Perfect Blue (1997)

I walked into this screening without any foreknowledge of what I was going to see.  Needless to say, I was left speechless.  In terms of raw emotions, this is so far the most powerfully captivating anime film I have seen (of course, I haven't seen that many).  Frightening, disturbing, thrilling- this is supposed to be one of the first psychological thrillers in anime history.

The story revolves around a young woman, Mima Kirigoe, who has just left her career as a pop singing idol to become an actress.  However, the transition from pop star to bit-part actress has alienated her fans and left her questioning her decisions.  Compounding her growing existential crisis is a killer who is stalking her and reporting her every activity on the Internet.  Mima must conquer her delirious fears and survive the growing danger of the crazed stalker who is closing in on her life.

This is a modern film with a modern setting, and the filmmakers have effectively balanced a plausible and realistic background with the surreal images of Mima's delirium.  The animation is top notch- fluid, detailed, and very cinematic.  The blurred transitions between reality, dreams, and the well crafted movie-within-a-movie (also a thriller, inspired by Silence of the Lambs) leave the viewer guessing until the final scene.  Behind all of this resides Mima's character- one which we can empathize with throughout the film.  This is a masterfully directed work.

The only detraction comes after the film is over.  The viewer is taken on an "emotional rollercoaster", but the story leaves gaps big enough to fall through.  Did the deformed "Mimaniac" have anything to do with the murders?   Did Mima actually have bloody evidence in her apartment, or was it just a dream?  These and many more questions are left unanswered.  However, don't let it prevent you from seeing this film when it reaches U.S. distribution.  It's undoubtedly a milestone in Japanese animation.

Posted: 4-14-'98

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