There are only a few anime films that can be considered outright classics among both critics and fans, and soon one of these classics is coming back to theaters with a brand new remaster to boot. Anime might be more successful in the box office in recent years as seen with hits like Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle this past weekend, but this wasn’t always the case. Anime films indeed had a lot of success with critics, but it was even rarer for fans to show their support through success at the box office. Even still, there are gems that have stood the test of time for years to come.
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Perfect Blue is one such film. First released by legendary director Satoshi Kon, the film launched across Japan in 1998 and has since been lauded as one of the best anime movies of all time. Fans have been able to see the film in various ways in the decades since, but GKIDS has announced they will be bringing this classic film back to theaters on October 3rd as part of a special screening event. Making matters even more enticing is that it will feature a 4K remaster to boot.
What Is Perfect Blue?
GKIDS announced during their presentation as part of the Anime NYC 2025 weekend that Perfect Blue will be screening in the United States beginning on October 3rd with a special 4K remaster. Directed by Satoshi Kon, who is also the name behind other lauded classics such as Tokyo Godfathers, Paranoia Agent, Paprika, and more. Based off Yoshikazu Takeuchi’s novel Perfect Blue: Complete Metamorphosis with a screenplay written by Sadayuki Mura, Perfect Blue struck a chord with audiences with not only its story but its trippy visuals as well. So this remaster really is going to be worth seeing in theaters.
The film follows a singer who is trying to make the transition to an acting career, only to be struck with all kinds of trauma instead. GKIDS begins to tease what to expect from Perfect Blue as such, “Mima Kirigoe, a former pop idol, makes a bold transition into acting, taking on a role in a drama that includes a disturbing assault scene, and even releasing a provocative nude photo book. Her dramatic reinvention grabs public attention, but also provokes unease among her fans, her manager, and even herself as she struggles with the rapid shift from her days as a pop idol.”
The synopsis then further teases just how dark and intense Perfect Blue gets as it continues with, “As a stalker begins to shadow her, a screenwriter and a photographer are murdered one after another. ‘Did I kill them?‘ Mima begins to wonder if a split personality is gradually taking over, just like the character that she plays in the drama. Then ‘the other Mima’ the pop idol who was supposed to have “graduated,” appears in front of her…” The film has been referenced visually and story wise in all sorts of pop culture releases over the years, so if you have yet to see if for yourself, this is going to be the perfect opportunity to see Perfect Blue at last.
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