Perfect Blue Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Perfect Blue Blu-ray Movie Review

A dark anime masterpiece by Satoshi Kon (Paranoia Agent, Tokyo Godfathers)

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.

The cost of stardom.

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.

Perfect Blue Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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.

Perfect Blue Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

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.

Perfect Blue Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The first-print of the Blu-ray release comes with an attractive o-card slipcover and full-color inner art on the sleeve. Please Note: This is a Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack.

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 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

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. Highly recommended.