Mima Kirigoe, a pop-idol from the J-pop group "CHAM!", decides to leave the group to become an actress. Her first project is as in a direct-to-video drama series called "Double Bind". Some of her fans are upset by her change in career and persona, not least the stalker known as "Me-Mania". Shortly after leaving CHAM! Mima receives an anonymous fax calling her a traitor. Mima finds a website called "Mima's Room" that has public diary entries which seem to be written by her discussing her life in great detail. She confides in her manager Rumi Hidaka about the site; however, she is advised to just ignore it.
Meanwhile, on the set of Double Bind, Mima succeeds in getting a larger part. The producers have agreed to give her a leading role; however, it is as a rape victim in a strip club. Rumi warns Mima that it will ruin her reputation, but Mima accepts the part voluntarily. Though it is apparent that Mima is indecisive, the atmosphere of the scene traumatizes her so that she increasingly becomes unable to separate reality from fantasy. She can no longer distinguish real life from her work in show business.
Several people who had been involved in the tarnishing of Mima's reputation are murdered. She finds evidence which makes her appear to be the prime suspect, and her increasing mental instability makes her doubt her own innocence. It turns out that the diarist of "Mima's Room" is delusional and very manipulative, and that an intense folie à deux has been in play. The faux diarist and serial killer, who believe she to be a Mima who is forever young and graceful, have made a scapegoat of stalker Me-Mania.
Mima knocks Me-Mania unconscious with a hammer in self-defense when he attempts to rape her, and runs to her only support she has left alive, her manager Rumi. Later on, back in "Mima's room", Mima tries to call Mr. Tadakoro but he was murdered, along with Mr. Me-Mania who was killed in self-defense. When Mima encounters Rumi, however, her manager is wearing a replica of Mima's CHAM! Costume and crazily singing Mima's pop songs. Rumi is in fact the false diarist, who believes she is the "real Mima". Rumi is angry that Mima has been ruining the "real Mima's" reputation, and decides to save "Mima's" pristine pop idol image through the same means she has been using all along: murder. Mima manages to incapacitate Rumi in self-defense after a chase through the city despite being wounded herself. Rumi remains permanently delusional and institutionalized. Mima has grown from her experiences and has moved on with her life with new found independence and confidence.
I have to say I love, love, love psychological thrillers! I especially love this one because it involves a pop-singer/actress. I was completely enthralled with this movie from start to finish. I loved everything about it! Now, this series is not for the faint of heart, it’s got plenty of nudity shots in it. I mean, it’s no hentai, because it is pertinent to the storyline. I believe Mima is a very believable character because most of us start out as very naïve. She never believed that so many horrors would be awaiting her because of her obsessed fans. Mima is just struggling to make her dreams come true and she does anything to make them happen, even showing some skin.
I loved her determination and hated the fact that she was so easily swayed by the company to sell herself. It made her a highly relatable character to me. I noticed that her former pop-group friends weren’t helping her out at all! It made me upset to see that she was receiving no support from them and getting it from Rumi. It’s hard to say if Rumi was genuinely sincere with her concern for Mima. It’s highly debatable. In my honest opinion, I think when Rumi was herself was really concerned for Mima because Rumi didn’t want to see her fail like when Rumi was a pop star.
Great movie, great find, great buy!
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