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Mind Game

Synopsis:

Nishi has been in love with Myon since he was 9 years old. They both had feelings for each other, but due to Nishi's cowardice their relationship never became more than friendship. Now, in the present, Nishi is 20 years old and aims to be a great manga artist; but he still loves Myon. After years of being apart they meet again, but she tells him that she's thinking of marrying her boyfriend. Nishi is still a coward so he accepts it and wishes her luck. While they're talking at her older sister's restaurant a pair of yakuza walk in looking for their father. One of the yakuza starts harassing Myon and out of anger Nishi chooses to finally take a stand -- but he is shot and dies. Now, in limbo, he chooses to live again; but will he really live any differently than before?

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Cat Soup

Cat Soup
  • OVA (1 ep x 33 min)
  • 2001

Cat Soup is an extremely abstract, abnormal, and at times, disturbing adventure, from the director of Nadesico. This 30 minute OVA follows two kittens through what seems to be the underworld, as they search for one of their lost souls. Along the way, they encounter new (edible) friends, scary situations, and even the end of the world! Will these felines manage to return unscathed? Or more importantly, avoid becoming the main course for dinner? Confusion abounds in this quirky OVA.

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7 people think you'd like this because...
vivafruit

Both Mind Game and Cat Soup are must-sees if you enjoy mind-warping experimental animation. The major difference between the two (besides length) is that Mind Game actually has a coherent plot, but both are nonetheless extremely imaginative anime that push the definition of what an "anime" can be.

Mladen

Both Mind Game and Cat Soup have a focus on strange storytelling and very experimental and unusual forms of animation.

AnarchicQ

Both Anime traverse the realm of the Afterlife through bizzar, surrealist imagery. The symbols and situations in both are highly imaginative.

AirCommodore

After a brush with Death, the protagonists from Cat Soup and Mind Game go on a bizarre journey through exotic locale(s). Mind Game seems like a grown-up Cat Soup, and (given the greater abundance in dialouge) it's over-arching plot is easier to grasp. The two are styled similarly, though the story and art of Cat Soup are rather more slow-paced. I was very surprised to learn they weren't from the same studio.

ludithor

Actually if you are looking for a kind of anime the make blow your head this two anime is for you!

Both have the "life" like a principal theme, using a lot of odd scenes without sense... XD

thepgo

Both have a similar feeling, with afterlife- and death- based story shown in very abstract and mind blowing way. They share a similar Art style - crazy, interesting and disturbing. Both are certainly must-see for mindfuck fans

Naga

I somehow find those two similar enough in some aspects, both are worth a shot. Probably because you don t find styles that are taht weird.

FLCL

FLCL

Naota Nanbada is a boring young boy who leads a boring life in a boring town. His older brother has left for America, and the closest he comes to any excitement is when his deadbeat dad has too much sake. But things change one day when a bizarre girl zooms up to him on a scooter and smacks him in the face with her guitar. What's more, once Naoto returns home he discovers that this strange woman has arrived ahead of him and moved in! Not only does she constantly engage in perverted activities with Naota's father and flirt with the young man himself, but she also claims to be an alien who is searching for the ‘Pirate King.' Now, Naota must learn to live with this new intruder, deal with an odd government agent who sports exceptionally large eyebrows and the mysterious Medical Mechanica, and come to terms with the fact that there are a variety of robots and weapons emerging out of his head - amongst other things. Perhaps boring wasn't so bad after all...

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7 people think you'd like this because...
vivafruit

Both Mind Game and FLCL are decidedly bawdy, fragmented and bizarre anime. There is lewd humor thats just absolutely side-splitting, extremely violent action scenes, and moments of oddly heartfelt drama. Also, both shows defy any sort of conventional label whatsoever. The two shows are not romance, or adventure, or slice of life, or comedy, or dementia, or action. They are all of these, and at the same time they are more.

bshegg

Both FLCL and Mind Game have a similar appeal by being unconventional and somewhat absurd. Similarly they are characterized by being rich in imagery and expressing deep and complex themes.

chii

Both are extreamly weird, have a quite unusual/unique animation style, and have lots of randomness at every turn. If you liked one you should like the other. I found Mind Game had a better story than FLCL.

Ran

Both Mind Game and FLCL are confusing in an amazing way. The realistic start is only there to emphasize the twisted turn it soon takes. But the most important similarities, aside from the surrealistic plot and the deformed perspectives, is the dazzling life drive that they convey. If you already like one, you can only love the other.

AirCommodore

Both FLCL and Mind Game deceptively open as a slightly odd, but mostly normal story in a normal world. The plot quickly changes, however, revealing each's bizarre, quirky, and at times side-splittingly hilarious story. Each is able to switch between manic and mundane in an instant, are occasionally confusing, but ultimately, both are completely captivating to watch.

eaper

An obvious rec, but one that's needed. These shows both have a very tantric mode of animation and story telling, leaving the viewer often wondering what just happened.

awpaperwings

These two were made for each other. Both are filled with distorted faces, a bizarre, sometimes hard to follow story and characters that you can't help wonder if they are really from our world. Yet after watching each story, those who "get" it would say that they tell an amazing story about life and our interactions here on earth. If you are interested in something random or abstract both of these are highly recommended.

Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei

Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei

A man is miserable. Despite all his dreams of a “Rose-Colored Campus Life” filled with raven-haired maidens who dote on him, his social life is going nowhere. He has no girlfriend, his only good friend keeps getting him into trouble, and the circle he joined brings him no joy. So he tries again, and again, reliving his first two years of college life ad nauseum, making different decisions each time, having no recollection that he’s already done this all before. Will the man ever be satisfied with how his life turns out?

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6 people think you'd like this because...
eaper

Each of these shows focus around the main character getting a second (or more) chance at life, trying to show them what they could have been. Also, each of the series are extremely weird, with unique story telling and artstyles throughout.

AirCommodore

Mind Game is rather more ridiculous than Tatami Galaxy, and doesn't have as good a message, but they both are about sort of cowardly guys that haven't lived their lives up to their expectations, and get another chance (or thousand) to fix things up until they're satisfied.

Both come complete with Masaaki Yuasa's unique directing, art style, and general whimsy.

valondar

It sucks to be twenty and being unable to consummate a relationship with a girl, doesn't it? And how about getting a second chance after you've screwed up horribly, and maybe a lot of weirdness along the way, a loopy anime from Masaaki Yuasa all round? I can't recommend these two any more strongly for one another - if you liked one, put the other in your must-watch pile.

VivisQueen

Masaaki Yuasa's Mind Game and Tatami Galaxy target the twenty-something male going through a premature mid-life crisis in which life and, above all, love seem to have left him out in the cold. As they struggle to overcome their insecurities, they enjoy wild adventures captured in weirdly wonderful animation. Trust me, if you liked one of these funky, off-beat, and powerfully life-affirming shows, you'll adore the other.

coffeebreath

These two are really great recs for each other. Both from the genius of Maasaki Yuasa the similarities in the themes and characters feel obvious from the start. Two main characters struggling on a journey of self-discovery - I'm sure I'll just make it sound tacky, but they are both wonderfully constructed and the end message is delivered in a satisfying way. If you don't watch one and feel the desire for improvement resound in your own life then something is wrong with you or, on the contrary, unlike our protagonists you're doing everything right :p Both are hard to look away from as they are visually mesmerising and have a good mix of comedy and drama.

david219125

Both Tatami Galaxy and Mind Game are about 20 something year old guys that have squandered their youth through inaction. In both anime the protagonists get a second shot. Tatami Galaxy is easier to follow and has a clear ending. Mind Game is a bit fragmented. Nevertheless I recommend them both.

Kemonozume

Kemonozume

In present-day Japan, Toshihiko Momota is member of a secret warrior faction called the Kifuuken. The Kifuuken is dedicated to destroying Shokujinji - humans that turn into man-eating monsters when hunger takes them. However, to fate's chagrin, Momota meets and quickly falls for Yuka, a Shokujinji herself! Will their love be able to overcome Yuka's insatiable appetite for human flesh, or will the couple be destroyed by the bestial tendencies of humanity?

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5 people think you'd like this because...
Mladen

Both Kemonozume and Mind Game share the same director, a nearly identical visual style, a dynamic experimental approach to animation, and a wild, heart-thumping soundtrack.

vivafruit

Both Mind Game and Kemonozume share Studio 4C's bizarre, non-traditional animation style. Some people (including myself) will applaud the visuals of these two works as visionary and creative, while others will simply think they're ugly and pointless. At any rate, if you enjoyed one anime's animation, you should certainly enjoy the other's.

yuujin

If you watch anime for the art, these two are really alike: they have the same character designs, sketchy and dynamic forms, and great backgrounds. Each can be seen as a piece of art that can be hung on a wall. But personally I think Mind Game is more fun to watch because it's only movie length, not a 13 episode TV series. It also doesn't contain as much dialogue. Although, if you prefer scarier anime with beasts, hunters, passion and tension, you'd prefer the 13 episodes of Kemonozume.

bshegg

Both Kemonozume and Mind Game  reflect Masaaki Yuasa's unique, unconventional style of animation as well as being rich in social imagery with intellectually complex themes.

Omurqi

What makes both Mind Game and Kemonozume to what they are, is the way they are drawn and animated. Both shows are fairly abstract and strange, but don't distort the storyline because of this (like it is the case with some other abstract anime, in which the storyline becomes a blur). Looking for an engaging, interesting story combined with a unique way of drawing, an underlying message and brilliant use of colors and animation, don't miss out on this one!

Kaiba

Kaiba

Welcome to a world in which memories can be transferred from body to body; old painful memories can be removed and replaced with new ones, and the poor sell their bodies to the rich to survive. Waking up one day, Kaiba finds himself in a strange place with no memories of his past and a mysterious hole in his chest; the only clue as to his identity is a locket with a picture of a girl hanging from his neck. Armed with this token, Kaiba must now travel across the galaxy to discover who he is and what the girl in the locket means to him; however, his journey will bring him into contact with many people whose lives have been tragically affected by the manipulation of memories. All too soon it becomes clear that something is very wrong with this world…

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my anime:

not rated
I agree...
3 people think you'd like this because...
barbapapa

Both series are directed by the same person, and therefor have a similar off-beat style that will appeal to non-mainstream viewers.

Dark6momo6marcy

Looking for creativity, originality and surrealism? Look no further! Kaiba and Mind Game are ones of the best examples out there! They also show the importance of life with a complex story and with a lot of depth. If you want something experimental, far from typical animes, watch both theses shows!

Releashi

If you are looking for something visually different they will both fit that bill and if you want plots and concepts (think ponderings on the nature of humanity and life) with meat enough to chew on you are also in luck.

Both have a refreshing ability to be odd and surreal while maintaining a good level of entertainment. Kaiba does it through engaging characters and subplots while Mind Game seems to revel in the joy and absurdity in life.