The animation is worth the price of admission alone. This is a visually striking master work. Featuring art direction by Nobutaka Ike high-definition restoration. One can't help but wonder why anyone would actually prefer to watch it in standard definition when the release includes About those scenes – while the two or three scenes are graphic, they are also necessary for the plot. Without those scenes, the psychological tapestry of the film could not be woven. Satoshi Kon regretted that he had made the scenes as graphic as he had, but the particular form of grief and disgust that those scenes conjure is part of what has made the film a classic. 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. Lectures By Director Satoshi Kon (41:10 in HD) – Filmed ten years after Perfect Blue made its debut, the director dissects his film to students with host Runa Nagai in three different parts. It’s a fascinating glimpse into Kon’s creative process and points out subtleties most of the audience will have missed in the movie. He discusses the movie’s original creation as an OVA and censorship issues. In Japanese with English subtitles.

Synopsis:“Mima Kirigoe is ready to leave her career as a pop idol behind and forge ahead towards a bright new future as an actress. However, casting aside her former image proves to be far more difficult than she imagined, and the murky world of show business threatens to drag her into the depths of despair. At this time we can say there are plans afoot to release the books without the discs included at some point in the future, but we have no other details we can share on that at this time. That said, as we’ve mentioned this is a brand-new remaster of the film that’s not been included in any previous release, and it does include extras unavailable on our previous Blu-ray release. Perfect Blue’s twisted portrait of fame and stardom for a Japanese pop idol transitioning into her adult career as an actress is unforgettable. The audience thinks it knows what is going on until Satoshi Kon pulls the rug out in a breathtaking sequence of plot twists. Recalling the most disturbed and effective giallo from Italy, Perfect Blue acts almost as a cautionary tale for aspiring media stars while delving into issues of identity as the audience is cleverly misdirected. This is a movie which requires paying close attention. Many will want to watch it again after the head trip that is the final act.

Perfect Blue: Other Editions

A brilliant anime masterpiece from Satoshi Kon (Tokyo Godfathers, Paprika) receives the steelbook treatment. Three separate sets of optional subtitles are offered. English subtitles provide a fair translation of the actual Japanese dialogue, while English SDH works for the English dub. A third set offers English translations only for songs and signs. Extras

The rigid case (within which the contents reside) is approximately 21cm width x 30cm height x 4.5cm deep. So, now that we’ve given you a glimpse of how the film looks, let’s get onto the real meat of our Ultimate Edition release… Angel of Your Heart Recording Session (SD 4:22) Trio of singers for the film record one of CHAM’s songs from the film.Chance are there’ll be some questions you have above all the information we’ve mentioned above, so here’s a handy Frequently Asked Questions section for you. explore the possibility of becoming an actress. This path leads Mima down a road to murky career-choices in television and nude photo shoots. First up, to help the definitive nature of this release, we’ve included the on-disc extras you will have seen in our past release of Perfect Blue, because it seems silly not to include them quite frankly. To remind folks of what they are: Now, we come to something we are incredibly proud we have the opportunity to bring to the west for this Ultimate Edition release, the Perfect Blue Storyboard Collection (pictured left). This book is literally the entire film in storyboard form! You’ll get to see how the film was mapped out in its entirety by the director, and you could even watch the film and use this book as a reference guide at the same time if you wanted. Additionally, you can even see in an untouched form the vast array of notes in Japanese from director Satoshi Kon himself throughout the book.

Early on in Satoshi Kon’s 1997 debut feature, Perfect Blue, there is a moment that lights the spark on the film’s theme of paranoia. As pop idol singer Mima is getting into her car adoring, fans clamor for a photo. “ I’m always watching Mima’s Room!” one fan shouts, causing her to pause with a haunting expression. Filled with many small yet significant moments like this one, Perfect Blue is a wholly disorienting experience fueled by paranoia and delusions both subtle and sadistic. I highlight this specific moment because it’s the calm before the storm. A pause that signals something is about to tip the scales for a young pop idol. Experience a directorial masterclass from the legendary Satoshi Kon and view the inspirational, thought-provoking and chilling Perfect Blue as you’ve never seen it before. Digital goods, open DVDs and Blu-rays, smart art prints, mystery bundles, and final sale items are excluded from the return policy. Another element of Perfect Blue that is outstanding is the music score composed by Masahiro Ikumi ( Special PoweredMuch of Perfect Blue’s turmoil comes not from Mimi struggling to clear her name of murder accusations, but from her attempt to control her own narrative, to put forward an image that isn’t co-opted, as much by the killer as the normal power players in show business. Her inability to decide what kind of person she wants to be is as disturbing as the bloodletting that occurs all around her, and is one facet of what’s allowed Perfect Blue to endure as a masterful articulation of powerlessness in the age of media saturation. Image/Sound Plot: What’s it about? Video: How’s it look? Audio: How’s it sound? Supplements: What are the extras? The Bottom Line Plot: What’s it about? It’s unlikely Perfect Blue can look much better in 1080P resolution. It’s a fine technical transfer with excellent specifications, but limited by practical limitations in the original animation. Audio 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 The anime is not for children and needed several cuts to earn an R-rating in America. This uncut presentation includes explicit violence and nudity, including a graphic rape scene. Perfect Blue could have been made into a live action movie, it just happens to be animated. Its taut storytelling and craftsmanship make it one anime that would work well as a live-action psycho-thriller.

Shout!Factory presents Perfect Blue with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. This is a huge step up from the dated DVD presentations of the past that only filled up part of the screen on all widescreen televisions. Fine detail is excellent and colors and clarity are superb. It is important to remember that this film’s animation quality is good but does not compare to the later intricacy of Satoshi Kon’s later work. There are some shortcuts taken and they will be obvious to the viewer. That said, Perfect Blue has never looked better and the included DVD is a great addition because it is in widescreen as well. Fans will need to upgrade immediately. Audio: How’s it sound? Kon Satoshi’s Perfect Blue is a prescient vision of a modern world defined by media oversaturation and social media validation. In the film, Mimi (Iwao Junko), a J-pop girl-group singer who decides to give up music for acting, finds herself targeted by a stalker who threatens to ruin her if she doesn’t return to her old gig. More than just a stalker thriller, however, Perfect Blue unfolds as an extended study of Mimi’s fraying mental health as she begins to question her own identity as more and more crimes happen around her, with evidence pegging her as a suspect. And that, ladies and gentleman, is what will be included in our Perfect Blue Ultimate Edition release! We know some of you may have some questions about what we’ve revealed above, so make sure to you scroll down to the end of this post as we have an FAQ that will likely answer some (and hopefully all!) of those questions. art-work at all (and an image from the feature-film would have been preferred). Overall, Perfect Blue hasBut that’s not all, as we’re including a selection of lectures by Satoshi Kon, the director of the film! It’s your chance to see the Satoshi Kon talk about his directorial intent for selected scenes from the film, even adding in some anecdotes and tidbits of information about them that you may never have thought of and more! But to be clear, these lectures are really entertaining – it’s a great time capsule into the past to see the man clearly in his element talking to people about his work in a very entertaining and engaging way. The three lectures included are: Interview with Wendy Lee (English Rumi) (02:21 in HD) - Audio only interview with scenes from the film playing. Satoshi Kon Lecture (HD 41:10) - A three-part interview with Kon in which the director speaks at length about his creative process and how the film came to be. Produced ten years after the release of Perfect Blue this lecture is a fascinating deep dive into the film.