Pafekuto buru
Tags: insanity, psychedelic, psychological, murder, violence

Plot synopsis:
Mima Kirigoe, the lead singer of the fictional J-pop idol group "CHAM!", decides to leave the group to become an actress. Her first role is in a crime drama series, Double Bind. Some of her fans are upset by her change in career, including a stalker known as "Me-Mania". Shortly after leaving CHAM!, Mima receives an anonymous fax calling her a traitor. She finds a website called "Mima's Room", which features public diary entries that claim to be written by her that discuss her life in great detail. She brings the site to the attention of her manager, ex-pop star Rumi Hidaka, but is advised to ignore it.
On the set of Double Bind, Mima succeeds in getting a larger part. However, the producers decide to cast her as a rape victim in a strip club. Rumi warns Mima that it will damage her reputation, but Mima accepts the part. The scene traumatizes Mima (as well as Rumi, who leaves the production control room crying), and she increasingly becomes unable to distinguish reality from her work in show business.
Several people involved in creating Double Bind, including the show's writer and photographer, are found murdered. Mima finds evidence that makes her a suspect in those murders, and her increasing mental instability makes her doubt her own innocence. Meanwhile, Me-Mania is constantly shown standing amongst the Double Bind filming crew, and his further obsession is revealed when he is shown receiving emails from Mima's pop idol persona through the Mima's Room website. It is at this point that reality starts breaking down for the viewer as well: in one scene, Mima is revealed by a police psychiatrist to be the split personality delusion of a woman named Yoko Takakura, only for the Double Bind camera crew to yell "Cut"; in another, Me-Mania finally confronts and attempts to rape Mima, stopped only when Mima hits him in the head with a hammer, knocking him unconscious. Rumi finds Mima backstage immediately afterward, and upon both returning to the scene, Me-Mania's blood and body are not found on the now-empty set. This causes Mima to further doubt her perception of reality.
Rumi offers to drive Mima home. Upon arriving, Mima tries to call Mr. Tadokoro, but he doesn't pick up the phone as he has also been murdered, along with Me-Mania. Mima drops the call upon realizing that she is actually in a completely different apartment, decorated to resemble her own pop idol apartment at the beginning of the film. When Mima encounters Rumi, her manager is wearing a replica of Mima's CHAM! costume and, in a psychotic break, fully believes that she is the "real Mima"; Rumi is in fact the diarist behind Mima's Room and the one who committed the murders. Rumi is angry that Mima—who has been suffering from folie à deux throughout the film—has been ruining the "real Mima's" reputation and decides to save her pristine pop idol image by murdering the "fake" Mima. After a chase through the city, Mima, despite being wounded herself, manages to rip off Rumi's wig, causing Rumi to impale herself on a glass shard trying to grab it. Mima then saves Rumi from an oncoming truck, whose headlights she mistakes for stage lights. Both parties collapse as the truck's occupants call for an ambulance.
Mima, now an accomplished actress, shows up at a mental institution to visit Rumi, who still believes herself to be Mima. As Mima leaves, she overhears the nursing staff believing that she is a Mima look-alike, as Mima would have no reason to visit an institution. Mima enters her car and, looking into the rear view mirror, declares "I'm the real thing" and smiles.

Review: 'Perfect Blue' is the most interesting animated movie I've ever seen.
As a look at the illusions of fame and the dark side of obsession I personally found it to be a much more satisfying movie than the more celebrated and flamboyant 'Mulholland Dr.' I strongly suggest that the original Japanese subtitled version is watched rather than the inferior English dubbed one for maximum effect.
Perfect Blue takes many levels of reality, fiction, dream, and delusion, and merges them into an occasionally baffling but overall thrilling and satisfying film.Mima is a rising pop star, not yet in the big time, but certainly on the way.
...and who is killing those who Mima is closest to?Perfect Blue will probably confuse you, and the ending will leave you thinking, but in these days of neat, clean-edged storytelling, a little confusion is good for the soul.I highly recommend this to fans of thrillers and anime alike, plus it is a great introduction to the world of Japanese animation for those just getting their toes wet.
The film is a complete success as a frightening, surreal and involving thriller (though I do still like Jinn-Roh much better).But another reason to rejoice is that Perfect Blue is a step in the right direction for the general public's image of what anime really is.
It's a medium in itself, and the Japanese animation market can, and does treat every imaginable genre and subject, often with skill that leaves feeble Hollywoodian efforts miles behind itself (in the case of Perfect Blue, it speaks volumes that a celluloid character such as Mima manages to become more lifelike and sympathetic than any sillicone tarts Hollywood chucks around the screen).
Based on Yoshikazu Tekeuchi's novel of the same name, "Perfect Blue" is a Japanese anime film that tells the story of Mima Kirigoe, a pop idol who decides to leave her musical group while it is still at the top of the charts and concentrate on acting.
What starts out as a moderately scary obsession quickly becomes a terrifying struggle to both deal with her inner demons and eventually, save her own life.I once heard "Perfect Blue" described as "Hitchcock does anime", which is a dead-on descriptor for this film.
There are some graphic moments (one is a rape scene on the set of the film she is making) so it does not fall into the stereotypical "it's a cartoon so it must be okay for kids" label that the non-anime viewing public seems assume.I highly recommend this film, particularly to people who are not very well versed in anime  it would be a really good way to get your feet wet in the genre.
There were many times during the film where I actually forgot I was watching animation, the action and story are so all consuming.
Satoshi Kon's "Perfect Blue" quickly became a favorite among western fans of anime because it explored themes rarely seen in western animation; themes that had more in common with the horror genre such as obsessions, murders and suspense.The story revolves around Mima (Junko Iwao), a young singer who is quickly becoming an idol as part of the musical trio "Cham".
At the same time she tries to adjust to her new job, someone begins to stalk her and to brutally kill those near her artistic career and Mima begins to wonder if she is really doing the right thing."Perfect Blue" is often labeled as a classic of Japanese animation because it presents a way different kind of story to those used to family-oriented animation.
It is not something young children should watch.Based on a novel by Yoshikazu Takeuchi, the film offers an interesting and harsh criticism to the "idol culture" in Japan, and its exaggerated portrait of an obsessed fan is an extreme, yet hauntingly realist image of insane obsessions.
The story has been labeled as "Hitchcocknian", but its lack of subtlety in terms of graphic violence and nudity, as well as its high level of surrealism puts it closer to the stylish Italian sub-genre of Giallo.By keeping the story around Mima, Satoshi Kon creates haunting atmospheres of paranoia as Mima feels strange in her new career; while it sacrifices character development of the supporting characters, this approach increases the feeling of isolation and adaptation the story has, making a more effective horror/mystery piece.
Like any Giallo, the haunting image of the mysterious stalker is always present, and in "Perfect Blue" the mystery and suspense are very well handled making the movie a great work of suspense.The animation is very good, and not as flashy as casual anime fans would assume.
The original Japanese voice work is very good, so I would recommend watching it with subtitles instead of dubbed."Perfect Blue" seems flawless as motion pictures can go, and the odd choice of using animation as medium (it was originally meant to be a normal live action movie) makes it different than the rest.
On the cover of this film, Roger Corman is quoted as saying "If Alfred Hitchcock partnered with Walt Disney they'd make a picture like this." He couldn't be more right.The story is about a pop idol Mima, who is sheding her squeaky-clean image for that of an actress.
This does the same, because if we were not built up to believe that Mima's character is not real-i.e 3-dimensional, then we would feel no sense of loss and disorientation when all hell breaks loose in Mima's life (and the editing room).A first class film with twists all the way.
"Perfect Blue" is a very, very dark anime...so don't let your kids watch it thinking it's like "Pokemon" or "Inuyasha"!
It's also a confusing mind-bending sort of film...one that certainly is unique.When the anime begins, Mima is in an up and coming pre-packaged Japanese girl bands.
Perfect Blue is a psychological thriller about a singer in a pop trio, Mima, who turns to acting because of the lack of successes that she feels she is achieving in music.
Mostly because of the stories I have heard about the esteemed director, Darren Aronofsky, buying the rights to this film for $60k in order to, not only replicate a seen from this film in his critically-acclaimed masterpiece, Requiem for a Dream, but also to allegedly replicate aspects of Perfect Blue in his Oscar-winning movie, Black Swan.
I watched it again several months later, intending to get rid of my DVD, and realised that I had missed the whole point of the film!PERFECT BLUE is actually a very good, intelligent movie.
Using these elements he and writer Sadayuki Murai created what is effectively a coming-of-age story about a young woman leaving one stage of her life and entering another.The plot can seem contrived and the ending is a little silly (though it is quite meaningful when looking at the film as a story about growing up).
You've seen before in films like The Stunt Man the meta-narrative tricks of using scenes and lines from a movie inside the movie (in this case a Japanese soap crime thriller) as a tool in showing the protagonist's reality being undermined, but they work marvellously here.
Unlike Millennium Actress, Kon never manages to build an emotional connection between the viewer and the characters, leaving a dispassionate barrier.Barred beneath a plot of tasteless sand there may be a glimpse of sentiment that could warrant artistic expression- unfortunately, those who crafted this mechanically orchestrated opera didn't believe in that sentiment enough to imbue any great worth or artistic beauty when rendering it.At the hart of the Perfect Blue is the question: do I like who I've become?
The animation is not bad, but not great, either.The story is about a young pop singer who decides to turn actress, disappointing her more maniacal fans.
When people think of beloved Japanese animated filmmakers besides Miyazaki or Takahata, another notable figure in mind is Satoshi Kon. Even though he only made a few films throughout his sadly short lived life, what he left behind in the industry is nothing short of fascinating.
After 20 years of showing, it still holds up as one hell of a psychological horror.Set in Japan around the 1990s, the film centers around Mima Kirigoe, a once pop singer turned actress who becomes a victim of stalking, which causes her to lose sight between reality and fiction.
Even if the film could've been done in live-action, I don't think it would've been as strong without the brilliant psychological illusions shown through the eyes of an emotionally distraught fashionista.I think we need more films like Perfect Blue, because its haunting story of a celebrity being toyed with past the point of sanity should be told more often.
I am not a huge anime fan, as a matter of fact I have barely seen more than five of them, but this psychological thriller is as good as any film in the genre.
Blurring the lines between fantasy & reality, Satoshi Kon's feature film debut is a cleverly structured, expertly layered & rivetingly told psychological horror that's original, thrilling & suspenseful from start to finish and by intentionally playing with the viewers' perception, keeps them on the edge throughout its runtime.Set in contemporary Japan, Perfect Blue (also known as Pâfekuto burû) concerns a pop singer who retires from music to pursue an acting career.
As she climbs the ladder of her new profession by making numerous sacrifices & compromises, she finds herself becoming more unstable and starts losing her sense of reality after being stalked by an obsessed fan.Directed by Satoshi Kon in what's his directorial debut, Perfect Blue is a terrific start to his filmmaking career.
Characters are well-defined & aptly voiced while its escalating score further ratchets up its eeriness & sense of foreboding.On an overall scale, Perfect Blue is a masterly directed, skilfully scripted & finely animated example of its genre that commences Satoshi Kon's filmmaking journey on an extremely positive note.
One of the best films of its year, one of the finest works of anime in existence, and a cerebral cinematic experience that grabs your attention from its opening moments & doesn't let go until the very end, Perfect Blue comes strongly recommended..
"Perfect Blue" is a 1997 anime about a young woman transitioning from a career as a pop idol to a new vocation as a serious actress.
This is a movie that's filled to the brim with astute observations on perception, idol worship and the nature of reality.This, I feel, is what elevates "Perfect Blue" above most anime movies (and most live action movies, too, for that matter).
While it's unlikely to appeal to everyone, if you're looking for a smart and effective psychological thriller then "Perfect Blue" is well worth your time, regardless of any preconceived notions that you may have about anime.
The way the scenes are made is brilliant: It gradually gets more bizarre an the twists made me quickly question what's real and what isn't myself.If you like psychological thrillers this is a must see.
A young pop singer tries to break out into acting, only to find that the psychological thriller that she is starring in has eerie parallels to her own life in this mind-bending animated drama from Japan.
Anyone who likes anime and is looking for a good mystery will fall right in love with Perfect Blue.It's difficult to give much of a sense of what the film is about with spoiling the plot.
I'm sure that there are not very many serious anime fans that haven't seen Perfect Blue, and with good reason.
All with the addition of psychological thriller of our female lead questioning if the real her was her 'Pop Singer' self.Let this be the first thing I say about it, this film was brilliant for it's amazing atmosphere and directing.
But it's just a context for the psychological thriller plot.It's a movie in which we can identify with, all those who have had those moments in life, and our reactions are usually the same: OR the present overwhelms us and we want to return to the past OR the present overwhelms us and we believe understand it and "we're better than ever".
It's a Hitchockian showcase, where reality merges with fiction, just to create an astonishingly complex cat-and-mouse game, with proper amounts of blood and gore surrounding it the whole time.When a young, sweet, retired pop-star, beloved by many die-hard fans, tries her luck in the filmmaking industry - sullying her own good name with atrocious TV-show roles and nude photo sessions - the past eventually comes back to haunt her in the most expressive and frightening way possible - through confounding distortions of reality and many deceptive visions.
Perfect Blue is a psychological thriller by Satoshi Kon. It's basically from where the film The Black-Swan took all it's main ideas.
One of the things I love about Satoshi Kons work is he's always doing something different every time and avoids all of those anime cliché's like explosions, mecha and all the other familiar goodies I've seen one time too many, this film has none of those things here he's playing things straight out no gimmicks.
Also the style and direction of this anime doesn't even feel like an anime at all but actually felt like I was watching a live action more, and it's all because of the films sense of realism, that's pretty trippy but that's the point.
Perfect Blue that the real fear is losing the sense of reality and fantasy, losing control is what we all fear and this movie shows it.
However, this is not a movie to be missed, whether you like psychological thrillers or anime or both.
Helpless and afraid, she watches as her associates are threatened and killed by a mysterious stalker.My Spiel: Perfect Blue is one of the more obscure animes to ever hit my way.
It is her first line in our 'play within a play.' It is a question that really seeks no answer, instead expressing the complete lack of a frame of reference.Just a decade after its release some of the devices of this film may now seem old - websites pretending to portray the 'real life' of pop idols, obsessive paparazzi, frothing J-pop fans - however, many of the questions explored by Perfect Blue remain as vital as ever.
Perfect Blue is what ninety-nine percent of all "twist" thrillers the last twenty years have failed to become: A scary, fast-paced and ruthless story that actually makes sense at the end without feeling too contrived.
I can come up with only one word: Intense.The basic plot of Perfect Blue is the main character, Mima, is a successful pop singer who chooses to leave her group and become an actress.
The movie not only takes a new spin on the very definition of anime, but it also weaves a creative web of visuals, a mouth-wateringly good story, an intelligent script full of twists and turns from every angle, and rich and suspicious characters.
Perfect Blue goes to places often so dark that few anime series or films even dare to touch it.
Rex Entertainment proudly claims (truthfully) that Perfect Blue is the worlds first anime psychological thriller/horror..
The story tells of Mima, who decides to quit her life as a successful pop star and become an actress, and of the paranoia which follows as people around her die, seemingly because of a psychotic fan.
This is the first anime I have watched that has a good enough plot that it can be compared with live action movies.
The main character Mimi begins confusing her fantasy with reality, especially during scenes where she's filming a movie.
this is unlike most animé in that it is not a bunch of scantilly clad women flying mecha but rather a thriller about a pop star named mima.I dont want to give  away the story (especially the incredible ending) but this is a terrifying movie, this is not a horror film but is by far the scariest movie I have ever seen.
Now we've got our hands on Perfect Blue, a film that has been hailed as anime's answer to a Hitchcock thriller.
What is so unique about Perfect Blue is that it has certainly redefined the genre of anime films.
The ending is however disappointing, trying to resolve the tangled plot and failing to do so with an unsatisfactory happy ending conclusion and an extremely cheesy final line from Mima which reverts Perfect Blue to the stereotypical Japanese anime it was trying so desperately to shrug off.One major flaw is that the film is not accessible the first time round.
First of all, Perfect Blue is very peculiar for an animation film as it shows the contemporary Japan in a documentary way.
And when I say film I mean Motion Pictures: Perfect Blue is a lot more than a "cool animated flick", it's a wonderful Movie..
If there were to be any faults with Perfect Blue then the voice acting (in the dubbed version), although better than most anime, is a slight detraction from the film's quality.
All in all, a thoroughly recommended film, not just for anime fans but for anyone who is interested in an intelligent, mature psychological thriller and can look past the fact it is 'just a cartoon'.
I recommend watching the movie at the theater just to support the release of anime in US theaters, but please try to find a fan-subbed copy to truly enjoy the film.
Perfect Blue is Anime that got under my skin and drove the main character and me insane.A quick fun fact here but Black Swan is actually a remake of this movie, yes to those who didn't know that well you do now.
But even if Japan's animators dabbled in this genre more often, Perfect Blue would still be a bizarre film.
Before "Mulholland Drive" and "Black Swan" there was Satoshi Kon's "Perfect Blue", an anime thriller which ends with your jaw on the ground.