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Self-Identity In Perfect Blue

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Perfect Blue does not pose its arguments through the analogy of the high-tech cyborg, but rather via the breakdown of the mind, viewing self-identity through a lens of psychopathology. While, in the world of Ghost in the Shell, programmers and hackers present the very real threat of mind hacking, the contemporary setting of Perfect Blue offers a more subtle yet even more terrifying form of manipulation: the idea of your own mind rebelling against yourself.
Throughout the movie, Kon hints at themes of deception and false construction. Symbolism of mirrors, reflection, and glass surfaces is pervasive through the film, (1) suggesting that the self and the can self-image be altered by the gaze of others and (2) serving as a glimpse into an opposing view of one’s self.
The protagonist Mima projects a very different self to the world of fans and the pop idol/film industry than the self she shows when she is alone in her room. This presents a sort of ambiguity surrounding her true wants and desires. Throughout the film, we cannot recognize whether she performs actions of her own volition or whether she has been forced onto a certain path by outside influences. She alternates between violently affirming that she wants to be an actress and admitting she only did the rape scene so as not to cause …show more content…

As Mima descends into insanity, Kon begins to use quicker cuts back in forth between scenes that are either reality, television, or hallucination. And the television plot itself mirrors aspects of Mima’s life. However, it is not always clear to the spectator where the scene falls on the spectrum between real and imagined. In a sense this makes watching the film just as confusing for the viewer as Mima’s situation is for her. Her dwindling grasp on reality and the conflict inside herself are reflected in this constant state of not knowing who or what to trust or what is

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