Perfect Blue [VHS] [1999]

Enough people have talked about the content of Perfect Blue itself, so I'll refrain from that to a certain degree and concentrate mostly on the Blu-ray release. Needless to say though, Perfect Blue is one of the most intense psychological thrillers I've seen (anime or otherwise), and is the first film by the late great Satoshi Kon. Many of its elements were used by Darren Aronofsky in his films Requiem for a Dream and Black Swan. For those unfamiliar with Kon's work, he was also responsible for Paprika (which Inception pretty much ripped off wholesale, albeit with less nuance and a lot more hand holding), Tokyo Godfathers (a sweet modern day Christmas story), Millennium Actress, and the weird and wonderful Paranoia Agent. Now, onto the Blu-ray.Simply put, Perfect Blue has never looked this good before. The animation is obviously of its time as it was made in 1997 and not given the typical budget of an anime feature film, but it has nevertheless cleaned up impressively well. Having watched it on a 42 inch 1080p display I can confirm that it looks much, much better than the DVD release from 2000. As far as audio goes, this version has been furnished with the lossless Japanese tracks, however if you are after the English dub, I have heard that due to the originals being lost, the English dub track is lossy. I do not personally have an interest in the dub, but if this bothers you I give you my condolences, but unfortunately it was not something Anime Limited could do anything about, as the loss of the dub was the fault of the Japanese licensor, and not anything to do with the guys on our end in the UK. The special features on disc are much the same as they were on the initial DVD release from 2000, with interviews with several actors from both the English and Japanese tracks, as well as an interview with the director himself, along with footage from recording sessions. It should be noted that these are presented in 480i like the ones on the DVD, as unlike the movie they have not been remastered.As far as packaging and presentation go, the version I have is the limited edition steelbook released in 2016 (although I am aware there is both an original collector's and a standard edition). so that is the one I am going to be reviewing here. I wasn't sure how to feel about the artwork for the steelbook when looking at it on the site, and all I can say is that it looks really, really good when you have it in your hands. As far as the contents go it is simple, simply containing the disc and also several art cards which were included in the original collector's edition. It does fall into the trap that the majority of steelbooks have, in that the disc can be very hard to remove, but I am not going to deduct a star for that since it is pretty much the case with all steelbooks. Obviously the comments I have made on the Blu-ray itself apply to all three editions.All in all if you are already a fan of Perfect Blue then I would strongly implore you to take the plunge and upgrade to the HD version, as quite honestly, this is the best Perfect Blue is ever gonna look, and the fact we have been given the option to have it at all by the lovely people at Anime Limited is almost a miracle in itself. As of the time of writing the standard edition Blu-ray can be bought for a mere £15, so I would suggest to anyone, whether they are a longtime fan looking for an upgrade, or an intrigued newcomer, to buy this edition while you can, because as many anime collectors know, sometimes stuff can go out of print with little warning

Thought no little anime film would ever affect me, phew but stayed with it to the end and it was well worth it. If you ever thought Japans culture was a bit different from the west then this will confirm it in spades but don't let that put you off. No this will take you on the most intense ride as Mima's career warps, twists and Satoshi Kon perhaps takes an reflective look at Japan itself. A really quite excellent executed thriller.

You will either love it or hate it. This is deep psycoligical thriller with amazing animation, voice acting and story. I watched this with my girlfriend we were both glued to the screen. It is terrifying on some levels and shows a side of celebrity lifestyle that would send chills down your spine. Everyscene opens up a new layer of plot and introduces scenarios that make you feel paranoid and confused. You end up feeling just a little insane wondering what is happening. The website and constant threats make Mima nervous and afraid of what she is becoming. Ends up losing her frigging mind you are left wondering who was responsible up until the very end you are dealt a swift punch to the gut. Everything wraps up in a bloody climax and its just chilling how messed up things can get. This was obviously exagerrated but for the most part its believable. Like watching a japanese britney spears on an acid trip (That aside britney spears shouldn't act ... ever!). I would call this a cult classic. Nothing in the anime world is as real and brutal as this. Giant robots and samurais just don't cut it (lol cut it). Being an anime fanboy I gotta say its been a while since I was this impressed not since End of Evangelion.If you are tossing around the thought of watching this I say watch it alone. Its not a family movie and for some parts with my girlfriend there and her mother you'll just end up feeling awkward. Seriously get a microwave dinner and kick back its the kind of movie you need to focus on. All in all I say give it a go.

This is a classic horror film, I had it on VHS and was pleased to find a copy on DVD. Not for the squeamish, but a great horror movie.

All the Anime always do the best cases. Chosen artwork is amazing, overflowing with extras and included art cards are a nice touch.My only minor problem is how flimsy the information card is that wraps the case (made from paper rather than card). But it not bad enough to reduce the score.

I can't disagree with the popular description, "Disney meets Hitchcock" (spot the artwork from "Rear Window"). Is all this really happening? Is it in somebody's head? WHICH somebody? There are some nicely drawn characters in this, and the English voice acting is very good, even in crowded settings. It's graphic, but so's a lot of Manga, though here it's part of the story development. Another one which doesn't let the viewer turn off their brain (like "Millennium Actress" by some of the same crew).

A deep narrative looking at fame, desperation and mental health.Although the soundtrack/style is dated, the themes in this work are incredibly relevant in light of recent developments in Hollywood. A must watch for anyone who wishes to question everything around them.

Massive fan of the old style Anime films, Ghost in the shell, Akira and this beauty, just total adult fianime filming at its best , 10/10