Millennium Actress
Encyclopedia
is a 2001 Japanese anime by director
Satoshi Kon
and animated by the Studio Madhouse
. It tells the story of a documentary filmmaker investigating the life of an elderly actress in which reality and cinema become blurred.
".
The film depicts a director, Genya Tachibana, who is working on a documentary about a famous actress, Chiyoko Fujiwara. In her old age, Chiyoko has withdrawn from public life, but Tachibana slowly draws her out. As he talks to her, the story of her life, from teenage schoolgirl to middle-aged superstar, gradually unfolds, illustrated through flashbacks interspersed with segments from her films. Her life spans the tumultuous period surrounding World War II
, while her characters in movies span a time period from the Sengoku period
to a futuristic space age.
As a child in the 1930s, at the time of the fascist government
, Chiyoko helps a dissident artist escape from the military. She becomes attracted to him; however, the next day he is forced to flee again. She finds that he has left behind a key to his suitcase of art supplies and she becomes an actress to travel to different lands in the hopes of finding him and returning the key. Although she never finds her lost love, she insists on continuing the search. At the end of the film, it is revealed that Chiyoko's love was executed by the Kenpeitai. Tachibana knew this, but has never been able to tell Chiyoko. As Chiyoko finishes her story, an earthquake occurs, injuring her. Tachibana takes her to the hospital, where she reveals that "it was chasing after him" that she truly loves. It is implied that she dies at the end of the movie, continuing her quest to find him in the next life.
However, this story is complicated by the fact that most of the stories from Chiyoko's life are illustrated with a scene from one of her films, rather than a true flashback, so that it is difficult to distinguish reality from fiction. In addition, Tachibana and his cameraman appear in films, and actually participate in their events in various guises. Tachibana always casts himself in her memories as her self-sacrificing protector, a role he played in real life during an accident on the set that nearly killed her.
Additional voices were provided by Mitsuru Ogata
, Tomohisa Asō
, Kōji Yusa
, Makoto Higo, Kōichi Sakaguchi
, Tomoyuki Shimura
, Akiko Kimura
, Tomo Saeki
, Hirofumi Nojima
, Ruri Asano
, Hiroko Ōnaka, Yoshinori Sonobe and Yumiko Daikoku.
, Kon considered adapting the Yasutaka Tsutsui novel Paprika
(1993) into his next film. However, these plans were stalled when the distribution company for Perfect Blue, Rex Entertainment, went bankrupt. Millennium Actress had the same estimated budget as Perfect Blue (approximately 120,000,000 yen). The screenplay was written by Sadayuki Murai, who utilized a seamless connection between illusion and reality to create a "Trompe-l'œil kind of film". Millennium Actress is the first Satoshi Kon film to feature Susumu Hirasawa
, whom Kon was a long-time fan of, as composer.
critic Kenneth Turan
said of the film "as a rumination on the place movies have in our personal and collective subconscious, Millennium Actress fascinatingly goes where films have not often gone before". Kevin M. Williams of the Chicago Tribune
gave the movie 4 stars and put his feelings for the film this way: "A piece of cinematic art. It's modern day Japanese animation at its best... It's animated, but it's human and will touch the soul of anyone who has loved deeply".
Satoshi Kon
and animated by the Studio Madhouse
. It tells the story of a documentary filmmaker investigating the life of an elderly actress in which reality and cinema become blurred.
".
The film depicts a director, Genya Tachibana, who is working on a documentary about a famous actress, Chiyoko Fujiwara. In her old age, Chiyoko has withdrawn from public life, but Tachibana slowly draws her out. As he talks to her, the story of her life, from teenage schoolgirl to middle-aged superstar, gradually unfolds, illustrated through flashbacks interspersed with segments from her films. Her life spans the tumultuous period surrounding World War II
, while her characters in movies span a time period from the Sengoku period
to a futuristic space age.
As a child in the 1930s, at the time of the fascist government
, Chiyoko helps a dissident artist escape from the military. She becomes attracted to him; however, the next day he is forced to flee again. She finds that he has left behind a key to his suitcase of art supplies and she becomes an actress to travel to different lands in the hopes of finding him and returning the key. Although she never finds her lost love, she insists on continuing the search. At the end of the film, it is revealed that Chiyoko's love was executed by the Kenpeitai. Tachibana knew this, but has never been able to tell Chiyoko. As Chiyoko finishes her story, an earthquake occurs, injuring her. Tachibana takes her to the hospital, where she reveals that "it was chasing after him" that she truly loves. It is implied that she dies at the end of the movie, continuing her quest to find him in the next life.
However, this story is complicated by the fact that most of the stories from Chiyoko's life are illustrated with a scene from one of her films, rather than a true flashback, so that it is difficult to distinguish reality from fiction. In addition, Tachibana and his cameraman appear in films, and actually participate in their events in various guises. Tachibana always casts himself in her memories as her self-sacrificing protector, a role he played in real life during an accident on the set that nearly killed her.
Additional voices were provided by Mitsuru Ogata
, Tomohisa Asō
, Kōji Yusa
, Makoto Higo, Kōichi Sakaguchi
, Tomoyuki Shimura
, Akiko Kimura
, Tomo Saeki
, Hirofumi Nojima
, Ruri Asano
, Hiroko Ōnaka, Yoshinori Sonobe and Yumiko Daikoku.
, Kon considered adapting the Yasutaka Tsutsui novel Paprika
(1993) into his next film. However, these plans were stalled when the distribution company for Perfect Blue, Rex Entertainment, went bankrupt. Millennium Actress had the same estimated budget as Perfect Blue (approximately 120,000,000 yen). The screenplay was written by Sadayuki Murai, who utilized a seamless connection between illusion and reality to create a "Trompe-l'œil kind of film". Millennium Actress is the first Satoshi Kon film to feature Susumu Hirasawa
, whom Kon was a long-time fan of, as composer.
critic Kenneth Turan
said of the film "as a rumination on the place movies have in our personal and collective subconscious, Millennium Actress fascinatingly goes where films have not often gone before". Kevin M. Williams of the Chicago Tribune
gave the movie 4 stars and put his feelings for the film this way: "A piece of cinematic art. It's modern day Japanese animation at its best... It's animated, but it's human and will touch the soul of anyone who has loved deeply".
Satoshi Kon
and animated by the Studio Madhouse
. It tells the story of a documentary filmmaker investigating the life of an elderly actress in which reality and cinema become blurred.
".
The film depicts a director, Genya Tachibana, who is working on a documentary about a famous actress, Chiyoko Fujiwara. In her old age, Chiyoko has withdrawn from public life, but Tachibana slowly draws her out. As he talks to her, the story of her life, from teenage schoolgirl to middle-aged superstar, gradually unfolds, illustrated through flashbacks interspersed with segments from her films. Her life spans the tumultuous period surrounding World War II
, while her characters in movies span a time period from the Sengoku period
to a futuristic space age.
As a child in the 1930s, at the time of the fascist government
, Chiyoko helps a dissident artist escape from the military. She becomes attracted to him; however, the next day he is forced to flee again. She finds that he has left behind a key to his suitcase of art supplies and she becomes an actress to travel to different lands in the hopes of finding him and returning the key. Although she never finds her lost love, she insists on continuing the search. At the end of the film, it is revealed that Chiyoko's love was executed by the Kenpeitai. Tachibana knew this, but has never been able to tell Chiyoko. As Chiyoko finishes her story, an earthquake occurs, injuring her. Tachibana takes her to the hospital, where she reveals that "it was chasing after him" that she truly loves. It is implied that she dies at the end of the movie, continuing her quest to find him in the next life.
However, this story is complicated by the fact that most of the stories from Chiyoko's life are illustrated with a scene from one of her films, rather than a true flashback, so that it is difficult to distinguish reality from fiction. In addition, Tachibana and his cameraman appear in films, and actually participate in their events in various guises. Tachibana always casts himself in her memories as her self-sacrificing protector, a role he played in real life during an accident on the set that nearly killed her.
Additional voices were provided by Mitsuru Ogata
, Tomohisa Asō
, Kōji Yusa
, Makoto Higo, Kōichi Sakaguchi
, Tomoyuki Shimura
, Akiko Kimura
, Tomo Saeki
, Hirofumi Nojima
, Ruri Asano
, Hiroko Ōnaka, Yoshinori Sonobe and Yumiko Daikoku.
, Kon considered adapting the Yasutaka Tsutsui novel Paprika
(1993) into his next film. However, these plans were stalled when the distribution company for Perfect Blue, Rex Entertainment, went bankrupt. Millennium Actress had the same estimated budget as Perfect Blue (approximately 120,000,000 yen). The screenplay was written by Sadayuki Murai, who utilized a seamless connection between illusion and reality to create a "Trompe-l'œil kind of film". Millennium Actress is the first Satoshi Kon film to feature Susumu Hirasawa
, whom Kon was a long-time fan of, as composer.
critic Kenneth Turan
said of the film "as a rumination on the place movies have in our personal and collective subconscious, Millennium Actress fascinatingly goes where films have not often gone before". Kevin M. Williams of the Chicago Tribune
gave the movie 4 stars and put his feelings for the film this way: "A piece of cinematic art. It's modern day Japanese animation at its best... It's animated, but it's human and will touch the soul of anyone who has loved deeply".
Commercially, the film performed modestly on its US release, earning $37,285 during its 3 week release. The film was shown almost exclusively in New York and Los Angeles, and received a minimal advertising campaign from Go Fish Pictures
.
. Additionally, it won the awards of Best Animation Film and Fantasia Ground-Breaker at the 2001 Fantasia Film Festival
. It was awarded the Feature Film Award at the 8th Animation Kobe
. The movie took home the prestigious Ofuji Noburo Award at the 2002 Mainichi Film Awards
, and was honored with the Orient Express Award at the 2001 Festival de Cine de Sitges
in Spain. The film was nominated for four Annie Awards in 2004, including Outstanding Direction and Writing. It was also promoted by its studio as a contender for the 2003 Academy Award
for Best Animated Feature
, but it was not nominated. The film is ranked in the Top 50 Animated Films on the Internet Movie Database
.
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Satoshi Kon
Satoshi Kon
was a Japanese anime director and manga artist from Kushiro, Hokkaidō and a member of the Japanese Animation Creators Association . He was a graduate of the Graphic Design department of the Musashino Art University. He is sometimes credited as in the credits of Paranoia Agent...
and animated by the Studio Madhouse
Madhouse (company)
is a Japanese animation studio, founded in 1972 by ex–Mushi Pro animators including Masao Maruyama, Osamu Dezaki, Rintaro, and Yoshiaki Kawajiri. It has created and helped to produce many well known shows, starting with TV anime series Ace o Nerae! in 1973, and including western favourites Ninja...
. It tells the story of a documentary filmmaker investigating the life of an elderly actress in which reality and cinema become blurred.
Plot
The narrative style is complex and interwoven in the style of "play within a playStory within a story
A story within a story, also rendered story-within-a-story, is a literary device in which one narrative is presented during the action of another narrative. Mise en abyme is the French term for a similar literary device...
".
The film depicts a director, Genya Tachibana, who is working on a documentary about a famous actress, Chiyoko Fujiwara. In her old age, Chiyoko has withdrawn from public life, but Tachibana slowly draws her out. As he talks to her, the story of her life, from teenage schoolgirl to middle-aged superstar, gradually unfolds, illustrated through flashbacks interspersed with segments from her films. Her life spans the tumultuous period surrounding World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, while her characters in movies span a time period from the Sengoku period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
to a futuristic space age.
As a child in the 1930s, at the time of the fascist government
Japanese fascism
Statism in Shōwa Japan was a political syncretism of Japanese right-wing political ideologies, developed over a period of time from the Meiji Restoration...
, Chiyoko helps a dissident artist escape from the military. She becomes attracted to him; however, the next day he is forced to flee again. She finds that he has left behind a key to his suitcase of art supplies and she becomes an actress to travel to different lands in the hopes of finding him and returning the key. Although she never finds her lost love, she insists on continuing the search. At the end of the film, it is revealed that Chiyoko's love was executed by the Kenpeitai. Tachibana knew this, but has never been able to tell Chiyoko. As Chiyoko finishes her story, an earthquake occurs, injuring her. Tachibana takes her to the hospital, where she reveals that "it was chasing after him" that she truly loves. It is implied that she dies at the end of the movie, continuing her quest to find him in the next life.
However, this story is complicated by the fact that most of the stories from Chiyoko's life are illustrated with a scene from one of her films, rather than a true flashback, so that it is difficult to distinguish reality from fiction. In addition, Tachibana and his cameraman appear in films, and actually participate in their events in various guises. Tachibana always casts himself in her memories as her self-sacrificing protector, a role he played in real life during an accident on the set that nearly killed her.
Cast
- Chiyoko Fujiwara is portrayed by three actresses during her lifetime:
- Miyoko Shōji voices Chiyoko as an elderly woman
- Mami KoyamaMami KoyamaMami Koyama is a veteran seiyū and J-pop vocalist who was born in Nishio, Aichi. She was once married to fellow seiyū Tōru Furuya, her co-star in Mobile Suit Gundam, Urusei Yatsura, Dragon Ball, Saint Seiya, and Casshern Sins...
voices Chiyoko as a middle-aged woman - Fumiko OrikasaFumiko Orikasais a Japanese voice actress and singer who works for Atomic Monkey. Her record label is Geneon Entertainment. Shopping is one of her hobbies. She is a skilled dancer, and is referred to as "Oririn" by fellow voice actors and fans. She also performed a fair number of anime insert and character image...
voices Chiyoko as a teenage girl
- Shōzō IizukaShozo Iizukais a male Japanese voice actor from Fukushima Prefecture who is affiliated with Sigma Seven. He graduated from the fine arts department of Nihon University....
as Genya Tachibana- Masamichi Satō voices Genya as a young man
- Masaya OnosakaMasaya OnosakaMasaya Onosaka , born October 13, 1964 in Osaka) is a seiyū who works for Aoni Production. In 2010 he won the "Best Personality" Seiyu Award.-TV Anime:*Agent Aika *Angelic Layer '...
as Kyōji Ida - Shōko TsudaShoko Tsudais an actress and seiyū from Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. She is affiliated with Ken Production.-Voice roles:*Ayakashi Ayashi *BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad *Black Cat *Crest of the Stars...
as Eiko Shimao - Hirotaka SuzuokiHirotaka Suzuokiwas a Japanese voice actor and actor from Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture who graduated from Tokyo Keizai University.His best known roles include Mobile Suit Gundam , Captain Tsubasa , Saint Seiya , Dragon Ball Z , The Transformers , Ranma ½ , Rurouni Kenshin , Pokémon...
as Junichi Otaki - Tomie Kataoka as Mino
- Takkō IshimoriTakko Ishimoriis a male Japanese voice actor from Nagasaki, Japan. He is attached to the talent agency Arts Vision, and debuted in 1960. He is one of the founding members of Theater Echo.-Anime:*Bubblegum Crash *Buzzer Beater...
as the Chief Clerk - Kan Tokumaru as the Ginei Managing Director
- Hisako KyōdaHisako Kyodais a Japanese voice actor from Tokyo who, among other roles, voiced Slappy Squirrel in the Japanese dub of Animaniacs. She is most known for the roles of Genkai , Omusubiman , and Yukari Godai...
as Chiyoko's mother - Kōichi YamaderaKoichi Yamaderais a Japanese voice actor, actor, tarento, narrator, master of ceremonies and impressionist from Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecture. He graduated from Tohoku Gakuin University's economics school, and is currently affiliated with Across Entertainment. Before that, he was affiliated with the Tokyo Actor's...
as the Man with the Key - Masane TsukayamaMasane Tsukayamais a Japanese actor, voice actor, and narrator from Naha, Okinawa.-Television animation:*Akagi *Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto *Blocker Gundan 4 Machine Blaster...
as the Man with the Scar
Additional voices were provided by Mitsuru Ogata
Mitsuru Ogata
is a Japanese voice actor from Aomori Prefecture affiliated with Mausu Promotion.-Television animation:*Agatha Christie's Great Detectives Poirot and Marple *Astro Boy *Azuki-chan...
, Tomohisa Asō
Tomohisa Aso
is a male Japanese voice actor from Kanagawa Prefecture affiliated with Aoni Production. His real name is . He is best known for his role of Peppy Hare in the Star Fox series.- Anime :* BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad...
, Kōji Yusa
Koji Yusa
is a Japanese voice actor born in Osaka Prefecture and raised in Kyoto Prefecture. He is best known for his roles in Choja Raideen , the Sonic Series , Bleach , Ikki Tousen , Majin Tantei Nōgami Neuro , Zettai Karen Children and Kamen Rider Den-O...
, Makoto Higo, Kōichi Sakaguchi
Koichi Sakaguchi
is a Japanese seiyū. He is affiliated with 81 Produce.He also had a recurring role in both the Japanese and English language Pokemon anime which saw him voicing Jessie's Arbok up until Episode 6 of the Hoenn series which saw Arbok and its companion, Weezing being released to help protect a herd of...
, Tomoyuki Shimura
Tomoyuki Shimura
is a Japanese voice actor who is affiliated with Ken Production.-TV anime:*Bakuman *Cromartie High School *Darker than Black *Dandoh!! *Digimon Frontier *Eureka Seven...
, Akiko Kimura
Akiko Kimura
is a Japanese voice actress.-Anime:*Basara *Ceres, The Celestial Legend*Corrector Yui *Get Backers *Happy Lesson *Hunter × Hunter ...
, Tomo Saeki
Tomo Saeki
is a Japanese voice actress.-Notable voice roles:*Bastard!! as Obaba*Cardcaptor Sakura as Yukie Kimura*Coji-Coji as Tanuki*Dai-Guard*Di Gi Charat as Coo Erhard*Di Gi Charat - A Trip to the Planet as Coo Erhard*Di Gi Charat Christmas Special as Coo Erhard...
, Hirofumi Nojima
Hirofumi Nojima
is a Japanese voice actor. He is represented by Sigma Seven. He is the son of voice actor Akio Nojima and elder brother of voice actor Kenji Nojima.-TV anime:*Agatha Christie no Meitantei Poirot to Marple *ARIA The ANIMATION...
, Ruri Asano
Ruri Asano
is a Japanese seiyū. She is affiliated with Mausu Promotion.-Anime:*Aquarian Age: Sign for Evolution *Case Closed *Chrono Crusade *Cowboy Bebop *Di Gi Charat Nyo...
, Hiroko Ōnaka, Yoshinori Sonobe and Yumiko Daikoku.
Production
Following the release of Satoshi Kon's previous film Perfect BluePerfect Blue
is a 1997 Japanese animated psychological thriller film directed by Satoshi Kon and written by Kon and Sadayuki Murai based on the novel of the same name by Yoshikazu Takeuchi. Junko Iwao plays Mima Kirigoe, a member of a Japanese pop-idol group called "CHAM!", who decides to pursue her career as...
, Kon considered adapting the Yasutaka Tsutsui novel Paprika
Paprika (novel)
is a 1993 novel written by Yasutaka Tsutsui. It first appeared in Marie Claire in four parts, each appearing chronologically in the January 1991, March 1992, August 1992, and June 1993 issues. A manga adaption of the novel was created by Reiji Hagiwara in 1995 but was not published until 2003...
(1993) into his next film. However, these plans were stalled when the distribution company for Perfect Blue, Rex Entertainment, went bankrupt. Millennium Actress had the same estimated budget as Perfect Blue (approximately 120,000,000 yen). The screenplay was written by Sadayuki Murai, who utilized a seamless connection between illusion and reality to create a "Trompe-l'œil kind of film". Millennium Actress is the first Satoshi Kon film to feature Susumu Hirasawa
Susumu Hirasawa
is a Japanese electropop artist and composer.In 1972, he enrolled at . From 1972 to 1978, he performed in his first band Mandrake, a progressive rock group influenced by King Crimson and Yes. In 1979 he formed a New Wave synth-rock & techno-pop band called P-Model, along with two former members of...
, whom Kon was a long-time fan of, as composer.
Reception
Millennium Actress was very favorably received by critics, gaining a 94% "fresh" rating at RottenTomatoes.com. Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
critic Kenneth Turan
Kenneth Turan
Kenneth Turan is an American film critic and Lecturer in the Master of Professional Writing Program at the University of Southern California.-Background:...
said of the film "as a rumination on the place movies have in our personal and collective subconscious, Millennium Actress fascinatingly goes where films have not often gone before". Kevin M. Williams of the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
gave the movie 4 stars and put his feelings for the film this way: "A piece of cinematic art. It's modern day Japanese animation at its best... It's animated, but it's human and will touch the soul of anyone who has loved deeply".
Box office performance
is a 2001 Japanese anime by directorFilm director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Satoshi Kon
Satoshi Kon
was a Japanese anime director and manga artist from Kushiro, Hokkaidō and a member of the Japanese Animation Creators Association . He was a graduate of the Graphic Design department of the Musashino Art University. He is sometimes credited as in the credits of Paranoia Agent...
and animated by the Studio Madhouse
Madhouse (company)
is a Japanese animation studio, founded in 1972 by ex–Mushi Pro animators including Masao Maruyama, Osamu Dezaki, Rintaro, and Yoshiaki Kawajiri. It has created and helped to produce many well known shows, starting with TV anime series Ace o Nerae! in 1973, and including western favourites Ninja...
. It tells the story of a documentary filmmaker investigating the life of an elderly actress in which reality and cinema become blurred.
Plot
The narrative style is complex and interwoven in the style of "play within a playStory within a story
A story within a story, also rendered story-within-a-story, is a literary device in which one narrative is presented during the action of another narrative. Mise en abyme is the French term for a similar literary device...
".
The film depicts a director, Genya Tachibana, who is working on a documentary about a famous actress, Chiyoko Fujiwara. In her old age, Chiyoko has withdrawn from public life, but Tachibana slowly draws her out. As he talks to her, the story of her life, from teenage schoolgirl to middle-aged superstar, gradually unfolds, illustrated through flashbacks interspersed with segments from her films. Her life spans the tumultuous period surrounding World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, while her characters in movies span a time period from the Sengoku period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
to a futuristic space age.
As a child in the 1930s, at the time of the fascist government
Japanese fascism
Statism in Shōwa Japan was a political syncretism of Japanese right-wing political ideologies, developed over a period of time from the Meiji Restoration...
, Chiyoko helps a dissident artist escape from the military. She becomes attracted to him; however, the next day he is forced to flee again. She finds that he has left behind a key to his suitcase of art supplies and she becomes an actress to travel to different lands in the hopes of finding him and returning the key. Although she never finds her lost love, she insists on continuing the search. At the end of the film, it is revealed that Chiyoko's love was executed by the Kenpeitai. Tachibana knew this, but has never been able to tell Chiyoko. As Chiyoko finishes her story, an earthquake occurs, injuring her. Tachibana takes her to the hospital, where she reveals that "it was chasing after him" that she truly loves. It is implied that she dies at the end of the movie, continuing her quest to find him in the next life.
However, this story is complicated by the fact that most of the stories from Chiyoko's life are illustrated with a scene from one of her films, rather than a true flashback, so that it is difficult to distinguish reality from fiction. In addition, Tachibana and his cameraman appear in films, and actually participate in their events in various guises. Tachibana always casts himself in her memories as her self-sacrificing protector, a role he played in real life during an accident on the set that nearly killed her.
Cast
- Chiyoko Fujiwara is portrayed by three actresses during her lifetime:
- Miyoko Shōji voices Chiyoko as an elderly woman
- Mami KoyamaMami KoyamaMami Koyama is a veteran seiyū and J-pop vocalist who was born in Nishio, Aichi. She was once married to fellow seiyū Tōru Furuya, her co-star in Mobile Suit Gundam, Urusei Yatsura, Dragon Ball, Saint Seiya, and Casshern Sins...
voices Chiyoko as a middle-aged woman - Fumiko OrikasaFumiko Orikasais a Japanese voice actress and singer who works for Atomic Monkey. Her record label is Geneon Entertainment. Shopping is one of her hobbies. She is a skilled dancer, and is referred to as "Oririn" by fellow voice actors and fans. She also performed a fair number of anime insert and character image...
voices Chiyoko as a teenage girl
- Shōzō IizukaShozo Iizukais a male Japanese voice actor from Fukushima Prefecture who is affiliated with Sigma Seven. He graduated from the fine arts department of Nihon University....
as Genya Tachibana- Masamichi Satō voices Genya as a young man
- Masaya OnosakaMasaya OnosakaMasaya Onosaka , born October 13, 1964 in Osaka) is a seiyū who works for Aoni Production. In 2010 he won the "Best Personality" Seiyu Award.-TV Anime:*Agent Aika *Angelic Layer '...
as Kyōji Ida - Shōko TsudaShoko Tsudais an actress and seiyū from Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. She is affiliated with Ken Production.-Voice roles:*Ayakashi Ayashi *BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad *Black Cat *Crest of the Stars...
as Eiko Shimao - Hirotaka SuzuokiHirotaka Suzuokiwas a Japanese voice actor and actor from Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture who graduated from Tokyo Keizai University.His best known roles include Mobile Suit Gundam , Captain Tsubasa , Saint Seiya , Dragon Ball Z , The Transformers , Ranma ½ , Rurouni Kenshin , Pokémon...
as Junichi Otaki - Tomie Kataoka as Mino
- Takkō IshimoriTakko Ishimoriis a male Japanese voice actor from Nagasaki, Japan. He is attached to the talent agency Arts Vision, and debuted in 1960. He is one of the founding members of Theater Echo.-Anime:*Bubblegum Crash *Buzzer Beater...
as the Chief Clerk - Kan Tokumaru as the Ginei Managing Director
- Hisako KyōdaHisako Kyodais a Japanese voice actor from Tokyo who, among other roles, voiced Slappy Squirrel in the Japanese dub of Animaniacs. She is most known for the roles of Genkai , Omusubiman , and Yukari Godai...
as Chiyoko's mother - Kōichi YamaderaKoichi Yamaderais a Japanese voice actor, actor, tarento, narrator, master of ceremonies and impressionist from Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecture. He graduated from Tohoku Gakuin University's economics school, and is currently affiliated with Across Entertainment. Before that, he was affiliated with the Tokyo Actor's...
as the Man with the Key - Masane TsukayamaMasane Tsukayamais a Japanese actor, voice actor, and narrator from Naha, Okinawa.-Television animation:*Akagi *Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto *Blocker Gundan 4 Machine Blaster...
as the Man with the Scar
Additional voices were provided by Mitsuru Ogata
Mitsuru Ogata
is a Japanese voice actor from Aomori Prefecture affiliated with Mausu Promotion.-Television animation:*Agatha Christie's Great Detectives Poirot and Marple *Astro Boy *Azuki-chan...
, Tomohisa Asō
Tomohisa Aso
is a male Japanese voice actor from Kanagawa Prefecture affiliated with Aoni Production. His real name is . He is best known for his role of Peppy Hare in the Star Fox series.- Anime :* BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad...
, Kōji Yusa
Koji Yusa
is a Japanese voice actor born in Osaka Prefecture and raised in Kyoto Prefecture. He is best known for his roles in Choja Raideen , the Sonic Series , Bleach , Ikki Tousen , Majin Tantei Nōgami Neuro , Zettai Karen Children and Kamen Rider Den-O...
, Makoto Higo, Kōichi Sakaguchi
Koichi Sakaguchi
is a Japanese seiyū. He is affiliated with 81 Produce.He also had a recurring role in both the Japanese and English language Pokemon anime which saw him voicing Jessie's Arbok up until Episode 6 of the Hoenn series which saw Arbok and its companion, Weezing being released to help protect a herd of...
, Tomoyuki Shimura
Tomoyuki Shimura
is a Japanese voice actor who is affiliated with Ken Production.-TV anime:*Bakuman *Cromartie High School *Darker than Black *Dandoh!! *Digimon Frontier *Eureka Seven...
, Akiko Kimura
Akiko Kimura
is a Japanese voice actress.-Anime:*Basara *Ceres, The Celestial Legend*Corrector Yui *Get Backers *Happy Lesson *Hunter × Hunter ...
, Tomo Saeki
Tomo Saeki
is a Japanese voice actress.-Notable voice roles:*Bastard!! as Obaba*Cardcaptor Sakura as Yukie Kimura*Coji-Coji as Tanuki*Dai-Guard*Di Gi Charat as Coo Erhard*Di Gi Charat - A Trip to the Planet as Coo Erhard*Di Gi Charat Christmas Special as Coo Erhard...
, Hirofumi Nojima
Hirofumi Nojima
is a Japanese voice actor. He is represented by Sigma Seven. He is the son of voice actor Akio Nojima and elder brother of voice actor Kenji Nojima.-TV anime:*Agatha Christie no Meitantei Poirot to Marple *ARIA The ANIMATION...
, Ruri Asano
Ruri Asano
is a Japanese seiyū. She is affiliated with Mausu Promotion.-Anime:*Aquarian Age: Sign for Evolution *Case Closed *Chrono Crusade *Cowboy Bebop *Di Gi Charat Nyo...
, Hiroko Ōnaka, Yoshinori Sonobe and Yumiko Daikoku.
Production
Following the release of Satoshi Kon's previous film Perfect BluePerfect Blue
is a 1997 Japanese animated psychological thriller film directed by Satoshi Kon and written by Kon and Sadayuki Murai based on the novel of the same name by Yoshikazu Takeuchi. Junko Iwao plays Mima Kirigoe, a member of a Japanese pop-idol group called "CHAM!", who decides to pursue her career as...
, Kon considered adapting the Yasutaka Tsutsui novel Paprika
Paprika (novel)
is a 1993 novel written by Yasutaka Tsutsui. It first appeared in Marie Claire in four parts, each appearing chronologically in the January 1991, March 1992, August 1992, and June 1993 issues. A manga adaption of the novel was created by Reiji Hagiwara in 1995 but was not published until 2003...
(1993) into his next film. However, these plans were stalled when the distribution company for Perfect Blue, Rex Entertainment, went bankrupt. Millennium Actress had the same estimated budget as Perfect Blue (approximately 120,000,000 yen). The screenplay was written by Sadayuki Murai, who utilized a seamless connection between illusion and reality to create a "Trompe-l'œil kind of film". Millennium Actress is the first Satoshi Kon film to feature Susumu Hirasawa
Susumu Hirasawa
is a Japanese electropop artist and composer.In 1972, he enrolled at . From 1972 to 1978, he performed in his first band Mandrake, a progressive rock group influenced by King Crimson and Yes. In 1979 he formed a New Wave synth-rock & techno-pop band called P-Model, along with two former members of...
, whom Kon was a long-time fan of, as composer.
Reception
Millennium Actress was very favorably received by critics, gaining a 94% "fresh" rating at RottenTomatoes.com. Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
critic Kenneth Turan
Kenneth Turan
Kenneth Turan is an American film critic and Lecturer in the Master of Professional Writing Program at the University of Southern California.-Background:...
said of the film "as a rumination on the place movies have in our personal and collective subconscious, Millennium Actress fascinatingly goes where films have not often gone before". Kevin M. Williams of the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
gave the movie 4 stars and put his feelings for the film this way: "A piece of cinematic art. It's modern day Japanese animation at its best... It's animated, but it's human and will touch the soul of anyone who has loved deeply".
Box office performance
is a 2001 Japanese anime by directorFilm director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Satoshi Kon
Satoshi Kon
was a Japanese anime director and manga artist from Kushiro, Hokkaidō and a member of the Japanese Animation Creators Association . He was a graduate of the Graphic Design department of the Musashino Art University. He is sometimes credited as in the credits of Paranoia Agent...
and animated by the Studio Madhouse
Madhouse (company)
is a Japanese animation studio, founded in 1972 by ex–Mushi Pro animators including Masao Maruyama, Osamu Dezaki, Rintaro, and Yoshiaki Kawajiri. It has created and helped to produce many well known shows, starting with TV anime series Ace o Nerae! in 1973, and including western favourites Ninja...
. It tells the story of a documentary filmmaker investigating the life of an elderly actress in which reality and cinema become blurred.
Plot
The narrative style is complex and interwoven in the style of "play within a playStory within a story
A story within a story, also rendered story-within-a-story, is a literary device in which one narrative is presented during the action of another narrative. Mise en abyme is the French term for a similar literary device...
".
The film depicts a director, Genya Tachibana, who is working on a documentary about a famous actress, Chiyoko Fujiwara. In her old age, Chiyoko has withdrawn from public life, but Tachibana slowly draws her out. As he talks to her, the story of her life, from teenage schoolgirl to middle-aged superstar, gradually unfolds, illustrated through flashbacks interspersed with segments from her films. Her life spans the tumultuous period surrounding World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, while her characters in movies span a time period from the Sengoku period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
to a futuristic space age.
As a child in the 1930s, at the time of the fascist government
Japanese fascism
Statism in Shōwa Japan was a political syncretism of Japanese right-wing political ideologies, developed over a period of time from the Meiji Restoration...
, Chiyoko helps a dissident artist escape from the military. She becomes attracted to him; however, the next day he is forced to flee again. She finds that he has left behind a key to his suitcase of art supplies and she becomes an actress to travel to different lands in the hopes of finding him and returning the key. Although she never finds her lost love, she insists on continuing the search. At the end of the film, it is revealed that Chiyoko's love was executed by the Kenpeitai. Tachibana knew this, but has never been able to tell Chiyoko. As Chiyoko finishes her story, an earthquake occurs, injuring her. Tachibana takes her to the hospital, where she reveals that "it was chasing after him" that she truly loves. It is implied that she dies at the end of the movie, continuing her quest to find him in the next life.
However, this story is complicated by the fact that most of the stories from Chiyoko's life are illustrated with a scene from one of her films, rather than a true flashback, so that it is difficult to distinguish reality from fiction. In addition, Tachibana and his cameraman appear in films, and actually participate in their events in various guises. Tachibana always casts himself in her memories as her self-sacrificing protector, a role he played in real life during an accident on the set that nearly killed her.
Cast
- Chiyoko Fujiwara is portrayed by three actresses during her lifetime:
- Miyoko Shōji voices Chiyoko as an elderly woman
- Mami KoyamaMami KoyamaMami Koyama is a veteran seiyū and J-pop vocalist who was born in Nishio, Aichi. She was once married to fellow seiyū Tōru Furuya, her co-star in Mobile Suit Gundam, Urusei Yatsura, Dragon Ball, Saint Seiya, and Casshern Sins...
voices Chiyoko as a middle-aged woman - Fumiko OrikasaFumiko Orikasais a Japanese voice actress and singer who works for Atomic Monkey. Her record label is Geneon Entertainment. Shopping is one of her hobbies. She is a skilled dancer, and is referred to as "Oririn" by fellow voice actors and fans. She also performed a fair number of anime insert and character image...
voices Chiyoko as a teenage girl
- Shōzō IizukaShozo Iizukais a male Japanese voice actor from Fukushima Prefecture who is affiliated with Sigma Seven. He graduated from the fine arts department of Nihon University....
as Genya Tachibana- Masamichi Satō voices Genya as a young man
- Masaya OnosakaMasaya OnosakaMasaya Onosaka , born October 13, 1964 in Osaka) is a seiyū who works for Aoni Production. In 2010 he won the "Best Personality" Seiyu Award.-TV Anime:*Agent Aika *Angelic Layer '...
as Kyōji Ida - Shōko TsudaShoko Tsudais an actress and seiyū from Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. She is affiliated with Ken Production.-Voice roles:*Ayakashi Ayashi *BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad *Black Cat *Crest of the Stars...
as Eiko Shimao - Hirotaka SuzuokiHirotaka Suzuokiwas a Japanese voice actor and actor from Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture who graduated from Tokyo Keizai University.His best known roles include Mobile Suit Gundam , Captain Tsubasa , Saint Seiya , Dragon Ball Z , The Transformers , Ranma ½ , Rurouni Kenshin , Pokémon...
as Junichi Otaki - Tomie Kataoka as Mino
- Takkō IshimoriTakko Ishimoriis a male Japanese voice actor from Nagasaki, Japan. He is attached to the talent agency Arts Vision, and debuted in 1960. He is one of the founding members of Theater Echo.-Anime:*Bubblegum Crash *Buzzer Beater...
as the Chief Clerk - Kan Tokumaru as the Ginei Managing Director
- Hisako KyōdaHisako Kyodais a Japanese voice actor from Tokyo who, among other roles, voiced Slappy Squirrel in the Japanese dub of Animaniacs. She is most known for the roles of Genkai , Omusubiman , and Yukari Godai...
as Chiyoko's mother - Kōichi YamaderaKoichi Yamaderais a Japanese voice actor, actor, tarento, narrator, master of ceremonies and impressionist from Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecture. He graduated from Tohoku Gakuin University's economics school, and is currently affiliated with Across Entertainment. Before that, he was affiliated with the Tokyo Actor's...
as the Man with the Key - Masane TsukayamaMasane Tsukayamais a Japanese actor, voice actor, and narrator from Naha, Okinawa.-Television animation:*Akagi *Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto *Blocker Gundan 4 Machine Blaster...
as the Man with the Scar
Additional voices were provided by Mitsuru Ogata
Mitsuru Ogata
is a Japanese voice actor from Aomori Prefecture affiliated with Mausu Promotion.-Television animation:*Agatha Christie's Great Detectives Poirot and Marple *Astro Boy *Azuki-chan...
, Tomohisa Asō
Tomohisa Aso
is a male Japanese voice actor from Kanagawa Prefecture affiliated with Aoni Production. His real name is . He is best known for his role of Peppy Hare in the Star Fox series.- Anime :* BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad...
, Kōji Yusa
Koji Yusa
is a Japanese voice actor born in Osaka Prefecture and raised in Kyoto Prefecture. He is best known for his roles in Choja Raideen , the Sonic Series , Bleach , Ikki Tousen , Majin Tantei Nōgami Neuro , Zettai Karen Children and Kamen Rider Den-O...
, Makoto Higo, Kōichi Sakaguchi
Koichi Sakaguchi
is a Japanese seiyū. He is affiliated with 81 Produce.He also had a recurring role in both the Japanese and English language Pokemon anime which saw him voicing Jessie's Arbok up until Episode 6 of the Hoenn series which saw Arbok and its companion, Weezing being released to help protect a herd of...
, Tomoyuki Shimura
Tomoyuki Shimura
is a Japanese voice actor who is affiliated with Ken Production.-TV anime:*Bakuman *Cromartie High School *Darker than Black *Dandoh!! *Digimon Frontier *Eureka Seven...
, Akiko Kimura
Akiko Kimura
is a Japanese voice actress.-Anime:*Basara *Ceres, The Celestial Legend*Corrector Yui *Get Backers *Happy Lesson *Hunter × Hunter ...
, Tomo Saeki
Tomo Saeki
is a Japanese voice actress.-Notable voice roles:*Bastard!! as Obaba*Cardcaptor Sakura as Yukie Kimura*Coji-Coji as Tanuki*Dai-Guard*Di Gi Charat as Coo Erhard*Di Gi Charat - A Trip to the Planet as Coo Erhard*Di Gi Charat Christmas Special as Coo Erhard...
, Hirofumi Nojima
Hirofumi Nojima
is a Japanese voice actor. He is represented by Sigma Seven. He is the son of voice actor Akio Nojima and elder brother of voice actor Kenji Nojima.-TV anime:*Agatha Christie no Meitantei Poirot to Marple *ARIA The ANIMATION...
, Ruri Asano
Ruri Asano
is a Japanese seiyū. She is affiliated with Mausu Promotion.-Anime:*Aquarian Age: Sign for Evolution *Case Closed *Chrono Crusade *Cowboy Bebop *Di Gi Charat Nyo...
, Hiroko Ōnaka, Yoshinori Sonobe and Yumiko Daikoku.
Production
Following the release of Satoshi Kon's previous film Perfect BluePerfect Blue
is a 1997 Japanese animated psychological thriller film directed by Satoshi Kon and written by Kon and Sadayuki Murai based on the novel of the same name by Yoshikazu Takeuchi. Junko Iwao plays Mima Kirigoe, a member of a Japanese pop-idol group called "CHAM!", who decides to pursue her career as...
, Kon considered adapting the Yasutaka Tsutsui novel Paprika
Paprika (novel)
is a 1993 novel written by Yasutaka Tsutsui. It first appeared in Marie Claire in four parts, each appearing chronologically in the January 1991, March 1992, August 1992, and June 1993 issues. A manga adaption of the novel was created by Reiji Hagiwara in 1995 but was not published until 2003...
(1993) into his next film. However, these plans were stalled when the distribution company for Perfect Blue, Rex Entertainment, went bankrupt. Millennium Actress had the same estimated budget as Perfect Blue (approximately 120,000,000 yen). The screenplay was written by Sadayuki Murai, who utilized a seamless connection between illusion and reality to create a "Trompe-l'œil kind of film". Millennium Actress is the first Satoshi Kon film to feature Susumu Hirasawa
Susumu Hirasawa
is a Japanese electropop artist and composer.In 1972, he enrolled at . From 1972 to 1978, he performed in his first band Mandrake, a progressive rock group influenced by King Crimson and Yes. In 1979 he formed a New Wave synth-rock & techno-pop band called P-Model, along with two former members of...
, whom Kon was a long-time fan of, as composer.
Reception
Millennium Actress was very favorably received by critics, gaining a 94% "fresh" rating at RottenTomatoes.com. Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
critic Kenneth Turan
Kenneth Turan
Kenneth Turan is an American film critic and Lecturer in the Master of Professional Writing Program at the University of Southern California.-Background:...
said of the film "as a rumination on the place movies have in our personal and collective subconscious, Millennium Actress fascinatingly goes where films have not often gone before". Kevin M. Williams of the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
gave the movie 4 stars and put his feelings for the film this way: "A piece of cinematic art. It's modern day Japanese animation at its best... It's animated, but it's human and will touch the soul of anyone who has loved deeply".
Box office performance
| Source | Gross (USD United States dollar The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies.... ) | Number of Screens | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $37,285 | 6 | |
| United States Opening Weekend | $18,732 | 6 | |
Commercially, the film performed modestly on its US release, earning $37,285 during its 3 week release. The film was shown almost exclusively in New York and Los Angeles, and received a minimal advertising campaign from Go Fish Pictures
Go Fish Pictures
Go Fish Pictures was the specialty film division of the DreamWorks SKG film studio.It distributed movies such as:...
.
Awards
Millennium Actress received the Grand Prize in the Japan Agency of Cultural Affairs Media Arts Festival, tying with Spirited AwaySpirited Away
is a 2001 Japanese animated fantasy-adventure film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film tells the story of Chihiro Ogino, a sullen ten-year-old girl who, while moving to a new neighborhood and after her parents are transformed into pigs by the witch Yubaba,...
. Additionally, it won the awards of Best Animation Film and Fantasia Ground-Breaker at the 2001 Fantasia Film Festival
Fantasia Festival
Fantasia International Film Festival is a genre film festival that has been based mainly in Montreal since its founding in 1996...
. It was awarded the Feature Film Award at the 8th Animation Kobe
Animation Kobe
The is an event created by Kobe city in 1996, to promote anime and other visual media. In the event, the are awarded annually by Kobe and the Organizing Committee of the event, to creators and creations.-Event:...
. The movie took home the prestigious Ofuji Noburo Award at the 2002 Mainichi Film Awards
Mainichi Film Awards
The Mainichi Film Awards are a series of annual film awards, sponsored by Mainichi Shinbun , one of the largest newspaper companies in Japan, since 1946.-Animation awards:...
, and was honored with the Orient Express Award at the 2001 Festival de Cine de Sitges
Festival de Cine de Sitges
The Sitges Film Festival is a Spanish film festival that is one of the most recognizable ones held in Europe, considered the world's foremost international festival specializing in fantasy and horror movies...
in Spain. The film was nominated for four Annie Awards in 2004, including Outstanding Direction and Writing. It was also promoted by its studio as a contender for the 2003 Academy Award
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
for Best Animated Feature
Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
The Academy Award for Best Animated Feature is one of the annual awards given by the Los Angeles-based professional organization, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
, but it was not nominated. The film is ranked in the Top 50 Animated Films on the Internet Movie Database
Internet Movie Database
Internet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
.
External links
- Animax's official website for Sennen Joyū (Millennium Actress)
- Chiyoko, the Millennium Actress
- Actress at Keyframe - the Animation Resource
