Dream monitoring and intervention as a means of treating mental disorders is a developing new form of psychotherapy in the near future.

Brilliant psychiatry research establishment employee Atsuko Chiba (千葉敦子, Chiba Atsuko) is the most prominent scientist in this field, using her alter-ego Paprika (パプリカ, Papurika) to enter the dreams of others and treat their illnesses.

Her colleague, the brilliant and obese Kōsaku Tokita (時田浩作, Tokita Kōsaku) has created a super-miniaturized version of the Institute's existing dream-analysis devices calling it the DC Mini (DCミニ, DC Mini).

An animated film adaption of the novel, directed by Satoshi Kon, was released in 2006, with Yasutaka Tsutsui himself providing the voice of a bartender.

[1] Cathy Yan will executive produce and direct a live-action television series adaptation of the novel for Amazon Studios and Hivemind.