Paprika : Satoshi Kon & Susumu Hirasawa

novel · anime · music · 201010

I realized how many fan around the world mourn the death of Satoshi Kon. I would introduce you "Paprika" - his last and great anime movie.

First of all, let us see the opening scene of "Paprika".

Satoshi Kon

According to amazon.com : Based on a novel by the noted Japanese science fiction writer Yasutaka Tsutui, the brilliant and unsettling feature Paprika continues director Satoshi Kon's exploration of the disturbingly permeable boundaries between dreams and reality. Techno-geek Kosaku Tokita invented the DC Mini to allow therapists to enter a patient's dreams and explore his unconscious, but an evil cabal uses the Mini to create a mass nightmare that causes multiple suicides. Psychotherapist Atsuko Chiba uses her alter-identity, "dream detective" Paprika, to intervene. Entering the nightmare, she witness a bizarre parade of appliances, toys, and kitsch objects: All of her intelligence and imagination are needed to escape this nightmare and its perpetrators. Kon effortlessly carries the audience between reality and fantasy, confirming his reputation as one of the most talented and interesting directors working in animation today. --Charles Solomon

Tsutsui's Original Novel

Tsutsui's original novel obstinately depicts a world of dream which is his favorite motif. It resemble so called Dick's world: Philip K. Dick, who is the most grateful si-fi novelist in 1950-60's in USA, described on amount of his novel such as "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?". It is a nightmare-like - a confusion caused by vagueness between real and dream, and seems like metaphysics; thus Kon's anime is more clear and understandable than Tsutsui's novel.

It is translated into English, but I wasn't able to find in on amazon.com, I found it on amazon.co.jp.

Susume Hirasawa

The success of "Paprika" is not only by Kon's brilliant anime but also by Susume Hirasawa's music. The tune title of the opening scene is "The Girl in Byakkoya". As well as the opening tune, "Parade" which is another impressive tune is my favorite.

Kon and Hirasawa collaborated on another work - "Paranoia Agent". It is TV anime drama for not children, for adult audience because the story is hoe strange and nightmare-like.

I attached "Parade - The Girl in Byakkoya" and the opening tune of "Paranoia Agent" composed by Susumu Hirasawa. And also attached the really last work of Satoshi Kon, "Ohayou" (Good Morning) as created for a TV short firm.

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コメント: 1

#1
Chizuru Takamine (金曜日, 07 1月 2011 13:20)

Paprika is a cinematic assault on the senses---the techno-beat blares on while multiple colors burst onto the screen. You cannot tear your eyes away from it. It's like "Spirited Away" on steroids with a plot-line that's reminiscent of "The Minority Report" and "Inception." Sadly, I don't think this has achieved commercial 'box office hit' type success in the US (and perhaps in other countries as well). The Japanese government should consider using more Satoshi Kon anime's in their "Cool Japan" outreach. Kon is truly an "auteur of anime", much like Hayao Miyazaki.