Female Identity in Perfect Blue 

after only really hearing men talking about this film your video is so important to me. fan culture is not the central theme. it's the female experience and so many men simply do not want to acknowledge that. i love everything you say here

The test screening audience said Foster's character "deserved to be raped"? What the hell?!

literally the most important element in the film which others have overlooked. you have talked about with intelligence and relevance

Society constantly wants women to be both. Cute, yet sexy. Innocent, yet mature. Pure, yet dirty. It’s a catch-22. *A double bind.* ....OHHHHHHHHHHHH

It's actually really reassuring to hear that Jodie Foster was well treated during the filming of "The Accused". I can't imagine how it must be like to film something like that

finally a woman talking about this movie. this is exactly how I feel. as a woman who has been raped in this day and age I say with my full chest that it is truly horrifying. you don't need to be a B-list celebrity in order for others to talk about you on the internet, to assess your online persona and accounts, or to rapidly spread misinformation. this movie is relevant to women now more than ever. so many eyes on us at all times. its terrifying.

I think you are completely point on with the analysis of the ending. I have long long dwelled over the ending and i think I get it now all thanks to you. You can see a clear blue sky(no blurry effects as well) and her reflection being a forced and contorted smile in stark contrast with the earlier train scenes. She’s become adept at distinguishing her professional and personal life, preserving her public image, and no longer at odds with her virtual persona. You are absolutely right in saying she has fully suppressed and buried her other identity and fully embraced her professional interests at the cost of denying the other mima. She’s sort of matured to survive in this industry and that’s bittersweet. Lastly, I don’t think ever seen such a analysis from such a keen female perspective, I will be subbing and looking forward for more videos.

“Being a woman is pretending, even to yourself, that you’re ok.” One of the most important and succinct utterances made within my recent memory. A reality and fact of life pervasively unacknowledged or insufficiently salient within most individuals’ mentalities (both men and women). The parallels between Perfect Blue and Ingmar Bergman’s Persona could fill a tome, and definitely deserves a video analysis of it’s own. (Sorry, have watched this 3 more times since my 1st comment; don’t even want to watch further videos on this beyond yours at this point. The film and this analysis is really crystallizing my next project.)

Gotta say, that parallel you made to The Accused off a line I didn't even catch my first time watching was pretty legit. Good stuff, crime you only have a few hundred subs

THIS is what i always felt was missing from reviews I’d seen by male reviewers!! When i actually watched this film, i was shocked at how “”okay”” i thought a lot of the scenes they had been shocked by were. I’m pretty young, and watching this movie made me really rethink how desensitised i am to violent thoughts and actions towards me. Thank you for making this video!! I seriously can’t explain how much i love how you spoke on this movie 💞

it's funny how so many of the reviews and analysis' of this movie are made by men (seemingly for men, too). it's almost like very little of them can actually understand a story about a girl becoming a woman unless it's stripped down to no intricacies whatsoever...

I had the exact thoughts watching the movie and after it, but almost no review of this movie ever goes beyond 'creepy stalker' and 'idol culture', always missing the point about Mima's thoughts and intentions, and that nothing she does is by her own choice. Also, the thing that makes the rape scene even worse is that the screenwriter probably just wrote it for publicity, since he has no idea where his story is going. This is implied by the scene where a guy tells him to write it quickly since they're running out of time and the writer's creepy grin when talking about Mima enacting the scene.

I took the ending in a more positive way, with Mima's development being that of an inversion of Rumi. Rumi is a person who failed in her aspiration as a pop idol and is still living in the past, living vicariously through Mima. Rewatching the first scene with Mima singing, I realized that was Rumi's voice, which foreshadowed how Rumi was already slipping into insanity that didn't become pronounced down the line, as Mima kept going further and further away from her idol role, Rumi tried to keep it alive, worsening Mima's own mental state. By the end, Rumi sees her own reflection as Mima-rin, and there's no real escape for her. Mima relied on Rumi to give her guidance and saw her as a good friend, and in an idealistic setting, Rumi would be the realistic mentor helping Mima, rather than this cynically real story, which saw her go insane and try to kill Mima, as her loyalty was to who she was as Mima-rin, rather than Mima the person. By contrast, the Mima by the end is the experienced and mature person Rumi could have been, having finally progressed and gained the independence she needed. Her voice is more akin to Rumi, to show how she has become what Rumi failed to be, someone able to push on from the identities people forced onto her, and someone who truly knew who she was. Her hair is longer, showing a more world weary and mature look, and she's now in the driver's seat rather than needing someone to drive her. Mima completed her journey while Rumi was trapped in the past, and she would probably be the helpful mentor a younger and naive female actress would need to help them transition as well. I know this sounds idealistic, but I guess after everything she went through, I think Mima deserved a happy ending, so I have a bit of a soft spot for her.

This has been the only female perspective I've seen on youtube about this movie. I have never seen this movie so I didn't even know about all of this stuff, as the other videos I watched didn't even touch on it. Thank you.

One thing I would like to add is how Rumi is inherently complicit in Mima's suffering. This shows that anybody can reinforce toxic ideas, even those that don't benefit from them. Also, you are the first person to take a more bittersweet message from the film's ending. Which I find interesting because I always thought this ending was more positive, but millennium actress which was a positive film and had a bitter sweet ending.

I had watched this movie with my girlfriend and I remember not being able to watch the rape scene. As someone who has been SA'd when I was younger the movie's rape scene overwhelmed me with emotions that I hadn't felt in a while. I am normally a very emotional person when it comes to T.V shows and when the main character said she had to do the scene I felt so empathetic for her. In so many women's lives we feel like we absolutely have to to deal with what cards we are given. If we don't deal with the cards we're even guilted and coerced into feeling responsible. At times perfect blue was a bit confusing to me but overall I believe this movie and it's message about societal pressures really hit the nail on its head. I think your analysis also helps emphasize the themes too, I hadn't even known some of the references beforehand!

I think what shocked most in Perfect Blue (I mean, in the sense of being the first shock that sets up the tone) was the scene referenced in 11:27, Mima is acting like a 14-years old teenager being scolded because of bad grades, and yet she's 21. I wonder how intentional that was from the part of the producers, but it sets up the issues explored in the movie.

Damn I didn't see the 16 mins pass by, your writing is top-notch. Great stuff Bess

Perfect Blue was utterly terrifying-- i'd heard it praised over and over for its horror and cinematic influence, but the most horrifying parts weren't the idea of a persona coming to life, it was how graphically and tense it depicted being a girl, like all the worst fears came to life. i went to look for people discussing it but only found men talking about the horror of split identity, parasocial relationships and the internet, people talking about how disturbingly beautiful it was, and shrugging away the most disturbing scenes as part of the horror. Watching your video was like everything i thought put into words so perfectly, about its visceralness and the gut-wrenching discomfort of being forced to watch what Mima goes through. thank you

great video, it was courageous to analyze this movie to this angle.

Brilliant analysis. Makes the movie make sense. Here’s how I understood the ending and how it still ties in with the catch 22 theme you explained: Rumi, who was the most earnest supporter of Mima staying an idol, ends up being the final obstacle between the new Mima and her life as an actress. Rumi is like a mother figure and Rumi reminds Mima of the past. That’s why Rumi is seemingly dressed up as the old Mima at the end. After the altercation with Rumi, Rumi is put in a psyche ward, because Mima convinced herself and the people around her that it was Rumi who's been tormenting her all along (like the mom from Black Swan). The hallucination chasing Mima at the end of the movie was just Rumi trying to help Mima, but Mima saw it as the past which keeps haunting her. With Rumi out of the picture Mima can now fully surrender to being grown up and continue acting like she’s ok.

Actually the idol culture is indeed a part of the theme but what stuck within me was the idea that women have to sacrifice and endure and just take in whatever's given to them to thrive and survive in the industries their in. Risking themselves for "growth". Doing uncomfortable things to prevent others from feeling uncomfortable. Always compromising.

Every man needs to see this and try to understand.

THIS VIDEO IS AMAZING!!!! i could never really place why all the other videos about this film left me feeling dissatisfied, but i think i realize now that it was because the creators of the videos ive been watching have all been men and either didn't see the film through this kind of lens (which is absolutely fine, this film is shown through a pov a lot of cis guys dont understand just bc of how they were raised differently from cis women and girls, which no one can help), or just focused on other themes present within the film. this video is my Perfect Blue perfect endgame essay. thank you so much for posting this ToT

This video is incredible. The analysis of Mima’s struggles is presented in a way no other video has touched on and does it in a such a perfect way. Amazing amazing work

It's been a very long time since I've seen the movie, so I've forgotten a lot of the details. What I remember well was noticing a pattern in which the world (Mima's world) would get terrifying and incomprehensible, but then whenever Rumi showed up, everything would suddenly feel normal again. Then it turned out that what Mima felt was the only source of stability in her life was in fact the very opposite.

How are you not famous yet? I love your takes. This analysis painfully resonated with me as a woman. Thank you for your deep and thoughtful videos.

I have yet to watch Perfect Blue but, I'm left in silence by this analysis. It guides me to be more empathetic and kind to people. Thanks as always.

This is my favorite movie and I need to watch it again, it's been a while... Very interesting take you gave here! Love your videos!

Brilliant. Just brilliant. Exactly where my head goes when thinking of this film and how women end up maneuvering and coping with their live. Thank you for saying something beyond just citing the Male Gaze.

Thank you for this video !! I’ve seen only men analyse this film and something was always missing. Your analysis is so relevant, important and well articulated !!! Love it

The perspective I was desperate for after re-watching for the first time since I was a teenager. incredible work, thank you.

thank you!!!! im actually shocked at how many male reviewers missed the overarching point. my takeaway was always how the whole ‘madonna-whore’ complex and how society punishes each side of the coin while simultaneously desiring both can drive a woman to insanity, out of trying to find an identity independent to themselves that isn’t constantly pillaged and judged by the eyes of men

this was such a refreshing analysis. i never realized, until i came across this film and this video, just how much the yt anime analysis community is lacking in female perspectives.

I watched this film for the first time in theatres today, and despite consuming horror/thriller content for a long time, it really was the first time I had my heart hammering in my chest, and feeling not just terrified, but horrified and wanting to cry/run out of the theatre due to a film. Especially seeing Mima's rape scene, even if she were acting. I hated that she was not properly taken care of after, and left to just deal with it the feelings on her own in her apartment. After the film, I couldn't make much sense of how I felt (other than a nebulous feeling of terror) until I stumbled across your analysis; which really drives home the point of the horrors of the specifically-female experience this film portrays; elevated to the idol/celebrity-sphere where problems of loss of agency + objectification +victim blaming are amplified in a microsm of sorts. I also loved the parallel you drew to the The Accused, its actresses and the screening where the 2nd screening and it's female audience who understood the film much more. Thank you for lending your voice to the conversation, it really is much needed especially since I was left disturbed and sad about the ending too. It's terrifying that despite Mima finding the "real" her, nothing has changed around Mima. Mima has been forced to change through so much trauma and struggle, and having been betrayed by the one person she trusted as a caretaker of sorts in a world of men, it's just incredibly sad, and I hope that in this alternate universe, Mima does not become subject to the mental torture Rumi also face in the inevitable aging out of the rigid rules of idol/celebrity culture where ageism is still rampant. I'll be reeling and processing Perfect Blue for some time hahaha. All the best!

this is by far the best and most poignant analysis of perfect blue ive seen to date and seriously needs more views! fantastic work

This was the best analysis I've seen of the movie, and the parallels you drew between Perfect Blue and The Accused were amazing. It really helped nail your point down and helped me see this movie with a better perspective

I always feel excitement and bubbly anticipation when I find a new channel where women are analysing media. When you type the name of literally any piece of media and word "analysis" next to it, it's usually a channel run by a man, and it's gravely disappointing. No matter how "profound" or "detailed" or "thorough" analysis he claims it to be, in vast majority of cases it turns out to be shallow, boring, a stretch and completely missing the point/important details that can completely change the interpretation and perspective of the analysed subject. Sometimes it can be unsubstantial lengthy rant about something he doesn't really understand but tries very hard to convince the viewers in the opposite. I can't imagine how a piece of media can be analysed without taking in consideration the context in which it appeared and its reception by public, yet many of those who decided to make an analysis video do that almost all the time. Moreover, even if the video essayist really did notice and take into account the important aspects of the analysed topic, not everyone can draw a correct conclusion that is based on facts and logic. At last, use of common sense and empirical knowledge can really ensure that the ideas are properly digested and the results are not some unsubstantial mess In that sense, your video is a gem, as you checked all the boxes, evaded all the pitfalls and provided the viewers with top-notch content. And for that, thanks a lot, those 16 minutes definitely were not wasted. + Sometimes it's important to hear a second opinion on the subject or discuss it with a like-minded individual, as many of your astute observations may have gone completely over the head for some, while the others did intuitively think in the right direction but couldn't put it in words That was great

Hey Bess, have you seen/would ever consider doing an analysis on revolutionary girl utena? I have a feeling it would be a series you'd really enjoy! Incredible video as well btw, it's so refreshing to find someone talking about this critical aspect of the film after so many mostly men talking only about the idol culture aspect.

Really awesome! I suggest you check out Kon’s last manga OPUS, a meta fiction done right with his usual visual elements . It rightly deserves to stand on the same pedestal as his movies.

how do you not have hundreds of thousands of followers!?

Watched the film and it was obvious the central theme was the female experience and the expectations society places on them and that was obvious to me as a male watcher. Looked up some reviews and didn't see anyone else bring it up. Idk whether to be surprised or not 😒 Great review tho 👍

the way that i could parallel this with young girls who are famous today,,,,, it's insane how you're either a little kid in Hollywood or you're a sexual, bona fide adult. the industry deprives kids and teens of their youth in the name of fame n i think that that's pretty stupid lmao

I watched this movie last night, for the first time in a very long time. I remember being confused the first time I watched it. Having gained a bit more knowledge and understanding of the things women have to deal with, made this viewing heartbreaking and terrifying. Before I had no idea of things like power dynamic. That older version of me would have been one of those people that said “She agreed to do that scene, why is she upset?”. But my current self can see how so much of her right to choose and consent was taken away from her.

What the fuck was up with that movie with Jodie Foster... Why was that ever allowed on film? She admitted it was a traumatic experience, no matter how much the crew "made sure she was ok". The audience will still watch an actual traumatic experience. What has this world come to?!

I loved your analysis. I just saw the movie once and this video showed up on my feed and I'm glad it did. The duality is strong and I can see that in the movie. Also I didn't know about the real actress that is quoted in the movie, is really a big point that gives so much context to Mina's situation. Thinking there is a lot of famous childhood actresses who had to face the "growing up" situation or were forced to put an stop to their careers because they didn't glow up to the expectation of the adult public (mosly being atractive to the male view) is really sad.

great video! you made an absolutely brilliant analysis of the movie and of the condition of women in society. compliments! (sorry for my english, maybe I made some mistakes)

Incredible analysis

Ik this is an old video but I was scrolling through SO MANY men analysing this when really I wanted to learn what a woman thought of it

I hated the ending. I'm on the submission side. This video was amazing. It really helped me understand this movie.

This is one of the best video about this movie I ever seen.

Rip satoshi kon and satoshi hojo

Thank you so much for making this!! I've been wanting to see an analysis of Perfect Blue that takes gender into account since I first saw this movie like, four years ago.

OMG im glad I found this video. Your voice is so calming and your writing is great! You are super underrated

youre eloquent and intelligent, amazing video

For me the ending she can finally be herself with out being stared at and be unknown to the world but only seen as a hard working woman putting people where they belong rather that be in a mental place or prison.

I've watched alot of video essays on various media, and I gotta say your videos are awesome! :D quality stuff! Can't wait for more!

i am so happy to come across this review! this is one of my fav movies of all time and i feel like i never could quite articulate to myself why this movie is so relatable? thank you for speaking about the importance of the female experience that is captured so well in this film ❤️

i know this video is older but i still appreciate it for the fact it isnt just a summary of the movie like all of the other analyses. it genuinely has a point

Wonderful analysis, made me realize why I was so moved watching it.

A brilliant anime, If only Satoshi Kon had been given more time to create...

Excellent points overall and a very interesting core subject matter to boot. Thank you for contributing this perspective and insight, it's really good stuff that I don't know if I would've ever caught on my own.

In the ending scene in english version, the voice actress of Mima is saying the line "I'm the real thing !". Whereas in japanese version, it's Rumi's voice actress. I wonder what is the author trying to convey. Is Mima in the car or in the mental institution?

I thought that too from the beginning I was thinking it was kinda obvious from the rape scene +after I watched some videos to clarify my opinion on it I ended up forgetting what I thought about in the first place and my perspective was shaped that's about idolisim and I don't see a problem with that it's art it's subjective and it's hard for some to find beyond the surface level when they're mostly the consumers just like in the film

I recently watched ‘Perfect Blue’ with a friend, and it was truly a powerful experience. Especially from my perspective as a female viewer. There is so much to reflect upon after viewing it, and I feel this video masterfully captured its portrayal of womanhood in both an engaging and informative way. By far one of my favourite analyses out there! 💜

@14:32 it is soo true, i don't even know why... how can someone be cute and sexy, innocent and mature, pure and dirty? like how

Best video I've seen in ages, nice one.

First video and new sub.! You have a great voice and your narration is perfect! Love it!

You did a great job on this video. Perfect Blue is my favorite movie of all time, and I love hearing people talk about it. Your analysis is easily the best I've seen. I think your perspective gave words to what I love so much about this movie. Most other reviews focus on the critique of idol culture, but to me that was not nearly as important as the topics you discussed. While I can't relate to Mima's situation personally, Kon does a great job at forcing the viewer to feel the emotions Mima is experiencing. I think the power of this movie lies in the moments when Mima's perspective has completely shattered, and she is completely lost. Kon's editing forces the same sense of confusion onto the viewer so that you're not only watching Mima struggle, but actually feeling it yourself trying to piece together the meaning of the scenes. Your point about how, "trying to decipher reality from fiction in this movie misses the point because it's all real to Mima," is fantastic. I think that the magic of this movie evaporates the moment you imagine a system that "solves" Perfect Blue's blurring of Mima's reality, fiction, and identity. Thanks for this review, I've watched it at least 4 times now and your other videos are also fantastic. I think your video on Mirai was very special.

Thanks for this analysis! I watched a couple of other Perfect Blue analysis videos which brought some interesting tidbits but still felt like I was missing some broader message other than idol culture, which you encapsulated perfectly! I never saw any other video use those quotes by Satoshi Kon stating that the film was not a criticism of idol culture despite this being obviously central to analysing the film. I especially loved your theory of the ending, which completely matches what Satoshi said about the maturing of a girl.

As many have already said, great video! I just wanted to say I also appreciate that you put the sources in the discription ^^ the FGM picture really shocked me so I wanted to look more into that so the source really helped with that.

Great video. Curious what you think about Rumi being the murderer? I have a hard time seeing that fit thematically with all the things you talk about. I agree the movie is about duality and female identity, I just don't get why the manager had to be the murderer. I guess just another person weighing in on how she should live her life?

Love your channel Excellent!

i just watched the film for the first time and i adored your video! i watched a few analysis videos but i felt they where lacking and none where fullfiling, none of them touched on how mima's story is one that is inherent to women and how society treats and views them, im so glad i stumbled upon your video it really helped to make the perfect blue experience unforgettable!

great analysis

Amazing analysis! Definitely a poor choice on my end to watch this before bed though, I think I’m gonna have nightmares!

i think for the film with Jodie i think that was just in dubbed which is a reason i hate dubbed. i don't think its in the original. unless they have it and i didn't catch it. they also mentioned in the Japanese version in the end her voices changes to the other or something.

I feel like this was a good follow-up to watch after the movie.

This video essay was so well-worded, and brought up many points I hadn't thought of before. Thank you so much for making this.

this terrified me idk if i’ll be able to watch the movie lol

fantastic video! really made me think about this film (and life) even more. every time I think I've seen enough analysis of its brilliance, I come across more.

That's a very clever reading. Great video.!

A superb video about my favorite anime, whom I lovingly call Perfect Anime - and not without Reason 😍

........You Made an Amazing video talking and Handling the topics. But i still feel awful. I need time to think.

Glad to have seen this superb analysis! When watching other video essays I always felt it was just big talk with very little to do with the actual point of the film. Its refreshing seeing this and I definitely understand the film more clearly when I rewatch it

When I first saw the movie I thought it was about mimanot distinguishing between reality and fiction between what's real and what's not real and while I still do think there are some of these elements there I know realise that it is about a young girl turning woman which I can relate to as a teenager girl

Awesome

I love this video so much, everything is very well said.

this video ….. was so refreshing and spoken so perfectly. Thank you for this.

21 year old in 1997. Born in 1976..... Now she is 46.

This film was confusing as hell....

this is the best vid abt Perfect Blue out there rn

This is a fantastic video, I really love and appreciate this movie and your analysis was spot on

"You are enlightening me."

that was such a good video! seeing a female perspective on this really made me understand better why it struck me so deeply. +1 sub!!!

Bess knows best. Killin it

Thank you for this analysis. I'd intended to look up which Jodie Foster film was being referenced in Perfect Blue, your video is the only one that I've seen that brings it up in detail.

Wow. Amazing movie, and amazing video.

Thank you

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