Tokyo Godfathers – An Anime Feature Film for the Books
Released in 2003, Tokyo Godfathers is a holiday classic. You don’t have to be into anime to fall in love with this tale. It is one film that will surely draw you in.
Why am I talking about it today?
You’ll see it in select theaters near you in March. It will only be available for a short time.
So if you are into the anime genre, you will want to go check it out.
What You Need to know about the Tokyo Godfathers
The story revolves around three homeless people. An alcoholic who says he is a former bicycle racer who lost his home while gambling, someone who he feels as if they have never belonged throughout their life and a young girl who ran away from home. The three of them live in a makeshift house of cardboard and tin on the streets of Tokyo, pillaging garbage and trash cans for leftovers.
It is a life that they have cobbled together over time.
On Christmas Eve, they find a baby dumped in the garbage. And while all the three believe there is no hope for them, they have tremendous confidence for the baby. Seeing that they have a purpose now makes each of them find the resilience that they did not know they had.
The movie is a comic adventure in the animated streets of Tokyo.
Satoshi Kon, who directed and co-wrote the movie, and whose previous projects include Paprika and Perfect Blue has maintained the artistic style that is evident in almost all of Satoshi’s projects. The likeness is far from realism but just as much invoking, which makes it perfect for this particular narrative. It is sad but also exciting where you root for the unlikeliest of characters.
Tokyo Godfathers is a heartwarming story, with melodramatic dialogues, action, and coincidences that are a hallmark of an iconic tale. Experts note that Tokyo Godfathers is a film for the ages. The harrowing themes, however, may not make for a chirpy evening while watching this film.
Why did it come out in the springtime instead of the year-end holidays like Christmas? Who knows. Is it a compelling film? Yes.
Origins
The title of the movie is a reference to the 1948 Hollywood movie, 3 Godfathers starring John Wayne and with the same theme.
Ratings
Is it a good film?
The film received 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and 7.8 on IMDB. It looks like the film did just fine from a ratings standpoint.