So the story goes, this disturbing psychological thriller based on the novel by Yoshikazu Takeuchi was already in production as a live action flick in Kobe in 1994 when disaster struck. An earthquake hit the region and in devastating Kobe, also devastated production on Perfect Blue. Rather than abandon the project altogether, it was decided to shoot the drama in animated form. With most anime films playing host to warring robots, buxom ninjas, cyber cops and demon seeds, the decision to use animation to tell a street-level thriller with ‘mere’ human characters was considered by some to be a wasteful misuse of the medium. It is this ‘misuse’ that gives Perfect Blue its edge.
When 21 year old Mima Kirigoe decides to hang up her pink tutu and leave the life of teen pop princess to pursue a career as a serious actress (by getting a role on a soap opera?) her life takes a dramatic twist. Her fans (all of whom are disturbingly adult) are shocked by the move so when Mima’s character is called on to do a rape scene, the kaka really hits the obsessive fan and things begin to turn a little weird (not just for Mima, for the viewer as well. It’s not comfortable watching a cartoon get raped and the horror is not diminished by the fact that it is rendered in pen and ink).
Mima discovers a fan website that contains a bogus diary supposedly written from Mima to her fans. Unfortunately, the diary entries are eerily close to the truth and when people who have crossed Mima begin to show up in crumpled heaps and lacking a pulse, her sanity begins to crumble. Add an obsessive stalker (Let’s call him Creepy Droop-face), a wolf-like agent and her own malicious hallucinations, and it looks like Mima has a ticket on the express train to Loopyville.
With masterful understatement, (for an animated film, at least) director Satoshi Kon lifts up the rock of modern celebrity and finds all manner of creepy-crawlies twisting away underneath. Some of the animation is a little sparse but once the viewer becomes accustomed to it, the characters are drawn with a realism that belies the fact they are animated at all. Brooding, lengthy silences between sentences add to the tension and the hard-hitting depiction of violence is as confronting as you will see on the small screen this year.
The real winner is the script by Sadayuki Murai. Based on the 1992 novel by Yoshikazu Takeuchi, it manages to keep the viewer guessing with each revelation begging as many questions as it answers. The character dialogue is subdued and even cleverly employs the use of repetition to eerie and disturbing effect.
Perfect Blue is a powerful exercise in paranoia and, with the canny use of flashbacks and dream sequences, manages to set up a shaky landscape of uncertainty and genuine intrigue.
This film will give you the creeps…
Another distinction between this film and its anime counterparts is with its modest use of colour. Where a lot of Japanese animation favours more garish, bubblegum tones to give it a certain carefree look, Perfect Blue employs much darker tones. The shading is excellent and the overall and intentional look of the film suits its dark nature.
Although it still contains a few film artefacts, the transfer is excellent with crisp, clear lines and contains very little wobble. Even though the colours are at times a little dull, there is little evidence of bleeding and distortion and I suspect that the small screen has done the film a great service in compacting some of the sparser, lightly coloured scenes. Ultimately, the transfer for this disc is of excellent quality.
Perfect Blue is presented in a wide screen format with an aspect ratio of 4:3.
Three sound options are on offer for Perfect Blue: English 5.1, Japanese 5.1, and English 2.0. All three options are perfectly acceptable and contain no syncing problems or evidence of distortion. It must be said, however, that none of the 5.1 sound options are liable to give your surround speakers much of a workout, but are still more than ample.
As a rule, I generally recommend watching anime in its native Japanese and using the English subtitles. The first reason for this is that the American dubbing for Japanese animation is generally appalling and the second is that I have always found that the Japanese language adds to the surreal nature of what is on screen. Perfect Blue is an exception to both rules.
The English dubbing is understated and very suited to the storyline without any of the usual over acting and annoying gasps of surprise and horror. Since the storyline is based in reality and doesn’t rely on spectacular imagery but instead uses the dialogue to tell the story, English is the preferred option and makes for easier viewing.
Despite its occasionally confusing plot, Perfect Blue serves as an excellent introduction to Japanese animation for those that have otherwise found it too convoluted or high-tech to offer easy access. Set in everyday life and using classic film devices, the film manages to stand up very nicely as dark, well-crafted storytelling.
Possibly more disturbing than the film itself is the fact that Hollywood, with their generous budgets and bottomless talent pools, still rarely manage to produce thrillers at this level.
This film has undermined all of my plans to become a teen pop idol…
