Perfect Blue (1997) Full Reaction
Added 2026-01-22 16:00:12 +0000 UTC
Comments
A thousand things doing a high-speed run through my head right now... There seemed to be an implication made by one of the characters that illusions cannot kill(?). I disagree with that assessment. Illusions can be dangerous in the form of a "psychological attack". Such things can be extremely powerful. I guess the illusion of sharing a movie/TV show/music with a reactor for instance, can create a feeling of actual sharing for the audience. I my case, this led to a very uncomfortable feeling with certain themes that I handle better when I am the sole audience. I actually had to turn my head away even though my living, breathing reality consists of being close to a thousand miles and as many as several days away, alone in my living room on the couch. Strange how the mind works and... yeah, that's weird--I don't disagree. Ultimately, it just takes the right "trigger" for an illusion to be dangerous. Can't say I do much anime watching yet, "good is good" as they say.
Michael Labs
2026-01-24 21:18:55 +0000 UTCI finally watched this recently. Reminded me a lot of Inland Empire, but easier to wrap your head around the first watch.
Jason Lee
2026-01-24 16:22:32 +0000 UTCThis movie is just as intense as I remembered. I own it on Blu-ray, but it's been while since I last rewatched it because you can't watch it "casually". You need to absorb every second of it. I think you nailed the interpretation spot-on exactly, and you took away exactly what you were supposed to take away. I agree that ending with Mima declaring her own authenticity and personhood was PERFECT. And it's almost always the right idea to choose subtitles over the English dub. It's not a universal rule, but it's as close to absolute as you're going to get. If you'd like to branch out into anime, I'm sure we've all got TONS of recommendations (I know I do). Think of "anime" not as a genre, but as a MEDIUM. Meaning you can get animes of any different type (action, comedy, romance, horror, thriller, drama, etc.). We could give you a list of easy-to-digest one-off films, or some long-running series if you're interested.
JBK405
2026-01-24 01:55:07 +0000 UTCYes, Darren Aronofsky was a fan of Satoshi Kon and Perfect Blue specifically. If I remember correctly he might’ve even tried to purchase the rights at one point for a live action remake. Black Swan definitely shares some similarities, as does Jennifer Connelly’s character in Requiem for a Dream - in that film Aronofsky completely recreated one scene from Perfect Blue (shot for shot) and there are a handful of other shots he probably lifted as well.
tc3
2026-01-23 22:13:17 +0000 UTCThe gradual blurring of reality reminded me a little of some Hitchcock thrillers and in this medium it could really push us into the mindset of the real/not-real Mimi's. That line “Im taking you back to Mimi's Room” so chilling.
The Testimony of Mushroom
2026-01-23 14:11:13 +0000 UTCSo glad you liked this one! If you want to check out more anime, I'd highly recommend Death Note. I know you're probably fully booked with TV show reactions, but it's SO good
Julia
2026-01-23 00:35:46 +0000 UTCI'm not a huge anime watcher beyond Studio Ghibli and a few shows like Attack on Titan and Death Note, so I'd never actually heard of this before, but this was amazing! It reminds me a lot of Black Swan - I wouldn't be surprised if there was some influence there. Some really disturbing and uncomfortable scenes, but it doesn't feel exploitative or without purpose. There's a lot of imagery around identity; the constant use of mirrors and screens really highlight that. I really like how gradually we start slipping along with Mima - it's like her sanity and ours are both being simultaneously eroded by the constant performance, surveillance and expectation. The blurring of personas and reality is brilliantly disorienting - like you said at one point, I was starting to feel crazy. We're in her perspective so deeply that the confusion almost becomes the point instead of a puzzle to solve. It also seems surprisingly prescient for its time in terms of parasocial relationships and the potential insidious nature of social media. The idea that the more accessible a celebrity is, the more ownership fandom feels entitled to. The stalking feels almost supernatural, but it's purely data-driven - not a far cry from reality. One of the most chilling moments for me was when Mima began to genuinely believe what was being written on the Mima's Room site. The idea that she's become so self-alienated that she can't distinguish between all the different versions that are expected of her. I didn't see that final twist coming at all, but it's perfectly in line with the movie's themes. The idea that fans are somehow guardians of an artist's "real" identity, and that any departure from that is a personally-felt betrayal. This also ties in with the idea of sexuality and gender of course. The idea of women being punished for a "loss of innocence" 🤢 Thanks for this! I would probably never have watched this otherwise! :)
Jordan McLaren
2026-01-22 22:41:33 +0000 UTCmy brain hurts after watching this movie. "was that real?" "did that actually happen?" was literally me the entire time. but this was a great movie! that is definitely gonna need a rewatch at some point. thank you for reacting to this because if not i probably would have never watched it.
Frelle
2026-01-22 18:45:48 +0000 UTCOh wow, i certainly didn't expect THIS movie. Oh this is gonna be great when i get home from work!
JBK405
2026-01-22 16:42:38 +0000 UTCThe best anime movie ever! Aaaa
SabotheHunter
2026-01-22 16:16:02 +0000 UTC
