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A brilliant anime masterpiece from Satoshi Kon (Tokyo Godfathers, Paprika) receives the steelbook treatment.
Pop star Mima, her fame and fortune beginning to slide as fashions change, is persuaded to turn actress, reluctantly accepting an ill-defined role in a television soap opera. However, Mima's grip on reality begins to loosen as a result; she imagines that she has an identical twin who has maintained a singing career, and becomes increasingly paranoid after her friends are either threatened or killed. Can Mima unravel the truth before she is driven completely over the edge?
For more about Perfect Blue and the Perfect Blue Blu-ray release, see Perfect Blue Blu-ray Review published by Neil Lumbard on September 17, 2021 where this Blu-ray release scored 4.5 out of 5.
Perfect Blue is one of the greatest anime films of all time. The feature is based on the novel by Yoshikazu Takeuchi. Exploring a
gritty
and dark world of psychological terror, Perfect Blue is renowned as one of the darkest and most genre-defying productions of all. A
must-
see masterpiece.
Mima (Junko Iwao) is the star of the pop-music sensation, CHAM. As the young woman begins to lose interest in her music career, she decides
to
explore the possibility of becoming an actress. This path leads Mima down a road to murky career-choices in television and nude photo shoots.
As Mima struggles with her new career path, she is haunted by her past. A stalker begins to follow her and she has nightmarish visions of her
former
pop-star self. As some of her closest collaborators begin turning up dead, the horror and paranoia of her journey meets full velocity. What does it
take
to become a star?
The animation is worth the price of admission alone. This is a visually striking master work. Featuring art direction by Nobutaka Ike
(Paprika, Tokyo Godfathers), Perfect Blue has some of the darkest and most striking visuals of any anime
feature-film. While many anime fans (and newcomers) expect the bubbly animation world of anime to reside in (most) productions, Perfect
Blue
could not be farther away from that aesthetic. The world it portrays is haunting. This is a dark world and the animators bring that
essence to the table. Simply put: the animation is breathtaking. Cinematographer Hisao Shirai (Ghost in the Shell, Only
Yesterday) crafted a compelling visual experience that is hard to shake.
A stunning steelbook that no fan will want to miss.
Another element of Perfect Blue that is outstanding is the music score composed by Masahiro Ikumi (Special Powered
Armor
Troop Dorvack). The electronic-infused score is a powerhouse effort by Ikumi. The music is perfect at exploring these characters and their
dark
world. The soundtrack is haunting when it needs to be (and action-packed when the film calls for it to be). While most anime doesn't utilize
electronic
sounds, Perfect Blue blends these elements in to the orchestration with true effectiveness.
Edited by Harutoshi Ogata (Ninja Scroll, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust), Perfect Blue is one of the best
edited anime productions. The pace and rhythm of the story is exquisite. There is something profound about the filmmaking and the editing.
Outstanding.
The screenplay by Sadayuki Murai (Millennium Actress, Steamboy) is one of the key reasons the film is so effective.
The story is intelligent, thoughtful, and complex. The characters are explored in a deeply complex way. This is no cookie-cutter anime production.
Perfect Blue demands viewers to think and explore the world the filmmakers build.
Directed by the great Satoshi Kon (Tokyo Godfathers, Millennium Actress), Kon was one of the best anime
filmmakers
around (before his untimely passing). The director made one gem after another. Perfect Blue helped launch his career as a filmmaker
and made him become one of the most important anime director's in the industry. Not only is he highly regarded as one of the best filmmakers the
medium
has ever seen, he helped pave the way for a new type of filmmking in the anime medium. To call Perfect Blue groundbreaking would
be
an understatement. A masterpiece that every anime fan (with a strong enough stomach) should watch.
Arriving on Blu-ray for the first time in North America, Perfect Blue is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the
original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 widescreen. The beloved cult anime feature-film has received a brand new restoration. The presentation is
impressive overall. Though the film shows some signs of age, the restoration effort was enormously well done. The scan appears naturally filmic and
showcases the breathtaking animation in the highest quality. The encode features a high bit-rate and there are no issues to report with regards to
compression woes. The line art appears detailed throughout. The color palette looks true to the filmmaker's intent. Perfect Blue has never
looked better on home media.
The release features an exceptional Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound mix that any fan of the feature-film should listen to. The
lossless remix sounds remarkable. The level of detail and clarity on the track is truly superb. The 5.1 mix in the original Japanese was my preferred
option. The music sounds ultra crisp and dynamic. Dialogue is crisp, clear, and easy to understand. There were no issues to report with regards to hiss,
crackle, warps, and other audio-related detriments. This is a truly fantastic audio presentation that is a good quality match for the new high-definition
restoration.
Fans who want to watch Perfect Blue via a dubbed in English track will have to make-do with a sub-par lossy Dolby Digital 5.1
surround sound track. The dub was not given the same high-end lossless audio treatment the original Japanese audio was given. An original Japanese
2.0 mono mix is also provided on the release (but the track is also in a lossy format). For the best audio experience for viewers watching with high-end
audio gear, the Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix is the definitive way to watch the film.
Optional English SDH subtitles (for the deaf and hard of hearing) are also provided.
The collectors edition steelbook release of Perfect Blue is packaged
in an attractive collectible for fans of the film. The matte print quality is surprisingly good and the art-work chosen for the front and back of the
steelbook impresses. The front showcases one of the most iconic illustrations (often used for poster art) while the back art is of a memorable
moment from the film. The inside of the steelbook release includes a booklet alongside the Blu-ray and DVD discs.
The only minor nit-pick to the steelbook is the inner art-work is only a muted purple background: it is almost as if there is no interior
art-work at all (and an image from the feature-film would have been preferred). Overall, Perfect Blue has
received a quality collectors edition that fans will cherish. A worthwhile release.
On disc extras include:
Original Standard Definition Presentation (SD, 1:21:19) is included in non-anamorphic widescreen. While this is an interesting inclusion
(which perhaps showcases slight variances in the framing of the animation), it best serves to showcase how vastly improved the film is by the new
high-definition restoration. One can't help but wonder why anyone would actually prefer to watch it in standard definition when the release includes
such a fantastic new scan.
Lectures by Director Satoshi Kon (HD, 41:10) – as presented in Japanese with English subtitles.
English Credits (SD, 3:47)
"Angel of Your Heart" Recording Session (SD, 4:22)
"Angel of Your Heart" Full English Version (HD, 4:15)
Original U.S./U.K. Trailer (SD, 1:39)
U.K. Re-release Trailer (HD, 1:11)
Japanese Trailer (HD, 1:56)
Cast and Crew Interviews:
Satoshi Kon (SD, 10:45) is an interview with the director of Perfect Blue.
Junko Iwao (SD, 5:41) is an interview with the Japanese voice-actress for Mima.
Ruby Marlowe (SD, 2:40) is an interview with the English voice-actress for Mima.
Wendee Lee (SD, 2:21) is an interview with the English voice-actress for Rumi.
Bob Marx (SD, 2:00) is an interview with the English voice-actor for Me-Mania.
Perfect Blue is perfection. This is one of the most haunting and effective anime films ever made. A horror anime which explores a dark
world, Perfect Blue is one of the greatest efforts from director Satoshi Kon. A must-see masterpiece that helped to pave the way for more
complex anime films to follow. While the film is often shocking, the storytelling is exquisite. The Blu-ray features a strong restoration and a nice
selection of supplemental features.
The collectors edition steelbook release features a stunning design showcasing key art from Perfect Blue. The front art-work highlights one
of the most memorable poster art-works while the back highlights a key scene. The interior is a bit bland (with only a subdued purple background) but
the overall aesthetic of the edition is far superior to the standard edition. Steelbook fans will find it a worthwhile pick-up. Highly recommended.
Use the thumbs up and thumbs down icons to agree or disagree that the title is similar to Perfect Blue. You can also suggest completely new similar titles to Perfect Blue in the search box below.
GKIDS, in association with Shout Factory, will release on Blu-ray Satoshi Kon's cult psychological thriller Perfect Blue (1997). The release will be available for purchase on March 26.
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