One Of The Best '90s Anime Films Is Coming To 4K Blu-Ray

One of the best anime films of the late 1990s, Perfect Blue, is getting its first-ever 4K Blu-ray release with the upcoming Perfect Blue Collector’s Edition launching on December 23. The new Perfect Blue Collector’s Edition bundles the film, special features, and a selection of bonus items celebrating the groundbreaking psychological thriller’s striking animation and art style. If you’re interested in grabbing it, preorders are available now at Amazon–and better yet, it’s currently discounted to just $79, saving you over 20% on the 4K Blu-ray’s normal $100 MSRP.

$79 (was $100) | Releases December 23

The Perfect Blue Collector’s Edition 4K Blu-ray is a three-disc set featuring a complete 4K restoration of the original film, with the option to watch with English dub or the original Japanese voice track and English subtitles. The other discs feature special features like cast and crew interviews, promotional materials, a behind-the-scenes look at the recording of the “Angel of Your Heart” music video, and a two-hour presentation by director Satoshi Kon, in which he details the making of the movie and its themes, which are presented with English subtitles for the first time. In addition to the film and the special features, the movie also includes several exclusive physical extras, such as a 128-page art book, 10 art cards, a poster, and a slipcase cover featuring the film’s protagonist, Mima Kirigoe.

Perfect Blue Collector’s Edition 4k Blu-ray Bonus Materials

Complete 117 minutes of lectures by director Satoshi Kon, subtitled in English
Perfect Blue promotional video edited by Satoshi Kon
Angel of Your Heart recording session and full English version
Cast and crew interviews
Theatrical trailers and TV spots

The directorial debut of the late Satoshi Kon (Paprika, Tokyo Godfathers), Perfect Blue is set in the cutthroat world of the Japanese entertainment industry, and follows former pop-idol Mima Kirigoe, who is attempting to break into the acting industry. But what starts as a promising new career turns into a reality-shattering nightmare of obsessive fans and gruesome murders. The film earned high critical praise when it premiered in 1997 and is still considered one of the greatest anime productions of all time, thanks to its surprisingly prescient look at pop culture and incredible animation.

While the new Collector’s Edition is the first time the film will be available on 4K Blu-ray, Perfect Blue has previously been released on standard Blu-ray, in case you’re interested in checking out the movie but don’t want to wait for the 4K edition (or want to save a bit of cash). This includes a Limited Edition Steelbook Blu-ray + DVD bundle that’s available for just $25.18 at Amazon. While you’ll miss out on the 4K visuals and the translated lectures, it’s more affordable option if that’s what you’re after

Satoshi Kon’s career in anime was relatively short, directing just a handful of works before his untimely death in 2010, but his films and TV series are widely heralded as some of the medium’s best. Millennium Actress was released in 2001 and was another look behind the curtain of filmmaking. Tokyo Godfathers is a critically acclaimed film about three homeless people discovering an abandoned baby on Christmas Eve, and Paprika is a surreal sci-fi movie that has been cited as a big source of inspiration by some of Hollywood’s best directors. Between his work on movies, Satoshi also wrote and directed the anime series Paranoia Agent, a psychological thriller that was released in 2004. Check the list below to see these and other films available on Blu-ray.