Perfect Blue's Remaster Is Getting A 4K UHD Release

Admittedly, there’s probably a discussion to be had about whether Perfect Blue is “better” with a 4K remaster or not. The original version is grimy and low-resolution, likely due to budget and production restraints, but this ends up aesthetically aligning with a movie about such unsettling subject matter.

GKIDS summarizes the film as follows: “This film marks the directorial debut of Satoshi Kon, who fascinated audiences around the world with Paprika, Millennium Actress, and Tokyo Godfathers. Hailed as the first animated film to feature an authentic psychological suspense story, this film was acclaimed at international film festivals and was released in theaters in Japan in 1998. Blending a play within a play, the story unfolds as fiction and reality, dreams and delusions, and cyberspace intertwine—like an optical illusion.”

“After leaving her pop idol group and starting a new life as an actress, Mima soon finds herself overwhelmed by a wave of provocative offers — including photo shoots and roles in a TV drama — that go against her wishes. But before long, a string of murders begins to unfold, targeting those around her…”

Perfect Blue is a genuinely masterful work of psychological horror that tackles parasociality, male entitlement, and the effects of the early internet—in many ways, it was ahead of its time, and is all the more impressive considering it was Kon’s directorial debut. For those unfamiliar with Kon’s work, he’s frequently considered one of the great anime directors of all time, partially due to his mastery of visual language, something perhaps best summarized by his captivating use of match-cuts. Unfortunately, Kon passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2010 at the age of 47, leaving us to wonder what more he could have accomplished if he had more time.

The trailer for the film’s remaster can be seen below:

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