Tokyo Godfathers

At first glance, I wasn't sure if I would like this movie. The "miracles DO happen on Christmas" cliché is very boring and I typically don't enjoy movies that employ it, but this is a very different kind of Christmas movie.

We are given three homeless characters with complex personalities and backgrounds, who are as endearing as they are repellent. They take up the task of caring for a baby they found in the trash, and trying to bring it back to its mother. We learn the secrets that made these people homeless, we learn about the workings of human shame and desperation, and we learn that "miracles DO happen on Christmas." But in the least cheesy way possible!

The plot is very slow-moving, but still, it is interesting and very carefully laid out. This would be a very compelling live-action movie, but the use of animation adds so much visual interest, particularly the expressive (and sometimes hideous!!) face of Hana, the gangly transvestite. The choice of music is unique and very fitting: the song played during a walking-around-the-city montage is reminiscent of Clockwork Orange.

Interesting and careful story, complex and realistic story, tremendous visual appeal and excellent music. I guess this movie pretty much has it all!

I was able to see "Tôkyô Godfathers" at its premiere in New York. Sadly, the film was not added to the IMDb until months later, so I've had to sit on my comments for some time.

I'm a big fan of director Satoshi Kon. Both of his previous films feature stories and issues not normally seen in animated films. "Godfathers" continues this happy trend and goes even further by covering subjects not normally associated with Japan, period. Homelessness, immigrants, and homosexuality all play key elements in this tale.

Perhaps the biggest difference here is the comedy, something Kon's previous films did not approach. "Perfect Blue" was a dark thriller and "Sennen Joyû" was more of a tearjerker. "Godfathers" is played for laughs, which for me weakened the movie a little bit. Some of the more outrageous moments made the other theatergoers crack up, but I felt it was a little too silly at times.

While I would describe "Tôkyô Godfathers" as the weakest of Kon's three films to date, that's hardly a knock since his first two are among my favorites. "Godfathers" was just missing something, but I still openly recommend it to anyone, regardless of your disposition towards anime.

I honestly did not know what to expecting going into a viewing Tokyo Godfathers at the 2003 San Diego Asian Film Festival. It is the third film from Satoshi Kon, whose Perfect Blue was a creepy film that I liked and I am still awaiting to view Millennium Actress. Right from the start, Tokyo Godfathers was among the funniest animated features I had ever seen.

The film quickly draw comparisons to Three Men and a Baby as well as the idea of the three wise men. Three homeless folk with different, and perhaps strange, personalities find an abandoned baby on Christmas and make it their mission to find its parents. And right from the start, the three end up on these crazy adventures that is nothing short of funny.

Kon and fellow screen writer Keiko Nobumoto create a very witty film that at least provides endless laughter, even in moments that would normally be intense. At the same time, the provide a touching story of three people with nothing but the clothing on their bodies going out of their way to find the child's home.

If you get the chance, Tokyo Godfathers makes for the perfect holiday feature for everyone to watch. It is highly recommended and I hope the Academy takes serious consideration when viewing this film as it is among the eleven eligible for being nominated for next year's Best Animated Feature category.

Satoshi Kon's atypical holiday tale deals with our three main vagabonds and a choice deeply affecting them. Despite what level in life you find yourself, humans share similar basic emotions or feelings. For Gin, Hana, and the less than cheery Miyuki, an unexpected find makes them confront their past whether they like it or not. Memories flow bringing times of happiness, regret, pain, and questions of what could've been. There's a great character richness in this darker, grimier side of Tokyo, but Kon also manages to put in lots of random, humorous events especially by cameos from minor citizens. Plus, how could you not laugh with Hana's feminine wiles and that manly voice! There's a strong sense of karma here with "what goes around comes around". Doing nice things and you most likely will be rewarded. However, turn your back or refusing to help someone in need may come back to haunt you when you are stuck with no one to turn to. Hey, maybe it's never too late to learn a lesson, no matter how much it hurts.

Satoshi Kon's not presenting an Aesop's fable here, but like in life, sometimes doing a good deed is the best reward in itself.

This is a Christmas story told from a different perspective, that is strangely familiar. The story revolves around 3 homeless people (a middle aged man name Gin, a homosexual cross-dresser name Hana, and a teenage girl named Miyuki) who discover a newborn baby in the garbage. The events follow the three as they decided what to do with the baby, trying to find the parents, dealing with their own pasts,etc (Christmas seems to be an introspective time - along with all holidays). After the first 30 minutes of the movie, everything becomes strangely predictable yet still moving and meaningful. The movie is laced with "coincidences" and tons of Christmas references. It touches on numerous subjects including family, guilt, redemption,etc. Satoshi Kon delivers another beautiful looking movie with a humanistic storyline. And in true Satoshi Kon fashion adds a touch of the bizarre to shake up the traditional story. This movie will be added to my Christmas holiday viewing list, which gets me into the XMAS spirit.

-Celluloid Rehab