More Thought-Provoking Content Awaits You!
Perfect Blue is an experience. This anime offers an excellent portrayal of what fame can do to a person. It follows a girl named Mima, who abandons her idol friends to become a highly profitable actress. Little does she know of the horrors behind her decision. This is an anime that’ll keep you engaged with its dark imagery, chilling circumstances, and mental delusions. It’s best to experience this one with a clear mind because it’ll make your brain hurt.
Fear not if you’re having trouble finding anime similar to Perfect Blue! We’ve discovered 10 alternate shows that’ll give you a similar experience as Perfect Blue.
Additionally, for each anime we’ve reviewed, we’ve included a link that allows you to view our full thoughts about the series to see if it’s worth your time.
So without further ado, we present 10 TV shows that should whet your appetite when you’ve finished streaming Perfect Blue!
Serial Experiments Lain
Similarities – Twisted Realities
Serial Experiments Lain is one of those series that you’ll need to watch countless times to understand its larger picture. Its storyline is vastly complex and touches upon subjects concerning self-worth. The anime can feel slow at first but manages to grip viewers in with its mysterious setting and thought-provoking concepts.
In it, we follow an introverted girl named Lain. She receives and opens a strange email from a former classmate that had committed suicide. Upon opening the email, she gets sent to the Wired, a virtual area that functions like the internet. Lain will encounter numerous cryptic mysteries while being chased down by the Men in Black.
This is an anime that explores the boundaries between reality and cyberspace. Lain will get roped into many surreal and bizarre situations that’ll make her question her identity and perception. With stellar twists and turns around every corner, this is a wonderful mystery series to watch after Perfect Blue.
Millennium Actress
Similarities – Stardom, Atmosphere, Art Style
Millennium Actress is another one of Satoshi Kon’s best works. It doesn’t offer as many chilling aspects as Perfect Blue, but it’s another film of his that tackles stardom from an intriguing standpoint.
While watching it, you’ll find it challenging to distinguish between what’s real and what isn’t. From its strong atmosphere to Kon’s iconic art style, this is another work of his that deserves your attention.
Millennium Actress follows an ex-filmmaker named Genya Tachibana. He wants to film a documentary about his former company’s star Chiyoko alongside his cameraman Ida. This film will place our gentlemen in different scenarios revolving around Chiyoko’s life as a movie star. As they get deeper into her past, Chiyoko will uncover an answer to a mystery she once abandoned.
This anime contains strong themes of romance due to Chiyoko’s devotion to a certain gentleman. It’ll remind many folks of times when they chased after a specific individual. With its engaging art style and adventurous atmosphere, you’ll grow fond of what Kon presents in this anime.
Robot Carnival
Similarities – Psychological & Deep Storytelling
Robot Carnival is a fantastic anthology film. It harbors unique storytelling, deep plots, and colorful visuals. Despite being released in the late 80s, this anime harbors incredible animation and visuals that’ll take your breath away. Viewers may not adore every short tale it offers, but there’s sure to be a short story in here that’ll grasp your attention.
Each narrative contains a robot theme. Robot Carnival is told through visuals, unlike Perfect Blue. This requires audiences to glare at the imagery produced on the screen to form a general idea of what’s taking place. Some stories will feel action-heavy while others will invoke saddening feelings from audiences.
If you’re looking for a visually stunning anime with a boatload of engaging stories, check this out.
Monster
Similarities – Nerve-Wracking Plot
Monster is an incredible anime series. It contains a well-written cast, a genius plot, and a gritty yet familiar setting. Every character in this show has depth, even if they only appear in one episode. You’ll be blown away by the world Naoki Urasawa created here and question how he managed to pull off a thrilling story.
In it, we examine the life of Dr. Kenzou Tenma. He chooses to save the life of a boy rather than his town’s mayor. The child’s name is Johan Liebert, he grows up to become a cold-hearted killer when he’s an adult. To make amends for his mistake, Kenzou embarks on a journey to take down this vile monster.
Despite it’s slow-pacing, Monster delivers enough satisfying twists and turns to keep you hooked. Some chaarcters will infuriate you while others will make you cheer loud and proud. With its gloomy setting, stellar soundtrack, and mind-numbing plot developments, Monster is an integral series to add to your watch list.
Ghost In The Shell (1995)
Similarities – Theme & Mood
Ghost In The Shell (1995) is a fabulous film with depth, atmosphere, and a great cast. Viewers will find themselves immersed in its incredible plot and adore its stunning visuals. That said, this anime can feel as thought-provoking and complex as Perfect Blue. It tackles concepts surrounding human ideology and existence.
The anime’s pacing is moderate at best. This helps viewers engage with the anime’s world and take in its breathtaking scenery. Those who adore cyberpunk-themed video games and are entertained will have a field day with this work the most. Its protagonist Major Kusanagi isn’t your typical female lead and comes off as a strong female protagonist.
That said, the anime offers a plethora of mysteries for you to solve and ponder. If you’re looking for an anime with a great mix of mystery, action, and sci-fi elements, check out Ghost In The Shell (1995).
Ergo Proxy
Similarities – Psychological
Ergo Proxy is a nerve-wracking sci-fi series. It’s one that will make you question what you’ve watched. Some viewers may feel the need to re-watch it to form a genuine understanding of its content. Although the show can feel overly confusing, it features a well-written cast and an enthralling technological society that’ll immerse audiences.
This anime takes place in an isolated city called Romdo. Its remaining civilization takes refuge here and can’t go past its walls. Romdo’s scientists create robots (AutoReivs) to assist humanity with their daily needs. This dilemma won’t bode well for these humans because the AutoReivs obtain a virus, making them self-aware.
Iggy and Re-1 Mayer, the granddaughter of Romdo’s ruler, are assigned to investigate the anomaly. As Re-1 uncovers the hidden conspiracy surrounding her world’s status, her simple investigation takes a turn for the worse. Like Perfect Blue, you’ll be enamored by the incredible detail that went into Ergo Proxy’s characters, environments, and storyline. If you’re on the hunt for more mind-numbing anime, give this one a shot.
Sonny Boy
Similarities – Themes & Atmosphere
Sonny Boy is about a group of 36 students getting transported to a void-like dimension along with their school. Some students awaken supernatural abilities, causing them to feel detached from others. They’ll learn of the world’s rules, rebel against each other, and find themselves in more dimensions as the series progresses.
Their goal is to return home, but as one can expect it won’t be simple. This anime’s cast develops similar issues as Mimi does in Perfect Blue. They’ll start growing ill with the people they once thought to be their friends. These students will develop trust issues, forcing themselves into saddening isolated states.
This anime handles its psychological themes extraordinarily, and fans may see slight connections between both works. If you’re in for a thought-provoking series centered around surviving, check out Sonny Boy.
Higurashi When They Cry
Similarities – Paranoia, Mystery, Themes
Higurashi When They Cry is a well-beloved anime. It features nightmarish visuals, a captivating narrative, and fun characters. This anime follows a boy named Keiichi Maebara. He moves to Hinamizawa village and meets the area’s residents. After meeting a girl named Rena, Keiichi uncovers the hidden darkness that lurks underneath Hinamizawa’s beautiful exterior.
This anime features countless thrills and mysteries. You’ll cringe at the sight of characters getting tortured, but will feel engaged whenever the story leaves behind clues for you to solve its overarching plot. The anime’s structured differently compared to most horror anime. Its first season riddles you with multiple questions while its second season provides you with its answers.
Some prefer the first season over the second one, despite the latter having better animation quality. Fans searching for another horrific work riddled with mystery should give Higurashi a chance.
Cat Soup
Similarities – Psychological
Cat Soup is a mind-boggling anime gem. It’s one of those works that’ll make you ponder what’s happening in it. It’s surreal, mysterious, and genuinely horrifying at times. Cat Soup feels more adventurous than Perfect Blue, though. The protagonists aren’t humans either. In it, we follow a cat named Nyatto, who embarks on a quest to save his sister’s soul.
Her soul had been ripped in two by Death itself, resulting in her following her brother in a brain-dead state. The two encounter many bizarre and mind-bending obstacles, hoping to retrieve what death stole from her. This isn’t an anime everyone will enjoy as it caters to a crowd who adores visual storytelling. If you’re someone who loves to overthink or speculate, then Cat Soup’s the anime for you.
Odd Taxi
Similarities – Story
Odd Taxi is a well-written animal series. To some folks, it feels like an adult take on Animal Crossing. They feel this way because the anime includes topics like monetary debt, gambling, addiction, and temptation. It handles these topics from a mature standpoint and paints them in a horrifying yet realistic light.
This is a world where anthropomorphic creatures work and act like humans. We examine the life of a walrus named Horisho, who works as a taxi driver in his city. He’s lived a peaceful life but didn’t grow up with the best parents. He travels and picks up multiple passengers during his day job. Each customer leaves a lasting impression on him that will intertwine with his individual quest.
This show will make you question your lives in comparison. However, this anime includes more humor than Perfect Blue. If you’re searching for an animal series with great depth and characters, check out Odd Taxi.
You can read our thoughts on Odd Taxi in our full-season review here!
So there we have it, our 10 anime/TV show alternatives to watch when you’ve caught up with Perfect Blue!
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!