Mind Game

In a small Theatre in Hollywood, CA on October 21st, 2017. An amazing fan favorite was shown on the big screen, as a special event for the Animation Is Film festival. Mind Game was originally released August 7, 2004. This mind bending, psychedelic anime was directed by Masaaki Yuasa and quickly became a classic. Some have described this film as a Pulp Fiction plot that meets a Adult Swim anime. This movie won Yuasa numerous awards. Including one at the Japan Media Arts Festival award in 2004, in the Animation division. Beating out another cult classic by Miyazaki’s Howl’s Moving Castle. Yuasa’s idea that “Instead of telling it serious and straight, I went for a look that was a bit wild and patchy. I think that Japanese animation fans today don't necessarily demand something that's so polished. You can throw different styles at them and they can still usually enjoy it.” This movie proves that rough animation and out of the box ideas with a mind binding plot can make great film.

Nishi is a 20 year old nerd that draws and wants to be a comic book artist. He randomly sees his childhood crush Myon one night on the subway. Nishi tells her he has always loved her, but she tells him he’s too late. She is already going to marry another guy. They decided to hang out out for a while. They go to her Myon’s dad’s restaurant. Myon's dad and oldest sister Yan are inside. While Nishi is at the restaurant. Myon's fiancee Ryo comes. Outside two yakuza gangsters pull up. They come inside. They are looking for Myon's dad. Atsu, one of the yakuza men is mad because Myon's dad seduced and stole Atsu's girlfriend. Atsu threatens Myon with a gun, Ryo try to do something, but gets knocked out. Atsu try to take advantage Myon. He sees Nishi, and walked over to him and places his pistol against Nishi’s butt. The gun goes off killing Nishi. The senior Yakuza, angered by what Atsu had done, killed him.

Nishi enters a dream limbo world. Were he shows Kami-sama (God). His passion for another chance at life. Kami-sama is impressed and let him escape to the living world. Nishi comes back to the moment right before Atsu pulled the trigger. Nishi grabs Atsu's gun with his butt muscles, and kills Atsu. Yan, Myon and Nishi steal the yakuza's car. They get into a high chase, followed by a mob of yakuzas. The Yakuza calls the car phone.He tells Nishi that Atsu was a player on the Japanese national soccer team. While distracted the mob force the car of a bridge. But Nishi drives the car off the bridge, all of a sudden they are eaten by an enormous whale.
Inside the whale, they meet an old man who was former yakuza member. He has been trapped in the whale’s belly for more than 30 years. He brings Yan, Myon and Nishi to his amazing custom house. Nishi attempts to escape the whale’s belly, but fails. Yan practices her dancing. Myon practices swimming, which she gave up, Nishi practices drawing manga. They try to leave the whale, again fail. And the old man reveals that the water level inside the whale is rising. He thinks the whale is probably dying. They make a motor boat out using spare parts and fuel from the car they arrived in. Before the final match of the soccer World Cup, the whale returns to their home town. Yan, Nishi, Myon, as well as the Old Man escape.The four fly through the air out the whale. Then film returns the first scene, with Myon running from the Yakuza. Only this time Myon does not get her leg caught in the door of the train. So the Yakuza is left behind on the train platform.

I really enjoyed this film. I think that when you hear about a movie that beat out any of Miyazaki’s film for a ward. The standard of film they have, means that the movie has to be good. This movie didn’t disappoint. Even thought the animation style of this movie isn’t on a Disney level. Some of the 2d animation scenes that were done was one of a kind and with the out of the box plot. This made the movie a instant classic. The animation in the movie is great. Its very rough and to me gives more motion to the action scenes. The movie has different scenes and some are bold and bright. Others are dark and depressing. This movies a great example of how animation styles can come together for a great film.

Mind Game released August 7, 2004
Directed by Masaaki Yuasa
Produced by Eiko Tanaka
Written by Masaaki Yuasa
Based on Mind Game by Robin Nishi
Music by Seiichi Yamamoto
Production company Studio 4°C
Duration: 103mns

Seen during the Animation is film Festival, Chinese theater, October 21 2017

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