Josee, the Tiger and the Fish

Warm hearted, perfectly executed movie. To be honest really the plot isn't complicated, supernatural or science fictional. Just a simple romance story of a boy and a handicapped girl. Yet it's superbly executed! And the animation is like icing on the cake,the soundtrack is also great,i was hesitating at first that it might be another heart breaking, emotional movie but to my surprise the ending was really great and every minute is worth it. With no offense and no comparison to other anime films it's an amazing movie in itself.

Plot

Tsuneo is a university student and Josee is a young girl who has rarely gone out of the house by herself due to her being unable to walk. The two meet when Tsuneo finds Josee's grandmother taking her out for a evening walk.

Cast

Not seen anything else by the creators.

Verdict

I'm that guy who wants to like anime, who really wants to be an anime fan but seems to consistently struggle whether it be movie or television show. You see I don't like the cutesy stuff, I don't like the Naruto/Dragonball over the top stuff and that seems to make up far too high a percentage. When it's come to shows I've enjoyed the likes of Death Note, Attack on Titan, Sword Art Online etc and most of the Studio Ghibli stuff however many comparable movies haven't won me over to the same extent.

After Your Name (2016) I went in assuming the worst and something in the same vein. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed Your Name but didn't get the critical acclaim.

Josee, the Tiger and the Fish is a quaint, sweet, thought provoking poignant tale that I very much appreciated however the execution I found lacking. How? I'm not entirely sure. It should have been an emotional tour de force, yet I found myself oddly unimpacted. The writing wasn't to the standard I expected and Josee's resentment and attitude I respect but thought it waned too slowly and for this reason I didn't empathize as much as I expected nor wanted.

I respect the film and what they were trying to do but for me it just missed the mark.

Rants

It does pain me that I don't like anime as much as I'd like. I've watched plenty of films, countless shows and my enjoyment tends to lack. Don't get me wrong Ghibli stuff is great but beyond that I struggle especially with shows. I've been recommended countless from Hitman Reborn! To Magical Girl Site and Highschool of the Dead! If you have any recommendations by all means contact me via the details on my profile.

Breakdown

Deep meaningful stuff Great premise Character likability suffers Something is simply missing.

There are a lot of coincidences in the screenplay, and one character is absolutely terribly written. But with a stead hand behind the direction, believable and well written characters and gorgeous art to top it all off, this film is a treat that is very much deserving of your time.

There are some scenes through the credits and a post credit scene. You won't be disappointed.

BEAUTIFUL film.

This movie can be incredibly cliche and sappy while also using a lot of the tropes expected from romance stories.

However, I still came out completely in love with it. There is a sense of heart and soul in every scene, every music score and every performance from both Japanese and the English dubbed. It's just a wonderfully made film that is just beautiful to look at with its amazing animation and character.

While romance is a core element of the film, there is also a wonderful message about allowing yourself to be able to pursue what you want without being shackled by your own situation.

It's a sweet and heart-warming film that you will no doubt enjoy.