Like most people here, I saw Mind Game on a festival - in my case, Melbourne International Film Festival in August 2006 and was simply blown away. I am no fan of anime (I wasn't before Mind Game), because the ones I have seen before seemed either too violent (Akira) or difficult to appreciate because of the Japanese cultural peculiarities (Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke).<br /><br />Mind Game seems a blend of Japanese and Western cinematography with few cultural barriers for westerners. I believe there are influences by Coen brothers (the hilarious episode with milk vs. "Mr. Mussburger is such a nice man, I give him double stitch anyways"), Run Lola Run, even Amelie. Perhaps the plot is inspired by the book of Job? Add to this Japanese imagination and leaving space for interpretation.<br /><br />While the plot is inventive and complex enough, it is not what makes the film, in my opinion. It is the ability to focus on tiniest details and create, well, a detailed consistent absurdist universe.<br /><br />Hopefully, it will be easier to find future creations of the same authors.