Perfect Blue

• Master Satoshi Kon's directorial debut animation turns out to be this incredible! Compared to it, Black Swan feels like a clumsy imitator. The splitting of identity and the eerie, brilliant mixing of dreams, drama, and reality could only be achieved in animation—no, only in Satoshi Kon's animation! The razor-sharp editing keeps viewers on edge throughout the entire 80 minutes, constantly questioning truth versus fiction in cold sweats.

• Perfect Blue, a cult anime film that remains as relevant today as it was when it was first released, follows the story of a teenage girl on the brink of insanity. Its exploration of unsettling themes such as consent and exploitation may make for uncomfortable viewing, but it's a stark reminder of the issues we still face. Despite some parts feeling dated, its prediction of the Internet as a tool for stalking and the rise of social media for harassment is particularly noteworthy.

• Perfect Blue is no longer young, but it ranks among the greatest anime thanks to its screenplay and direction. The film chronicles the misfortunes of a young pop star seeking to become an actress to the dismay of her fans. Psychosis, split personality, suspense, dread, magnificent music (the ending theme is incredible)—you will not emerge unscathed from this film. In short: a great anime with underlying depths worthy of The Bodyguard.

• These magnificent images give rise to some truly striking scenes, accompanied by a monumental soundtrack of crucial importance that underpins the thriller atmosphere. The score is sumptuous and in perfect harmony with the action. The conclusion lives up to all expectations, bringing Perfect Blue to a close—a truly exceptional feature film that is an absolute must-watch.

• Unusual and memorable, it is a labyrinthine and initially almost indecipherable anime, complex, where one quickly loses time and space coordinates, and where reality and dreams soon end up blurring, intertwining, and exchanging places.

1 / 5