Perfect Blue A Very Different Anime Experience

My tour of Satoshi Kon's filmography eventually had me sitting down to watch Perfect Blue. I had first heard about it a couple years back when I first started getting into anime with Miyazaki films. Notably different from other Kon films, Perfect Blue is far removed from the more fantastic themes of his other films and carries a much darker, mysterious feel.

A psychological thriller, Blue has drawn comparison to Hitchcock for its style, which includes a slower methodical pace and unnerving, suspense-filled aesthetic designed to keep the viewer guessing what it real and what is not.

The story centers around pop icon Mima Kirigoe, who at the height of her popularity in the band Cham decides to call it quits and pursue an acting career. A nerve-racking transition in its own right, Mima finds herself quickly losing her sense of security when show business isn't all she thought it would be. But her world is slowly torn apart when she begins encountering malicious content aimed at her on the internet. Someone is out to destroy her and she knows neither who is behind these acts or how to stop them. Suddenly isolated, personally and professionally, Mima is completely vulnerable.

Paranoia soon overtakes Mima as she loses all sense of what is reality and what is only in her imagination. While others begin to question her wellness, the danger to Mima's life intensifies and culminates in a brutal attack by a deranged, obsessed fan.

I have yet to watch Perfect Blue a second time, but I really feel I need to re-watch it. I didn't dislike the film, but I found myself really struggling to get into it for the duration. The suspense did not grab my attention and pull me in like the mind-bending story of Paprika or the life reminiscing journey of Millenium Actress. However, true to high visual quality of Kon's films, Perfect Blue features great animation.

Going back to the earlier Hitchcock comparison, I think that perhaps my reaction to the film is less about the film itself and more to the genre. I've enjoyed Hitchcock films in the past (Vertigo, North By Northwest, Psycho) but by no means consider myself big a Hitchcock fan. I've never really gotten into those films as a genre. I think that a bigger suspense fan might have a more enjoyable experience with Perfect Blue. Until I am able to give it a second viewing, I'd say that Perfect Blue is the Kon film that I have enjoyed the least to date. That said, it is by no means a bad film. 7/10