What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedPaperman
Film · 2012
If you loved Paperman, start with Superman: The Animated Series (Bruce Timm, 1996) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Paperman across media.
If you were captivated by Paperman, you will appreciate these stories that find profound, life-changing magic within the mundane.
Books on the same thread
A Man Called Ove: A Novel
Fredrik Backman · Book · 2016
Explores: Grumbling protagonist, Unexpected friendship, Redemption.
Much like the protagonist in Paperman, Ove finds his solitary, rigid world interrupted by an unexpected connection that forces him to embrace a more colorful, shared reality.
The Illustrated Man
Ray Bradbury · Book · 2012
Explores: Technology and Humanity, Social Commentary, Nostalgia.
These stories echo the imaginative spark of Paperman, using surreal elements to explore how the objects we touch and the cities we inhabit shape our deepest human experiences.
Dubliners
James Joyce · Book · 1992
Explores: Paralysis, Epiphany, Irish Identity.
Just as Paperman turns an urban commute into a romantic discovery, these stories find significant emotional epiphanies tucked away within the quiet, everyday rhythm of city life.
The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories
Ken Liu · Book · 2016
Explores: Immigration, Cultural Identity, Family Relationships.
Ken Liu shares the same ability found in Paperman to blend speculative, fantastical concepts with the grounded, intimate emotions of people trying to find their place in the world.
Series on the same thread
Superman: The Animated Series
Bruce Timm · Series · 1996
Explores: Secret Identity, Heroism, Man vs. Machine.
The dual life of Clark Kent mirrors the office worker in Paperman, showing how a mild-mannered professional persona can mask a deeper, more heroic yearning for connection.
Gravity Falls
Alex Hirsch · Series · 2012
Explores: Summer Adventure, Small Town Secrets, Sibling Relationships.
You will recognize the sense of wonder from Paperman in these stories, where ordinary summer days are transformed into unexpected adventures through a lens of whimsical, supernatural discovery.
Adventure Time
Pendleton Ward · Series · 2010
Explores: Friendship, Coming of Age, Existentialism.
The deep bond between Finn and Jake captures the same spirit of persistence and companionship that drives the lead character’s journey toward love in the film Paperman.
Sailor Moon
Series · 1992
Explores: Coming of Age, Friendship, Good vs Evil.
This series mirrors the transformative potential seen in Paperman, where a clumsy, ordinary life is suddenly redirected by a fated encounter that demands a leap of faith.
Podcasts on the same thread
Burdie Stories
Podcast
Explores: life experiences, anecdotes, self-reflection.
These personal, animated anecdotes mirror the visual storytelling of Paperman, proving that simple, everyday experiences hold the most weight when shared through an artistic and reflective lens.
The Archers
Podcast
Explores: family life, community, farming.
Like the urban romance in Paperman, this drama focuses on the small, pivotal interactions within a community that turn solitary routines into meaningful, life-altering relationships over time.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Paperman a feature-length film?
Paperman is a short film released in 2012. It focuses on an urban office worker who uses paper airplanes to meet a girl in unexpected ways. Due to its short format, it tells a concise story without the extended runtime of a feature-length movie.
What is the central plot of Paperman?
The plot of Paperman follows an urban office worker who discovers that paper airplanes serve as an instrumental tool to reconnect with a girl he meets. The story explores how these paper creations facilitate their unexpected encounter within a busy city setting.
How long is the Paperman short film?
Paperman is a short film released in 2012. As a short, it is significantly shorter than a standard feature film, focusing entirely on the narrative of the office worker and the paper airplanes he uses to encounter a girl in the city.
Does Paperman feature dialogue?
Paperman focuses on the visual storytelling of an urban office worker using paper airplanes to meet a girl. The film relies on this specific interaction to drive the narrative forward, highlighting the unexpected ways the character attempts to connect with her throughout the story.