[Uncut] Film Club: Noam Blum / Perfect Blue (1997)
We talk to the taster of neon about beiong a big Twitter user, anime and why he loves Satoshi Kon's Perfect Blue
Welcome to the Lack of Taste Film Club, where we talk to non-cinephiles and non-professional cinephiles about themselves and the movies they love. You will find a different flavour to Film Club entries going forward. We want to get to know our guest more before we talk about their chosen film. So a general Q&A will come first, and the film comes second.
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You might have heard of Noam Blum, but if you’ve ever been on Twitter, you have seen at least one of his tweets under the handle Neontaster. That is him and has more than 150,000 followers. Blum is also the Chief Technology Officer for Tablet Magazine, a lover of all things pop culture, especially anime. This is why when he tweeted this out, it was that moment I knew I have to take the chance. I talk to him about Perfect Blue, the masterful directorial debut from Satoshi Kon. I also ask him about his Twitter usage, as well as some things to know about anime.
What do you miss about being an anonymous account before it turns out you were an actual person and not the character from Beyond the Black Rainbow when I first followed you?
I guess I miss the certain "mystique" it would give. I would post a certain picture or something I made that would reveal some unexpected aspect of my life. Also introducing myself in real life to people who only knew my Twitter persona was a trip. But ultimately aside from the jarring transition, I've enjoyed being myself quite a bit.
What have you learned about being on Twitter and how have you cultivated a base that follows your every opinion?
In many ways, it moderated my tone on certain things. I wouldn't say that I self-censor but I do try to keep in mind the audience that reads my tweets and how certain points I make can be conveyed in better and worse ways. I'd be lying if I said I was perfect at it, but I do my best.
There are some people who will either call you a centrist or a conservative. How would you describe yourself?
Especially lately I've been feeling very politically homeless. I jokingly describe myself as a"tell me the issue and I'll explain at length how I feel about it"-ist.
Is there actually a connection between anime lovers and their politics? I have met weebs who are more left-wing, so I find the stereotype of the right-wing otaku quite odd.
I used to think of the anime community as very left-wing. When the culture wars first erupted, I found myself alienated from the anime circles I had felt comfortable in because of my positions on certain issues, but it's definitely popular on the right as well. I just think it took that same culture war to turn them into a more cohesively vocal group.
Do you prefer dubs or subs? And when is it appropriate to watch an anime in an English dub?
Since I studied Japanese, I've always been a subs guy, and I also enjoy the Japanese voice acting style more. That being said, watch, however, feels best for you. I do have a few shows that I even prefer the dub to the sub. Baccano and Black Lagoon are two that come to mind. Many people cite Cowboy Bebop, and I'd argue that Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is at least as good in English as it is in Japanese.