is a 1993

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...

novel written by

Yasutaka Tsutsui is a Japanese novelist, science fiction author, and actor. His ''Yumenokizaka bunkiten'' won the Tanizaki Prize in 1987. He has also won the 1981 Izumi Kyoka award, the 1989 Kawabata Yasunari award, and the 1992 Nihon SF Taisho Award. Writing ...

. It first appeared in Marie Claire magazine in four parts, each appearing chronologically in the January 1991, March 1992, August 1992, and June 1993 issues. A manga adaption of the novel was created by Reiji Hagiwara in 1995 but was not published until 2003. The novel was adapted as an animated film in 2006, which was itself adapted into a second manga the following year by Eri Sakai. The novel was translated into English by Andrew Driver, was published by

Alma Books Alma Books is a publishing house based in Richmond, London, founded in 2005 by Alessandro Gallenzi and Elisabetta Minervini, the founders of Hesperus Press. It publishes mainly fiction, both by authors from the English-speaking world and in tran ...

in April 2009.

Story

Dream A dream is a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. Humans spend about two hours dreaming per night, and each dream lasts around 5 to 20 minutes, althou ...

monitoring and intervention as a means of treating

mental disorder A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitt ...

s is a developing new form of psychotherapy in the near future. Brilliant psychiatry research establishment employee is the most prominent scientist in this field, using her alter-ego to infiltrate the dreams of others and treat their illnesses. Her colleague, the brilliant and obese has created a super-miniaturized version of the Institute's existing dream-analysis devices calling it the . Unrest ensues when the new psychotherapy device is stolen, allowing the assailant to enter the mind of anyone and enact mind control. The frantic search for the criminal and the DC Mini has begun.

Characters

*Atsuko Chiba/Paprika – a beautiful but modest psychotherapist and lead researcher at the Institute of Psychiatric Research. When treating her patients she assumes her alter-ego, Paprika. *Kōsaku Tokita – a brilliant and overweight colleague and friend of Chiba, with whom she is in love. He is the inventor of the DC Mini. *Toratarō Shima – an administrator to the Institute who asks Chiba to bring out Paprika to help Noda's anxiety. *Morio Osanai – a handsome but deeply amoral co-worker of Chiba, who harbors both jealousy and love for her. *Tatsuo Noda – a prominent car company executive and an old friend of Shima who suffers from anxiety.

Adaptions

Animated film

An animated film adaption of the novel, directed by

Satoshi Kon was a Japanese film director, animator, screenwriter and manga artist from Sapporo, Hokkaido and a member of the Japanese Animation Creators Association (JAniCA). He was a graduate of the Graphic Design department of the Musashino Art Univer ...

, was released in 2006, with Yasutaka Tsutsui himself providing the voice of a bartender.

Manga versions

* Reiji Hagiwara's version in Kodansha's '' Mister Magazine'' (from October 1994 to September 1995) * Eri Sakai's version in Kodansha's ''

Monthly Shōnen Sirius is a Japanese monthly ''shōnen'' manga magazine published by Kodansha, and first issued in May 2005. It is issued in perfect-bound B5 format and retails for 580 yen. ''Monthly Shōnen Sirius'' is aimed at readers aged 16–21. The magazine a ...

'' (from May to July 2007)

Live-action film

Wolfgang Petersen Wolfgang Petersen (14 March 1941 – 12 August 2022) was a German film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was nominated for two Academy Awards for the World War II submarine warfare film '' Das Boot'' (1981). His other films include '' The ...

has the rights for a remake of ''Paprika''.

Live-action television series

Cathy Yan Cathy Y. Yan is a Chinese-born American film director, screenwriter, and producer. Her films include the comedy-drama film ''Dead Pigs'' (2018) and '' Birds of Prey'' (2020), the eighth installment of the DC Extended Universe. Early life and e ...

will executive produce and direct a live-action television series adaptation of the novel for

Amazon Studios Amazon Studios is an American television and film producer and distributor that is a subsidiary of Amazon. It specializes in developing television series and distributing and producing films. It was started in late 2010. Content is distributed th ...

and Hivemind.

References

{{Mr. Magazine 1993 Japanese novels Japanese novels adapted into films Japanese science fiction novels Japanese serial novels Science fiction comics Novels by Yasutaka Tsutsui Chuokoron-Shinsha books Fiction about mind control Novels about dreams Novels about mental health Shōnen manga Seinen manga