A legendary anime horror film that’s better (and scarier) than ever

The 1997 psychological thriller “Perfect Blue” is ranked as one of the most exciting films The scariest animated movies ever It remains one of the greatest works By its late director Satoshi Konalso. If you haven’t seen “Perfect Blue” before, now is a good time because it has been remastered in 4K and is currently in theaters (Distributed by GKIDS).

“Perfect Blue” revolves around pop singer Mima Kirijo (Junko Iwao), who is focusing on acting in the new exciting TV series “Double Bind.” As she begins this career shift, Mima tries to balance the expectations of her fans and agents with her own doubts about the type of woman she wants to be. All of this causes Mima to have an identity crisis… and it gets scarier from there.

The stalker and maniac wants Mima Fan for him Mima, an innocent pop singer, returns, and curses the new Mima for “taking her place.” People close to Mima’s new profession, such as the screenwriter on a big crime drama or the energetic photographer, start turning up dead. Mima also learns that someone is posting under her name on an online fan site, “Mima’s Room”, someone who knows things that only Mima herself should know.

“Perfect Blue” wasn’t the first anime movie I’ve ever loved, but it gave me such a heightened feeling that I finally immersed myself in the medium. I’ve spent the past five years learning to love anime and Perfect Blue showed me for the first time why I should give it a try. As BJ Colangelo of /Film said, “Perfect Blue” is the kind of movie that shows you how good the animation is.

The first time you see “Perfect Blue,” it should leave you scratching your head; Like Mima, you lose track of what is real and what is not real. Even when rewatching and putting the pieces together, it still feels right horrifying To watch them all. I am horrified by every stab or wave of violence, which has become even more horrific and beautiful in the new remaster. While Perfect Blue competes. Best GalloBut the scariest part about it is how this violence is woven with social commentary.

“Perfect Blue” is specifically about the entertainment industry in Japan, which is where Mima started out as Pop idolA type of celebrity unique to Japan. However, the film’s commentary on the industry’s exploitation of women is universal. Mima’s big step to be taken “seriously” as an actress is to act in a rape scene; Assault is not TRUEbut in the world of the animated universe, there are few boundaries or visual distinction between the scenes depicted in the universe and reality. Mima’s methodical attack will have you sinking into your seat, trying to look away as if it were “real.”

It’s not just talent management that exploits stars. The film begins at a concert featuring Mima and her singing group CHAM! They are playing. Before we meet Mima, we hear fans in the crowd talking about her. Once chum! On stage, the film intercuts between Mima’s performance and her ordinary life, from buying groceries to returning to her apartment. There are two types of Mimas, the “real” one and the decorated pop idol that she represents to the public. Modern fame blurs any line between public and private, opening the door to spectacle and judgment alike.

Mima has to learn how to use a computer during “Perfect Blue,” which is a sign of how modern the Internet was when the film was made… but this dating only underscores the film’s prescience. The Internet is a scary place. It can engulf your mind, trapping you in negative thought patterns if you keep the screen as your main company. It can provide a respite from loneliness, but it doesn’t actually solve it. Online, people can know you without you ever knowing them, because any conversation is easier when it’s a one-way street.

The phrase “parasocial relationship” is often used to describe intense online fandom, and the stalker’s focus on Mima fully qualifies. He is obsessed with the version of himself he has created, the one he hears inside his head speaking to him, and will not tolerate his idol being changed. If you do, he will attack and punish that “betrayal.”

Yes, the obsession and fandom existed before the advent of the Internet, but the online presence of celebrities has given us a peek behind their public displays. It’s very easy for your love for a piece of art or a celebrity to turn into feelings ownership Or to be worthy of giving that love. This is especially easy to happen with musicians like Mima, because there is no art form more intimate to share than music. When you wear headphones, you are allowing someone to talk to you. A good song can give you the words to understand the feelings you already had, blurring the lines between you and the singer.

Most of us will never know fame the way Mima does, but do you want to change your identity to match what people expect of you? You don’t have to be a pop star to understand Which. Opening up to the public now means putting yourself on the biggest stage of all, the Internet, and if you allow it, it is the voice of the online crowd that will define you.

Mima spends the entire movie trying to find the answer to one question, which is the first line her character says in “Double Bind”: “Who are you?” Finding it almost kills her and drives her crazy – she’s taunted throughout the film by a photo of her pop idol, still dressed as a girlish but sexualized doll. At the end of “Perfect Blue”, she has her answer to who she is. Are you?

The remastered version of “Perfect Blue” is currently showing in theaters.