Warning: This review includes discussions of r*pe and sexual assault
Perfect Blue (1997), loosely based off the book Perfect Blue: Complete Metamorphosis by Yoshikazu Takeuchi, was originally intended to be a live action thriller movie. As budget restrictions were drawn thinner and thinner, the movie went from full film release to live action direct to video to animation direct to video on a budget of $687,500. This made almost everyone believe the movie would be a total flop, as the audience for animated thrillers was little to none in Japan.
But thanks to the creative freedom the creators were allotted, the movie was able to break into multiple film festivals, becoming a critical success but just barely making back its budget with a 768,050USD US and UK gross. Perfect Blue was the directorial debut of Satoshi Kon, who would later go on to direct such critically acclaimed films as Millennium Actress(2001), Tokyo Godfathers(2003), and Paprika(2006).
The story of the film follows Mima Kirigoe, a minor pop star, as she tries to transition into acting. When she leaves her idol group, a crazy stalker begins writing on a website pretending to be her and recounting details of her everyday life that would only come from close observation.
As her acting gig starts demanding more and more intense scenes, Mima feels less and less like herself and begins to view the version made up by the computer as the As the days go on, more of the people involved in making the show are violently murdered and Mima has a harder and harder time distinguishing what is and isn’t real.
This movie is simply awe inspiring. I don’t think I can name a single thing I didn’t enjoy in this movie (other than the lack of English language dubbing). The movie is animated in such an interesting way- the way that characters are shot and framed feels just like how it would in a live action movie. The animation is very limited and realistic, for the most part, but that doesn’t mean that the movie doesn’t take advantage of the medium. For instance, when Mima sees virtual Mima she goes against gravity and instead of running does an odd skipping/floating motion through the air, adding to how unreal and powerful she appears.
The music is also just something else- the idol music used in the movie is pretty solid, but the track “Virtual Mima” is one of the most haunting, ethereal, and atmospheric pieces I’ve ever heard. It’s such a fantastic mix of discordant instrumentation with an almost anxiety-inducing humming/singing in the background, and it acts as such a powerful musical motif throughout the film. This film has also been referenced multiple times in Hollywood, with Daren Arronofsky replicating shots in Black Swan and Requiem for a Dream.
Although this movie is fantastic, it is not for all viewers. There is some extremely violent scenes, including graphic depictions of murder, a fabricated r*pe scene, and an attempted r*pe scene. I wouldn’t recommend this movie to anyone who is sensitive to any of these topics.
Perfect Blue is available to rent or buy through YouTube, AppleTV, and Amazon Prime Video.
