2001 marked something of a turning point for animated movies. What had long been a profitable form of entertainment, though one often deemed lesser than its live-action Hollywood counterpart, built off the momentum it garnered during the 1990s and began finding great success at the global box office and in the eyes of audiences and critics alike.
The year’s notable releases include titles like Disney Pixar’s beloved Monsters, Inc., Dreamworks’ iconic and game-changing Shrek, Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli’s Academy Award-winning Spirited Away, and others. The late ’90s and early 2000s saw the release of countless widely influential and lasting animated films, a few of which have flown somewhat under the radar in the decades since.
One of those is the late and legendary Satoshi Kon’s second work as a director, Millennium Actress. The big screen follow-up to Kon’s masterful Perfect Blue, Millenium Actress goes bigger and bolder while once again blending the lines between fiction and reality throughout the story, and the underrated gem is now available to watch for free on YouTube in the United States.
Satoshi Kon’s Millennium Actress Is Available to Watch for Free on YouTube
On July 26th, Millennium Actress was uploaded and made free to watch for viewers in the United States on the official Shout! Studios channel. The film is only one of many available there, as the distributor often uploads full movies and TV shows, including another recent anime gem, 2018’s Penguin Highway. However, Millennium Actress is the undeniable star of the recent batch of uploads.
The 2001 animated movie packs a punch or two in its concise 87-minute runtime, offering a delightful visual experience courtesy of anime industry titan, Studio Madhouse, on top of an emotionally dense narrative that has moved audiences for nearly 25 years. Like Kon’s Perfect Blue before it, Millennium Actress asks something from its audience, blending the events of its story and being largely unwilling to reveal too much.
The film follows Chiyoko Fujiwara, a retired actress who is giving an interview about her long and successful career. When diving into her memories, past events from Chiyoko’s life blend with the events of her movies, creating a sort of surreal viewing experience. The actress recalls meeting a political artist who was on the run from police in her early life, and her search for him remains central to plot throughout the remainder of the film.
Millennium Actress isn’t quite as dark and gritty as Satoshi Kon’s other popular works, and it can be argued the movie is the most straightforward in his filmography. Though it can also be argued that Millennium Actress is the most emotionally driven of the director’s impressive collection of works, and it’s just as effective today as it was upon release.
Satoshi Kon’s Works Remain Must-Watches for Film-Lovers and Anime Fans Alike
Though he never quite enjoyed the fame or massive success of someone like Studio Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazaki, Satoshi Kon and his work may very well be just as influential in the world of Japanese anime and animation as a whole. Until his untimely death in 2010, the director and artist lent his talents to nine feature-length films during his career, the four most successful of which he did as director. He also directed one TV anime series, the 2006 psychological thriller cult classic Paranoia Agent.
Each of Satoshi Kon’s works has found its way to undeniable global success, remaining timeless while appealing to a large variety of audience members. And those who haven’t yet seen 2001’s Millennium Actress owe it to themselves to check it out on the official Shout! Studios YouTube channel.
- Release Date
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September 14, 2002
- Runtime
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87 minutes
- Director
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Satoshi Kon
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Miyoko Shoji
Chiyoko Fujiwara (70’s) (voice)
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Mami Koyama
Chiyoko Fujiwara (20-40’s) ( voice)
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Fumiko Orikasa
Chiyoko Fujiwara (10-20’s) (voice)
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Showko Tsuda
Eiko Shimao (voice)
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