Customer Reviews

Mindgame DVD Import Set

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

If you're reading this review you've probably already seen Mind Game and aren't curious as to its cinematic and narrative qualities. Rather, you're interested to know if this DVD, available off of amazon, is a legitimate release...probably for the following reasons: you want the cleanest transfer of this movie possible, and (more importantly) you want to support the studio and the creative people who made this great movie.

Now, let's try to clean up this Amazon product description: this disc does indeed have a very nice transfer so you don't have to worry about that. The movie is region free, meaning it will play on your standard USA DVD player. You have a pick between Japanese 2.0 and 5.1 sound mixes and English subtitles. The disc includes standard bonus materials, trailer etc. As far as I can tell the DVD menus are identical to the Japanese version aside from English subtitles for the navigation options.

If you're looking for a high quality version of Mind Game to play on your DVD player this is the right choice.

As for the disc's legitimacy, it's difficult to tell. The DVD case came sealed, the actual front paper insert that makes up the graphic portion of the case is of middling quality, making me suspicious of its origin. The back of the case and the DVD itself say it is licensed for home use and copying and publicly exhibiting the film is prohibited, but there is no information on the disc or case on who owns the rights to distribute the film: usually a DVD will have scads of writing around the edge of the disc detailing what company owns what part of the IP etc. There is no paper insert on the inside of the case (where you would normally have chapter's etc.). I have bought American films from brick and mortar stores that have had poor printing on their covers and didn't have inserts either...but if I had to choose, I would say this release is not official.

I'm not quite sure how to score something in a situation where the movie is so good but the release is so dubious.

A very very odd film about a young Japanese slacker who runs into the girl he loved in his school days who's also mixed up in a spot of trouble. The film uses a lot of experimental animation techniques to tell a story about... what, I'm not really sure. There is the slacker, there are two sisters, one of whom the slacker is in love with, there are two yakuza, there is a mysterious old man, a whale, and God. The story has a lot of flashbacks, most of which you don't really understand until you finish it. There is a bit of alternate endings stuff like how things would have turned out differently if things had been done in a different way, there is also a conscious "I will go back and correct my mistake" element. Several scenes are very funny. The characters are quite well developed. The Japanese is Kansai dialect, which is very earthy and good fun. Some of the fantasy sequences are totally off the wall, and the filmmakers definitely had a lot of fun with it. Some of the techniques are truly amazing, such as scenes of driving down streets, which I believe is very tough to do. The "water-running" scene at the end of the film has to be seen to be believed. A gorgeous and unique film that is enjoyable from end-to-end, not only because it tells a story we don't expect with feeling and sensitivity, but it is also about human emotions and hope. The music is by Yamamoto Seiichi, the guitarist for the Boredoms, Rashinban, Omoide Hatoba, Rovo, TEEM and too many other bands to name, and was put together by several of his units, including Rashinban. The drummer is the late China (Nishiura Mana), who died on November 4th, 2005 in a van crash on tour in the US with DMBQ.

I understand this is a bunk offering.

But dammit 4C and Madhouse!!!! Give us this on disc!

My favorite animated movie of all I have seen in my lifetime of animated film loving and I can't even own it on a disc.

I must also question whether or not this is a legitimate release. On almost every DVD player in my house, the disc can not be properly read. My PS2 simply can't play it, the DVD player in my TV can't make it past the piracy warning (kinda ironic), my computer can't play it with sound, another one skips wildly between chapters, and one of them plays it perfectly, though the menu is incapable of being shown.

It's also worth noting that Mindgame has NOT been licensed for release in Region 1, and the only official release is a 2-disc set in Region 4.

So yeah, this is very probably an illegal copy of the film.


Don't get me wrong, the movie is absolutely beautiful both visually and otherwise. Studio 4 Degrees C always does amazing work. I want to support them in any way I can, but this is not supporting them. This is piracy.


In short: DO NOT SUPPORT PIRACY. DO NOT BUY THIS.

I'm kind of shocked that Amazon even has it up.

Mindgame is funny, imaginative, and very entertaining. Think of a mix between your favorite anime, Fantasia, and a Pixar film. One of the best scenes has got to be the portrayal of God... an ever-changing, reverse psychologist. You gotta see it to know what I'm talking about.

I've also found that this goes great at parties... throw this on in the background and you'll evoke some responses.

Someone recommended this to me to prove that not all anime is garbage. I don't feel disproven. It's more of a hipster visual exercise/loveletter to flashy generation Y vacuity than anything, with more bids for edginess than attempts at characterization.

The characters are unrelateable, stock, and defined by quirks. She's androgynous? That sure is unique. How about having a personality?

The obligatory psychedelic sequence was nothing but a case of trite raver imagery given a budget. We get it. Drugs. You're special.

You know what? I'll just leave it at this. Here's one of the first sentences from wiki's plot synopsis:
"... Myon too does not achieve her aspirations as she was a swimming champion during high school, but eventually she gave up when her breasts became too big."

Art.