Tokyo Godfathers (Animated) (Subtitled)

Advantages: Another original anime from Satoshi Kon, stunning animation, three excellent and improbable lead characters, subtle and well-judged humour, light-hearted fun
Disadvantages: Not to everyones tastes, not the director's best work, slight issues with the story, no English-dub as of yet

...does Satoshi Kon’s third film, Tokyo Godfathers, compare? Released in its native Japan in 2003, Tokyo Godfathers is just about the most unusual Christmas film you are ever likely to come across. It is an animation that mixes some of the more familiar themes and ideas that we have come to associate with the festive season (snowfall, newborn babies, jolly music and so on) with three very uncommon central characters. Tokyo Godfathers (TG) follows the ...
...the film than this – Tokyo Godfathers examines the lifestyle and stereotypical views of the homeless, as well as exposing the troubled pasts that each member of the trio had experienced with their own respective families. Perhaps slightly more traditional (and certainly a bit more light-hearted) than Satoshi Kon’s other feature-films, Tokyo Godfathers is no less engaging a tale thanks predominantly to the kick it is given by its three leading protagonists ... Read review

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Tokyo godfathers is not just your typical Christmas movie. Far from being a happy movie full of love a festive frolics, Satoshi Kon uses a well-known plot combined with gritty realism to create this animated masterpiece. The movie starts when the three main characters Hana, a transvestite with dreams of having a child, Gin, a grumpy old curmudgeon with an alcohol problem, and Miyuke, a sullen teenage runaway are rummaging on a tip on Christmas day. ...
...the sound of crying coming from nearby. Sweeping aside papers and other litter, they come face to face with a new-born baby. Ever prosaic, Gin and Miyuke are all for taking the baby straight to the police, but Hana's maternal instinct kicks in, and he persuades the others to keep the baby until they can find out the reason for it being abandoned and reunite the baby with it's mother. They name the baby Kiyoko, '' from Kiyo, meaning pure, on this ... Read review

Advantages: Stunning animation, well-drawn characters (excuse the pun) and storyline
Disadvantages: Lack of English-Dub may put of casual viewers

...heroes into a quest around Tokyo with just a locker key, some photos and a business card as clues for tracking down Kiyoko's parents. The three 'heroes' are beautifully realised with very individual designs and facial expressions, Tokyo is pristine under its layer of Christmas snow that reflects the neon of the buildings and helps to build up such a lush and layered landscape that at times you actually forget you are watching a animated film. This ...
...to bring the film to life. There's a lot of nice visual touches within the film, the opening credits are integrated into the landscape (on the sides of trucks, or shop fronts), the gentle falls of now to remind the viewer that this is Christmas. There's also a section with Spanish-speaking characters; instead of subtitling the Spanish lines they are left un-subtitled to help you empathise with one of our 'heroes' who doesn't speak Spanish. The film ... Read review

Advantages: Stunning visuals, brilliant plot, genuinely moving
Disadvantages: Will go largely unnoticed. The injustice

Animés rarely make it out of their humble homeland, and when one does, you know it's going to be something special. Three homeless people, a drunkard, a girl and a transvestite, are living thier usual lives on a solumn Christmas Eve. Then they find an abandoned baby, and then embark upon an adventure to return this 'gift from God' to its rightful parents. Tired to the current trend in marketing. The credulous market fuelled by action packed violence ...
...no further, as here is the respite for the jaded film fanatic. The best thing about this film is the plot. As the unsung heroes are on their travels, hidden truths emerge about thier pasts. This deep and dark story unfolds coherently and always holds the viewers interest from start to finish. The story is original and vividly portrayed through a stunning use of visuals. Not many will contemplate seeing this film, but please I urge you, do watch ... Read review