Mind Game

"This Story Has Never Ended."

2004 1h 43m JA

🙌

7.5

BANGER

★7.5TMDB · 350

AnimationRomanceComedyDramaFantasyAdventure

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Nishi is a loser who has a crush on his childhood girlfriend. After an encounter with the Japanese mafia, he journeys to heaven and back, and ends up trapped in an even more unlikely place.

“This Story Has Never Ended.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Koji Imada
Nishi (voice)
Sayaka Maeda
Myon (voice)
Takashi Fujii
Jiisan (voice)
Seiko Takuma
Yan (voice)
Tomomitsu Yamaguchi
Ryou (voice)
Toshio Sakata
Father of Myon and Yan (voice)
Jôji Shimaki
Yakuza boss (voice)
Rintaro Nishi
Yakuza (voice)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Masaaki Yuasa
Writers: Masaaki Yuasa
Languages: Japanese
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 6

ERA

Did you know

Released 22 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Seiichi Yamamoto. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Keiko Mizuta shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 6

CAST

Did you know

Koji Imada and Sayaka Maeda and Takashi Fujii carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 6

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "This Story Has Never Ended.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 6

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0452039 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Masaaki Yuasa directs. Seiichi Yamamoto scores. Keiko Mizuta cuts. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 22 years ago.
2Original score by Seiichi Yamamoto. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
3Editor Keiko Mizuta shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
4Koji Imada and Sayaka Maeda and Takashi Fujii carry the top of the cast.
5Marketing tagline: "This Story Has Never Ended.".
6IMDB entry: tt0452039 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Original score: Seiichi Yamamoto
Editing: Keiko Mizuta
Runtime: 103 min · 1h 43m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $36,613
Original language: JA
IMDB: Mind Game (2004)

Awards

Ōfuji Noburō Award

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Masaaki Yuasa

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

ZincLinux2023-09-07
★ 10/10
This anime is a chaotic, jarring, psychedelic, and philosophic masterpiece. A simultaneously simple, yet bizarre journey whose message becomes crystal clear by its end. It is a passionate and loving call to live a life of fewer regrets. The first time I started watching it, I quit after a few minutes, but I consider it to one of the finest movies I've ever seen.

Production companies