Perfect Blue is a psychological horror anime film that follows the story of Mima Kirigoe, a member of the fictional pop group CHAM who decides to pursue an acting career following pressure from her manager and a desire to distance herself from her cutesy popstar image. As she embarks on her new career, Mima becomes the target of an obsessive stalker who seems to know everything about her personal life. At the same time, she begins to experience hallucinations and becomes convinced that her former popstar persona is haunting her.
As the stalker's behavior becomes increasingly erratic and violent, Mima's grip on reality begins to slip. She struggles to determine what is real and what is not and the lines between her acting roles, dreams, and memories start to blur. The film deals with themes of celebrity culture, identity, and the impact of fan obsession on mental health.
Perfect Blue was directed by Satoshi Kon and released in 1997. It has since gained a cult following and has been praised for its intricate and thought-provoking storyline, as well as its use of animation to convey the protagonist's mental state. The film has been cited as an influence on numerous other works of Japanese animation and has even been remade as a live-action film.
