- Actors: Junko Iwao, Rica Matsumoto, Shinpachi Tsuji, Masaaki Ôkura, Yôsuke Akimoto
- Directors: Satoshi Kon
- Writers: Sadayuki Murai, Yoshikazu Takeuchi
- Producers: Haruyo Kanesaku, Hiroaki Inoue, Ken Washiya, Koshiro Kanda, Laurence Guinness
- Language English, French, Italian, Japanese
- Classification: 18
- Studio: Manga
- VHS Release Date: 1 Oct 1999
- Run Time: 81 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00004CZLP
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 14,372 in Video (See Top 100 in Video)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
One of the most ambitious animated films to come out of Japan (or anywhere, for that matter), Perfect Blue is an adult psycho-thriller that uses the freedom of the animated image to create the subjective reality of a young actress haunted by the ghost of her past identity. Mima is a singer who leaves her teeny-bop trio to become an actress in a violent television series, a career move that angers her fans, who prefer to see her as the pert, squeaky-clean pop idol. Plagued by self-doubt and tormented by humiliating compromises, she begins to be stalked, in her waking and sleeping moments, by an accusing alter ego who claims to be "the real Mima", until she collapses into madness as her co-workers are brutally slain around her. Director Satoshi Kon, adapting the novel by Yoshikazu Takeuchi, shows us the world from her schizophrenic perspective: days blur, dreams cross over into the waking world, the TV show blends into her real life, until her life merges with her part and she can't separate the ghosts from the real-life stalkers. Though the pat ending sweeps the psychosis and anxiety away with nary an emotional scar, it remains a smart, stylish thriller and one of the most intelligent and compelling uses of animation in recent years. Though tame by the extreme standards of "adult anime", there is nudity and a few sexually provocative scenes, and the animation is detailed and stylised (if somewhat stiff and jerky by Disney standards). --Sean Axmaker
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I think it is near impossible describing the feelings that the film puts you through. A range of emotions sweeps at you once that disc is in your DVD player. Is it crap? Is the story good? What are the animations like? These won't be the last questions you'll be asking once the film starts and finishes. This movie is no pushover; it is a serious piece of work about the life of celebrities (though a bit exaggerated with the illusions and all) and is focused on one individual. Mima, who decides to have a career change. Her actions are explained but vaguely. The story revolves around her and her fans. One of the fans is an obsessive person willing to do anything to protect her image which leads to catastrophe. Mima has to combat her own 'ghost' and 'doubt', she worries about her actions and how it will affect other people's opinions like all the other celebrities that we see and thus leads to her doing almost anything to try and not disappoint the people around her.
The special features are different to the usual DVD format. It is styled into Mima's Room a website in the film. It includes a studio clip of the Cham singing and a music video with clips from the actual film itself. Interviews with the English voice cast gives a better picture of the whole plot and it contains some pretty good trailers of other animes too. Other features include links, credits and gallery.
The film succeeds in conquering the world with its influential aspect (everyone wants to know about celebrities nowadays), it is the general interest that attracts so many viewers to its attention and aura. Plus it is animated with an excellent cast of voices bringing the emotions of the situation to you strong and inevitable. No one should leave this anime out of their mind. If you aren't 18 yet then turn away quickly as the temptation to see it is overwhelming, but if you are allowed though with parental permission....... WATCH IT NOW! DON'T WASTE TIME!
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Satoshi Kon's debut film is a stunning and complex psychological thriller, reminiscent at times of Hitchcock. The central character is a young pop-idol who has decided to embark on an acting career. As the film progresses, a fan website which seems to know far too much about her and a growing conflict between her old and new identities begin to blur the line between fiction and reality in a powerful and effective way. The fact that the film is animated helps this process, and the animation, generally, is stunning - despite some slightly dodgy bits near the beginning. An excellent film, which shows the range of genres that animated films can successfully inhabit.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
...(sorry to show off), I have just over 80 videos and a few DVDs and this one is still one of my favorites, in fact, I bought the DVD when I got my player even though I had the VHS already. It's never quite as good as the first time you watch it, because you have no idea what's going on until the end, and the plot twists are very surprising, but when you watch again, you notice more, and that's one of the things that can make a film great. Even when you know what's going to happen, it's still pretty to look at and the characterisation is well thought out so you appreciate it more on repeated viewings. It's not the easiest film to watch, as it has some disturbing and/or violent scenes, which are quite realistic for animation, and one or two sexual assualt scenes.
The animation is pretty good, and the drawing style is interesting. Satoshi Kon is clearly director too look out for, and this is his debut film, which means hopefully there'll be more in the future.
The animation is pretty good, and the drawing style is interesting. Satoshi Kon is clearly director too look out for, and this is his debut film, which means hopefully there'll be more in the future.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Illusions don't kill...
When it was first released in 1997, it was the realism that made Perfect Blue stand out from the science-fiction, horror and genre Japanese anime that we had been accustomed to up... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Keris Nine
Quality animated thriller.
When a pop idol called Mima decides to leave her group and pursue a career as an actress little does she realise the affect that would have on the people around her. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Mark G.
bizarre
Well I've just been on wiki to try and make sense of this film.
I understand now, but honestly had no idea what was going on. Read more
I understand now, but honestly had no idea what was going on. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Mr. J. P. Allen
Mind blowing
You will either love it or hate it. This is deep psycoligical thriller with amazing animation, voice acting and story. Read more
Published on 14 Mar 2010 by Mr. Kyle S. Donnelly
intense anime
I agree that this is no jolly ghibli like experience but then who says that all anime must be. This is a truly deep and dark delve into the human mind in a way that is relevant and... Read more
Published on 30 May 2007 by .
18 cert Anime- check before watching!!
Ok for those who normally like anime yet were freaked out by the violent and [...] nature of the film shoudl read these guidelines. Read more
Published on 8 May 2007 by K. lloyd Baker
Dark, sinister and disturbing.
Since picking up most the Studio ghibli titles I thought I'd delve into other anime. I'm starting to wish I hadn't looked at this one. It's certainly not for the fate-hearted. Read more
Published on 11 April 2007 by A. Maine
watch it more then once or pay attentiion!
An intelligent film that might not make sense unless you start thinking about all the details, even then some parts are left to your imagination. Read more
Published on 10 Aug 2006 by anime fan28
Trippy!
This is most definitely one of the strangest films I have seen in my life! I still don't understand it and I must have seen it atleast 20 times! Read more
Published on 15 Jun 2006 by Natalie Oughton
Overated rubbish
This anime has a tonne of plot holes and very little action. I was disappointed as I had heard so many good things.
Published on 12 Mar 2006 by D. Bebb
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