The first anime for IFI Bigger Picture, animator Eimhin McNamara has chosen this cult classic, the directorial debut of Masaaki Yuasa, who went on to make Lu Over the Wall and Ride Your Wave. Mind Game centres on Nishi, a lovelorn 20-something, whose deadly encounter with the local mafia sends him on a journey to heaven and back, in a mind-bending psychedelic trip that becomes an exhilarating journey of self-discovery. With its experimental, artistic, and immersive style, the film marked Yuasa as one to watch in the burgeoning Japanese animation industry.

Eimhin McNamara will present Mind Game for IFI Bigger Picture.

IFI Age Rec: 15+

Notes by Alicia McGivern