angles, although is understandable that is R-rated because of some of the scenes that it has.
