Perfect Blue
with Junko Iwao, Rica Matsumoto, Shinpachi Tsuji
Directed by Satoshi Kon
Written by Sadayuki Murai, Yoshikazu Takeuchi
(Manga)
by Eric Johnson
Although it falls somewhat short of the animated Hitchcock promised in the promotional material, Perfect Blue‘s tale of hunted celebrity is as good a psychological thriller as that overtaxed film genre has produced in some time.
Leaving behind her moderately successful pop trio for a slightly more stable career as an actress, Mimi Kirigoe starts her new life at the lower end of the entertainment food chain. With a bit part in a murder mystery television series, Mimi is spoon-fed lines to prove her seriousness before her role is expanded. In the meantime, an eerily accurate fan website “diary” is posted with entries that so closely resemble Mimi’s thoughts and actions it can only mean she is being stalked. In an effort to shatter her stifling good girl pop image, she agrees to film a brutal and exceptionally graphic rape scene for an episode of the television show. From that point on, things get complicated, and eventually violent.
Displaying only a small portion of the graphic violence commonly found in Japanese animation, Perfect Blue is almost an exercise in restraint and good, suspenseful storytelling. Abandoning all the fantastic elements and staying rooted firmly in psychological tension, this film manages to feel extremely fresh and inventive. Surreal imagery is reserved to depict Mimi’s overtaxed psyche, and although occasionally absurd, the animation does a better job of illustrating certain clinical psychological conditions than 90% of live action thrillers. The animation itself stays fairly realistic, Mimi is pretty enough and convincingly twenty, lacking the absurd distortion, oversized eyes, and prepubescent appearance that ruins most anime for me. The last half of Perfect Blue is exceptionally good, with enough slight of hand to make the actual ending both surprising and satisfying. Of course, there are moments that require the suspension of disbelief necessary to fully enjoy most anime, but these moments are few and far between.
Perfect Blue is a smart, interesting and engrossing film as far removed from standard-issue science fiction/fantasy, laser beam Japanese animation as you can get. Highly recommended to fans of the genre as well as newcomers.
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