The anime Perfect Blue was released in 1997 and became the debut work of director Satoshi Kon. This Japanese artist and director is known for his unique style that blends reality with fiction, immersing the viewer in an emotionally charged atmosphere. The screenplay is based on the novel by Yoshikazu Takeuchi "Perfect Blue: Complete Metamorphosis".
Plot of the anime
At first glance, it is a story about Mima Kirigoe – a young pop idol who decides to leave the stage and start an acting career. However, her life becomes complicated and dark as she faces fan stalking and psychological pressure. It all begins when Mima gets a role in a TV series that requires her to step outside her usual image.
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At the same time, she learns about a website where someone details every step she takes, as if they are constantly watching her. Strange events add to this: Mima begins to experience hallucinations, feels stalked, and gradually loses the boundary between the real and the fictional world.
The climax unfolds when brutal murders of people connected to her acting career begin to occur. The viewer, like the heroine herself, cannot understand who is to blame – her or someone else. Only in the finale does it become clear that behind all the events is Rumi, her manager, who, due to her psychological instability, tried to live Mima's life.The final scene, where Mima gets into a car, looks in the mirror, and says: “I am the real Mima”, symbolizes the end of her internal struggle. She finally accepts herself as a person independent of imposed roles and societal expectations.
Explanation of key moments:
кадри з фільму Досконала журба
Mima's hallucinations are a result of stress, pressure, and manipulation from Rumi. They symbolize the rift between her true self and the image that was imposed on her.
Rumi killed people to preserve Mima's "pure" image, which was her personal illusion.
In the finale, Mima sees Rumi as the "ideal Mima," as she fully embodied this image. This scene shows how easily the boundaries between identities can be destroyed when a personality is under intense pressure.
Perfect Blue is a film about the search for oneself, the destructive power of media and fan culture, and how difficult it is to maintain true identity in a world of illusions and manipulations.
