Sakuga NotesLibrary / Film
Perfect Blue
A pop idol becomes an actress, and her reflection stops agreeing with her.
- Original title
- Pāfekuto Burū
- Year
- 1997
- Studio
- Madhouse
- Director
- Satoshi Kon
- Length
- 81 min
The story
Mima leaves her idol group to become an actress, taking a role in a gritty TV thriller that her fans hate. A website starts describing her days in unsettling detail, someone on the edge of the crowd will not stop watching, and the line between her life, the show and the diary blurs until she cannot tell which is which.
Why watch it
Kon's debut is a psychological thriller for adults, with cuts that jump between reality and performance mid-gesture. Recommended with the lights on and a strong stomach for tension.
A scene to pause on. The train window reflection. Kon uses one glass surface to tell you everything about the film's split between who Mima is and who she is seen to be.
Official trailer from the GKIDS Films YouTube channel. The player loads only after you press play. Open on YouTube ↗