Mind Game

as far as the story goes, the message seems to be to "live life to the fullest" a simple message, with a not so simple story line. the art is phenomenal. if your a fan of conventional art you may find it a bit difficult to adjust to this sort of "mixed-media-esque" style of anime art. it reminds me, to an extent of the animes like Kare Kano and Paranoia Agent which don't mind straying from the conventional anime drawings and feel free to try something new and fun the music works incredibly well with the entire anime! i would even go as far as putting it on the same level as samurai champloo and cowboy bebop the chase scene, the escape scene, the adventure scenes... they are all highlighted by the music. it does a great job of exaggerating or emphasizing personalities, feelings, and intensity. the characters are great, but could have used more development (based on english subs) There were some parts of the plot which just completely went over my head due to bad/vague dialogues. Only one scene comes to mind (towards the end), but other than that I really enjoyed it. overall i loved the anime--i watched in twice in two days and it was just as enjoyable the second time. it's a creative, artistic twist on a well established axiom, that is rarely depicted in anime.

Personally, I really enjoyed this film the first time I saw it. From the beginning, it grips you in an inexplicable way. I think it's not the plot, but the artistic style, that keeps you attentive to what's happening at any given moment. It can be confusing at times since so many things are happening at once. If it's your first time watching the movie or you've already seen it you should ask yourself if you really enjoyed it, instead of trying to figure it out if you understood the movie or what what was happening throughout the entire movie. Personally, it's not a film I'd rewatch, but it's not one I'll forget either. It wasn't bad, but I don't think it's the incredible movie it was billed as. It falls just short. It's a decent movie,but it's still Worth watching at least once in your life

This animated movie is definitely unique in style, however in lacks a narrative through line (specifically the ending). At the last stage of the movie it seems to end twice? meaning it showed us the title card two times along with a assortment of short animated sequences we have already seen before from the beginning of the movie. I think with some light editing work this movie could valued much higher than it already is. I enjoyed the direction style and shot composition, the usage of colors was great to see. I think we spend to much time in the whale and the movie cuts off at an interesting point (what happens when they leave the whale?!) ie the gangsters coming after them. Of course there is some character progression with the MC.

-Mind Game review.- Do you know that feeling that you get when you are watching a director’s debut film and you just feel exhausted and think that half of the techniques used were unnecessary and a way for the director to show off? Well, that’s mind game for you. To be fair, Yuasa had already occupied the chair of “Director” before as episode director for “Rakugo Kan” and director for short films like "Slime Adventures: Yay, the Sea!” among other important creative roles. But Mind Game was his directorial debut for a feature-length film, and it fucking shows. The movie is constantly visually stimulating, using eye-catching techniques to emphasize every single fucking action that the characters do or events that happen on screen, to the point in which many scenes would have benefited from a more conventional directing approach. Great directors are able to emphasize and exaggerate actions or moments for the scenes that need it and present other more intimate scenes with subtlety, atmosphere, and quietness. This movie only does the first thing, and the result is a visually exhaustive work in which half of the time I was asking myself: Was this really necessary? There are a lot of scenes in this film that are technically and creatively really impressive but come out of absolutely nowhere, mean nothing, and are such a waste of time to the point that despite the crazy shit happening on screen, it feels dragged out and boring, like they were only there for Yuasa to show off. Not only that, but there are some techniques that just look awful or feel cheap. Using real-life photographs for faces while the rest of the shot is animated sounds like a good concept, but in execution, it ends up looking horrible. There is also a weird sequence in which a girl paints herself with paint several times and fucking jumps into a windmill or something weird like that, and they just straight up repeat the same animation with different coloring like 10 times, which of course makes the scene feel boring and repetitive. I could go on, but the thing is that the whole movie, both story- and presentation-wise, just feels like a first-time director trying his best to impress you with what technically impressive feats he can achieve without really understanding restraint, meaning, pacing, or subtlety. The final result is a visually interesting mess that feels like a drag, exhaustive, wasted time, and even pretentious. I give it an okay score because it's still visually interesting at times and because it has the best sex scene ever presented in any audiovisual medium lmao. Anyways, “Night is short, walk on girl” is still king among the Yuasa works that I have watched until now. Bye bye. Thanks for reading.

First things first, this is definitely not a movie for everyone but also a movie for anyone. Such that, not everyone will enjoy this film but it has a broad enough message that literally anyone could appreciate it. There are many things to be said about Mind Game, one of the most important is that it was directed by Masaaki Yuasa. I have only recently become aware of Yuasa and from his filmography that I have seen, one thing is clear: he is very good at showing not telling. In such that, when he works on a project he likes to use animation as an asset to tell the story not to just be there because it's the medium he works in. I believe Yuasa (for the most part) depicts stories in such a way that it's necessary they are animated. This idea is important to Mind Game because at it's core it's story is about internal struggle. Therefore, it's more about the ire-describable than dialogue. So strong visuals, symbolism and cinematography are needed more so than monologues. In my opinion, Yuasa succeeds in this front. But I also find Yuasa is at his best when he is strapped down to a story that already exists, thankfully this is a manga adaptation, and the reference material is amazing in it's structure (I can only assume, I can't actually find it anywhere to read). In such that, the overarching structure of the plot actually gives pause for one to think. Switching gears, I do believe most everything in the film is intentional even if it comes off as absurd. For instance the intro sequence, is a blur of shots that don't make sense until the end of the film where a similar blur of now contextual shots play. While this is a little aggressive, it makes the second (or fifth) viewing feel cozier because nestled inside these surreal slideshows is a very intentional personal story, about choice, courage, and growth. This story is relayed to the viewer through Yuasa's acid like character interactions, but even more so than that the setting itself of most of the story is meaningful. I didn't want to have spoilers because of MAL's guidelines, there is also more to say about the film, but I do believe that it is much more dense than it initially lets on. As a final note, the main character Nishi (who has a certain aspiration), share's his name with the mangaka of Mind Game, Robin Nishi. Interesting. In short, I think this film absurdly yet densely depicts some of our most poignant struggles. It makes me want to experience the mangaka's other works and for me it made clear that Yuasa with the right source material (similar to Ping Pong) is a force of a director. Crazy how this was his directorial debut. Lastly, I'm not going to pretend I got everything in this film or that I think it's perfect. But I do think it's worth a watch even if it ends up not being for you. Because like all good art, in my opinion, it makes symbolism matter.

Mind Game is an anime bursting with creativity! It feels like the result of a group of genius artists who truly love their craft coming together to create something extraordinary. The storytelling is both hilarious and brutally depressing, thanks to characters brimming with humanistic, deeply relatable emotions. The four main characters are incredibly likable, and I especially enjoyed the chemistry and dynamic between them despite their vastly different personalities. The music is like honey dripping into my ears, there isn’t a single bad track. Every piece of the soundtrack is an auditory delight. The voice acting is impressive; you can hear the insidious insanity in their voices, perfectly capturing the madness of the situations they find themselves in. But perhaps the greatest asset of this show is its art style and animation. They are truly S+ tier: wild, wacky, and intensely stimulating, like a jolt to your brain operating at 120% capacity. The sensation it creates feels like having your mind probed by something strange yet immensely pleasurable. To the team behind this artistic masterpiece: you are all geniuses. I’m genuinely thankful you chose not to swim with the tide of mainstream trends or settle for mediocrity. Instead, you demonstrated fearless creativity and full confidence in your masterful craftsmanship, placing artistic expression above commercial success. I'm grateful to have had the pleasure of experiencing this crazy, unforgettable ride.

OK guys I'm gonna attempt the impossible and summarize/review Mind Game, the directorial debut of one Masaaki Yuasa (Ping Pong, Lu Over The Wall, Night Is Short, Walk On Girl). This movie is very far out there, very psychedelic, very experimental in nature. It employs various animation styles, CGI, and even real people's faces plastered onto animated bodies at times!? Yes the film is weird to say the least. I'd say the shifts in animation style are used at key moments to convey emotion, though. For example, in a scene where Nishi finally confesses his feelings to the woman of his dreams, a live action face suddenly appears on his drawn body screaming, "You should marry me, not him!!!" I don't mean to sound like a broken record but I don't like Yuasa's low-detail animation style because it just looks UGLY at times. Then again, the art changes so much throughout the movie there's bound to be one style you'll like. The story is basically about this loser named Nishi who reunites with an old crush, fails to save said girl from gangsters, gets shot through the ass and the head with one bullet (wow, impressive), goes to the afterlife and meets God, decides he can't move on so he forces himself back to life, goes back and saves his woman and runs off on a wild adventure. Masaaki Yuasa fans talk about how deep and philosophical his content is, and while the movie's story gets complicated (our characters live inside a whale at one point), the message was pretty simple. Live life to the fullest, without regrets. Don't be afraid to take a risk; the reason Nishi lost Myon is because he hesitated. I enjoyed this "seize the day" message the film provided, but I feel like Mind Game is mostly praised for its risk-taking art direction, since the plot and characters are nothing to write home about. Protagonist Nishi gets more sympathetic as the film goes along, but I remember hating him at the start. Nishi is such a coward that he cowers in a corner as gangsters literally rape (did I mention Mind Game gets pretty intense?) and beat the woman he claims to love. He doesn't try to stop them. Seriously dude!? I almost shut the film off then. Another thing that bothered me was that for a good chunk of the film Myon has her shirt ripped open exposing her breasts, but Nishi never offers his shirt to her or something else to cover up? The female lead Myon had a very cute character design, but her personality wasn't all that memorable and she was also a bit fanservice-y. You'll burst out laughing the first time you see how ridiculously big her breasts are! There's also this trite love triangle where Nishi is childhood friends with Myon and has loved her since they were kids but she's engaged to another dude, blah blah. I'm being hard on Yuasa here because I've seen him do better in Ride Your Wave, which had much better romance and a much more memorable female lead. Hinako from Ride Your Wave had so many more layers to her, and hell so did Yuho from Lu Over The Wall, as opposed to Mind Game's Myon, who is really just a big breasted/doe-eyed object of main dude's affections. This film also likes to just be weird for the sake of being weird at times, like when Myon's sister shows up wearing inflating water balloon breats and a penis, and starts dancing. Yes, this happens. I didn't love this film, I don't think it's "one of the best animated films ever made" like the box says, but I do think it's unique enough in presentation that you should give it a try for yourself. Oh man, Mind Game is so hard to rate...I'd give it a solid 7/10.

A prodigy of imagination, animation and visual inventiveness, the only 'but' I put it is that it lasts 100 minutes, I think that something so extreme for more than an hour ends quenching, as the film progresses I was forgeting all those details that have been seen, it innovates so much in the animation that I think a medium-length movie would have been better. The other flaw I see is that the story is not up to its extraordinary visual shape, it is a film of great artistic and visual maturity, but that sometimes falls into the typical nonsense of manga and anime world; Perhaps the bad thing is not the depth of the message, which it has it, but the way in which that message is told. An interesting film, a breath of fresh air within the world of animation.

(Review originally from Letterboxd) After three watches, I still feel like I haven't even breached the surface of what Mind Game has to offer. There's so much content to unpack in such a short time span that I don't think you can get a real amount of it without actually devoting some time to studying it. This is the kind of movie that you could design an entire college course around. The final montage, "This story has never ended," is one of the most narratively ambitious things ever put to film and I am not sure if something like it has ever been attempted before or since. It has been a really tough battle in my mind for which of Masaaki Yuasa's three films is his best. Right now, the unbridled energy and positivity in Night is Short, Walk on Girl takes the crown, but Lu Over the Wall and Mind Game are both fantastic in their own right and I am thinking that, in the end, Mind Game will probably be the one to prevail, just because this is a movie with such depth that you can't even see all the way to the bottom.

Mind Game is the debut project of Masaaki Yuasa, a [somewhat] niche anime director/writer. This project definitely shows how much promise he had at the 'true' start of his career, with a complex-simple plot (to be explained later) supplemented by heartwarming themes, 'unique' (for lack of a better term) artwork, a solid soundtrack, and quirky characters. [Story - 8] The story here is rather simple honestly, but told in an increasingly complex way. It follows a typical 20-year-old loser/wannabe-mangaka named Nishi, who still crushes on a childhood friend. After encountering her one night and visiting her family's diner, he is suddenly dragged into a rather bizarre situation. After having (what appears to be, at least) a split-second revelation in his mind, he starts to truly become the person he wants to be, while having to struggle surviving in an even more bizarre situation with some friends, both new and old. This sounds simple by itself, but is further complicated thanks to the rather tongue-in-cheek script penned by Yuasa. With a knack for multiple types of comedy, he seamlessly weaves in both gut-busting and gut-wrenching moments to create an interesting tale of ambition and hope. Even if the themes ('Live life to the fullest', 'Don't have regrets') are corny, the way they're conveyed is honestly beautiful, and it really got to me. The ending even harps on this with an EXTREMELY ambiguous yet detailed montage, which was probably the crowning moment of this whole film. [Art - 8] I'll be blunt: The art here is both ugly and gorgeous. This is due to the various types of art-styles used throughout the whole movie, often without any warning/indication whatsoever. Honestly, it's very hit-or-miss, and I don't blame anyone for not liking it, but I thought it was genius. It truly makes the story even more 'avant-garde' with the style changing from hyper-deformed to heavily moody to psychedelic-themed, and so on. Character design isn't really a focus in this movie, but the multiple style changes do present some potential insight into how some characters see the world around them. [Sound - 9] The soundtrack is of high quality, thanks to the production of THE Shinichirō Watanabe. Fitting with the film's surrealism, it covers multiple genres such as rock, vaporwave, and acoustic. While no track really stood out for me, I could definitely appreciate the impact it had on the final product, as it accentuated/accompanied each scene fittingly, and it makes for good background noise. I don't have anything to say about the seiyuus really. Nishi's seiyuu convincingly gives off the 'mopey dork' vibe, but other than that, no one really stood out for me. [Character - 8] Characterization here can be rather hit-or-miss, like the art, but I thought it suited the film well. Keeping in mind that this film is supposed to be an ~abstract~ affair, the small cast and the few bits of lore (of course, peppered with comedy) we get for each person is rather suitable. Nishi probably gets the most lore, since he's our protagonist, but it also feels like there's just a lot more we have to see/hear from him, and somehow it just /works/ for this movie. Even the antagonists get their own lore! The small cast really makes this work, as it's so much more easier to relate to everyone in some way when it's only 4 people having the most focus on them. The 4 people featured are fortunately really likable, thanks to the various bits of quirkiness and depth that Yuasa bestows on each one, and you’re most likely gonna leave this movie liking them all. [Enjoyment/Overall - 9/8] All in all, I had a Good Time watching this movie! I don't think it's a necessary watch if you consider yourself a 'connoisseur of anime' or whatever, but if you want something that's different from most other anime in terms of art-style and story/character presentation, I highly recommend this.

Nearly akin to a hallucinogen, Masaaki Yuasa's Mind Game is a joy ride, an embellishment of his innovative visions running rampant in his head. Seldom does a director receive such an absurd amount of creative freedom and be provided with the opportunity to pour out his brains. To put forth a mess, a mess so stupendous and surreally captivating. As erratic and non-sensical as it may seem, Mind Game explores one of the most compelling themes - choice and outcome. At every point in life, we obtain a decision that will cause gratification or perturbation. We are often too late to realize our errs and, in turn, curse ourselves for our past blunders. Mind Game acknowledges this as it is habitual of human nature. However, acceptance of one's situation and living without regret is essential to function. Pondering upon the meaning of life is ironically meaningless, as we, the narrators of our lives, possess the capability of establishing significance. Although there will be bumps along the way, the landscape of a life we thoroughly enjoyed is irrefutably the most dazzling spectacle. Yuasa's debut feature film encourages relishing the present and being unrestrained by doubts. It's a one-of-a-kind movie, something every enjoyer of the medium should experience at least once.

Out Run Good For Second Chance Mind Game is an anime about a clean start after getting something up the butt, and then realizing a whale is the best kind of therapy. Masaaki Yuasa is a director that knows how, to make weird interesting stuff, that cannot be compared to any other thing, and how the animation complements the story, how free and willing to go out of shape it is. A story about a second chance, a second chance that only happens if you take life by the horns, and finally do what you have been to afraid to do. It's a movie, when the moment it doesn't have to hold back, gives everything it has, in tempo, in its theme, in its sexuality, in its playfulness. It's a movie that goes 110% Despite being so fun and playful, it can still go into darkness and depression, the horrors that happens in real life, but that is what's great about it, because how can something be so happy and playful if you don't look at the sadness that is. The animation toss a lot for the movie. The Simple design really helps with the movement because of the leak of detail, but the character design is so full of memorable sheeps, the the use of real life faces really help with an, out of this world feeling. As his original movie debu, it's set the tone for the rest of his career, that is full of so much energy, and unique sexuality that I would recommend to all enjoy of weird.

I loved this so much. This has some of the most vibrant and expressive animation I've ever seen. It's more than worth watching just for the visuals alone. I love the way that this takes multiple different styles of animation and combines them into one big visual marvel. Even in the scenes that take place literally, the animation and visual style is still very unique and fun to look at. When it goes more non literal and expressive though is when the animation gets truly fucking insane and mind blowing to look at. The story fits the animation really well too, and it's a lot of fun to watch. We get to go on this crazy journey with these four really likable characters, and it's an absolute blast. It gets existential at points, but not in a way that would make you have a crisis. It's existential in a way that makes you look at the world around you in a new light. It's a movie that makes you feel like you could jump through the roof if you wanted to. The escaping the whale sequence is genuinely more adrenaline pumping than almost any action movie I've ever seen. The visuals, editing, and music during that scene were all fucking fantastic. So many moments throughout this movie transported me to this place that gave me these pure and intense feelings and emotions that nothing else has done for me. The opening and closing montages are both incredible. In the beginning montage, you don't know the context of anything that you're seeing, but it still completely pulls you into the experience. By the end of the movie though, after going on an adventure with these characters, a closing montage happens, and all of the visuals that were in the first montage now have meaning to them, and it made me so happy to watch it all play out. The new things we see in the montage are also great and make for a perfect ending. The way that it's put together is awesome. If I had a list of favorite movie montages, the final one in this movie would make the list for sure. The story is so well realized on a structure and visual level. I love how it fully wraps back around in a way where the story will never truly end. It makes the movie have a grand and out of this world feel, and it makes those feelings extend out into the real world as well with the way that the character stories are handled. It takes a very slice of life feel, and combines it with all of these huge ideas, and it makes for a very meaningful experience. It's also just a shit ton of fun to watch. This had a great sense of humor to it. There were some visuals in this that caught me off guard in a fun way. Overall, I had an absolutely incredible time with this. It's insane to me that more people haven't seen this movie. I know that it's a cult film, but it also deserves to be well known on a wide scale. It's a completely one of a kind movie that I think everyone should experience.

"Mind Game" de Masaki Yuasa, es una obra que desafía las convenciones del cine de animación, siendo una lluvia de creatividad en su totalidad. Utiliza desde animación a mano tradicional, cgi, rotoscopia e imágenes reales. La estructura de la película es un caleidoscopio de imágenes, que la animación va entrelazando de manera brillante. Yuasa siempre intenta ir más allá de las barreras establecidas de su género, y habianto visto "The tatami galaxy" y "Ping Pong", puedo decir que esta es una pelicula totalmente con la marca de Yuasa en la misma. Los personajes están igualmente trabajados como solo él sabe hacer, son multifacéticos, cada interacción sirve para caracterizarlos y darles nuevas capas de profundidad, y el desarrollo del personaje principal está especialmente bien trabajado. La película puede pecar de ser algo random en ocasiones así como de tener un ritmo muy acelerado, y te preguntas que andaba fumando Yuasa cuando hacía esto, junto a algunas escenas extremadamente psicodélicas. A pesar de esto, la historia es perfectamente accesible y en ningún momento la sentí confusa en absoluto. Una de las mentes mas creativas de la animación japonesa contemporánea, que todo lo que hace intenta romper los moldes establecidos, una completa obra maestra 100% recomendada. ENG: Masaki Yuasa's *Mind Game* is a work that defies the conventions of animated cinema, serving as an absolute explosion of creativity. It employs a mix of techniques, ranging from traditional hand-drawn animation and CGI to rotoscoping and live-action footage. The film's structure is a kaleidoscope of imagery, brilliantly interwoven through animation. Yuasa always seeks to push beyond the established boundaries of the genre; having seen *The Tatami Galaxy* and *Ping Pong*, I can say that this film bears his unmistakable signature. The characters are crafted with his unique touch—multifaceted and complex—with every interaction serving to flesh them out and add layers of depth; the protagonist's development is particularly well-executed. At times, the film can feel somewhat random and fast-paced—leading you to wonder what Yuasa was smoking while making it, especially during certain extremely psychedelic sequences—yet the story remains perfectly accessible, and I never found it confusing. Created by one of the most inventive minds in contemporary Japanese animation—an artist who constantly strives to break the mold—this is an absolute masterpiece that comes highly recommended.

Mind Game is the most entertaining psychological-themed anime I have watched so far. It has vibrant visuals, often animated with different styles to portray excellent facial expressions and actions to suit the storytelling. I also appreciated that the makers put in the effort to include a lot of details in the background scenes, making it a pleasure to watch. The show was very fast-paced, giving one a very exciting feeling, and I personally think it was a very fun animation to watch. I find that the story is easy to understand for this genre, as long as the viewer actually pays attention to the show and its details. Overall, I enjoyed the show very much.

"Mind Game" is an expansive journey through the complexities of life, beautifully brought to life through Yuasa's experimental and psychedelic animation. The film delves into the theme of embracing life's endless possibilities, showcasing how even the most insignificant of lives can transform with self-expression. The protagonist, Nishi, initially portrayed as a “loser” with unfulfilled desires and somebody who lived through life in a disassociated manner as expressed by his work of being a mangaka. Nishi embarks on a surreal adventure after a brush with the Japanese mafia. Through twists and turns that take him to heaven, Nishi discovers profound truths about existence and the subjective nature of our perceptions. One of the film's standout features is Yuasa's daring use of creative liberties, employing vibrant imagery and symbolism to convey deeper meanings. The animation style constantly shifts, keeping viewers engaged and reflecting the unpredictable nature of life itself. Despite its abstract narrative, "Mind Game" manages to deliver a cohesive message about overtly connectedness of our lives and embracing life's uncertainties. It's a visually stunning and thought-provoking experience that encourages viewers to appreciate the diversity of human experiences and the boundless potential within us all. As for this next section it is spoiler heavy as it touches on my love for the final scene. You have been warned!!! In the final scene of "Mind Game," as Nishi and his companions run up the towering wave in the sky, we are given a mesmerizing montage that encapsulates the film's central themes with stunning visual symbolism. This sequence serves as a culmination of Nishi's journey and the interconnectedness of all lives, emphasizing the boundless potential and infinite possibilities that exist within us. The imagery of the wave itself is symbolic of life's challenges and the constant flow of change. As the characters ascend the wave, it represents their determination to confront past obstacles and embrace the unknown. The wave also carries echoes of traditional Japanese art, representing the need for resilience within the scene. Lastly, the montage showcasing snippets of different lives intertwined further reinforces the film's message of interconnectedness. It draws emphasis on how every individual, no matter how seemingly insignificant, contributes to the never ending encyclopedia that is life. "Mind Game" is truly a testament to Yuasa's innovative storytelling, this is unlike anything I have experienced. This is a movie that truly made me want to live my life, thank you Yuasa. Overall Rating: 9.5/10

Mind Game is a captivating anime film that defies expectations and immerses viewers in a mesmerizing blend of visual mastery, artistic prowess, and an utterly unique storyline. Through its stunning visuals, genre-bending narrative, and compelling characters, Mind Game offers an experience that is both mind-boggling and immensely enjoyable. The film follows Nishi, an introverted character who breaks free from his timid existence and embarks on a wild adventure. With each step, the story takes unexpected turns, seamlessly transitioning between genres and styles, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats. Visually, Mind Game is a feast for the eyes, with vibrant colors, intricate details, and a surreal aesthetic that creates an immersive world. The animation is fluid and dynamic, breathing life into the characters and infusing every scene with energy. Beyond its visual splendor, Mind Game delves into profound themes of self-discovery, embracing the unknown, and the transformative power of stepping outside one's comfort zone. The characters' personal growth and interactions drive the narrative, offering moments of action, comedy, and introspection. This genre-blending approach keeps viewers engaged and eager to uncover the surprises that lie ahead. In conclusion, Mind Game is a remarkable anime film that pushes the boundaries of storytelling and captivates audiences with its stunning visuals and genre-bending narrative. It is a must-watch for those seeking a unique and memorable anime experience. With its rich imagination and ability to evoke a range of emotions, Mind Game leaves a lasting impression, deserving of its 9/10 rating.

I went into Mind Game knowing nothing expect that this looks pretty interesting and wacky. Mind Game is fun, artsy, wacky, and touching. I had a lot of fun watching Mind Game because it does some weird stuff mixing the art and live action early on. The story is dark and wacky and I think it works well, especially if you are just watching it to have fun. Mind Game has a lot of cool artistic directions differing throughout. It starts off loose and then grabs form and is slipping unable to find a balance in its direction up to midway through. The art reaches a consistent point and stays there to tell the most structured part during the second half of the movie. I very much enjoyed the crazy unbalanced art styles. Mind Game starts confusing and ends confusing, and I love it. The story is completely wacky, keeping the viewer guessing about what is real and what is a Mind Game. The wacky beginning is simple, but then we get into this crazy dance party full of experiences and symbolism. The Overall message being delivered here is touching and fun. There are many moments between Nishi and the cast that are touching and very real. I would recommend this Movie because it is fun and I love the ending. This movie is a cyclical Mind Game start to finish.

If nothing else, I can say for certain that Mind Game is a movie that appeals to my love for mindless weird shit. That said, if there's one thing I love more than mindless weird shit, it's when said weirdness acts as something to elevate something rather clever and complex, and that's what I feel like this film does remarkably well. While on the surface a lot of this can come of as wacky, creative surrealism that doesn't contribute to much beyond spectacle (and to be fair, some of it is exactly that), a lot of the imagery in this is also deceptively clever at how it represents its themes. Most notably, the film is about the almost endless possibilities that life brings forth and the way one's own indecision and desire to be overly cautious ends up stopping so many outcomes from happening, no matter how good some of them might seem. The representation of this indecision through scenes and concepts such as the film's ever-changing visual design of God, or how the stagnant, imprisoning nature of the main cast's situation is represented through toning down the more psychedelic, colourful elements that are put on display front and centre for the first act. This thematic cohesion continues with the way displays of self-expression are given far more detail and vibrancy to the colour palette, almost always being the most striking parts of the film to further convey the freeing nature of taking a leap and letting your creativity and motivation run wild. Of course it's not just the deeper meaning of the film that makes this so amazing to me, it's also the way in which Masaaki Yuasa's visual style is so unbelievably special to the point where it's almost mind blowing. There's a certain appeal to the sheer ugliness put on display for a lot of this, almost like a warped, anime-styled take on the older Klasky Tsupo cartoons, further adding to the bizarre nature of the film while being incredibly distinct. The way this is supported by moments in which the animation quality either drastically increases or decreases, not to mention sometimes just entirely changing style, such as with adding realistic faces on top of crude looking drawings makes this an entertainingly unpredictable viewing experience. No matter how off the rails this gets, I never really find it to be particularly excessive either, with the more out there moments often being short lived and working as an effective means of providing an additional comedic layer to the events more than something that feels tastelessly added as an afterthought just for the sake of being all quirky. It also helps that so many of these sequences just manage to be beautifully artistic, whether it's moments of fluidity as splashes of colour are being thrown in the scenery, or simply briefly becoming something more conventionally appealing looking, just a constant bombardment of juxtaposed absurdity and gorgeousness. Overall this is the sort of film that has a lot more going on than just what's on the surface, but the best thing about it is the way that even if you ignore all the symbolism, you've still got a genuinely incredible viewing experience that's filled to the brim with unhinged creativity. Some of the 2nd act does drag a bit, I will admit, but there's more than enough time spent on interesting content even during this part that ultimately makes it all a more than worthwhile watch, even with that bit in the middle that can dampen the overall impact. If you're in the mood for something off kilter and all around wild, I'd seriously recommend giving this movie a shot.