Millennium Actress | Review

I got the DVD for this movie as a birthday present some time ago and loved it the minute I started watching it. I still occasionally re-watch it when I have time. A lovely and moving depiction of pursuing your love no matter where it might takes you.

Released in 2001
Directed by Satoshi Kon
Animated by Madhouse Studio
Overall Rating: A+

The movie starts off with Genya Tachibana, a director, and his assistant who are making their way to the home of a famous actress to interview her for their documentary. Her name is Chiyoko Fujiwara and she was a successful actress who had suddenly withdraw from the public eye at the height of her career. As the interview begins, aspects of her life are simultaneously merged with her various movie roles. As such, one can never be sure if the events are true or not. However, what is evident is the motivation in Chiyoko to continue working as an actress to achieve her goal.  That goal being to find her first love who she met during WWII. He was an artist who was against Japan’s actions in what is now call the Sino-Japanese War (Japan occupation of China). In other words he was a dissident and was being pursued by the military for treason. He was wounded when they met, and Chiyoko nursed him back to health. Despite promising Chiyoko that he would not leave, he had to escape from his pursuers. In return, he left Chiyoko the  key to his art box which she safeguards with her life. A great movie that both touches the heart and excites the soul. Love is the main theme of the story and Chiyoko is the determined chaser. Will her chase leads to happiness or something not so cheery?

Genya and his assistant

On the first viewing, this movie can be a little confusing. In typical Madhouse style, the sequence of the movie is sporadic but has just enough to keep all the jumbles in neat order. Glimpses of the past, present and future are told through Chiyoko and her many roles as an actress. Here, a possible explanation for the title is given by showing Chiyoko playing the roles of different women from different time periods. She is first presented playing a princess from the possible Edo or Tokukawa period to a modern day astronaut. Yet one thing strings her role and her life together and that is in all her roles, she is either chasing something or is being pursued. Likewise in life, she uses the opportunity to be at different locations for the shoot to search for her mysterious first love. However, as time goes by, Chiyoko soon finds herself slipping into the real world and away for her adventures to find her love. When the shoot ended, Chiyoko still had to face the reality of life despite being an actress. She needed to get marry and have a family. However, in her hearts, thoughts of her first love remained and through the documentary reignited it once again.

Like all love story, this is also one with many obstacles. Chiyoko first has to convince her parents for her to be an actress and not let slip her real agenda. When her career takes off, she had to face jealousy from other actors/actresses. Finally, there is also the obstacle of finding a man who she does not even know his name or face. Some people describe love as a chase, but in Chiyoko’s case the chase seems more like a nightmare. She is confronted with so many hills to climb and she too does not even know what the outcome of her chase will be. True love is presented in this movie as something to pursue and to pursue with all your heart. It’s a connection that is instantly formed when two people meet that can ignite this chase that can last many days, months, or even millennia.