Edgerunners Could Never: This Sci-fi Anime Takes Cyberpunk to New Level

If there's one thing I've learned from sci-fi, it's that it has an uncanny way of messing with your head and keeping you glued to the screen. There's always that terrifying possibility that these scenarios could become reality (I mean, we've seen it happen already). But this anime? It absolutely blew my mind in ways I wasn't prepared for.

The animation is gorgeous and the story is weird, but weird in the absolute best possible way. This one is going to mess with your head and you'll thank it for the experience.

Paprika (2006) Is a Cyberpunk Fever-Dream

Paprika is intentionally created to mess with your perception of what's happening on the screen. It throws you into a world where reality and dreams collide in the most surreal way possible.

The story follows Dr. Atsuko Chiba, a brilliant scientist by day and a dream-diving therapist by night, who goes by the alter ego Paprika. Yeah, she really jumps into people's dreams to help them sort out their issues.

It's either a dream come true or a nightmare waiting to happen. And I bet you already know exactly what it turns out to be.

Can We Give a Round of Applause for Paprika Animation Please?

The animation in Paprika is straight-up hypnotic. It pulls you right in and gets the best of its cyberpunk world surroundings.

The attention to detail in every scene is mind-blowing. It's in the subtle facial expressions and the way dreams collapse and transform around the characters. You’ll feel pulled into this beautiful and terrifying mess. Director Satoshi Kon really outdid himself here.

The parade scene is absolutely my favorite. It's simultaneously the most beautiful and unsettling thing I've ever watched.

What Do Viewers and Critics Think About Paprika?

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Paprika has 87% from critics and 88% from the audience.

• On IMDb, Paprika is rated 7.7/10.

“Paprika's my favourite anime even including that of Hayao Miyazaki 's works. Some of the best creative imagery I've seen,” Redditor spacecadetbling noted.

“Great movie, I loved the dream sequences which made more sense to me than Inception for example. Dreams here are more random and weird, like my dreams,” Redditor Anxiety-Tough said.

If You Loved Edgerunners, You Have to Give Paprika a Watch

If you're a fan of cyberpunk stories like Edgerunners, Paprika is absolutely going to be your jam. While both shows take different approaches to the genre, they share that same intense emotional core.

Go into Paprika with an open mind and I guarantee you will enjoy it. You can catch this trippy masterpiece for free on Tubi, but be quick as it leaves the service May 1st.