Perfect Blue: The best animé film ever?

[clouded link]

YES! Finally, I've seen the excellence that is PB, and I have to say it is just, ONLY JUST the best animé I've seen -the story was diverse and involving, the artwork was phenomenal in some places, there were some great eccentric characters and stunning music and the singing was catchy!

after that, I watched Ghost In the Shell for the first time too, maybe it was just fatigue but I totally didn't get the ending where the main character (I can't remember the name)'inherits' the body of a girl?! Maybe I'd have to watch it a second time, but for me it paled alongside PB, even though the soundtrack was mind-blowing (sorry for all these awesome words :)) and in my revised top 5, it would be:

1.Perfect Blue
2.Orguss 02
3.Wings of Hommenaise
4.Megazone 23
5.Ghost In The Shell

P.S I can't wait to get Akira, NGE and some others! ;)

[DEL 707]

i think u've missed the story of Ghost in the shell, i recommend u watch it again :)

If u can lay ur hands on the Patlabour movies 1&2, their not very action based, similar in approach to Wings of Hommenaise, and classic films :)

[RiskBreaker]

Yeah, Perfect Blue is absolutely brilliant definitely one of my faves, but I gotta admit that i'd go for Ghost in the Shell anyday :)

The main character's name is Motoko, although all the characters call her 'Major' or 'Kusanagi'. She inherits the body of a girl because that is the only body Batou could obtain on the black market. She can't get a new body from Section 9 (yet..) because she is now affiliated (or precisely, joined) with the Puppet Master. They believe her to be MIA and she doesn't want to give herself away.

You should read the graphic novel, that'll confuse you :)

:D

[Intron]

she goes into hideing cos now she is part of the pupet master a wanted criminal AI or not and if internal afiars gets hold of her it would be under the Micrscope time so no chance of a new body and no chance of getting the old job back but then she isnt the same person and doesnt seem to want to go back any way.

Pb is a top film its one of those ones that comes out every few years that have been worth the wait

[Razz]

Everyone says that Patlabor was a good movie but I thought it was pretty boring...

I think i'll stick with the insane Tenchi Muyo or Ranma 1/2 :)

[DEL 707]

yeah Razz u tend to bore of films unless there's a fight every 5 min, or there's some decent demon sex involved :P

[Razz]

Nah, i'm not into demon sex myself. I prefer weird and insane animes.

[DEL 707]

shame because i've got a cupboard full :naughty:

[Intron]

lol :)

Patlabour was good but you need to pay atention and think the First has more action the Second you need to pay atention and watch it to get it. I just love th mechs in it cant wait for the next one :).

but the TV series you would like weird and crazy and funny in most parts.

[Razz]

If I want mechs, i'll stick with Gundam :D

[???/Unknownone]

Um del, any chance of sending em over ere :naughty:

[Typhon]

Has anyone seen Ninja Scroll? I'm all for futuristic mech battles, but I'm also partial to a bit of historical stuff as well.

[DEL 707]

There's actually a sequal for ninja scroll out, can't remember it's name, but it wasn't done by Manga so i don't know whether to bother with it :confused:

[Intron]

lol manga dont always realse the best do they look at landlock i though that was crap and they dint realse Tenchi did they :)

FFS manga where is EVA the movie gone now :/

[DEL 707]

i know manga don't always relaise the best but their the best i've seen so far anaimation wise.

manga reliased Ninja scroll, when another company does it, i just see a quick cash in :)

[felchy]

Ninja Scroll I feel is the most well rounded, complete anime. U know a good film when u can watch it again and again, and enjoy it gr8ly still.

If it were not 4 the 'fantasy' element of Jubei's demon enemies, I feel the film could have received the mainstream-acclaim/attention that was squandered on overhyped titles such as Akira and GitS (interesting anagram,huh?!).

Admittedly these two had intellectually stimulating premises, but as actual films they felt disjointed. The best way to sum this up would be in the final scenes for both of them.
I won't describe these endings, as not to spoil it for those who haven't seen them, but I would hope ppl know what I'm talking about.
By comparing them to Stephen King stories is is a good example. The stories have these premises and a certain amount of build-up, but almost always end in anti-climax.
With the 2 anime, it is not necessarily a graphical anti-climax, on the contrary. It's just in story-terms, the endings feel like cop-outs.

Wings of the Honneamise is different in that it does not sway from it's intended premise/message. It's just it was a bit of a hippy/buddhist kinda message!

[Monkey Fool]

Sorry I realise this is an old post but I went Borders at the weekend and there was Perfect Blue saying, "Hey buy me now"
I did. I will watch. I will rejoice.

I bought Patlabor 1&2 a while ago and thought it was really slow as Razz said. (Kiss-ass :E )

Ninja Scroll kicks ass as does Akira but will PB hit the top mark??
I hope so cause it cause near £20 quid. :)




[Edited by Monkey Fool on 02-10-2000 at 11:49 PM]

[RiskBreaker]

I'm not so sure I agree with you felchy. Errrmmmm..... the point is hard to argue with out giving away the endings as you said but on the subject of the GitS ending I'll say this. If I'd read your post 5 years ago I'd have agreed as said the GitS ending was a complete cop-out, I though the actions of "some-character" against "some-vehicle" were completely pointless and ruined a good ending. However I've chnged my mind over 5 years and many viewings :) With the important point behind the ending being that "said-character" walks away having gained far more then she has lost (literally). AARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH I want to say more but I won't :D Damn you for mentioning GitS heh heh :)

With respect to the graphic novels of both Akira and GitS the anime isn't a scratch upon the manga (the GitS novel varies greatly in parts from the anime especially in the ending). However compared to other anime they stand as great films in their own right. Personally I don't think anyone has paid enough attention to Ghost in the Shell and I long for the day when it will actually be shown on terrestrial TV at a time when there may be an audience to view it (although this goes for all the good anime Akira, Patlabor, Wings of Honnemaise etc). I.E. not after 12pm Channel Four you *******s. Although I get the feeling some institutions in this country still haven't "grown-up" enough to realise that the animation isn't "kids stuff".

[werewolf_bite]

animation isn't kids stuff...

got to agree remember the mail a few years back crucifying c4 becuase they were showing manga (at about 1am in the morning).
I wish i'd managed to keep the tapes i made then (vcr chewed a lot) because they had some good stuff on.

A lot of people do look at the box and see animation and buy it for the kids, not realising the 15/18 cert is there for a very good reason.

[Intron]

hmm OCUK orcer just going through hmmm speed.


yeahh GitS did seem a bit odd ending but it does make sence after all since he has been manipulateing her for a while and she had to make sure she got to the Puppet master and she didnt have a gun to deal with it at all and there wa no other alternative the weakest point of any big tank is its oprator. And of course she went for it. and rightfully she had to cos of the incomeing attack helicopters so she was runnign out of time and had to do it off the books or risk loseing the truth of the puppetmaster. Anyway damn good film. its Patlabour 2 but with tones more action and the messages are more underlying

[felchy]

Riskbreaker, when I say anti-climax, I mean from the point of view of the main theme GitS lays down, namely,

"When a person's consciousness/soul becomes a physical, tangible medium;-
how do u regard/value something as alive?
what do u regard/value as being 'alive'?"

I'd say this a very interesting premise. It's just the film never seems to really bother to explore alot of the possibilities this idea throws up.e.g.-

Love? How can u rate an attraction 2 some1 when their personality & physical appearance r not definable?

Crime? Would it b physically wrong 2 change criminals personalities so stop them re-offending?(clockwork orange)

Status? How do u compare ppl when any weaknesses can just b 'fixed'?( weakness->get loan->get fix-> better job->better job can pay off loan etc etc)

Duplication? If ur soul can be put on a medium, wot would happen if a copy was made? By it's sheer production, would the copy have any right 2 life?

My main beef with the ending is that a weak option was taken from the possibilities.
Yeah, so we finally c that a person(i.e.his/her consciousness) is no longer restricted to there own body, but that was made apparent earlier in the film. The 'right-2-life 4 the A.I?' question is also raised, but had again been suggested earlier in the film.
I realise this is a long post, so I'll only give wot I think would b better ending ideas, IF ppl want me 2...
...hint hint...

[phreak_attack]

cant really see what everyone sees in Perfect Blue. Bought it on DVD but I prefer Neon Genesis-esque battles with big-ass robots. I actually dont really watch much Manga compared to the amount of anime I watch (Sailormoon, DBZ, etc). I thought the story was boring in Perfect Blue, but I WAS watching at 2 in the morning :)

[RiskBreaker]

Whoa, hold up Felchy, I'd love to know the answers to some of those questions myself but:

a.) That's alot to fit into one feature film and concentrate on to an extent that it was actually worth including.
and
b.) They're not the kind of topics you'd want to include in a feature film for a medium of story-telling not generally accepted amongst the adult western world.

I know ppl that walked away from they're first viewing not having a clue as to what was going on as with Patlabor. Unfortunately even though the medium may be considered as "for kids" some of content plot-wise certainly isn't and has gone over the head of a few adults I know.

[clouded link]

Originally posted by phreak_attack
cant really see what everyone sees in Perfect Blue. Bought it on DVD but I prefer Neon Genesis-esque battles with big-ass robots. I actually dont really watch much Manga compared to the amount of anime I watch (Sailormoon, DBZ, etc). I thought the story was boring in Perfect Blue, but I WAS watching at 2 in the morning :)

The story is compelling not boring, and its not all action -animé
doesn't have to be all mech-battles although the ones in Megazone 23 and Orguss 02 were well-timed.

Perfect Blue ranks alongside the almighty Wings of Hommenaise for story over action.

Once again I haven't see alot of Neon Genesis Evangelion, but has anyone seen Goodbye Lady Liberty or Castle of Cagliostro? :)

[felchy]

Sorry I havn't had the chance 2 respond earlier Riskbreaker.

It's true wot u said about the content of the film, as in u gotta get the balance right between action and intellectual stuff(so the 'cartoon', as some ppl might c it, can actually b considered 4 adults(at least with the western world)).

I'm going to put up a new topic, "the balance in anime between action and storyline" so if u got any oppinions on this matter...reply :)

Oh as 4 GitS as compared 2 Ninja Scroll, GitS action is too in frequent(and quite weak when it happens). Also it's storyline/concept takes up too much time without really going into much detail (c my previous reply 4 unanswered questions as an example).
Ninja Scroll on the other hand is perfectly constructed interms of it's balance, so that the storyline does not hinder the amount of action.

The best way to sum it up is with the final battles. Both set-ups r 'person versus seemingly indestructable opponent', and both carried out well(2 a point).
It's in their conclusion's though that their quality differ. Whilst with GitS ur left saying, "wot? all that build up, just 4 that? wot a cop out...(where's my receipt)..."
With NS on the other hand, ur just left with really wanting more 'Medieval-Ninja-James-Bond-esque'* adventures, as u would do from such a brilliant film.

*[ :) sorry I can't think of a better way 2 describe Jubei]

---------------------------
Jubei-The [Head]Banging-est

[DEL 707]

Agree with Risebreaker there.

1st time i watched Patlabor i didn't have a clue what was happening, I saw the box, and thought instantly "mech fest". Was disappointed overrall but watched it a 2nd time and finally caught on :)
It was completly different from any other kind of Anime i had seen and shall we say "opened my eyes"

Keep going on but i luv Patlabor 1&2. :E
Just shows all adult anime doesn't have to be 18 rated ;)

[Pigeon]

Hi DEL, Bye DEL....

[Tichinde]

Originally posted by clouded link
but has anyone seen Goodbye Lady Liberty or Castle of Cagliostro? :)


Yep. I have all three of them... Get hold of secret of Mamo, that is the funniest of the three. Hillarious. :)

Shinday

[clouded link]

Yeah, I have them all now - doesn't try to square up to the 'greats' but is very well thought out and funny at the same time. Check out my new sig for the best outake of comedy from animé (as I remember it) from PB.


Enjoy! :)