Perfect Blue

WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED??? I just finished watching Perfect Blue and I feel raped. I am not kidding. This was not a mind-f*ck, this was a mind-rape. My brain is feeling like a dirty whore that just took it in every hole. Let's just agree that Perfect Blue was made in 1997, in an era where the total mind-f*ck was limited to painfully obvious plot twists and very lame narratives that think they're the shit, like Pokémon and Sailor Moon. The movie is a creation of the dude that a couple of years later created Paprika and Paranoia Agent. So there is really no place left for comparison. Perfect Blue blends elements of the psychological thriller, the horror movies, the adult film with some rape scenes and other dramatic themes so that in the end, it seems to play out as a head-on collision of each genre. The main character of the film is some kind of pop idol Mima Kirigoe, who chooses to end her career as a singer and opts for a career change, thus becoming an actress. This sudden change upsets her fans, and pretty soon those around her start receiving threatening letters and such, and some are even later horribly murdered. And if that is not enough to make things interesting, Mimi seems to be losing her grip on reality, a slip into insanity brought on by her new found actress role on a brutally violent television series. So let me explain that a little bit clearly, so that you could understand, literally understand, how fucked up it is. She is playing the role of a woman that has mental problems confusing the reality with the dream and that is killing people in her life. At the same time, Mimi has the same problem, and starts confusing reality with her dreams and the role she is playing. So she is a crazy woman killing people playing the role of a crazy woman killing people. And the movie doesn't fuck around with letting you know when it's reality and when it's a scene from the movie. Figure it out yourself. Another thing that the movie just drops in the scenario is a copy of Mimi, like a ghost of the past, following her around. So she seems to have two different stalkers, one real and one phantasmal. The first is the typical obsessed fan. The second is her alter-ego who claims to be the true Mimi and it's all really only the beginning of forces that are ultimately out to claim her sanity. The ending, although providing a twist is actually more welcomed for providing the fucking end of everything. I was more happy that it finally ended than that the ***** was the true killer. (Yeah, I am not telling you). Perfect Blue does contain some of the obligatory fashion elements of most anime, not limited to extreme violence and graphic sexuality. The film's narrative works because of its "movie within a movie" theme, a setup that's been done to death in most live-action cinema. Overall it was a good movie, nothing spectacular, but actually worthy to be watched at least once by every anime fan out there. So if you do have a "Watch before I tragically die"-List please do add Perfect Blue to that list. Right between Pokémon and Sailor Moon, 'cause I know you want to see them. I can feel it.

Graphics 9/10
Sound 7/10
Storyline 7/10
Characters 7/10
Overall 7.5/10