By Samuel Stone
Copyright slashfilm
After writing the standout “Magnetic Rose” segment in “Memories,” celebrated filmmaker Satoshi Kon made his feature directorial debut with 1997’s “Perfect Blue.” A love letter to the giallo slasher sub-genre popularized by Italian cinema, the movie follows Mima Kirigoe as she ditches her successful pop music career to become an actor. In response, Mima finds herself stalked by an increasingly aggressive fan which, coupled with the immense stress from her career change, takes a significant toll on her mental health. As people linked to her acting career are brutally murdered, with Mima implicated for the killings, she’s unsure if she’s actually innocent.
The true culprit, in the shocking ending, is revealed to be Mima’s manager Rumi Hidaka, who has descended into murderous madness by Mima’s shift to acting. This twist is fueled by just how unhinged Rumi has become, forming an alternate personality convinced that she’s the real Mima and determined to replace her. Given the violent lengths the audience has witnessed as part of this mania, Rumi is as dangerous as she is clearly off her rocker. “Perfect Blue” is the scariest animated movie of all time and a lot of that reputation comes from just how horrifying a villain Rumi is, especially once she stands revealed.
