We're big fans of Satoshi Kon's animated film Paprika and today we have found reason to rejoice! The 1993 novel that this animated wonder was based on by author Yasutaka Tsutsui has been translated into English and will be available through Alma Books in the UK this April.
When prototype models of a device for entering into patients dreams go missing at the Institute for Psychiatric Research, it transpires that someone is using them to manipulate people s dreams and send them insane. Threatened both personally and professionally, brilliant psychotherapist Atsuko Chiba has to journey into the world of fantasy to fight her mysterious opponents. As she delves ever deeper into the imagination, the borderline between dream and reality becomes increasingly blurred, and nightmares begin to leak into the everyday realm. The scene is set for a final showdown between the dream detective and her enemies, with the subconscious as their battleground, and the future of the waking world at stake. Widely acknowledged as Tsutsui s masterpiece, Paprika unites his surreal, quirky imagination with a compelling, haunting narrative. AmazonUK
Alma Books are being good sports and letting you have a look at the first seven chapters here
Thanks Mr. Magee
Very exciting!
Oh HELL yes! I'm so buying this...
Any chance they'll do the "Girl Who Leapt Through Time" novella too?
I enjoyed the Paprika for Satoshi Kon's directing. With the huge debate surrounding Casshern, I think a similar argument could be made for Paprika. The art direction, character designs, music, animation are all incredible. It's an amazing visual experience. But I can honestly admit that the script and overall storyline is kind of weak.
I realize Paprika was written first, but I think it really suffers from both the same pros and cons of The Cell. The surreal dream imagery is amazing in both, but both also suffer from boring, flat characters and a silly convoluted plot structure that's writtern around the dreams rather than the other way around. But I own both and think both are entertaining enough that I've watched them multiple times.
I was still interested in reading the book but I just finished 3 of the first 7 preview chapters and have to say, the translation is AWFUL! It reads like the Battle Royale translation, like they hired a fairly descent transaltor to pull exact/ literal meanings from the Japanese while losing also sense of style. A good translator does not make a good writer. The wording is too simple and kind of dumb. It reads like it was written by a high schooler.
It's a shame they didn't get any the people who were responsible for the translations for any of Haruki or Ryu Murakami's books on this one. It takes a very talented, almost brillant translator to do Japanese literature justice. Cause god, the dialouge and descriptive passages in this version are embarassingly bad.
I'll give em kudos for the effort and a great cover design though.
thats the problem. imagine a Miyazaki film that's just a bunch of flying sequences without a strong story.
and i've never really liked Satoshi Kon's art. everything looks grotesque. sometimes there's beauty in the grotesque, but in his works, i find none.
"i haven’t read a review that convincingly argues for its merits. so if anyone could point me to one, would be much appreciated..."
Ehm... Mine? ;-)
Look Visitor, if you don't like Satoshi Kon's artwork it's a lost cause, as that is considered to be the film's strongest point. Well,that and the music. Seeing Paprika prance around the screen with that wonderfully bizarre music sure makes ME twitch!
I would agree the movie could do without its overfull apocalyptic ending, but apparently you didn't even get that far. So stop looking for hidden merits in this film, as the obvious ones are apparently not to your taste.