Mind Game (2004)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

Masaaki Yuasa

Writers:

Robin Nishi (comic)
Robin Nishi (story)

Release Date:

7 August 2004 (Japan)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Comedy | Mystery

Plot:

The film follows Nishi, a loser who has a crush on his childhood girlfriend. After an encounter with the Japanese mafia...

Plot Keywords:

Heaven | Sex | Violence | Love | Bathing

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Koji 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)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Colour:

Black and White | Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:R (2008)

Company:

Studio 4°C

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.

Quotes:

Nishi: Fear takes the shape we're willing to give it.

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...)