In the near future, a revolutionary new psychotherapy treatment called the DC Mini allows the user to enter another person's dreams, exploring their unconscious thoughts. Dr. Atsuko Chiba is a research psychologist using this advanced technology to help psychiatric patients under the alias of her alter-ego "Paprika." However, when a prototype of the DC Mini is stolen from the institute she works for, the boundary between dreams and reality starts to blur. The theft poses a severe risk; in the wrong hands, the DC Mini can destroy a person's psyche by trapping them in an endless cycle of nightmares.

As the situation escalates, Dr. Chiba, in her Paprika persona, delves deeper into the dream world to track down the thief and recover the stolen device. Her investigation points towards a conspiracy that involves her colleagues and the potential misuse of the DC Mini for malevolent purposes. With time running out, Paprika must navigate a surreal landscape of dreams and confront the shadowy figures who seek to manipulate the subconscious mind. Alongside Detective Toshimi Konakawa, who is grappling with his own personal demons via the therapy, she races against the manipulators who threaten to merge dreams with reality, causing catastrophic consequences.