Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Mind Game Blu-ray Movie Review

Down in the belly of the beast.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III April 15, 2020

20-year-old manga artist Nishi has gone most of his life without professing his love for childhood friend Myon, who now lives with her sister Yan and is engaged. Myon's fiancée Ryo meets them at her dad's restaurant, where they're bullied by a terrifying yakuza thug. Myon is assaulted, Nishi is shot and killed, and he meets an ever-changing God in limbo. Regretting his life as a coward, Nishi dodges fate and returns to Earth a changed man: he shoots the thug with his own gun, flees with Myon and Yan, they're pursued by yakuza, get swallowed by a huge whale after driving off a bridge, and end up trapped in the whale's belly with an old man and no chance of escape. Of course, they try anyway.

That's the short version...so if it doesn't sound interesting, you're best off skipping Masaaki Yuasa's Mind Game (2004). Based on the 1994 manga series by Robin Nishi -- possibly a skewed autobiography, given the protagonist's name and enthusiasm for comics -- it's a visually inventive ride that you can't plop down and watch casually. The story might not even make a lick of sense the first time through; instead, stunned newcomers will just have to lurch through its surreal, existential atmosphere that ultimately celebrates living life to the fullest. Mind Game demands total attention and the ability to make quick visual adjustments: it rarely stands still, ranging in styles from hand-drawn sketches to varied CGI elements, with manipulated photo collages and a bit of rotoscoping tossed in for good measure.

But those wildly different styles, eye-catching as they are, often cripple Mind Game's narrative flow and make it unnecessarily hard(er) to follow at times. I don't mean the occasional cut-away or "inner thought" diversion, which are amusing and rare enough not to overstay their welcome, but the clashing techniques used in close-ups and medium shots of the same character that can make us think we're looking at two different people. It's interesting at first but feels overdone, even within the elastic boundaries of a story that's already a few giant leaps off the beaten path. I'll admit that subsequent viewings made it easier to digest, but these elements are the very definition of "style over substance". Even so, Mind Game's overall aesthetic is off the charts and should absolutely thrill fans of creative, hand-drawn animation: praised by the likes of Bill Plympton and the late Satoshi Kon while being compared to the work of Ralph Bakshi, it's a safe bat that your opinion of those directors will be a reliable gauge of interest.

Although die-hard fans of Mind Game may already own it via 2017's successful Kickstarter campaign, it's most widely available via GKIDS' Blu-ray/DVD combo pack. Armed with a disclaimer on the back that "Mind Game is intended for adult audiences" (probably a good idea, given the distributor's name), the Blu-ray offers predictably great A/V specs and a few bonus features that, while somewhat disappointing, at least offer a peek behind the curtain of perhaps this century's most bizarre animated adventure. I'm not aware of any major differences between this release and the Kickstarter Blu-ray aside from the packaging, but I'd love to hear any comments from owners of that disc.

Mind Game Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, it's obvious that Mind Game was given a new scan for Blu-ray -- this crisp 1080p transfer looks nothing like a 2004-era home video release, as the film's bright and vivid palette absolutely pops of the screen in all the right ways. Image detail and black levels are well-rendered and create a lot of depth, while the varying formats and animation techniques all look as good as possible under the circumstances. (That said, this was my first full exposure to the film, so I don't have a genuine point of reference.) No obvious digital imperfections could be spotted along the way, aside for small amounts of banding that are almost expected on animated releases.

Mind Game Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Not to be outdone is the crisp, aggressive DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix, which is presented in its original Japanese with optional English, Spanish, and French subtitles. There's a lot to follow: dialogue ranges from quiet conversations to violent outbursts, while a number of panning effects and other elements tend to bounce around at will. Crowded scenes have a great rear presence, along with plenty of satisfying echo when the situation demands it. LFE use is irregular but makes itself known on occasion; the climactic escape, for example, surges ahead at full throttle. Overall, it's a fine presentation that complements the loopy visuals perfectly, while the sporadic music cues by Seiichi Yamamoto (one-time drummer for Japanese noise-rock band Boredoms) are mixed well without fighting for attention.

Mind Game Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This two-disc release arrives in a dual-hubbed keepcase with two-sided artwork and a matching slipcover.

• Production Artwork Galleries - Just under a hundred still images are divided into three separate categories: background designs, character designs, and mechanics/props.

• Film Animatic - Perhaps a valuable extra for aspiring storyboard artists, but this running slideshow is boxed inside an extremely small corner (10-15% of the 2.35:1 frame) as the movie plays.

• Scenes with Director's Commentary (4 clips, 31:26 total) - Masaaki Yuasa dissects two sequences from the outside world, as well as the whale escape and ending montage. Some segments are slowed down, stopped, and reversed as he goes into very specific detail about the on-screen items. These commentary clips are presented in Japanese with optional English subtitles, although the video is poor quality with heavy aliasing.

• Theatrical Trailer (1:44) - Exactly as gonzo as it needs to be. Also available here.

Mind Game Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Masaaki Yuasa's Mind Game is a unique and innovative adventure that pushes the expanding boundaries of animation. Those who don't mind sacrificing a clear, accessible narrative will admire its take-no-prisoners approach to storytelling, although the violent visual shifts can make things unnecessarily confusing. GKIDS' Blu-ray offers an outstanding A/V presentation but only a few good-to-great extras -- and while the film's appeal is extremely narrow, those who fall under its spell will love Mind Game to pieces. Recommended, but newcomers should try before they buy.