When the Mirror Lies

This project is a zine that explores how Satoshi Kon’s Perfect Blue (1997) influenced Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream (2000) and Black Swan (2010). Through side-by-side images, comparisons, timelines, and curated texts, the zine examines whether Aronofsky’s use of Kon’s imagery and themes functions as homage or crosses into artistic appropriation. It highlights the strong visual and narrative parallels across the films—especially around identity loss, gendered violence, performance pressure, and psychological breakdown.

The zine also reflects on how cult films, especially those from marginalized creators, can be overshadowed when their ideas are absorbed into more mainstream works without clear acknowledgment. By presenting the films together, the project encourages viewers to reconsider questions of credit, influence, and authorship. The zine mirrors the fragmented style of the films themselves, using cut-ups and layered visuals to echo their themes of instability and fractured identities.