A Film by Satoshi Kon, re-released as part of Satoshi Kon Fest
A Film by Satoshi Kon
1997’s Perfect Blue is easily one of the greatest achievements in animated film ever. While the film is loosely based on a novel called Perfect Blue: Complete Metamorphosis by Yoshikazu Takeuchi, the film is almost undeniably the Magnum Opus of Satoshi Kon. His eye for scene compositions, flawless match cuts, and the balance between happy and unnerving scenes gained him a cult following unheard of for an anime director in the West. So influential was this film, that a litany of Hollywood directors “borrowed from it” on numerous occasions, with one director, Darren Aronofsky, basically stealing entire portions of the film for his Oscar-Winning ventures (as a result I avoid his films). I won’t rant about that on here, as that’s a topic for another day, but I feel like Satoshi Kon could be one of the most underrated and unsung film directors of the 21st century.
That is the exact reason that I was practically “over the moon” when I saw an initiative from Anime Expo called “AX Cinema Nights”, that was showing this and a handful of other Satoshi Kon films as “Satoshi Kon Fest”. I had never had the opportunity to see any of these films on the big screen, so I was very excited for the opportunity. Perhaps something like this, despite having a small audience in the grand scheme of things, will help expose a whole new generation to the works of Satoshi Kon. For those unaware, Satoshi Kon died of pancreatic cancer in 2010 at the age of 46, leaving the world feeling as if he was some sort of failure. Like most tortured artists he leaves a legacy that transcends him in death, and I am glad he is finally getting recognition.
It’s especially interesting that Perfect Blue even happened the way it did. Satoshi Kon was hired and tasked with making a straight-to-video release based on the Takeuchi novel after working on a couple of similar projects. He was known for working on an OVA version (of the now very popular in the west) series JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure that was fairly successful. He saw himself as a largely failed manga author, and worked as an assistant for Katsuhiro Otomo for a time making live action films. To his utter bewilderment, the Perfect Blue project was ordered to be re-conceptualized and reformatted for a theatrical release. At that point, Kon had already made Perfect Blue for the otaku market, thinking it would not be seen by the general public, and since psychological thrillers were an untested genre to be realized for the anime market, it was unclear how anyone would react to the film in any way. For that very reason, it’s easy to characterize Kon as an accidental director.
“AX Cinema Nights™ brings passionate fans together for immersive and unforgettable community experiences. Presented by Anime Expo ®, the largest celebration of Japanese pop culture in North America, and Iconic Events Releasing, AX Cinema Nights™ features the best new and classic anime films in movie theaters across the country.”
From their website
Perfect Blue follows the story of Mima Kirigoe, a former pop idol who decides to pursue a career in acting, leaving her singing career behind. Mima has just turned 21 and feels that she has “aged-out” of being in the group CHAM! whose style includes dressing in Lolita Fashion and pretending to be much younger than she actually is. As she transitions into acting, her life takes a dark and unsettling turn as the stressful nature of the Japanese entertainment industry takes its toll on her. The film explores themes of identity, reality, and the blurred lines between them as Mima becomes increasingly uncertain about her own sanity. The narrative keeps you on the edge of your seat as it delves deeper into the psychological horrors Mima faces.
Perfect Blue is also noteworthy for how it looks at the nature of being a celebrity, no matter how minor, in the internet age. Keep in mind that when this film came out, things like internet message boards and gossip websites were fairly new (to the general public at least), but Satoshi Kon had his finger on the pulse of what was to come as always. Considering the numerous stories we have in the modern era of actors and actresses falling victim to internet harassment, bullying, and even cyber-stalking, something like this is pretty eerie 25 years on.
The premise for the film comes from the aforementioned original novel, however the novel and the film are two vastly different things. The novel is somewhat more of a straightforward psychological horror story about an idol singer that is attacked by a perverted fan who cannot tolerate her more mature image change. It veers into an almost super-natural slasher story (think Jason Voorhees) by the end considering how relentless the antagonist is. While I cannot find anything directly tying the two together on English-speaking websites, one can surmise that the book was inspired by the media circus centered around Serial killer Tsutomu Miyazaki, dubbed the “Otaku Murderer”. In 1988-89, Miyazaki killed four children ages 4-7 years old and was the catalyst for a media outcry against anime stemming from his massive collection of pornography and horror films found in his house, mischaracterized as anime tapes.
In terms of the film, Yoshikazu Takeuchi allowed Satoshi Kon to change the story as he liked as long as he kept three things in mind to make the film work:
- The main character is a low-tier idol singer.
- She has a rabid fan stalking her.
- It is a horror film.
Kon kept all three of the main ideas in his film, but shifted the focus somewhat away from the stalker storyline and more into the mental health issues suffered by his protagonist. The film is crammed full of red-hearings and subverts expectation at every turn. Instead of being a straight slasher story, Perfect Blue has its protagonist haunted by an unknown force that is pulling the strings of just about everyone involved. The stalker, a man named Me-Mania, Mima Herself, and pretty much everyone around her start falling victim to a rash a murders, crimes, and other disturbances that all seem to coincide with her professional choices and the spotlight on her because of it.
Mima starts to see the world around her blend into the work she’s doing, a role on a television detective drama called Double Bind. Her character turns out to be a woman suffering a psychotic episode that develops Dissociative Identity Disorder due to a traumatic experience. This new personality believes she is an actor working on a TV show when she is in fact a woman killing people around her that harmed her. With actual murders happening around Mima, she starts to have trouble differentiating between reality and fantasy. For a large portion of the final act of the film, the viewer is confronted with the very real idea that what we are seeing could be a “movie within a movie” and Double Bind could actually be reality.
We are also presented with the idea that her stalker, Me-Mania, may not even be real. He seems to get an obscene amount of access to her despite only being a security guard for a show she was on, but there he is in the back of nearly every room she’s in. When Mima catches on to his presence, he routinely disappears as soon as she sees him Michael Meyers-style. Neither are correct – Mima is not the killer in the end, and there is a stalker, but nothing else is as simple. As with Mima, the viewer starts to have a hard time understanding what us real and what isn’t and becomes a VERY unreliable narrator. The roller coaster one takes to get to the actual solution of the story is wild. The actual ending is pretty shocking in its own right, and once anecdotally made an entire anime club showing in my college years erupt in mumbles of “what the F–?” when I first saw it. Satoshi Kon’s directorial debut showcases his signature style of seamlessly blending reality and illusion, something carried to nearly all of his subsequent works.
On a side note – I absolutely loved the fact that the storyline from the original novel is one of the cases we see in the background during Mima’s Double Bind filming. Since I only recently read the first novel, I never caught this Easter egg before, so when I heard the throw-away background dialogue I was like “OOOOOO I GET WHAT THATS FROM!”. At one crime scene some officers start talking about a killer that is killing young girls to unfortunately wear their skin, which was the insane premise for the Perfect Blue novel. That book’s analogue for Me-Mania, a similar pop idol Otaku that calls himself “Darling Rose” has decided that to keep that version of Mima pure, he was going to take her skin and replace his own. In many ways I am glad that was not in this film as that is way too much and worked far better in printed form. Since this movie came out, Yoshikazu Takeuchi did another novel with similar stories that follow the above criteria that I have yet to read (I will have to very soon), so it seems that became the template for this “series”. I may have to eventually even watch the live action film to see if it’s any different.
Despite the age of this film, the animation is visually stunning, with a meticulous attention to detail and it does not feel dated outside of references to technology of the time. Kon was not a fan of too many anime tropes, and instead created his films in the style of live action western films he loved. They are paced like those films and are storyboarded as such as well. Perhaps the most notable influence on him was his love of the 1972 George Roy Hill adaptation of the Kurt Vonnegut book, Slaughterhouse-Five. Kon’s editing style was heavily inspired by the movie, which heavily utilized match cuts and blurring the lines between reality and fantasy. Sounds familiar, huh? The transitions between reality, dreams, and delusions are seamless, creating an eerie and unsettling atmosphere that heightens the psychological tension throughout the film.
As for the characters in the film, Mima Kirigoe is a complex and well-developed character. As she grapples with her new career, her character arc is a fascinating exploration of the pressures of fame, the consequences of one’s choices, and the vulnerability of a person’s mental state. Mima is often pressured into things she is not comfortable with, and ultimately ends up doing them because it’s basically the only way to keep working in the industry. Supporting characters, while not as prominently explored, serve to amplify the film’s themes.
Me-Mania, the stalker, is a terrifying presence in just about every way even though we are never truly sure of his real intentions, or if he’s even there at times. He serves to show both how extreme obsession can lead down a dark path, and that marginalized people are easily manipulated. he’s definitely a solid antagonist when he is on screen. Mima’s manager, and best friend, Rumi, who is a former idol singer herself is also a very important part of the film. She both aids Mima in her struggles and tries to keep her away from the evils of the entertainment industry. If Mima is ever feeling down, Rumi is there for her.
The real villain of the story, “The Real Mima” or “idol Mima” is an interesting idea – a creation of some sort of shared psychotic disorder between a number of characters. Wearing a variation of the same youthful costume Mima is seen in at the start of the film, the film never lays down if she is real or not of what her nature is until the end if the film. She haunts Mima in just about every way, taunting her whenever she makes a mistake, pointing out how much better it would be had she stayed in CHAM, and preying on her insecurities. Mima hallucinates her in many ways whether it be a reflection she’s looking into or seeing her dance into the sky. She manipulates Me-Mania into doing her bidding, and seemingly is the one committing all of the crimes Mima is surrounded by. Fans interact with this character via a website called “Mima’s Room”, a blog chronicling the everyday life of Mima (or what Mima’s idol persona would be doing), much to the horror of the real Mima. The film plays around with this character a lot, making sure that the rug is pulled out from under the audience each and every time it seems to be making sense.
At one point this character seemingly performs a reunion show with MIma’s former CHAM colleagues, an event that people seem to have witnessed. Up until this point a viewer could safely assume that this character was not real, but someone, whether it was Mima or someone who looked like Mima, was at that show performing. The fact that the movie can keep the audience guessing and still make sense at the end is an amazing feat.
Perfect Blue, at times, is a scathing rebuke of the Japanese entertainment industry, perhaps the worldwide entertainment industry in general. One doesn’t have to look very far on any given day to hear something about a Hollywood executive embroiled in a scandal, pressuring someone “to make it worth their while” for a part in a movie. Whether it be Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, or even Louis C.K. it happens a lot and I’m sure Japan is no different. The original novel was more of a rebuke of the Japanese pop idol industry which is far more insular and has its own culture separate from any other music industry. Large portions of the plot focused on Mima’s relationship with a rival pop idol and other stuff that never made it to the film. By taking that idea and shifting it towards the television industry, Satoshi Kon made the movie resonate on a level that could be appreciated pretty much anywhere – making this somewhat of a surprise cult classic in The West.
The soundtrack of Perfect Blue, composed by Masahiro Ikumi, adds another layer to the film’s incredible atmosphere. As one can imagine, a film partially about the music industry should have some killer music, but if there is something I’ve learned from a lot of anime about musicians/bands, there are times where the music is only alluded to for some ungodly reason, and I’ve never figured out why. Luckily, that is not the case here and we have plenty of great tracks to enjoy mixed with some awesome background pieces.
The haunting melodies and eerie tunes enhance the overall sense of unease and disorientation, making the viewer feel deeply immersed in Mima’s troubled psyche. At times catchy pop music is played straight to make the viewer happy and excited, and at other times, the same songs can be used in such a way to push terror on the viewer. Two songs by CHAM are included in the film, and if anyone is a fan of 90’s era J-POP music, they are just as good as songs by real groups of the time. I listen to stuff like death metal, and even I’ll come out and say that “Angel of Love” is a bangin’ song. The real song was written by Imai Kiko, composed and arranged by Ikumi Masahiro, and Performed by MISA, Furukawa Emiko and Shimizu Mie.
Perfect Blue has had a lasting impact on both the anime and psychological thriller genres as a whole. It paved the way for more mature and thought-provoking anime films and has influenced numerous directors and creators. Movies like Requiem for a Dream and Black Swan owe a LOT to Satoshi Kon, and it honestly irritates me that he was not credited for his unwilling contributions to those films. The film’s exploration of the human psyche and the consequences of fame continue to resonate with audiences to this day. I saw the film on a Sunday afternoon, and while it was not packed there were a lot of fans in the theater with me, some younger than I expected.
I was kind of sad that the film did not have any “special features” or perhaps an introduction of any sort despite being called a part of “Satoshi Kon Fest”, and perhaps more can be done in future installments. I’ve grown somewhat accustomed to special events such as this having “something” whether it be an interview (such as Oldboy) or a featurette (such as Ghibli Fest 2023), but it’s by no means a breaking point for me.
In closing, I want to reiterate that Perfect Blue is a cinematic gem that transcends its medium. Satoshi Kon’s masterful storytelling and innovative animation techniques make it a must-watch for anyone interested in psychological thrillers, anime, or thought-provoking cinema. I will point out that it has some dark stuff in it, and is not appropriate for kids if you could not already gather up to this point. It’s a dark and intense journey into the mind of its protagonist, leaving viewers questioning the boundaries of reality and fiction long after the credits roll. Perfect Blue is a timeless classic that continues to captivate and disturb audiences with its brilliance. I am privileged to have been able to finally see this in its full glory and can’t wait for more from AX Cinema Nights and Satoshi Kon Fest!
This film has a long and storied license history, but is currently under the umbrella of GKIDS for the American market. GKIDS has slowly become one of my favorite anime companies, and I have been basically using their catalog for most recent reviews. If you want to see more GKIDS material that I’ve reviewed, click HERE.