#oh the things i watch for Cary Elwes. even if he only gets a few minutes

[razorb0x]

The Bride (1985)

[letterboxd]

Tristan Oliver Q&A.

“We have had far more problems shooting on a 5D than we ever did on film. The sheer absurdity of the throwaway society and obsolescence leaves a bad taste in the mouth.”

Cinematographer Tristan Oliver takes us behind the scenes of the Wallace & Gromit train-chase scene, a flood on Isle of Dogs, and the time he acted with Colin Firth, Rupert Everett and Cary Elwes in 80s British romance Another Country.

Oliver was the man behind many of the cameras on stop motion films including Isle of Dogs, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, ParaNorman and Chicken Run. He also filmed the Academy Award-nominated Loving Vincent.

We asked him some of your questions and some of our own (but we did not ask him “what is Wes Anderson like?”—read on to find out why).

Several Letterboxd members (including ReiJr, Curtis and Nicolas Inard) want to know what drew you to animation cinematography over live action, and what makes it interesting for you?

Well, obviously it’s a ridiculous way to make a living by any definition and I don’t think I ever really, actively wanted to do it. I just kind of fell into it. I was shooting some pop promos for friends and needed to borrow some lights and I knew a couple of people at Aardman—at that time it was literally a couple of dozen people. They said “Oh great, what are you doing next week?”

It was so great—they never used to schedule anything. They just used to ask you in and you’d stay until the job finished a few weeks later. So I stayed as a freelancer with them for a very long time. At the same time, I had a child, so I needed some regular income. I stuck at it at Aardman and I was good at it and they liked me.

It was an exciting time inasmuch as they were reinventing the entire look of stop-frame [animation], because stop-frame really was kids’ TV up until that time—it was super quick and rough and very crudely photographed. Big, soft lights and go home and forget about it. So what we started to do was create a very cinematic look for it, and make it into a much bigger canvas and bigger screen. Our driving motivation was that we made no concession at all to the fact that it was animation, we just tried to make it look nice.

[Animation] was a genre that was neglectful of its cinematography, and even now, I meet animators who don’t really care about it. It’s all about puppets as far as they’re concerned, and I think generally anyone watching the films doesn’t really care about cinematography. It’s the Cinderella department. People are all over the props and puppets.

Immediately getting a little more technical, how does one pull off a rack focus with moving stop motion elements in the shot? —Gina

That’s very interesting because of course stop motion isn’t moving. It’s entirely static until you move it. So a rack focus is just broken down into as many frames as you want it to take place over. So if it’s a twelve-frame or an eight-frame rack focus, in one way you can put a piece of tape over the lens and you move it one notch each frame. Or, we use a motion control computer to do it, which we do these days because it’s much smoother. The animator will press a button, the camera takes a frame, the motion control computer moves—and the animation software will trigger what needs to be triggered.

Although the camera move is conceived in real time, you know, A-to-B, if it takes four seconds you can run it at four seconds or you can run it at a frame a time—now move your puppet and off it goes. So the puppet follows the camera, as it were.

Motion control is one of the things that really liberated us. When we were setting up Chicken Run, that was suddenly a film that needed to play out on a cinema screen rather than a television screen, and moving the camera through space was one of the ways to expand that space. We kind of take it for granted that we can do that now.

Cinematographer Tristan Oliver on set

I was wondering how different lighting a set for a stop motion film is compared to a live-action film and maybe what some challenges of lighting a stop-motion film are? Thanks, I love your work! —Ben

Thank you Ben! Well. I would say that aesthetically there should be no difference because, coming back to my original point, one’s aim should be to make something look beautiful and not really concede in any way to the fact that you are shooting animation.

But there are some issues. Primarily of course the size of what you’re shooting—and this means that relative to the characters you’re shooting, the camera is very, very large. The camera is kind of the size of a small car inside a domestic environment. It’s normally as tall as the character, so you do have issues lighting the character without the camera getting in way. You also have enormous issues with depth of focus because normally we are working right up to the minimum [focal point] of the lens. So to get stuff looking natural, you have to work at a very tiny aperture to get the depth of field that you’d find acceptable in live action.

A puppet’s head might only be the size of the top of my thumb and if I focus on its eye I might find that its nose and ears are unacceptably out of focus. So we are really asking the lenses to do something they were never really designed to do well, which is to work at tiny stops. Most lenses are optimized around ƒ/4, ƒ/5, ƒ/6 and we typically use them around ƒ/14. We really do beat them into submission.

The other issue is heat, of course. We don’t want to be cooking the animators or the puppets or the environments. Luckily, we don’t need a huge amount of intensity with light because we can vary our shutter speed, because we are taking shots one frame at a time. But we do need to keep sets comfortable. We do occasionally use large lights—especially if we’re shooting daylight exteriors—because you very quickly give away that they’re models [if] the shadows fan out, and real shadows don’t do that. They remain parallel, or “coherent” as we call it.

Has LED lighting changed DOP work for stop motion? —Tim

Yes, LED has in many ways transformed our world. The reason being that it’s very tiny so you can hide it and it’s very cool so it doesn’t produce any heat, and also you can dim it without the colour changing.

As an example, on Isle of Dogs we have a large theater set which is all painted with red and black lacquer in the Japanese style and it is lit by paper lanterns (which are actually made out of painted resin). Each of those lanterns contains a very small incandescent bulb, so when you dim those the colour gets very warm and orange. But then we have other [LED] fixtures in that environment and they can be dimmed right down but their colour doesn’t change, so you can keep a very dim but pure light point and that makes the warm stuff read warmer. It’s all about showing the eye where the light is. LEDs just have that purity of colour which doesn’t change with intensity.

And the other thing I wanted to say is the main difference is the sheer number of units we’re shooting on. We typically run between 40 and 50 units, and I’m having to be across all of those in terms of how the film looks. So I’m personally hands-on lighting a lot of those but I can’t do all of them. I have a couple of other guys who help me out and they work to my brief so that it looks like one person did it.

It is a huge, very busy environment in a very large stage with a lot of people running around. I think people’s impression of animation is a very ponderous, dull thing but actually, although it takes a long time, they’re working as quickly as they can. And they’re all working on their own.

Wes Anderson with his Isle of Dogs cast

What type of personality do you think you need to work in stop motion? There’s a stereotype that you must have to be very patient, but the reality is quite different?

I think the idea of “patience” is... I don’t even know where that comes from. That is what we call one of the “top five questions”. That, along with “tell us what is one of the most difficult things you had to do on the film” and “what is Wes Anderson like?”.

I don’t know what anyone’s being patient about, really. Where’s the patience? An animator is animating. He (or she) is working as fast as he possibly can, doing a very complicated performance through the medium of a puppet. So he is undergoing a degree of concentration it would be impossible to imagine and around him sets are being built, painted, lit, set up.

In all respects it is exactly like a live action department—it’s very busy, there is no downtime. So this concept of patience is entirely erroneous. What you actually need is stamina. Not patience. Because this is five or six days a week, 60-hour weeks for two years. And it’s intensely busy. Because of the length of time it takes to shoot, we’re in a rolling process of pre-production even when we’re in production. People are constantly losing their temper and constantly screaming and running out of the studio. To think there’s some kind of monkish, trappist environment… [shakes head].

Which villain did you find more terrifying from the films you worked on? —Manny

They’re not that scary are they, because they’re puppets, but I guess the best villain is Feathers McGraw from The Wrong Trousers, because it’s a penguin and it never speaks, and yet it has a sense of menace to it that is so thorough. It hasn’t even got pupils! It does occasionally blink but it mostly just sits there and... looks. It’s amazing how well it works.

What is it about penguins in animation? There are so many… Surf��s Up. Madagascar. Pingu…

Feathers McGraw and Wallace in Aardman Animation’s The Wrong Trousers

When stop motion films were first shot digitally, sensor noise was an issue that sometimes led to ‘crawling’ artefacts between frames. Has this been mitigated in newer camera hardware, or is it something you still need to watch out for? —Matthew

Do you know what? I read that question and I thought “I have no idea what you’re talking about!” I’m completely unaware of this as an issue. The only film I think that may have been an issue on was Corpse Bride. We did have issues with the 5D which was used as the default animation camera for about ten years. But those issues were to do with the chip heating up and causing fluctuations with the density and the contrast. But the camera I used for Isle of Dogs and also Aardman used for Early Man, which is the Canon 1D X, was pretty damn good. Pretty stable. So it’s kind of ironed out. I mean, you know, no camera on earth is designed to shoot stop-motion animation. I mean why would it be? So we’re always looking for the next camera.

I know that Pete Kozachik is an extreme fan of 30- to 40-second shutter speeds, which is frankly ludicrous. That may have resulted in excessive sensor noise, but that’s more to do with the shutter speed.

How do you handle having to start an insanely complex shot again after an error?

That’s a very interesting question and I’ll tell you why: because the only reason that we reshoot is if there’s an animation problem. Because nothing gets shot until everything is right. So everything is tested. The lighting, the motion control, set dressing, everything is run in front of the director to the point where they say yes, good to go.

The reason is: you can’t ask an animator to reshoot a shot if they’ve done nothing wrong because you’ve cocked it up. So only animation issues are reshot. And from that point of view, it doesn’t bother me in the least, because I just go in and make sure they’re good to go, and they just go again. It’s their loss of time, not my loss of time. They’re normally quite okay about it. Most animators don’t mind having a second go because it does give them the opportunity to improve.

If there’s a catastrophic tech error on the other hand… We did have a flood on Isle of Dogs. We had a massive hole in the roof and a torrential thunderstorm and we lost some stuff in that way. So that becomes an Act of God, a force majeure, and you just have to get on with it.

But also we do monitor what’s going on, so I tend to pop in and just make sure the animators are okay and do my daily rounds. If I see an animator has unwittingly missed a focus point or position because they hadn’t been concentrating, I would inform the first [assistant director] and say “we need to restart this shot”. But because of the critical mass of shooting on 40 to 50 units, if you have an issue, it’s not really an issue. It can be frustrating, that’s all.

Gromit and friends in Curse of the Were-Rabbit

What, if anything, do you miss about the 35mm Chicken Run and Curse of the Were-Rabbit days?

There are things I miss about 35mm days. The structure of the day is far more coherent when you’re shooting on film, because you start your day looking at the rushes, looking at the dailies, then you go into the edit suite and you look at that material cut in, and then you go to the studio floor and address what needs addressing. Whereas when shooting digitally, every time someone finishes a shot you all have to go and look at it, get them turned over, and so on.

There is also far less downtime for animators and bizarrely I think they suffer from that because the process of sitting down and discussing shots and comparing notes is over. The experience of sitting in a green room and getting into a conversation with two or three old silverbacks of the industry is gone really.

The other thing is it’s no quicker shooting digitally. We shot Chicken Run in 78 weeks and we shot Isle of Dogs in 86 weeks, so it actually took longer.

A problem you get with digital is you suddenly have far too much choice. We would do everything in-camera on film. We would use painted backdrops for skies. Everything would be shot into camera, and now of course you can just shoot green screen and decide what your background’s going to look like later.

You’re giving yourself way too much choice because you can. So the amount of creative decision-making is thrown to the end of the movie. That seems like liberation but in fact it’s just putting off what could otherwise be a perfectly reasonable decision. And I think living with what you’ve done isn’t a bad way of working.

And the other thing—which has nothing to do with the practicalities of shooting—which appals me, is that every time we do a movie you have to buy new cameras, because they wear out, so they have a life, and they always stop manufacturing the damn things.

Halfway through Isle of Dogs they stopped making the camera we were shooting on! We had 50 and we had to find another 30 and we had to scour the world for them because Canon was no longer manufacturing them.

Whereas at Aardman, I could take a camera off the shelf that was made in 1928 and I’d know that I was using a piece of 70- or 80-year-old technology that was just going to keep going. We did not lose a shot on Curse of the Were-Rabbit or Chicken Run to a camera problem.

We have had far more problems shooting on a 5D than we ever did on film. The sheer absurdity of the throwaway society and obsolescence leaves a bad taste in the mouth. That at the beginning of every movie you have to spend $300,000–400,000 on new cameras.

At the end all those cameras are [sold on] eBay. The sheer fact of having to put all those cameras on eBay is absurd.

The famous train-chase scene in The Wrong Trousers

Can you tell us any good stories about the train-chase scene in The Wrong Trousers? (Emma guesses it must be the most challenging scene you’ve ever worked on, and there’s no doubt it is one of the best action scenes in a film, ever.)

Ha! Do you know how long ago that was? My daughter Sally was born the second week of shooting The Wrong Trousers and she’s just had her 26th birthday. However, I can tell you exactly about the train chase because it was a lot of fun, that particular segment.

So what you have, of course, is you have this chase that appears to take place in an infinitely huge environment, because the train is moving. We did some crude math and decided the train would be moving at 50mph if it was scaled up. So we did some tests and it looked really slow. So we just kept going up and up and up. And in fact it’s now moving at about 200mph scale-to-scale.

It’s tiny, absolutely minute, the train. We devised this method for shooting where you never see both ends of the train at the same time, so it’s either being pushed or it’s being pulled. It’s attached to the camera, [which is] on a crane hanging over the set. And the camera either had a rod that was pushing or a thread that was pulling. There is no motion control at all.

Laid on the floor is a tape measure and a pointer pointing at the tape measure. We’d hit the camera button—it had a two-second exposure—and we’d push the train 10cm [3.9in] along the track. So it’s moving at 10cm a frame. That’s a lot of distance to cover. And as the train is pulled or pushed, its wheels naturally go around on the track, so it self-animates its own spinning wheels as it goes along.

And we had a set that was a sort of long living room. It was Wallace’s living room but stretched, so it was about five meters long. At one end there was this huge sofa and the camera would go along following the train and it would go behind the sofa and as soon as it moved we’d pick the sofa up and take it down the other end of the set and the camera would move around the sofa and the train would keep going again.

And then when the penguin flies through the air, we actually mounted a sheet of glass in front of the camera—a big sheet of glass so you could see the set through it—and then the penguin was animated across that sheet of glass from right to left. So it looked like it was flying through the air, but the camera was still moving—everything was moving at 10cm a frame—so that’s 2.4 meters per second on double-0 gauge (if you know anything about trains). If you scale that up you’re moving at a hell of a lick!

So the penguin is stuck to the sheet of glass each time he is moved?

He’s had his back sliced off him so he’s like half a penguin, a bas-relief, if you like.

Then there are two other bits on that sequence. (It’s a very big sequence, obviously, there’s a lot to tell!) One is when the train goes around the corner. So for that I built this tiny dolly, which was a wedge of timber with four furniture casters on it and a massive Mitchell camera mounted on top of it. The track went under the camera, and I actually knelt on the set and hand dollied it round the bend.

I thought “this is fantastic!”. But when we actually shot it, what I had completely neglected to register is that as you hit the button the shutter goes around and it completely obscures the eye-piece—so I did it blind, really.

And the other shot is where the camera goes under the table. I can’t actually remember how we did that. I think we had a table that just broke away. But it’s all in-camera. There are no special effects at all.

We had a crew of six on that film. And only 150 shots in the whole movie. It’s amazing. The camera just sits there and watches what’s going on. It doesn’t cut, cut, cut. The camera sits there and you watch the whole sequence of penguin looking up at museum and all the other scenes.

Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs

Did you have a favorite moment on Isle of Dogs?

[Laughing] The last day! There are certain bits of Isle of Dogs that I greatly enjoyed bringing to the screen, but overall it was a slog. Working with a director who is an auteur gives you far less scope to exercise your own creative imagination, so you become reactive rather than proactive. That can be frustrating. That isn’t saying that the film isn’t fabulous and everyone will love it, but in terms of saying I loved that and I did that, it isn’t really my work. It’s something that I “enabled”, if you will.

There are some things that give you a degree of satisfaction. The problem with these movies is they are vast machines that roll on, so the intense personal satisfaction that I used to derive from shooting stuff like The Wrong Trousers is kinda lacking, because it’s such a huge thing.

I had a lot of fun shooting ParaNorman. By my own admission, I think I made a really, really good job of it and I think it looks fantastic. I enjoyed the directors, I enjoyed working at Laika. It was great.

What are five films you love for their cinematography?

I love Conrad Hall so I would always have Road to Perdition, his last movie, which I think is absolutely stunning. The beauty of shooting that film, dying and then getting a posthumous Academy Award is fantastic.

Seamus McGarvey is a great talent and I think Atonement is a beautiful looking film.

Casablanca is absolutely beautiful in black and white. That’s an astonishing looking movie. God, absolutely stunning.

I just think the standard of cinematography is so high at the moment. Production values just generally are so much better than they were 20 years ago—you can see a lot of bad movies but they’re very rarely badly shot.

The latest Blade Runner is fantastic. I’m so glad Roger [Deakins] won an award for that. Revolutionary Road, he did a fantastic job on that as well.

Any women cinematographers you have an eye on?

I realise that’s a prod, but Mudbound is a very handsome looking movie. I think [Rachel Morrison] did a fantastic job on Mudbound. Ask me in another ten years and I’m sure I’ll have many more names.

Did you ever meet Roger Deakins?

No, never. I met Jack Cardiff a couple of times, in his 90s. He was very twinkly. He’s a very naughty man—I think he had sex with nearly every leading woman that he worked with, which given that he is about five foot four is astonishing. He wrote a fantastic book called Magic Hour which has some absolutely awesome anecdotes in it. It’s well worth a read.

Could you have imagined in your wildest dreams that you’d spend a quarter of a century working in this field?

Tristan Oliver on set

My wildest dreams? Like some hideous nightmare! I mean, “no” is the answer. I think I’ve always kind of felt that I would be getting out of it at some point. You very rapidly become pigeonholed in this business. Because it’s what I do, it’s what I get asked to do. People are ludicrously conservative about this.

A case in point is Loving Vincent. The reason I got that job was because I knew about animation. But I actually shot a 90-minute, single-camera, live-action movie with a dolly, cranes, the works, in 16 days, which is pretty good going for a 90-minute movie. Then someone took it away and whilst I was shooting Isle of Dogs they painted all over it!

But isn’t it weird that I got the job because I knew about animation? That’s what the business is like—a crazy, slightly blinkered view. But all my films get seen by a lot of people. They’re proper big movies, they go all over the world.

What memories spring to mind when you think about Another Country all these years later? It must feel like another life.

Ha! 35 years later. The thing about that movie is that’s kind of what made me do what I do today. I didn’t really know anything about films until I did that movie, and I became very friendly with the camera crew [director of photography Peter Biziou, who later won an Academy Award for Mississippi Burning, and camera operator David Garfath, who also worked on The Empire Strikes Back]. I was really interested in it.

At secondary school I had done my exams in physics, biology and chemistry so I had a technical knowledge. I absolutely adored acting. I really, really, really enjoyed acting, but it just never happened for me. I had at one point to make a decision about whether I was going to live in a tiny flat by the seaside and do a couple of commercials and a pantomime every year and end up in a blazer and cravat, or do something that would make me a living. So I did spend a couple of schizophrenic years being a clapper loader and an actor, then I went to film school.

But my memories of that film are very intense and very fond. I mean, that was a real eye-opener for me. I’d never been in that environment before, surrounded by those sorts of people doing that job. It was deeply affecting. I think it damaged me for about five years. Although it was only a few weeks of my life, I then had to go back and finish my degree and the phone never rang. Everyone was interested in Rupert [Everett] and Colin [Firth], or Cary [Elwes]. Although only Colin really became a superstar.

In hindsight I’d have got myself a publicity agent and gone out there and sold myself. So I do this now. I lead a life of anonymity.

Look at an animated feature: in terms of awards, all it’ll be up for is best animated feature. The Annies don’t ever have a category for cinematography, and they have a category for everything, even an award for the floor sweeper! I wrote to them and asked them in the nicest possible way, why don’t you have a category for cinematography? And they went, ‘Oh it’s far too expensive to introduce new categories’. Then a year later they introduced two new categories. It’s absolutely absurd. We go very unconsidered in this world. Trying to gain membership of any professional organisation is impossible.

I’ve shot six movies and every one has been nominated or won an Academy Award. And I’ve shot short movies that have won or been nominated. They just go, ‘Yeah, it’s animation though isn’t it’.

Well, what keeps getting you up in the morning, in terms of what you do?What do you think is the role of storytellers such as yourself and the teams you work with in our society?

Stories are what separate us from the beasts. We are the only animal capable of projecting abstract thoughts into the future or into the past and drawing analogies in that way. I think it’s what makes us human: the ability to tell stories. There’s no anything without story. People ask me what makes a great movie and I go “the script”.

People love to watch people acting stuff out. It’s peculiar. It’s not something that any other animal does. It’s very deep within us, this need to tell stories. In fact they’ve now decided that the way these neolithic cave illustrations have been structured, with animals with multiple legs, is because when they were lit by candlelight it gave the impression of running. As the candlelight flickered, these things galloped. It’s all about story.

Finally, tell us why we ought to visit Bristol, the home of Aardman Animation?

Why would one visit Bristol?! Well, it has a thriving arts and animation scene. It’s a little bit laid-back. It’s rather like Portland in that respect. If you were in the UK and you wanted a day out I’m sure it’s right up there with Bath. It’s next door to Bath so you could probably do both in a weekend. But the thing about Bristol is it’s so nice, it’s so comfortable, that people used to go there and never leave.

I’ve experienced this many times because when I was crewing up Fantastic Mr. Fox—and indeed Isle of Dogs—I asked some of my old crew from Aardman to come and work with me. And they were all incredibly reluctant and it’s only 110 miles away! They were happier to be unemployed in Bristol than come to London, which terrifies them because there’s too many people there. Portland is where young people to go to retire and Bristol is the graveyard of ambition.

Our thanks to Tristan Oliver for his time and energy and to Fox for arranging the interview. See the accompanying list of favorite cinematographers and the questions thread.

[jawllines]

OKAY THIS IS WHAT  I HAVE OF THE FIC SO FAR

NOW YOU CAN SEE WHERE IM GOING WITH IT, IF THERE’S ANYWHERE SPECIFIC YOU’D LIKE ME TO TAKE IT, HE L  P ME IM IN A RUT

i.

Y/N didn't want to do this.

She blames her reluctant willingness on just being a damn good friend and an even better worker -- honest to goodness, she doesn't think Jeff pays her enough for all the mire he forces her to sludge through. Growing close to the Azoffs in the short time of knowing them hadn't seemed like the worst possible idea she's ever had, but after the first few sticky situations she probably should've weeded herself out before she became to entangled in the warm, cozy feeling of belonging that they bestow upon her (which was nice, especially since she was so far away from home). From having to soothe a very angry, very pregnant wife of a client with saltwater taffies she'd gotten as a gift (she was still very bitter), to running around the entirety of LA trying to find a replica of a gold trimmed, rose broach Jeff had accidentally broken of his wife's grandmother's.

Doing it all with minor complaint, Y/N must've lead him on to believe she loves terribly tricky tasks.

However, sailing across the sea last minute to find a replacement for the Swedish model that was meant to be apart of Jeff's upcoming projects wasn't particularly her idea of a great time. Neither was packing up and hitting a jet with a pop star still buzzing from interviews, album releases, and promos, but since the curly haired, green eyed prodigy was already headed that way, had a vision in mind for what Jeff was looking for, and happens to know quite a few people at the modelling agency she was meant to visit. Nor was the short notice of doing it tomorrow morning, catching a 6AM flight out to the UK.

Yet here she was, watching with a despondent slump of the shoulders as he booked two rooms for her and Harry Styles, who had agreed easily on the other line of the phone.

Jeff took a look back at her, before rolling his eyes, "Don't look so shattered, Babe. Really it's like m'sending you on a vacation while I leave the brunt work to myself."

Y/N huffs, sinking in her seat and her dress rides up a bit but she pays no mind to it, "Can't I just go to your sister's wedding as a stand in? Heard I'm great at impressions."

Snorting, he clicks the bright red BOOK NOW button to seal her fate, spinning back around in his chair, "Yeah, just reconstruct your face a bit and I'm sure that'll totally pass over well." He leans forward and straightens out a stack of papers, patting them down on the table in a heap, "You'll be fine. 'sides Harry'll be there, and he knows his way around London well, so you've nothing to worry about."

Y/N doesn't know how to tell Jeff that Harry going might actually be the  worst part.

Harry and Y/N have a -- well, a weird relationship. While they don't hate each other, Harry takes to teasing her relentlessly and Y/N fires back whenever he does. He seems to love getting her all grumpy and flustered and pokes at everything he can to just rustle her feathers, which is better dealt with in small doses, but a two week expenditure of constant jabs, was enough to make her shudder.

Believe it or not, Y/N had been a big fan of Harry before this. When she met him she was all jittery and wiggly and squeaky but somehow managed to place herself on his shit list, without doing  anything.  . .okay! Okay, maybe she accidentally spilled a tray of drinks on his lap and ruined his suit, but in her defense it was a heavy tray. Though she didn't think that warranted his tireless taunts for the rest of forever. Surely the loved by all, sweet guy could turn around and show her some of that soft side, right?

Wrong.

So the mere idea of more than 168 hours with Harry makes her want to scream a bit, especially when she has no time to mentally prepare.

"With how you're reacting, you'd think I'm sending you off to war." Jeff jokes with her, but Y/N pouts at him, beginning to gather up her things, "Just don't stress it."

"Stress it? What's stress? Why would I ever do that?" She rambles off, shoving papers into her large tote quickly and nearly crumbling them, "Just have to go home, cram two weeks of life into a suitcase, call someone to watch my cat and water my plants, have someone collect my mail, and now I definitely won't be able to take any meditative soaks in the comfort of my own home -- yeah, what does the worst stress even mean, Jeff-y Babes, why worry about anything ever at all!"

He's holding back his laughter, she can tell, but she's too disgruntled to think much of it, "God, who knew you could be such a frazzled lil thing? Don't worry about your cat or your plants or your mail, I'll be round to do that. As for the bath, the hotel I booked you has a nifty Jacuzzi tub and Harry's got stellar vanilla lavender bubbles, he'll probably let you use." He soothes her, "Now get home and pack up, you've got an early flight tomorrow! A car will be there at 4:30AM."

That was that, Y/N supposes, as she stands up and pivots on her heel with a small goodbye.

"Hey," Jeff calls just before she's out of the door, and for a glimmering moment she hopes he's about to say he was pranking her; an elaborate trick to mess with her. However, he merely says, "Play nice."

Y/N snorts -- she's not the one he should be worrying about.

                                                                            .                         .                       .

Y/N comes heave hoeing her luggage to Harry's private jet's terminal, at 5:40 AM, with sleep puffy eyes and hair mussed to a fair degree. Waking up at 3:50 for a shower really did her in, especially when she wasn't able to sleep the night before. So now she's sulking towards Harry Styles himself, who is waiting for her patiently at the stairs, leaning against them and scrolling through his phone. It takes him a minute to catch the sound of her baggage's wheels on the concrete, but once he does he looks up, a sly smile pulling at his mouth.

"G'morning Sunshine," Harry greets her, with voice clear of any rasp and looking as good as he always does, which is infuriating, "Ready for our romantic getaway?"

"Am I ever?" She answers grumbly, starting up the stairs. Y/N's been in a few private jets in her days thanks to Jeff, so the wonder of it has wilted some as she shoves her things in the overhead compartment before tugging her, soft, plushy comforter out of her duffel and throwing it around her body, a ball of yarn taking up the seat besides her as she settles and tries to suffocate pre-flight anxiety with the dream of making at east 3 pairs of socks in the time she has on the plane.

Harry snorts at her as he walks by, "Could you be more like my Nan?" He questions, plopping down in his seat across from her, sliding his phone from his pocket. He's got that smile that he only pulls for her -- like he knows that he's Jeff's favorite, and he knows how much he can get underneath her skin -- it's really annoying, "Jeff tol' me you were a bit reluctant on coming, 'cos you're scared of big cities by yourself --"

"I'm not scared." Y/N answers a little to quickly, frustration with Jeff making her miss the loop she was trying to crochet into, "I just don't like impromptu fly outs when I haven't had a chance to check the city out first."

Rolling his eyes, Harry continues, "--but I know this place like the back of me hand."

"Are you trying to comfort me?"

"No," Harry leans back and shuts his eyes, "I'm letting you know if you piss me off, I'll take you to the middle of the city and leave."

Y/N doesn't know if it's a bluff or not, as she digs into her duffel for her phone and sends Jeff an all capital message.

YOU ARE THE WORST!!!!!!!!

Harry is -- well Y/N has seen Harry be the nicest guy in a building with thousands of other people, and turn around to sneer at her. She's seen him hold the door open for Grimmy, and let it swing shut in her face (or, if he's feeling really passive aggressive, shoving it open with a fake smile and ushering her in). Y/N's had to sit and listen to him compliment each and every person up and down, left and right, then completely skip over her with a small passing glance.

So sure, she spilled her drink on him, but that'd never been vindictive in anyway. Y/N guesses Harry was just set on hating her from the moment he'd got a look at her -- their stars must not align, or something of the sort, because that'd be the only reasonable explanation.

While Jeff doesn't have an inkling of an idea of how terrible it could be (Harry is his pop star and long time friend, Y/N wasn't about to drag him into something, especially when she knew very well who's side he would pick), Cal has noticed. Told her not to worry about it, and that how he's teasing her seems to match up with how someone might taunt the person they like, but Y/N knows better than that. Has seen him with the girl's he's dated or pursuing, and none of them are greeted with a sly remark and a mischievous grin, nor does he manage to make them look like the bad guy for defending themselves.

Y/N's learned to just keep quiet and leave it be, however, because he's Harry Styles -- the world's sweetheart to everyone apart from her -- and she knows how to pick and choose her battles.

This is not the battle to pick.

About halfway into the flight, Y/N had pulled out her tablet to watch a movie -- and she had thought this would go unnoticed, but Harry clears his throat and when her eyes flicker up, his flicker down towards the ipad in her hands, nodding towards it, "Wha' movie, you got?"

"Robin Hood." Y/N answers, readily prepared to go back to the movie, but he keeps going.

"Oh, that crummy 2010 remake? Y'need better taste, Babe."

Y/N rolls her eyes, "What you're in one movie and now you're a modern day Hitchcock, is that it?" She shuffles in her seat, "'Sides, m'not even watching that one. Watching Robin Hood: Men in Tights."

With a grunt, Harry goes back to his phone, a hint of a smile playing at his lips.

She ignores this in favor of fantasizing about a young Cary Elwes.

                                                                       .                        .                         .

It's rainy, as expected from London weather, so Y/N had her head hidden beneath the hood of her coat as she tried warding away shivers from the chilly air. If not for the thick, faux feathered filled cloth, everyone within a miles radius would she was hardcore nipping, and the goosebumps only furthered the fact she got too lazy to shave her legs the night previous. She'd prepped for the chilly weathered though, which was good, though she can't say the same for Harry, who is casually strolling from the airport to the car waiting to take him to the hotel.

Absently had she wondered why he didn't just go stay at his London home, but she figured Jeff coaxed him into the hotel life so they'd be within close proximity of each other, which also might've been for her benefit. Y/N had never visited London before and she presumes Jeff doesn't trust her not to get lost, or to try and hitch a ride back home without the model in tow (which she can't fault him on, really, it's not that far of a stretch). This meant that Harry will either be his regular, moody self towards her, or he'll be even snippier that she's the reason he must live in a hotel for a while.

"Oi, would like a minute without paps on me tail, so stop shiverin' like that, you're making a spectacle of yourself. ."

"And you're not?" Y/N grumbles at him, "Your pants are brighter than the sun today, but m'shiverin' is really doing us in, innit?"

"We've been here for little over five minutes, and you've already garnered that London attitude." Harry slips around to the driver's side, taking the keys from the man adorned in black before nodding, smiling his thank you, "Hate to see what it must be after a week here, already a little firecracker."

"Bite me." She shoves her bags into the trunk, along with her folded up blanket.

Harry tosses his duffel into the backseat, "Don't tempt me, Sweetheart."

                                                                            .                        .                      .

Just as Y/N's luck would have it, upon arriving at the hotel, they find that Jeff didn't book two rooms, he booked one room with two beds, and there were no other rooms left where they could switch to due to several conventions (including a model scouting one they might become privy to) going on. This meant a week and a half of non-stop Harry, unless he went out, but he'd always have to come back -- whether it be drunk or hungover, neither she particularly wanted to deal with. This also meant she would have no peace nor time to collect her thoughts without something going on in the background, especially since this was strictly a bedroom with a TV -- no extension of living room like some might have.

"Well, this is shit." Harry mutters to himself, setting his duffel down at the bottom of the bed he'd chose and huffing as he collapsed back onto the bed.

"What? You're not stoked to spend day and night with me?" She says sardonically, sat on the edge of the bed as she kicks her shoes off. The room is nice enough, aside from the glaring problem with their situation, but at least the comforter felt soft enough and the carpets were pretty cozy on the toes. Maybe if she just keeps her eyes closed and music in her ears she'll be able to enjoy her stay here.

Harry, however, seems to be pretty peeved, "Was gon' go out, invite people back for a spell, do some wooing. . ." he trails off, "You're oddly quiet about this. With how uptight you are, I figured you would've blown up at that guy."

"M'not uptight." Y/N decides to say first, "And I'm tired, is all. Just want to eat and go to bed. 'Sides, maybe me being here will do you some good -- no use getting all rowdy with models at the bar, especially with this new solo stuff out."

"What does that matter to you?" He asks, propping himself on his elbow and turns to face her, head tilted, "So what if I get rowdy?"

"Rowdy equals media problems. Media problems are Jeff's problems. Jeff's problems are my problems."

Y/N knows he wouldn't -- despite his question, and a small kiss of his teeth, she knows he isn't stupid. Knows how to work his way around the media -- it's how he's ended up being America, England, France's, Spain's -- just about every country's damn Sweetheart, when he could be such a grade A jerk (if you ask her). Though it's realizations like these that irk her. What had she done to make the "sweetest boy alive" be so cruel to her?

[jacobtmcelroy-blog]

Top 25 Anime Movies

Similar to the way I made my top 50 anime series list, I am going to list my top 25 anime films. This was another extremely tough list to make and several really solid films didn’t make the list. Several highly regarded anime films I have still yet to see (Your Name, Marnie, Princess Kaguya, Steins;Gate movIe, etc), so I will only be listing ones that I have seen personally. I am also holding off on anime films dubbed in the past year due to recency bias. (in the easiest way to explain possible [Boy and the Beast and Only Yesterday for example]...)  I promise I will try to limit the amount of Studio Ghibli films to an extent to give a little more variety... On that note, let’s get this list under way.

25. Dragon Ball Z: Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan (1993)

I have watched the many DBZ movies many times, and admittedly most of them are mediocre to somewhat awful. A few stand out, but none of them stand out more than Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan. The movie feature the title character Broly, who is by far the most interesting DBZ movie villain. Besides the solid villain, this movie features some of the best fights in the franchise alongside the series’ signature comedy and fun. (Dubbed by Funimation)

24. Tokyo Godfathers (2003)

So, what happens when a homeless gambler, a runaway, and a trans woman find a baby in a dumpster on Christmas? Well, one of the most down to earth and light-hearted of the great Satoshi Kon’s films. (will talk about him more later...) Tokyo Godfathers deals with some tough source material and has a nice twist ending. The comedy is also played up well from the main trio of unlikely heroes. While my least favorite of Kon’s four films, it’s still a really fun watch particularly during the Christmas season. (can’t seem to find an official dub of this one unfortunately)

23. Psycho-Pass: The Movie (2015)

The two season series I like to refer to as Se7en meets Minority Report released a movie in 2015. As one would expect from as great of a series as Psycho Pass, the movie delivers on most fronts. While the movie doesn’t bring all that much new to the table, it’s better than the second season of the show and is highly entertaining throughout. The bodies still explode when shot and the looming sense of “Big Brother” remains from the series. A reunion between two characters from the first season was the highlight for me personally. (dubbed by Funimation)

22. Redline (2009)

Let me get this out of the way first. Redline’s story has a lot to be desired. A LOT. However, the thing that makes Redline such an enjoyable watch is the incredibly unique and exhilarating artstyle and animation. Madhouse always has great animation work on all of their movies and shows (so good Madhouse was used in Kill Bill’s animated segment), but this could honestly be one of their finest works. The expressions of the characters, the violent racing of the many unique racecars (the focus of the film), and the nosebleed effects are stunning. Even if you don’t like racing or think the plot is lacking, Redline is worth a watch to marvel at its art. It’s pretty damn entertaining too.(dubbed by Manga Entertainment)

21. The Cat Returns (2002)

While not the deepest of all Studio Ghibli films, The Cat Returns is by far the funniest, at least in my opinion. At only 75 minutes in length, the tale of Haru, a clumsy high school girl, rescuing a cat prince is an underrated gem from the studio. The Baron, who first appears in Whisper of the Heart, appears here in a much bigger role, masterfully voiced by Cary Elwes. The film never takes itself too seriously, but it’s a blast the entire run time. Give this one a try if you’re in the mood for a quick, quirky anime film. (dubbed by Disney)

20. Millenium Actress (2001)

Ah, another fine work by Satoshi Kon. Millenium Actress is the story of the life of a now elderly actress who searched her entire life for a man she fell in love with at an early age. While the story has been done before, the aspect of Kon’s second film that makes it so great is the narrative and the way the story is told. Chiyoko, the main character, is being interviewed for a documentary on her life by a super fan and his less energetic cameraman. The interviewer and cameraman begin to actually appear in her flashbacks as characters in her many points in life, and it makes a really cool perspective. Not the fastest paced film, but Millenium Actress is definitely worth a watch. (dubbed by Bandai)

19. Summer Wars (2009)

Mamorou Hosoda’s name is another you are going to hear a lot the rest of this list. Summer Wars begins innocently enough with a girl making a guy pretend he is her fiance in order to please her family and mainly her grandmother. On top of this plotline is the criminal activity occurring inside an advanced social network named OZ, which the male lead happens to be a part-time employee of. After a malicious user begins to take over the network’s world and begins to leak into the real world and things begin to unravel with the family, everyone must overcome their differences and defeat the enemy. Hosoda’s film is entertaining, a nice family-building film, and looks great on top of it. On a final note, I’m really happy to see Funimation have the chance to dub a high quality film like this. Michael Sinterniklaas and Brina Palencia are both great as usual. (dubbed by Funimation)

18. My Neighbor Totoro (1986)

My Neighbor Totoro is an adorable film. That’s all there is to it. Totoro is the mascot of Studio Ghibli and maybe even Japanese animation for a reason. The film itself is very simple and bit odd, but that does not make it any less likable.There are just many fun set pieces put together including the famous umbrella scene, the climax scene with Catbus, and the sense of imagination and adventure you only feel as a child rolled in one.Of note, the newer dub by Disney is much improved and has solid early work by the Fanning sisters. (dubbed by Disney)

17. Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001)

Those familiar to the anime world most likely know of how good the series Cowboy Bebop is. Those who have not seen the series yet should do themselves a big favor and give it a watch. The Movie is almost as good as the series itself. It gets a little more talkie than it should at times, but otherwise Bebop: The Movie is a solid addition to the great space western tale of the Spike Spiegel and the Bebop crew. The best part of Bebop: The Movie (other than the stellar jazz score) is that it feels like a reunion. We thought there was nowhere else to go with the lovable cast of the series, but then this movie appeared and brought all of them back for one last hurrah. Oh, and the dub is still fantastic. Bang. (dubbed by Sunrise)

16. Kiki’s Delivery Service (1999)

Kiki’s Delivery Service was a huge hit when it was released in Japanese theaters in 1989. There is no wonder why. Studio Ghibli delivers another simple, but enjoyable tale of a clumsy, young witch named Kiki. I find Kiki to be one of the most likable Ghibli leads due to her great determination to accomplish something yet feeling like she’s not good at anything. Some nice set pieces and being thoroughly entertaining throughout makes Kiki enjoyable for any age. On a final note Phil Hartman turns in his final performance in an animated film as Jiji the cat. As one would guess, he’s great. (dubbed by Disney)

15. Porco Rosso (1992)

Similar to The Cat Returns, Porco Rosso is one of the less deep Studio Ghibli entries. But man, is it a fun one. Porco Rosso follows the adventures of an anthropomorphic pig nicknamed Porco, a former Italian military pilot, on his zany quest to fight an overconfident, but very talented Texan pilot named Donald. The main two characters, Porco and Donald, alongside good supporting characters are some of the most fun in any Ghibli’s film. This is aided by some great dub performances, specifically from Michael Keaton as Porco, Cary Elwes (again!) as Donald, and Brad Garrett as an unsuccessful pirate rival. Watch this one for some fun and the pig puns. There’s a ton. (dubbed by Disney)

14. Wolf Children (2012)

Wolf Children is one of the slower films on this list, but that does not make it any less good. Directed by Hosoda, same guy who did Summer Wars, Wolf Children is the most mature of his films that I have seen. While the initial subject matter of a woman having children with a werewolf (wolf form) sound a little strange and questionable, the rest of the film is full of heart as Hana raises her werewolf children on her own without any help. Through the highs and the lows, Hana grows and so do her children. As one can expect, the character development is really good here and helps lead up to a very satisfying, yet bittersweet ending. This movie may be a feels trip, but I highly recommend it. Funimation does another nice job here with one of my favorite performances from Colleen Clinkenbeard ever. (dubbed by Funimation)

13. Whisper of the Heart (1995)

Here I present what I feel to be the most underrated Studio Ghibli film to date. Whisper of the Heart was directed by Yoshifumi Kondo, which means this movie was the first hit from the Studio not directed by Miyasaki or Takahata. Sadly, this was the only film Kondo was able to direct for the Studio due to his unfortunate death only a couple years later. Kondo’s gem contains the least fantasy elements of the Studio’s films, yet it has one of the most taut, well-told stories of the group. WotH is a coming of age story with a focus on romance between a girl and the boy who checked out library books before her. Don’t miss this one like many people have. (dubbed by Disney)

12. Princess Mononoke (1997)

The placement of Princess Mononoke on this list may be controversial to many. (possibly because of the length...) However, that does not mean that I don’t love this film. Mononoke is a much darker and bloodier entry than most Miyasaki films, which I like for a change of pace honestly. The fantasy elements are strong in this entry and the characters are stalwart as well. Every character in the movie has different motivations and it makes for a compelling story. Everyone, good and evil, wants something for a different reason and the resulting clashes make a compelling watch. (dubbed by Disney)

11. Madoka Magic Movie 1: Beginnings (2012)

Don’t judge a book by its cover: the movie. Beginnings is a movie that covers the first seven to eight episodes of the wonderful twelve episode anime series. To those unfamiliar with Madoka Magic, this is no Sailor Moon. It’s kind of like the combination of Sailor Moon and Neon Genesis Evangelion, which makes for quite a different kind of magical girl series. One not for the faint of heart... What makes this film so good is the way each girl develops as a character and the way that each slowly unravel as worse and worse events keep happening. This is a great summary movie and a good alternative to those who prefer watching movies over series, even if the series is only twelve episodes. (dubbed by evil over-pricing Aniplex)

10. Ghost in the Shell (1995)

When Ghost in the Shell only finishes in tenth on a list, you know there is going to be true quality in your top ten. Ghost in the Shell is a cyberpunk/sci-fi classic that deserves the praise it gets. The Major is an absolute badass, the villain is pretty cool, and there are many memorable action scenes and mind-bending scenes. GitS is one the smartest sci-fi movie I have seen overall due to its exploration into what it is to be human. Why is this classic not higher? No clear reason. Maybe it is because I like the GitS: Stand Alone Complex series better than the film (one I notably forgot on my top 50 series list). Still fantastic nonetheless. (dubbed by Manga Entertainment)

9. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)

Hosoda’s first film is my personal favorite of the three appearing on this list. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a nice blend of the slice of life genre with sci-fi. When a normal, clumsy teenage girl in Japan discovers she can “time leap” backwards, she uses it in many fun and manipulative ways. As with most time traveling series and movies, this usually does not end well for the main character doing the time leaping. What makes Hosoda’s film so enjoyable is how likable the characters, particularly Makoto, are and how well the story is constructed. That is rare for a time travel story. Overall, this is one anime film I’d recommend for almost anybody. (dubbed by Bandai and owned by Funimaiton)

8. Howl’s Moving Castle (2005)

Howl’s Moving Castle is probably my first or second favorite movie released in the dreadful movie year of 2005. I’ll probably make another list one day to talk more about that. Anyway, here’s one of the more divisive Miyasaki films. Some think it’s amongst his finest while others put it near the bottom. Personally, I think it’s one of his best. The main character, Sophie, is trying to break a curse put on her by an evil witch that turned her into an old woman. She believes a young sorcerer named Howl may have the fix for her. While curses are a very common plot device in Ghibli films I think the execution in HMC is excellent. Not quite as excellent as Christian Bale voicing Howl’s giant bird form in his Batman voice, but it’s a close second. (dubbed by Disney)

7. Evangelion 2.22: You Can (Not) Advance (2009)

While every film up to this point have been really solid works, here is where we hit the top tier. I went through these seven and rearranged them several times and am still not sure if they are in the right order. Oh well. Here’s a fantastic film and sequel to start with. Evangelion is a sequel to the first Evangelion “rebuild” movie that retells the story of the story of Neon Genesis Evangelion. The first entry was great, but the sequel was a huge step up. What makes 2.22 so great is it fixed big issues from the original series and made the (f’d up) cast more developed and likable. (besides Shinji’s dad. He’s still an asshole) The art and animation is also beautiful. Watch this on blu-ray if you possibly can. (dubbed by Funimaiton)

6. Spirited Away (2001)

Not my number one, huh? Spirited Away is an anime film masterpiece. The ending being a little loose is the only thing I think holds it back a bit, but it did so much for anime in the United States that I can forgive it for that flaw. From the memorable characters and scenes, Spirited Away is magical. I cannot say much more that has not been said a million times, so I just end by telling you to watch this if you have not. (dubbed by Disney)

5. Parika (2006)

I would be lying if I did not say Satoshi Kon’s final film is one of the strangest I’ve ever seen in any medium. That being said, it is absolutely terrific. Paprika tells the pre-Inception story of entering dreams and the madness that lies within some minds. From its thrilling opening sequence to its explosive conclusion Paprika can be described as nothing less than a thrill ride. I struggle to talk about this one much without spoiling the entire film, so just do yourself a favor and watch it. Just don’t do it before bed like I did, or you’ll have really weird dreams. (dubbed by Manga Entertainment)

4. The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (2011)

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is a classic, zany anime series that established slice of life character archetypes for a decade after its release. However, not everybody is as big on it as I am. Whether it is the mostly comedic feel, the Endless Eight arc (seriously, it sucks), or annoyance at Haruhi or Mikuru, most people see it as an imperfect series. However, I don’t hesitate to say The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is as closest as you can get to a perfect anime series film. The film takes a more serious tone and uses it to develop Kyon, the main character, and Yuki, one of the more underdeveloped characters from the series. What results is a “It’s a Wonderful Life” type film combined with the best portions of the twenty-eight episode series. This film doesn’t feel at all like 160 minutes. It looks gorgeous too. Unfortunately, you have to watch the series to watch this gem. (dubbed by money-grubbing Aniplex) [NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON DVD OR BLU RAY!!!!!]

3. Akira (1989)

KANEDA!!!!!!! I do not think I have to say much here either. Akira’s reputation is so good even outside of the anime realm that I don’t think I have to say much. The animation to this day is stunning, the writing has inspired sci-fi/cyberpunk films to this day, and it’s one of Quentin Tarantino’s favorites. Just talking about it makes me want to go watch it again. Do yourself a favor and do the same. (dubbed by Geneon (RIP)/Funimation)

2. Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986)

I have always loved Castle in the Sky. I just didn’t realize how much until recently. Castle in the Sky is the perfect blend of action, Studio Ghibli fantasy, and memorable peaceful scenes. Laputa’s plot is simple. A girl with a special ability and a boy who helps her race against a group of pirates and the military to find the fabled Castle in the Sky, which is supposedly filled with treasure. The pacing will please children and adults and only a heartless person could not find at least a couple of the characters likable. The main villain, Muska, is one of the most evil PG level villains I have seen in any cartoon movies. He’s voiced perfectly by the always terrific Mark Hamill, who sounds a lot like the Joker at times here... In conclusion, Castle in the Sky is a terrific fantasy film and a Ghibli masterpiece. (dubbed by Disney)

1. Perfect Blue (1998)

Now, this was my toughest decision of the entire year so far. No joke. After thinking about what would be my number one anime film for several hours, this one kept popping up near the top. The reason may be how inspirational this film is to my own writing. Maybe it’s the similarity to one of my favorite live action films of the last decade, Black Swan. Maybe it’s just a damn good film. Perfect Blue mashes the horror, mystery, psychological genres, and anime into a blender and produces a masterpiece. From the creepy stalker character (possibly the creepiest looking character ever drawn), to the lightpole dancing/hopping scene, to all of the actual murder scenes, Mima’s spiral into insanity is a journey unlike most others in film. Satoshi Kon directed this film and it shows. Perfect Blue encapsulates his use of gore, overall weirdness, nudity, and other elements for what I believe to be his best work. Like Madoka Magic and Paprika, this film is not for the faint of heart. Just a warning. If you think you can watch Perfect Blue, do it. You won’t regret it.(dubbed by Manga Entertainment) [NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON DVD OR BLU RAY!!!!!]