I think 'Mind Game' is one of those movies that you either really like or really hate, but never in the middle. I spent first 20 minutes itching to turn it off since the animation style didn't seem all that pleasant, but then things just kept happening and before I knew it I was really immersed in it.

'Mind Game' has everything: irony, action, humour , even romance; and it touches practically every aspect of human life, going from relationships to domestic problems. All that covered in psychedelic imagery leaves a great impression.

You might experience various emotions watching this movie but one thing for sure, you won't feel like you've wasted your time when it's over.

I had to give this a 9 out of 10 for a couple of reasons: 1.) This is a truly original movie 2.) With a little patience the animation is greatly rewarding 3.) It's a rare movie about the enthusiasm of life without force-feeding it into the viewer's face.

I liked this movie mostly for reason number two and next because of reason number three. The animation is one of the real driving elements behind the film and if you enjoyed stuff like American Pop or Fire & Ice from Ralph Bashki, then you're also (more than likely) enjoy the animation and wacky celebratory art-style, rotoscoping, cel-shading, 3D and a bunch of other animation techniques used in this film.

Now, the real meat and potatoes lies within this movie's message for appreciating life, as it goes in the movie: the story never ends, just like life goes on even after the curtain drops for the main character (being you).

Unlike most films that force-feed viewers a "hero" who must save the day, get the girl and redeem himself, Mind Game instead wants viewers to root for the hero because the hero is put into a position where only he can root for himself. I also liked that this movie gives a flipside on what it is to appreciate life, even when you have nothing to look forward to in life. I think it helped turn this sometimes violent and dark film into something inspirational and hopeful. I also truly enjoyed the "possibilities" this movie played with that life can sometimes throw our way.

All in all, I loved this film. It's not a typical Japanese anime by a long-shot and it's certainly not for everyone (especially younger viewers) but it's a great film that any avant garde film enthusiast would greatly appreciate.

Love this film, though - like another reviewer - I find the beginning a bit difficult to embrace, due to the initial portrayal of the lead character, Nishi, as an - on-again, off-again - screeching, whining, gushing emotional wreck, who also is drawn to look embarrassingly cartoonish during his outburst. But this proves to all be intentional, setting him up for a personal transformation. In fact, he gets not ONE chance to change his life, but TWO. Initially, he is an ineffectual coward. This ends very badly for him and the woman he loves. In fact, he dies. After being brushed off and disrespected by God, however, he decides to take his life back and goes to another extreme, becoming so fearless as to be reckless, again bringing horrible consequences upon himself and the woman he loves, and also this time, her sister (the three are swallowed by a whale). The bulk of the film involves the lessons he learns while inside the whale, one of the most important being not to give up or retreat from life, like the bohemian man they meet inside of the whale, who - for 30 years - has managed to learn to make himself safe and comfortable, but who has also effectively stopped growing in any way other than old. In short, he's forgotten what it means to live.