Perfect Blue

I started with the disturbing but enthralling Paranoia Agent series (I would've already written about it had it been a movie). From there I went to see the mesmerizing and truly epic film Paprika on the big screen. I immediately made Satoshi Kon one of my favorite directors, what with his all of his films delving into human mind. Paprika in particular took place almost entirely in a dreamworld. Well, I just had to see how Kon started his career with Perfect Blue.

This psychological thriller did not disappoint. But before my rave review I guess I need a quick plot summary. As a part of CHAM, a j-pop sensation with a devote fan base, the arguably most popular Mima decides to leave the trio to pursue an acting career. That seems pretty commonplace nowadays. Anyway her departure obviously angers a large number of fans, especially one disfigured bloat named Me-Mania. After work begins on a crime drama, Mima finds a website being updated by someone using her name. The site, called Mima's Room, even goes into her daily schedule and some of her own written thoughts. After the initial shock, Mima decides to keep out of sight out of mind. After a threating fax calling her a traitor and an explosive fan letter injures one of Mima's agents, she starts to break down. Things only escalate when she's as to do a rape scene for the show. Rumi, her manager and ex-pop star, objects but Mima decides to go through with it in hopes of the public taking her new career seriously. Once the recording is done (very tough to watch) she returns home and loses it. Her former self, maybe another persona, appears in a mirror and tells her, "Your tarnished. Flithy." Mima's impersonator is calling for help on the fan site, saying she was forced to comply. Soon after the writer of the series is brutally murdered and Mima begins to wonder whether it is really her writing on Mima's Room.



Even after that lengthy summary I still left out the last half, which is even more riveting. The music sets the tone perfectly with eerie humming and chimes. The way is presented is also pretty unique. The viewer feels jerked around as the scenes change from reality to illusion to the drama show which oddly enough parallels Mima's breakdown. So prepare to be lost for a bit. Needless to say, watching it a 2nd time helps. And please, please, please watch it in its original language. J-Pop was never meant to be translated. Also it should have been pretty obvious, but this movie meant for mature audiences. Gruesome violence and nudity aren't usually associated with animation, but really it's just a way of telling a story. Animation shouldn't be labeled as childish. Grr, that's just a little pet peeve of mine I felt I needed to mention.

Paranoia, corruption, obsession, and delusion all take form in this brilliant film. I couldn't recommend it enough.