Perfect Blue - 4K Blu-ray Review

[Michael Scott]

Perfect Blue



Movie:
4K Video:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score:


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Movie
There are very few Anime films (or shows) out there that simultaneously excite me, yet fill me with sickening dread at the same time. But here we are, with 1997’s massive Anime smash hit getting a serious upgrade. For years many of us BEGGED for a domestic HD release of Satoshi Kon’s legendary Anime, only to get a very solid release from Shout! Studios on Blu-ray back in 2019. Now years later, we get a near direct clone of the recently released Japanese 4K UHD set, complete with new art booklets, a poster, a heavy duty case, and a whole host of extras that make this sent an absolutely dazzling collector’s piece.

Mima (Junko Iwao) is a Japanese pop star at the peak over her career. He group, CHAM, is at the top of the charts and everyone is looking at them to make their next album. However, Mima is getting bored with her career as a pop star, and decides start looking elsewhere for her future. At first she decides to continue her career in show business by making a lateral transition to the world of TV, but sooner or later she starts delving into nude photo shoots and other sketchy paths that lead her closer and closer to a seedy world she never really knew about till now.

As Mima struggles with her new career choices, the young diva begins a crisis of faith. Haunted by visions of her previous life as a pop star, and stalked by a mysterious man, Mima’s world view and lifestyle choices start to come to a head. But when her closest friends and colleagues start turning up dead, Mima’s fear and paranoia get the better of her and soon her grip on reality starts to slip further and further away from her control. Now she has to face the reality that being famous comes at a cost, and that cost very well may be too much for her to bear.

The story of Perfect Blue is fantastic, but said story is made even sweeter through the use of atmosphere. The vibe and texture of the film is so incredibly intense and horror filled, that the viewing is usually done with held breath and nails slowly biting into palms as the insanity progresses. The world is cruel and evil, but even more so within the world of Perfect Blue, to the point that the film borders on genuine horror rather than thriller. The world is haunting, dark, and dimly lit to the point of not just gloominess, but downright dread.

Edited Harutoshi Ogata of Ninja Scroll and Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, Perfect Blue is edited to absolute perfection. The 82 minute film is neither too short, nor too long, but moves along at a smooth pace that doesn’t add a lot of filler like most Anime. Simultaneously we have one of the most legendary scores out of Anime’s long and stories history, giving us a beautifully composed electronic-synth score from legendary composer Masahiro Ikumi. Music is perfectly balanced, and the background score elements themselves are creepy and mesmerizing.




Rating:

Not Rated by the MPAA




4K Video: Video:

The new 4K restoration (which the Blu-ray included is sourced from as well) is superb, giving us a well rendered 2160p image that makes full use of the cel driven animation. Colors are a bit pale and green, but that’s something that was prevalent during the 1990s and not an encoding issue. Fine details and line artwork looks crisp and clean, while a razor thin veneer of grains adds some texture to the experience. While the disc is SDR only (no HDR10 or Dolby Vision), this is something I expected as the Japanese Blu-ray was done the same way to keep the image as pure as possible. I’m also guessing that this was not pressed in the typical Mexico plant like most anime titles are these days, but the packaging states that it was made in Germany, which leads me to believe that Anime Ltd. Released this set for Gkids rather than the typical “Made in Mexico” plant that has all of those disc scratch problems (which is confirmed by the inner ring serial number, which includes an Anime Ltd. Serial code and the use of Amaray cases instead of Viva Elite or Vortex).









Audio:

I can’t be certain as I don’t have the Shout! Studios 2019 Blu-ray anymore (lost it in my 2021 move...*sob) but I’m 99% certain that this is the same 5.1 DTS-HD MA track found on that older disc. Which is not a bad thing as that was a fantastic mix back then, and still sounds incredible. Detail and sonic clarity is top notch, with crisp dialog and strong front room presence for the songs. The synth addled score is creepy and rich, adding a sense of encompassing dread to the entire picture and shifting to all speakers. LFE is not massive, but still there in spades when called upon (usually the score), and once more, I’m going to obviously recommend the Japanese original audio mix. HOWEVER, the Blu-ray only had the English dub in lossy dolby digital, while this go around gets a full 5.1 DTS-HD MA lossless mix to match the Japanese track. While I’ve always hated the English dub over the original language track, the upgrade to lossless is a huge boon for dub listeners.







Extras:

• 128 Page Booklet
• 10 Art Cards
• Poster
• Remasterd Film on Blu-ray
• Original Definition Feature Presentation
• Complete 117 Minute Lectures by Director Satoshi Kon Subtitled in English for the first time
• Cast and Crew Interviews
• Threatrical Trailers and TV Spots

Final Score: ​

I can’t say this enough, you need to SEE Perfect Blue to really experience it. The film is not your typical Anime movie, and shows off the dark, twisted nature that of feature film making back in the late 80s and 90s (the stuff we get today may show more fan service, but WOW, adult 90s Anime films were on a whole other level). Narrative speaking, the film is impeccable. The score is amazing, and Ogata’s editing is otherworldly. Perfect Blue is one of those hyper classic 90s films that just gets better with age, especially in a world where hand drawn animation is not nearly so common. Shout! Studio’s 4K upgrade is fantastic, giving us a nice video upgrade, as well as a very VERY nice collector’s edition packaging that rivals the likes of Tonikawa: Season 1 and Evangelion. Highly recommended.


Technical Specifications:

Starring: Junk Iwao, Rica Matsumoto Shinpachi Tsuji
Directed by: Satoshi Kon
Written by: Sadayuki Murai, Yoshikazu Takeuchi, Satoshi Kon
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 HEVC
Audio: English: DTS-HD MA 5.1, Japanese DTS-HD MA 5.1
Subtitles: English
Studio: Shout! Studios
Rated: NR
Runtime: 82 Minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: December 23rd, 2025

Recommendation: Amazing Watch