At the U.S. box office, 1999 was a remarkable year for anime. Three feature-length anime motion pictures were released theatrically: a cult favorite, the highest-grossing animated film in Japan, and a movie aimed unabashedly at children.
Manga Entertainment was the only U.S.-based anime company to release a theatrical feature last year with PERFECT BLUE, the psychological thriller that followed pop singer Mima Kirigoe through a maze of reality, fantasy, and terror. Despite having to edit the film to receive an "R" rating from the MPAA, Manga was pleased with the film's performance, and quickly followed up with a video release, including the "unrated" version with the edited scenes restored for die-hard fans.