Movies - Mind Game

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	Movies - Mind Game

Mindgame (original Japanese title マインドゲーム) is an animated film made and directed by Masaaki Yuasa and created by Studio 4°C. The movie is very different from all other animated film productions, it does not stick to a particular genre in graphical realisation, it is more like a pasticcio of styles, yet the technical achievement is astonishing. Quoting director Masaaki Yuasa (Japan Times ) “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“.

=Plot= Nishi is a young loser who wishes to be a manga artist. He has always had a crush on his childhood friend Myon, an enormously-endowed young girl. The two of them lose contact for a period of time, meanwhile Myon is about to get married. When they meet each other again they go to her parent's restaurant to see her dad and sister and talk about old times. A problem arises when two yakuza enter the place asking for money that Myon's dad owe them.

Nishi gets killed in a shameful way and goes to heaven, where he argues with God. He then manages to escape, go back in time, rescue Myon and her sister and run away from the yakuza stealing their car. After a high speed chase and a consequent jump off a bridge their car gets swallowed by a whale. During the symbolic and metaphorical time inside the cetacea (there is a reference to Carlo Lorenzini's Pinocchio), they experience personal development and growth and have to face their problems and insecurities.

=Characters=

Nishi

Nishi is the protagonist of the film and appears from the very first scenes. He is an aspirant manga artist who wishes to marry Myon, but his lack of self confidence and his insecurities prevent him from achieving any of these results. That is until his life changes drastically, being killed by the yakuza Atsu he meets God. He then gains the possibility of a second chance, living live to its fullest.

Myon

Myon is Nishi's childhood sweet-heart who has recently become engaged. Myon and Nishi lost track of one another as they grew older. Myon appears to be aware of Nishi's crush on her when they are reunited, but is disappointed by Nishi's lack of confidence. Myon works at her father's yakitori restaurant with her sister. She was a swimming champion during high school, but eventually she grew up and her breasts became too big, as a consequence she could not carry on with that activity and gave up.

Yan

She is Myon's sister, and she is responsible for the restaurant. She is very different from Myon, both physically and psychologically. Being the older sister, she felt compelled to be the one to take responsibility in the family and to look after Myon, but really she was the one who wanted to be helped in the first place. This is revealed by Myon in the last scenes of the film, right before escaping from the whale.

Ryo

Ryo is Myon's new boyfriend. He drives a truck and is confident about his physical strength. Even so, his presence in the restaurant during the yakuza incursion is not of any help, revealing himself a fake in two occasions. In the same scene, he tries to punch Atsu, but his attack is easily avoided by his opponent, and as he falls down we can see he's wearing a toupee.

Yakuza boss

He talks at the phone with Nishi during the car chasing scene. He represents the classical image of a Japanese Yakuza boss: rich, wearing several rings and gold necklaces, stroking a little pet in a huge business office.

Yakuza

He's a member of the yakuza, companion of the violent football player Atsu. His name is never revealed, Atsu refers to him as ni-san (lit. "brother", in japanese. In this context it is specifically a term used by Yakuza to refer to each other). In the first part of the film, after Atsu's excess of violence, the unamed Yakuza shoots his "brother" with no remorse.

Atsu

Atsu is an arrogant yakuza with an anger management problem. He's very atletic, he plays in the Japanese national football team, during all the scenes of the film, he wears the numer 10 T-shirt.

In the first reality of the film he kills Nishi after trying to rape Myon, he then gets killed by his brother, because of his excessive behaviour.

In the second reality he's instantly killed by Nishi.

Father of Myon and Yan

He had debts with the yakuza and left his family dealing with the problems he created, he spends his time away from home having fun with young women and gambling. It is because of his reckless and selfish behaviour that his entire family will be in danger. Regardless of all that, he does not reveal himself when the situation worsens. In the alternative version, after Nishi's rebirth, he will be left alone in the restaurant to deal with the yakuza and his problems.

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