Mind Game

Anime often boasts wild plots and bizarre imagery, but this 2004 cult feature from director Masaaki Yuasa outdoes itself in both areas. After an initial mad montage under the opening credits, Mind Game settles into a wacky story about Nishi, a nerdy would-be manga artist pining for his childhood crush Myon. When Nishi unwisely intervenes to protect her from a couple of thugs, he is shot in the butt and the bullet goes all the way up through his head, after which the dead Nishi winds up facing a kaleidoscopic, whimsical God. Nishi escapes from the afterlife by running furiously away from the light, emerging as a reckless risk-taker who takes off with Myon and her older sister in the gangster’s car, only to be swallowed—vehicle and all—by a whale. Here they meet an old man who has been living inside the belly of the beast for 30 years, and this extended Jonah (or is it Pinocchio?) segment includes colorful psychedelic dance numbers and many food-preparation scenes. Eventually, they all escape into the "real" world for the final act. This weird summary barely scratches the surface of Mind Game, which employs radical shifts in pacing and pictorial styles, sudden flashbacks from major and minor characters, and scads of sexual imagery to create a constantly surprising, expressionistic world that is truly unique—a sort of head-trip "Nishi in Wonderland." Presented in a Blu-ray/DVD Combo edition, in Japanese with English subtitles, and not rated (but clearly for adult audiences), extras include select scene commentary from Yuasa, a feature-length animatic storyboard, and production artwork galleries. A strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)