I was constantly trying to delve into my subconscious instincts [while making Paprika (2006)]. Which is pretty difficult to do when you're completely conscious. The problem is that you lose focus, and the actual creation process stalls. Still, you try to re-create that sensation of dreaming although it's nearly impossible. I found that it was hard to force myself to ignore things like logic and reasoning. I think that within human nature, and within the human heart as well, there's just a ton of absurd impulses and instincts. But you can't express those things because society has created these rules that declare that things can't warp. It's a rule that maintains a sense of balance in the world. But when you're restricted like that, you tend to release those impulses within your dreams. Everything warps. I think that in the past we were able to symbolically experience such things within the framework of reality. I think religious ceremonies would be a good example of that. Now we really don't have that. Show less «

The term Mr. Hirasawa [soundtrack composer for the film Paprika (2006)] used was 'falling into place'. It's not really intended in the literal sense though. But I understand what you're getting at. It's almost a sensory reaction. In Japanese, I'd say, "I'm able to swallow it." Technically, that saying is incorrect Japanese. You can only say, "I can't swallow it." But you get the gist. It's not a question of whether the phrase "I'm able to swallow it" is logically sound. Because by saying that, in all reality you're saying that something feels funny when you can't swallow it. But sometimes you feel worse if you do swallow everything. So, it's like we're able to swallow it all down, but people in the audience can't swallow everything. I think it's that resulting sensation of hunger or incompletion that gets people hooked. The thing that I like best about Mr. Hirasawa's music is that I can't swallow everything the first time, so I have to listen to it again. That's not to say that I don't enjoy the music for what it is. However, I love that it contains some mysteries. Show less «

It's like drawing a line on the ground that's 8 inches wide. If you told someone to walk on top of it, they could. But then if you tell them that the line is 300 feet in the air, people start to use their imaginations. They think they'll fall through the sky. People will accept that as how it is. So now, we have a ton of rules and restrictions around us. Those things keep us safe, but I think it also sterilizes us. So, things like imagination and one's willingness to believe in the abnormal have all but been eliminated from our daily lives; for all intents and purposes. The end result of which is soberingly bland reality. Which is pretty much what we live in today. In the film, Paprika is the entity that let's you experience the utterly fantastic and absurd elements of life. I think that this type of story is becoming increasingly rare, unless it's about drugs. Show less «

[final testament] With feelings of gratitude for all that is good in this world, I put down my pen. - Well, I'll be leaving now. Show less «

Things become confusing when you force something ephemeral to become something more concrete.