Mind Game (2004)

After a deadly encounter with two yakuza, a loser with a crush on his childhood girlfriend goes to heaven and back, embarking on a psychedelic self-discovery experience with her and his friends.

Directors:

Masaaki Yuasa, Kôji Morimoto

Writers:

Robin Nishi (comic), Robin Nishi (story)

Stars:

Kôji Imada, Sayaka Maeda, Takashi Fujii

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview:
Kôji Imada	...	Nishi (voice)
Sayaka Maeda	...	Myon (voice)
Takashi Fujii	...	Jiisan (voice)
Seiko Takuma	...	Yan (voice)
Tomomitsu Yamaguchi	...	Ryou (voice)
Toshio Sakata	...	Father of Myon and Yan (voice)
Jôji Shimaki	...	Yakuza boss (voice)
Rintarou Nishi	...	Yakuza (voice)
Kenichi Chujou	...	Atsu (voice)

Storyline

The film follows Nishi, a loser who has a crush on his childhood girlfriend. After an encounter with the Japanese mafia, the film follows Nishi as he journeys to heaven and back, and ends up trapped in an even more unlikely place. Nishi (and some friends) attempt to break out of their trap, and discover what it truly means to be alive along the way. This is a mind-bending trip that uses some of the most innovative animation ever created.

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Plot Keywords:

sex | love | violence | heaven | surrealism | 

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Genres:

Animation | Adventure | Comedy | Fantasy

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

7 August 2004 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Игра разума

Company Credits

Production Co:

Studio 4°C, Asmik Ace Entertainment, Beyond C.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie's main character Nishi is based on Robin Nishi, the man who wrote the underground cult comic on which Mind Game was based. Some elements of the story are said to be autobiographical.

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Quotes

Nishi: We've gotta leave. It's that or drown.
Yan: But how?
Nishi: The boat, of course!
Myon: The cops'll be looking for us.
Nishi: So?
Myon: The Yakuzas'll come after us!
Nishi: So what! I wanna get out! 'Cos there's so much out there! So many different people, living different lives! Incredibly good guys, bad guys... Folks completely different from us! It's one huge melting pot! See, it's not about success, dying in the streets, who's better, who's not! I just want to be a part of it! I realized that even if I've no connections, no ...

User Reviews

MIND GAME redefines the animated film

This film is beyond anything that has been made to date, both in Japan and the U.S. It is not a conventional narrative, yet the narrative clips along like a kayaker on speed. It seesaws from tight-tension drama to dreamy atmospheric visualscapes to video-game style song and dance routines! The overall plot is unimportant yet is completely engaging and satisfying. The characters come across as real people, and the shifts in perspective and personality heighten our understanding of each character as they face their ordeals. We get a sense of time both passing and standing still- which is the true mark of a genius of film: The ability to wrap us up in his concept of time and carry us along breathlessly.

If you like shiny robots, plots about strange bio-computer viruses that mutate people into shiny robots, and silly relationship dramas about high school kids with strange powers, please avoid this film. If, however, you appreciate innovative stream-of-consciousness film-making, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants pacing, and so-sloppy-its-tight design, get yourself this DVD!!!! (Fans of FLCL take note!) Its hard to find in the U.S. right now (July 17th 2005) but it is poised to explode.

An additional note of interest is the fact that Matthew Minami is the voice of the old man- Jiisan. (You may remember him from the clips of him interviewing Bill Murray on Matthew's Best Hit TV that were featured in Lost in Translation...)