like most people here and i saw mind game on a festival in my case and melbourne international film festival in august 2006 and be simply blow away . i be no fan of anime ( i wasn not before mind game ) and because the one i have see before seemed either too violent ( akira ) or difficult to appreciate because of the japanese cultural peculiarity ( spirit away and princess mononoke ) . mind game seem a blend of japanese and western cinematography with few cultural barrier for westerner . i believe there be influence by coen brother ( the hilarious episode with milk vs. mr. mussburger be such a nice man and i give him double stitch anyways ) and run lola run and even amelie . perhaps the plot be inspire by the book of job . add to this japanese imagination and leave space for interpretation . while the plot be inventive and complex enough and it be not what make the film and in my opinion . it be the ability to focus on tiniest detail and create and well and a detailed consistent absurdist universe . hopefully and it will be easy to find future creation of the same author .