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Perfect Blue

Play trailer 1:01 Poster for Perfect Blue R 1999 1h 20m Mystery & Thriller Anime Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
88% Tomatometer 59 Reviews 89% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
A mysterious figure stalks a pop star when she becomes an actor on a television show.
Perfect Blue

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Perfect Blue is overstylized, but its core mystery is always compelling, as are the visual theatrics.

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Critics Reviews

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Cody Corrall Chicago Reader Oct 8, 2021
Kon thoughtfully depicts a woman on the verge of madness as her squeaky-clean image devolves into the compromising and gruesome roles she plays in her acting career... Go to Full Review
Lisa Alspector Chicago Reader Oct 8, 2021
This engrossing animated thriller somehow displays realist gore, nudity, and sexual violence in a tone not too far from that of a children's adventure; its innocence stems in part from the convincing naivete of the heroine. Go to Full Review
Kim Newman Empire Magazine Sep 22, 2020
Strange, stylish and intelligent, this is a rare anime film that delivers on its Eastern promise. Go to Full Review
Calum Baker Radio Times Sep 24, 2026
4/5
A tale of psychosis tailored perfectly to its millennial setting, the bravura result sits comfortably next to art house crack-up classics Persona and Repulsion. Go to Full Review
Carson Timar ClapperCast Sep 12, 2026
Kon crafts a truly haunting film that is far ahead of its time. Looking at the price of fame and fandom, every rewatch reveals something new to chew on. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Jun 22, 2026
3/4
A brutal and haunting meditation on identity, femininity, and fame. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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GEORGE Oct 4, 2025 Words can't describe the impression this film has left on me. Utterly amazing. See more Joseph P Sep 10, 2023 An absolute masterpiece, RIP Satoshi Kon See more Steve O Sep 7, 2023 Fun, creative, suspenseful! Satoshi Kon is a master animator that keeps you guessing what's happening. There's twists and turns. If you haven't seen his other works, I highly recommend Paprika and Millenium Actress TW: Sexual Assault is a big part in two scenes. See more Ben W Sep 7, 2023 This was crazy! Totally more crazy than I thought it would be. Really good and intriguing, but confusing. See more SIMAS C @simas_eros 5 days ago A pop singer attempts to change her life by becoming an actress, seeking to contrast her youthful, innocent image with a more mature persona. Caught in a conflict between her public, her own conscience, and an obsessive stalker who keeps her under constant surveillance, she finds herself in a precarious situation. It is a heavy yet beautiful film about the search for identity and the ambition for fame—a journey on which one can easily lose touch with reality and self-worth. See more Liam D @Mediawatcher2003 Oct 25, 2026 The late great Satoshi Kon’s directorial debut is a stunning and tense psychological thriller that has; an amazing script with shocking moments and themes that are still relevant to this day, beautiful and fantastic animation and great voice acting. This is now one of my favourite animated movies and a true masterpiece See more Read all reviews
Perfect Blue

My Rating

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Movie Info

Synopsis A mysterious figure stalks a pop star when she becomes an actor on a television show.
Director
Satoshi Kon
Producer
Hiroaki Inoue, Haruyo Kanesaku, Masao Maruyama, Yutaka Maseba, Takeshi Washitani
Screenwriter
Lia Sargent
Distributor
AVCO Embassy Pictures
Production Co
Rex Entertainment
Rating
R
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Anime
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 20, 1999, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Oct 3, 2025
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 26, 2019
Runtime
1h 20m
Sound Mix
Dolby
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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