Perfect Blue

An animated figure seen from behind faces a wall covered with many images of the same young woman. The repeated portraits surround a desk and computer in a crowded room.

In this animated psychological thriller from Japanese auteur Satoshi Kon, Mima Kirigoe, a former pop idol, makes a bold transition into acting, taking on a controversial acting role. Her dramatic reinvention grabs public attention, but also provokes unease among her fans, her manager, and even herself as she struggles with the rapid shift from her days as a pop idol.

After a stalker begins to shadow her, and a screenwriter and a photographer are murdered one after another, Mima slowing begins to lost her grip on reality and wonders if a split personality is gradually taking over, just like the character that she plays in the drama. Her sense of insanity deepens when “the other Mima” the pop idol who was supposed to have “graduated,” appears in front of her… Hailed as the first animated film to feature an authentic psychological suspense story and newly restored in 4K, Perfect Blue unfolds like an optical illusion that blends fiction and reality, dreams and delusions, and cyberspace and continues to unnerve audiences nearly twenty years after its initial release.

In Japanese with English subtitles. Part of our "Restorations & Rediscoveries" series. Courtesy: gKids

Please visit our Content Advisory page to access resources for identifying sensitive content and evaluating the age-appropriateness of each film title.