Daydreaming: An Exposé on VR Technology as a Form of Digital Escapism and Identity Design

Abstract

The presentation of identity in Paprika (2006) by Satoshi Kon is complex because of its encounter with virtual reality (VR) and the unprotected access to visit another’s dream. The aim of this article is to demonstrate how this film uses dreams as a media platform that connects people together with powerful VR technology, while also looking at the dangers of disconnecting them from their rigid reality. VR acts as a form of escapism and as a catalyst to the creation and subsequent loss of identity, leading to the exploration of identity as lacking a permanent location in the digital world.