Perfume Packs It In: Documentary Explores the Japanese Group’s 25 Years in “Cold Sleep”

A “Cold Sleep” Comes as a Surprise to All

For his most recent film take on the wildly popular three-woman musical unit Perfume, the director Sado Taketoshi first began filming in 2019, when the trio appeared at the US music festival Coachella. The project originally started as a plan to create a new documentary film leading up to the group’s twentieth anniversary in 2020.

Sado looks back on that period: “We had several major projects planned for 2020, but they were canceled because of the pandemic. Filming came to a halt for a while. After that, however, the conversation shifted toward making a documentary centered on Perfume’s twenty-fifth anniversary.”

Originally formed in Hiroshima in 2000, Perfume was at the top of the pop music world in Japan. The performers’ decision in the fall of 2025 to suspend activities just as they marked their twenty-fifth year came as an unexpected development during the course of filming. Sado, who had already begun working closely with the group on his latest documentary take on them, had not been informed beforehand.

“I was, quite simply, shocked. But after some time, that surprise gradually turned into the realization that this was actually something remarkable.”

Trailer for the film Perfume “Cold Sleep”: 25 Years Document. (© 2026 Perfume “Cold Sleep” Film Partners)

The Unchanging Trio

Sado first encountered Perfume around 2007, when the group’s “Polyrhythm” became a massive hit after being used in a joint campaign between NHK and the Japan Advertising Council, now known as AC Japan. Since then, through music programs and other projects he has worked on, he has continued observing the trio for nearly two decades.

How have the three members of Perfume changed over the years, from Sado’s perspective? His first response is that, fundamentally, they have not changed at all.

“At their core, they are exactly the same as always. Of course, their skills as artists have continued to evolve, and the difference in ability between then and now is extraordinary. But it was never a sudden leap forward at any one moment. Rather, they seem to have grown steadily through constant daily effort, building themselves up little by little.”

“Polyrhythm” (2007) official music video.

For Perfume, the success of “Polyrhythm” was undoubtedly a major turning point. However, Sado does not view that moment alone as the defining milestone in their career.

“I think they were able to draw that good fortune toward themselves because they had kept working hard from much younger ages. Even so, the three of them have remained humble. I wanted to portray that atmosphere around them as truthfully as possible.”

Ā-chan (Nishiwaki Ayaka), Kashiyuka (Kashino Yuka), and Nocchi (Ōmoto Ayano) have each retained the same personalities they had in the past. How, then, does Sado view the individual roles each member plays within Perfume?

“They don’t divide roles among themselves. Instead, they express everything together. Their individual personalities intertwine with one another, and what matters most to them is always what they can create as a unit.”

“Kashiyuka is very logical and the type who always looks at things calmly and objectively,” says Sado. “There are many times when she ends up helping the rest of us.” (© 2026 Perfume “Cold Sleep” Film Partners)

Expression Built Together with Mikiko and Nakata Yasutaka

One of the key figures essential to Perfume’s success is Mikiko, who has long handled the group’s choreography and stage direction. Her relationship with the trio dates back to when they were just elementary school students, attending classes at Actors School Hiroshima. To this day, the members still call her Mikiko-sensei.

“None of them ever compromise, and they all dedicate themselves wholly to their performances,” explains Sado. “At this point, their relationship is no longer simply that of teacher and students. They are extremely close, while also maintaining a strong sense of creative tension. The three admire and respect Mikiko-sensei and strive to follow her lead, while Mikiko herself has taken on many first-time challenges together with Perfume. I think they have grown side by side while always respecting one another.”

Sado notes: “Ā-chan is exactly as people imagine her to be: fun, energetic, and always pulling everyone around her forward with her.” (© 2026 Perfume “Cold Sleep” Film Partners)

Another key figure is Nakata Yasutaka, who has been responsible for Perfume’s music production ever since “Sweet Donuts,” the 2003 single that was their first release after coming to Tokyo from Hiroshima.

Sado says: “The three place complete trust in him. Even without saying much, his songs seem to contain a kind of guidance that reflects what they are thinking at a given moment and the direction they should head toward next. I think they understand one another through a form of creative communication that goes beyond words.”

A One-of-a-Kind Act

Over its quarter century of artistic activity, Perfume has worked at top speed to build an era of its own. Asked why the group’s popularity has spread not only throughout Japan but overseas as well, Sado points to the group’s uniquely distinctive nature.

“In their early days, they had aspects of a traditional idol group. But then there was Mikiko’s highly sophisticated choreography and stage direction, combined with Nakata’s music, which impressed even devoted music enthusiasts. Later, the Rhizomatiks also joined the team, leading to an even deeper fusion of technology and entertainment. I don’t think there is another act anywhere in the world where such a wide range of elements interact so organically with one another.”

The film captures not only Perfume onstage, but also the discussions surrounding their decision to enter “cold sleep.” In front of the camera, the members speak candidly about their concerns for the livelihoods and futures of their staff, as well as their own anxieties about stepping away from activities.

“Nocchi is the type who, in a good way, does not overthink things and approaches life with a light touch,” says Sado. (© 2026 Perfume “Cold Sleep” Film Partners)

What does it mean to remain Perfume for 25 years? As the film unfolds, viewers come to feel the sheer weight of everything the trio has carried over that time.

As Sado tells it, “The three have devoted themselves wholeheartedly to what they love and believe in. Borrowing Mikiko’s words, they are people who ‘never forget the joy of having fallen in love with the artistic pursuit.’ Each of them must have faced countless worries and uncertainties along the way. Even so, I don’t think they ever wavered in being Perfume.”

Highlight video of “Perfume Tenth Tour ZOZ5 ‘Nebula Romance’ Episode 1” (from Perfume ZO/Z5 Anniversary “Nebula Romance” Complete Edition, released on May 27, 2026)

Choosing “Cold Sleep”

On December 31, 2025, Perfume entered what they called “cold sleep.”

In a message released by the trio about three months earlier, on September 21, they explained that the decision was made “to preserve the moments when we can proudly say that we are truly shining,” and also “to move on toward new challenges as an even better and cooler version of Perfume.”

What, then, led them to that decision? What were the three members of Perfume thinking, and what statements did they make along the way? These questions form one of the film’s central points of interest.

Having witnessed the entire process firsthand, Sado sees Perfume’s choice to enter cold sleep as “a new endeavor.”

“They have taken on all kinds of endeavors throughout their career. They produced hit songs, appeared on NHK’s New Year music extravaganza Kōhaku uta gassen, performed at Tokyo Dome, and expanded overseas. But this is the first time they have properly stopped and taken the time to reflect on themselves. I think that in itself is a major challenge.”

That is precisely why, he says, he wanted the film to carry “a sense of hope and anticipation for Perfume’s future and for what cold sleep may lead to.”

“I don’t know what form they will take when they eventually return, nor do I have any preconceived idea of what they should become. But once they have completed this challenge, I am certain they will take on yet another new endeavor. And when that time comes, I would like to see the three of them up close once again.”

(Originally published in Japanese on May 19, 2026. Banner photo: From left, Perfume’s Nocchi, Ā-chan, and Kashiyuka, in Perfume “Cold Sleep”: 25 Years Document. © 2026 Perfume “Cold Sleep” Film Partners.)