034 4 Satoshi Kon's third movie is about a homeless bum , transvestite and runaway finding an abandoned baby on Christmas Eve as they attempt to search for the baby's parents ( in order to give them a piece of their mind ) . As the other reviews say , it's a really uplifting story about the spirit of Christmas , forgiveness , and destiny .
Unlike Kon's other two movies ( PERFECT BLUE , MILLENNIUM ACTRESS ) , this one is primarily a comedy and has a lot of funny moments and will get you shedding a tear or two . I didn't think this movie was as strong as his other two , but it's definitely a tearjerker if you watch it during the Holiday Season .
056 4 OK , a few people thought that this movie was wonderful , but didn't like the divine intervention bits in it . Isn't that what Christmas movies are about , though ? You really forget that you're watching an animated movie and the story is as heartfelt and sentamental as it gets . FIVE STARS TEN TIMES OVER ! ! ! !
067 4 El trabajo artistico quita el aliento , la historia es fresca y comica , el factor humano fue trabajado como la vida real .
077 4 For good or bad there are certain things one comes to expect when watching animes especially after watching them for many years . Surely the avid anime enthusiast would like to see more and more serious anime films , but at the same time they'd like an anime feel to their films . . . what's most important though is whether or not the film is intriguing , creative , and powerful . This film fails short of all of those things and instead pretends to be something it isn't .
This didn't have an anime feel . . . which wasn't really a problem for me - I've seen a number of anime movies which were serious , but this movie was - in my opinion - about as horrible as they come .
Trying to show itself off as a feel good anime film about Christmas ( how many damn Christmas-happy movies do we have out there ? ) , this anime follows the same premise as thousands of films before it and fails in the face of them . A Christmas Story and all of those films far surpass both the quality and thematic / story-delivery found within Tokyo Godfathers .
Are we supposed to like it because these themes are found within a Japanese animation ? I doubt anyone could really say that the visuals were great ( they were not , but that's beside the point since visuals aren't all that matters ) , I doubt anyone can even say this film was really all that original ( the only thing semi-original about it is the cast of odd fellow characters like the street bum with the heart of gold who wants nothing more than to have a child of her own . . . except she is a transvestite , really a man ) .
I feel really bad about posting this review considering so many people enjoyed it , but I can only guess that they haven't watched very many Christmas movies in the past or that they have little to no capacity for judging films accurately .
The director however is one of my favorite - I deeply enjoyed Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress is perhaps my favorite anime movie ever made - after watching this movie though I'm kind of disappointed that fans of decided to cling onto this movie and call it a classic when in reality it mimics half a dozen non-animated titles and brings nothing new or intriguing to the table .
Furuya was successful in taking a bland film , creating such a big hype over it by attaching his renowned name to it and putting a child in it and some heart breaking tales already told time and again . The audience bought it up . . . too bad . You don't need to feel ashamed to say it really isn't as special as it tries to present itself as .
Oh well , perhaps you really need to be a hardcore sentimentalist to like this film . Here is the film's ultra-negative review by an informed reviewer . . . I sincerely hope people take my words into consideration not merely rate this as unhelpful because they disagree with it ( then again , that's the style on Amazon these days isn't it ? ) .
001 4 I consider this movie a breakthrough . It is the first I've seen that equals - or passes - good live-action movies for subtle development and interaction of characters .
It took the first 30 - 45 minutes to get going , but that time was used to establish the characters and the setting . Be patient - it's worth the wait . After that , the movie is really about families . I don't mean the Leave it to Beaver kind , with Mom , Dad , and their children by each other . I mean the real families these days , where the ideas of Mom and Dad need to flex and where the children are unrelated to one or both . I mean a real family with real problems , holding together because everyone is struggling to hold it together .
The animation is good and the character animation are very good , but excellence is the norm these days . The plot and story are what make this movie stand out . As an aside , I was interested to hear a few English words adopted into the Japanese idiom , homeless and godfather being the most obvious . I was also interested to see that the Spanish speech wasn't subtitled - English speakers will need to puzzle it through , same as the Japanese listeners did .
This isn't an adult movie , but there's not a lot here for kids . That's fine . Kids have their own movies , and we need ours .
002 4 With such films as Perfect Blue , Millennium Actress and now Tokyo Godfathers , Kon Satoshi has rapidly ascended to the ranks of the masters of animation in Japan , side by side with such dignitaries as Miyazaki Hayao , Takahata Isao , Otomo Katsuhiro and Oshii Mamoru .
Like his other films , Tokyo Godfathers takes place in modern Japan and part of the joy of the film is seeing the wonderland of Tokyo come alive in vivid animated splendor . To achieve this particular look , Kon filmed live scenes of Tokyo , then animated overtop of the backgrounds , to give his characters a completely realistic environment in which to live their fantasy . The overall effect is really amazing .
The characters are three homeless people , each with a hidden background of severe pain that buries their proverbial hearts of gold . They form a strange , nomadic family , with Gin , a decade-long veteran of the Tokyo streets with a sad and mysterious past , Hana , a slightly pathetic aging drag queen who wants to play the role of mother to the odd clan , and Miyuki , a hard , aggressive teenager who isn't quite sure about the decisions that lead her to this life . Add to that Kiyoko , a foundling baby abandoned in a sack of garbage and discovered on Christmas eve , and the family is complete .
As with Millennium Actress , Kon effectively weaves together several stories into an complete picture , each thread joining together briefly as it touches the lives of one of the three characters , then separating as they part . However , in the world of Tokyo Godfathers there are almost no strangers , and each person met along the path contributes something to the Christmas miracle of Kiyoko .
Tokyo Godfathers is very touching and sentimental , as a proper Christmas movie should be . But it is the sentiment and love won through hardships and pain , and the film does not lack for an edge . And then there are miracles , and wonder .
A really excellent movie altogether . It would be a shame if more people didn't get the chance to see it .
003 4 I'll be the first to admit that my preference in anime and movies in general tends to be for the magic , the larger than life adventures , the epic battles and the surreal mind trips through other worlds . But anime isn't all magical girls , mecha , battle action and hentai-and Tokyo Godfathers isn't any of those things . Director and writer Satoshi Kon is a past master of dramatic tension and character development and those who have scene Millennium Actress or Perfect Blue may have more of an idea what to expect from this movie-but I suspect even they won't anticipate how the story twists and turns .
The setting is Tokyo at Christmas time . The characters are three homeless people : Hana , an aging drag queen , Gin , an embittered drunkard , and Miyuki , a smart mouthed teenage runaway . This unlikely family is about to find their lives forever changed by the discovery of a newborn baby abandoned in the trash . Sounds kind of depressing , doesn't it ? The characters don't seem like they'd be likable at first , the animation isn't forgiving-these characters aren't idealized stereotypes . And then the magic begins . Satoshi slowly and subtly unveils his characters through the movie's unexpected twists and turns . What starts as a quest to return a baby , becomes a journey of self-discovery , adventure and redemption for these three remarkable characters . And by the end , you're breathlessly along for the ride . It's a movie that's a reminder of how incredibly good character development can be-and rarely is , even on the live action screen . For a viewer like myself , it was a surprising and touching treat . And belongs in any decent anime collection .
The animation style is gritty and realistic . Don't expect the typical big eyes or wild hair . Nor are there the stylistic chibi-cuteness moments , or wild takes that are so common in anime . It's not cute , and it doesn't try to be . This isn't an anime for the kiddies-there's tough stuff to deal with here . The nudity and sexuality of this story is pretty minimal-a few boob comments and a shot or two of babies breastfeeding . The violence isn't gory or showy-but when it's included it cuts right through the viewer . The real reason this isn't for kids is because it will take a mature audience to understand what's going on . I don't think most youngsters will appreciate the subtlety , or be ready for the types of issues presented . The message at the heart of this movie , however , is universal . It's about all the connections and permutations of family , about the ties that bind us and bring people to care . It's about small miracles .
If you are already an anime fan and you're willing to try something different from the usual fantasy or SF fare , this is a great place to start . If this is your first foray into anime , or you've been put off from the medium before , this is also a great place to start . If you're looking for curvy girls with saucer sized eyes and gumdrop colored hair , bouncy theme songs , cute fuzzy sidekicks and tricked out robot giants , find something else-this isn't the anime you're looking for . If you like this , you might also want to check out Satoshi Kon's other work , especially Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress .
Happy Viewing ! ^ _ ^ Shanshad
004 4 This second feature by Satoshi Kon , like Ice Age , spins off of John Ford's 1948 western Three Godfathers as a Christmas allegory of three grown men trying to deal with an orphaned baby . This time , we have a runaway teenaged girl , an alcoholic ex-athlete and a middle-aged drag queen who form a kind of family in the underworld of Tokyo's homeless . The discovery of a baby in a trash dump takes them all over town for the week between Christmas and New Years ( thus starting on a Christmas holy day and ending on a Shinto / Buddhist holiday ) , with the coincidences and miracles becoming more and more improbable yet ultimately satisfying .
This hasn't been dubbed into English , which is just as well , because the original voices are perfect , from the hysterics of the runaway to the completely unfeminine voice of the drag queen ( if it HAS to be dubbed in future , better that Harvey Fierstein takes the role of Hana ) . And while this movie and the anime series Witch Hunter Robin give intriguing glimpses into post-Bubble homelessness in Japan , and a feature on the subject would have been a welcome extra , I can see why the DVD producers didn't dwell on it . Still , a great movie from a great director .
005 4 Every character has depth , a past , and , in the end , a bright future . You'll step into a world where chaos makes such sense . I saw this on a tired Monday night , and I left with a Friday feeling .
006 4 Tokyo Godfathers is certainly not your run of the mill Anime . The plotline however is straightforward - Tokyo Godfathers is touching story of three homeless people : Gin ( a down on his luck wino ) , Hana ( a past his / her prime homosexual drag queen ) and Miyuki ( a runaway adolescent ) - who come across a cast off baby and seek out the child's parents from clues they uncover . In the process of finding the parents , they inevitably turn around full circle and find themselves . . . and we in turn , ourselves . Appropriate for any Christmastime - it is set in a snow-covered metropolitan Tokyo . The movie is full of coincidence and has a feel of modern-day inner-city fairy tale . The movie is described as a comedy but the serious underpinning of urban angst pervades the scene . Subsequent to finding the toddler in the midst of a heap of rubbish , our three anti-heroes go about their business - while battling their demons - in a classical gumshoe fashion . Despite the many diversions into sub-stories such as gangland rescues and such , it is clear from the outset that the key to understanding the characters is the road home . As can be predicted with most fairy tales - even urban ones - there is a miracle or two . Moreover , as with redemption type stories there will be the inevitable reconciliation of parent to child - and Tokyo Godfathers is no exception . Part of Tokyo Godfather's charm is its ability to make social commentary amidst the comedy of errors - themes such as economic disparity and Foucauldian alienation or othering is all over the movie . Nevertheless , the key to investing in the movie is the complexity that Anime brings with it - a sense of transformation . That the characters where one way when we began and are very different now - just as we were one way when the movie began and effect a metamorphosis in the end . We share the experience of Gin , Hana , and Miyuki because it is cathartic and we can explore this in this imagined space . . . others are not so fortunate .
Miguel Llora
007 4 I loved this movie so much I watched it twice in a row . Although very slow to start ( my husband fell asleep ) it is well worth watching and has an edge-of-your seat climax . The last third of the film is also quite hilarious .
The story centers on three homeless people who have banded together during a cold , snowy , Tokyo Christmas . There is Hana , an aging yet proud transvestite , Gin , a former professional cycler , and Miyuki , a sixteen-year old runaway teen girl . Hana and Gin are Miyuki's adoptive parents . Hana finds an infant girl , seemingly abandoned . Rather than going to the police , Hana convinces the other two to try and locate the baby's mother , so Hana can ask her why she abandoned her child .
The three set out , encountering a Yakuza boss on his way to his son's wedding , a Spanish-speaking hit man , a group of vicious teens , and many ghosts of their past that cannot be chased away , no matter how much running away they do . Everything eventually hits the fan , and the end of this movie is moving beyond compare .
This film has pervasive references to homosexuality , and has some very violent moments that convey the brutality humans are capable of . But this is primarily a sensitive movie that shows the good people are capable of and encourages the viewer to look beyond a person's outer appearance . There is much crying in this film , and a close-up of babies nursing from breasts . Anyone who is looking for anime in the way we have come to understand it will be disappointed . This film is a story that could have used live actors or even been a stage play . There is no magic except a Christmas miracle . I think that is the best kind of magic .
The DVD has a long and comprehensive making-of feature . The director is interviewed by an executive in the Japanese film industry and by the voice actress who plays Miyuki . The voice actors who played Hana and Gin also have a say . The art and music is explored , as well as how the film played to a foreign audience ( U.S . , New York ) and in Japan .
One bone to pick : Hana's facial expressions and mannerisms are so over the top and drag queen cliche . Is this the only way gay men can be portrayed in film , in the East as well as the West ?
008 4 1 . The directing was absolutely fantastic . Never thought that a japanese director would direct in such a marvelously way without showing any meaningless killings and tons of blood like most of the anime do ( or meaningless , slow paced various scenes that most of the japanese-chinese movies have ) . The directing was too much for an anime and together with the state of the art technology the final result of both directing and anime was great .
2 . Really funny , and humorus made me laugh more than a few times and again I laugh very hard with the eastern asian humor . This was clever and right to the point .
3 . Nice dialogues that meant something and told the story correctly .
Overall this anime exceeded by far my expectations and I am looking forward to seeing more movies coming from this director . The last but a bit embarassing thing is that I hate the good christmass movies . I do so because they make me shed some tears ( e.g Scrooged with Bill Marey etc ) . Imagine how embarassing is to shed tears with an anime . I am not even a girl damn it ! ! !
Bravo ! !
009 4 The third film from Satoshi Kon ( Millenium Actress , Perfect Blue ) rachets the state-of-the-art of anime film-making up another notch . This movie is simply amazing . Every nauance and detail of the characters is astounding . Most live-action films do not contain this kind of depth of character and story . And of course , this being a Kon film , just when you think you know what's going on , he twists it on it's ear , and it becomes a very different film from what you were expecting !
Get it ! Get it ! Get it !
010 4 Contains some spoilers .
I just finished watching this movie . I'd been wanting it ever since I read an article in Animerica about it , but I didn't think it was out yet , so when I saw it in a Borders Bookstore today , I snatched it up as fast I could .
And . . . woah , I can barely describe it . Normal anime takes flawless beauties with high squeeky voices and makes them a magical hero . This movie takes a transvestite uncle bag lady , a runaway teenage girl ( who certainly doesn't look like almost every other teen you see in an anime ) , and an old pervy geezer who used to race bikes , and makes them into heros .
One day , in the middle of an argument , the three hear the screams of a baby , and decide to investigate . What follows is a long heartfelt journey as they try to find Kiyoko's ( what they name the little girl ) parents . Throughout the whole movie , you'll find places where you'll be both bawling and laughing hysterically at the same time ( which earns you a few odd looks from family members ) . At other points in the story , you'll be watching in wonder as the four of them ( Hana [ transvestite ] , Gin [ old man ] , Miyuki [ teenager ] , and Kiyoko ) look like they really ARE a family .
Speaking of THAT - - The characters are so true to life it's amazing . They all have their little quirks , their own personalites , their differences . . . It's AMAZING what Satoshi Kon and his fellows can do with a used plotline !
And as the last thing I can think of , for I must hurry and watch it again before my brain explodes-The music is so FITTING for this it's not even funny . You'd think the music would be depressing , but the sounds of something like hip-hop and dance music seems to fit the movie even better .
. . . Woah .
011 4 I've watched plenty of anime over the years . I'd consider this one to be among one of the more cool ones I've seen . I'd recommend buying this for a rainy day . I bought it used for about $11 - $12 . It's worth every penny .
012 4 I happened across this DVD in the bargain bin of a major video rental place . For $5 I thought , what the heck . I don't watch much Anime BUT I love foreign films and am up to trying new things .
All I can say is WOW ! What a funny , thrilling , touching story of love and the power love has to work miracles .
I know that sounds hokey , but I think you'll agree when you watch how the films story falls neatly into place , almost like guidence from a divine hand .
The trio of heros , three homeless folks who stumble across an abandoned baby , are priceless and entertaining . You'll definately be rooting for the three and hope for a happy ending for them as well as the baby .
This movie is rated PG 13 but as a mom I think that some older children , with parental guidence , will learn a lot from the films story lines . That life is precious and we sometimes don't respect our own lives enough to realize that we deserve better . Besides minor violent scenes , the drag queen character , and one breastfeeding scene it's definately nothing compared to the violence / sexuality in US films . But use you're own discretion with your kids .
This animation speaks for itself-a visual feast .
5 stars !
013 4 Japanese animation director Satoshi Kon has done it again - making a film for adult sensibilities without resorting to excessive violence , profanity or pornography . And like his previous films , Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress , Tokyo Godfathers is hard to place on a shelf . Is it anime ? It doesn't subscribe to the formulas that Americans have ascribed to anime : no robots , spaceships or superheroes . Is it drama ? Though the story has elements of drama , it's also remarkably comic and filled with moments of fantasy . Is it adventure ? Well , yes , but how many mainstream adventure films feature a teenage runaway , a deadbeat father and a homeless transsexual as protagonists ?
Tokyo Godfathers is a real joy - another hit for Kon , who continues to reward viewers and befuddle the folks who try to shelve films according to genre .
014 4 This is 1 of the greatest movies in the world ! i really loved this movie it made me want to watch every movie directed by Satoshi Kon . some of this anime is hillarious ! You may think that some homeless guy pretending to be a woman is really stupid but guess what its not ! i wonder if there will be a tokyo godfathers 2 ? but anyway this is a very good movie if you are just getting introduced to anime but if you have seen a lot of this great type of animation . you will be laughing all the way to Tokyo ( no really ! ) this is a great movie for everyone !
015 4 even people who are normally leary of anime are likely to enjoy this one . tokyo godfathers tells a charming tale of three homeless people on the streets of tokyo one christmas season . they stumble across a baby and work tirelessly to return the baby to her mother . what unfurls is not a unique sequence of events , but still it is told such skill and warmth that you're impressed with the quality of filmmaking and story telling . we find out about the drag queen's past and why he's out on the street , why the alcoholic is both miserable and excited at the thought of taking care of the baby , and why the teenage girl jumps between disliking the baby and being so determined to see it returned home .
the story's complexity works well , only because each plot twist adds to the richness of the story . the complications bring depth to the characters and overall mosaic of characters without bogging it down . the pace is appropriate and moves well . the art captures the story's moments with skill and charm . and finally , the character development itself is as impressive as any well written film with real actors .
while it didn't get a large amount of exposure across america , it does have traits that will make it appeal to a broad audience not normally interested in anime . if you're wondering if you should see this one or not and concerned because it's animated , don't worry about it , i think you'll be pleased with what you see .
016 4 Directed by Satoshi Kon ( Perfect Blue and Millenium Actress ) , this animated movie is an unusual journey into the life of Tokyo street people . Three derelicts - a drag queen , a drunk , and a teenage runaway - make a bedraggled , edgy life together on the streets . In the face of thugs who beat the homeless and a brutal Tokyo winter , they have formed a tattered family , protecting and helping each other . One day they stumble across an abandoned baby , and Hana , the drag queen , is determined to keep it . Hana is an outrageous actor , dramatizing every moment , but turns out to have a surprising amount of steel underneath his movable stage . With the reluctant help of Gin and Miyuki , he manages to get food and clothes for the baby , then sets out to find the mother . The journey forces the three friends to draw on all their resources , opening doors into their past lives and exposing the raw wounds that put them on the streets .
I have never seen a Japanese film that portrays this underside of urban life , making me wonder how accepted it was in Japan . The director refuses to pity his characters or make them objects of scorn . The drag queen in particular is full of life , breaking into song and holding onto a kind of noblesse oblige incredibly at odds with his circumstances . Gin is given to drunken self pity , but has an enduring and unjudging loyalty to Hana . Miyuki is a desparate street child , acting with tough bravado while terrified that she has broken from her family forever .
The animation is georgeous and detailed , much more a work of love than the somewhat stilted animation in Perfect Blue . Hana's robes dance across the screen , and even the cardboard and tin shacks of the homeless are lovingly rendered . The final scenes on a windblown Tokyo rooftop are beautiful and eerie . Satoshi Kon's animation work rivals that of Hayao Miyazaki ( Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away ) , and an affection for his characters shows in his drawing . Watch the moment when Hana , homeless and without a dime to his name , breaks into an exuberant chorus of Crimb every mountain , ford every stream . . . The movie's generous spirit is aptly summed up in a raucous , extremely strange Japanese version of Ode to Joy that plays over the credits .
017 4 Since Katsuhiro Otomo's breakthrough anime movie Akira ( for its cell animation and superb tale of Armageddon ) , a string of other good and worth watching movies bring audiences around the world to other anime features like Ninja Scroll ( for its blend of action & horror ) , Ghost in the Shell ( for its sci-fi originality ) , Metropolis ( for its first digital animation & cell animation ) , Spirited Away ( for its childlike fairy tale meant for children around the world ) , Jin-Roh : The Wolf Brigade ( for its political tale of revolution ) & Escaflowne ( for its fantasy , adventure & romance ) .
But on a rare occasion , comes a modern day epic adventure from creative director Satoshi Kon's Tokyo Godfathers .
The title may make you think that his movie must be about gangsters . It isn't at all . It's about 3 homeless people that left their past behind , only a chance that they found an abandon baby takes them on an epic journey of life , pain , laughter , fate & coincidences that makes you believe between the days of Christmas & New Year . . . miracles do happen .
I have yet to watch any of Satoshi Kon's anime feature , but his 3rd movie has won me all over and this is one anime feature you must have , whether you're an anime fan or not , is worth putting this DVD on your shelve as a collection . It may not have an English Dub , but it's not really that bad to read the subtitles while watching the movie . And with Christmas around the corner , try this new classic .
018 4 Before I saw it , I read in one of customers ' reviews that while watching this animation people tend to believe the characters being under impression that this is a live movie with real actors . I watched it today - it is totally true ! I could see realistic emotions of drawn characters , which I never experienced watching animation .
And I loved the story . Don't believe to trailer ; what you saw there is not what you expect to find in the movie . . . the story develops in a very dynamic way with absolutely unexpected result ! That was really entertaining , and thanks to other customers for not disclosing the plot in their reviews ! Intrigued ? Watch it !
By the way , please keep your children out of this DVD , as there are some violence , a few explicit talks , and lots of serious social problems , which you would not be able to explain them . . . .
019 4 Tokyo Godfathers is a great movie for those who know anime and for those who don't . The plot is very simple , but the character development is very creative . The movie begins with an attempt to fool us into thinking that the only common bond between the three is being homeless . But as the movie progresses , the viewer learns why they are together and what they all miss . I would recommend this movie to anyone who wants to see an uplifting adventure in a non-traditional Christmas tale .
020 4 I saw this on some movie channel awhile back and fell in love . Every aspect of this movie is incredible , from characters , design , story , to the voice-overs , it was wonderful . It's definitely not your average giant robo / magic girl / samurai / demon / action / what have you-style anime . Instead it's a touching ( almost believable , as far as anime goes ) and engrossing film about a trio of hobos in search of an abandoned baby's parents on Christmas Eve . But there is so much more than that . Simply put , this is one of the few anime's to really touch my heart . Unless all you are into is Inuyasha style mediocrity , you must see this . A movie has never made me cry , yet this one came real close . I can't say exactly why , but I love this movie more than almost anything else I've ever seen . ( even more than Spirited Away )
021 4 Tokyo Godfathers / B0001EFTVA
* Spoilers *
When a trio of hopeless homeless ' bums ' find an infant child thrown out in the trash on Christmas Eve , they are shocked and eventually angered that anyone would so callously dispose of a child . They decide to take the time , effort , and precious resources to scour the cold and unfeeling city for the mother of the lost infant , so that she can explain how she could throw out her baby . What they don't expect is the journey of pain , discovery , and healing that their journey brings them .
I generally tend to dislike ' journey ' movies , because my heart strings can be tugged way too easily , and I leave the movie feeling drained and exhausted . However , I truly loved every second of Tokyo Godfathers . Beneath all the pain , sorrow , and emotional heartbreak , there is genuine humor and an indomitable human spirit . It is fascinating to see how each of the three homeless have given up all hope in their * own * selves and lives , and yet they can't accept to see their companions give up their own hopes and dreams . This unlikely trio , composed of a young girl , an older man , and a homosexual transsexual , love each other dearly but aren't above heated arguments and disputes .
I would say it is possible that this movie is the most lovingly sensitive movie ever , towards all of its characters . Each character in this movie - and not just the ' main ' ones - are fleshed out as real , three-dimensional characters . The homosexual transsexual ' Hana ' is feisty and a common source of comic relief , but Hana's humanity is never sacrificed in service to humor . Gin could easily be portrayed in an unflattering light , based on his secret past , and yet he is always treated with quiet dignity . And young Miyuki is realistically portrayed as a confused and frightened young teenager , encased in a tough shell for protection from her own fears . The treatment of the homeless is always lovingly gentle - there is no false suggestion that these three are just ' too lazy ' to find work , indeed it is probably more work being homeless than not ! Instead , they are realistically shown as homeless because their spirit is broken and they no longer have any faith in themselves . It is telling that it takes a truly helpless child for them to find the strength to reenter the world that has hurt them and seek to heal their own hurts .
Seriously , after a single viewing , I am ready to label Tokyo Godfathers as one of the best movies ever - the combination of sensitivity , humor , spirit , and real character development is a work of art and a thing of beauty . Never sappy , Tokyo Godfathers pulls no punches and doesn't over-dramatize to force our heart-strings - it just tells the tale of a dysfunctional family setting out to right a wrong they can't bear to accept .
022 4 This review is from :
Tokyo Godfathers ( DVD )
One of my favorite things about most of the anime out there is its ability to have heart , be funny and yet show a point of view from an angle not expected by most Americans . Tokyo Godfathers not only does that , but it has actually 4 or 5 distinct viewpoints running throughout it , depending on what character you are focusing on . The character sare all completely selfish , yet care about this baby in their own way . Awesome animation too . A definite must-own .
023 4 One of my favorite things about most of the anime out there is its ability to have heart , be funny and yet show a point of view from an angle not expected by most Americans . Tokyo Godfathers not only does that , but it has actually 4 or 5 distinct viewpoints running throughout it , depending on what character you are focusing on . The character sare all completely selfish , yet care about this baby in their own way . Awesome animation too . A definite must-own .
024 4 The phrase in the title came from one of the three homeless characters when they found a baby in the trash , but it also applies to anime fans and this film . There are not many cases in this genre in which you can watch a story that has the effect this one has on the feelings of the viewer . I do not pretend to be an expert on anime , far from it , but the only anime production that had a similar effect on me was
Grave of the Fireflies
. Just the mere fact that Tokyo Godfathers can be put in the same echelon as that masterpiece should be telling .
When an unlikely trio of homeless people finds a very special Christmas present , their world is shook in ways in they do not think possible . Thus , a bitter old man , an ex-drag queen and a teenager with a grudge towards her family embark in a quest to find the parents of the beautiful baby girl they found in the trash . The story starts out slow , but it gradually draws you into it , until you are hopelessly hooked . Little by little we come to understand the facts that led the three characters to their current situation and we are mesmerized by their search , which leads them to interact with an array of characters that range from desperate to happy to be alive .
I particularly enjoyed the graphics of this movie , but you need to understand that these differ from the common benchmark for the genre . In the film we get drawings with a good amount of detail in the main characters and in the background when it is close-up . But the general background and people that are not as relevant to the story are drawn with a lot less details . I interpreted this as a way to highlight what is important , but different people will have different interpretations for its purpose . Another aspect that surprised me is how good the tone of the voice of the different characters blended with the mood . I have seen many anime films in which the voices of the characters are a monotonous high-strung dialogue , and this one is not like that at all .
This is a movie that portrays the worst and best in human nature , and many layers in between . Therefore , there are portions that are heart-wrenching and others that are uplifting . It definitely has all the components of a great dramatic story . There is even humor sprinkled throughout the story , helping alleviate the mood at times , but not detracting from the seriousness of the plot . Simply put , this is a masterpiece that you cannot miss .
026 4 This review is from :
Tokyo Godfathers ( DVD )
Three homless people in Japan find a baby in the trash on Christmas Eve . Humorous as well as tragic and miraculous events take place during their desperate attempt to find the mother and the reason for the baby's apparent abandonment . The human emotions that emerge in the difficult conditions and frustrations that afflict these 3 and those they come in contact with , is timeless reality . Most of us never experience or see these conditions or situations and their presentation in this film truly makes one think as well as laugh . The animation is superior ; the story line presentation is priceless . The film is in Japanese with English subtitles and is acted subperbly . A must see . * * Due to certain situations in the film , I don't recommend it for young children . * *
027 4 Three homless people in Japan find a baby in the trash on Christmas Eve . Humorous as well as tragic and miraculous events take place during their desperate attempt to find the mother and the reason for the baby's apparent abandonment . The human emotions that emerge in the difficult conditions and frustrations that afflict these 3 and those they come in contact with , is timeless reality . Most of us never experience or see these conditions or situations and their presentation in this film truly makes one think as well as laugh . The animation is superior ; the story line presentation is priceless . The film is in Japanese with English subtitles and is acted subperbly . A must see . * * Due to certain situations in the film , I don't recommend it for young children . * *
028 4 Having suffered through the painfully pretentious and shallow , pseudo-Lynchian mess of Perfect Blue , I was understandably skeptical about watching another film by Satoshi Kon ( I have not yet seen Millennium Actress , but am now quite intrigued to do so ) . Tokyo Godfathers ( a title which at first struck me as belonging most probably to a pseudo-psychological mafia thriller ) was not only a pleasant surprise ; it was the best anime feature I've seen in many years , probably since Ghost in the Shell , excluding anything by Hayao Miyazaki . Like the classic Grave of the Fireflies , Tokyo Godfathers struck me as unusual in the fact that it draws much from European cinema - English , Irish , German or Italian - while most commercial anime features try to mimic American filmmaking . But while Grave of the Fireflies was painfully sad and bleak , Tokyo Godfathers is irresistibly charming , and manages to be funny and incredibly touching at once like few anime films - few animated films , at that - ever achieve .
Tokyo Godfathers is remarkably non-violent , as pacifistic perhaps as Miyazaki's films . You won't find any grand futuristic structures or fantastical creatures here ; in fact , the animation may seem crude at first . But the characters are where the film really hits its mark . Kon triumphs , like in his excellent series Paranoia Agent , by not succumbing to the accepted prototypes and standards of how characters should look in an anime film ; the lead characters in the film are all gorgeously ugly , in a way that even Miyazaki had not yet dared to do . Even the child character , Miyuki , is chubby , and not cute and beautiful in the way little girls ' should ' be , by the unwritten laws of anime . Thus , Kon's characters are believable and true to life ; they are three anti-heroes , outcasts from society , each running away from their pasts . Especially charming is Hana ( AKA ' Uncle Bag ' ) , the golden-hearted transvestite , who supplies much of the film's comic relief but also some of its most touching moments .
Tokyo Godfathers - despite some far-fetched but amusing plot twists and coincidences - is at its core a very simple story , a beautiful little story about family , love and friendship . Few anime films are so unpretending ; and thus , few anime films manage to be so strong . Watch Tokyo Godfathers ; you'll laugh , you'll cry . And believe you me , ten minutes into it you'll forget it was ever animated .
029 4 This review is from :
Tokyo Godfathers ( DVD )
Three homeless people find a baby in the trash . Now they have to decide what to do with her - keep her , give her over to the cops or try to find her mother . As the three try to decide what they need to do the three people end up exploring love , life and the meaning of it all . It is very touching , with lots of humor and heart in each moment . The artwork is lovely , the director Satoshi Kon's work is clearly seen within each frame and the movie is something you can't miss .
At 92 minutes this small film has a huge punch and the DVD has a great behind-the-scene featurette to boot . Along with Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress this should be in the library of any anime fan's library .
030 4 Three homeless people find a baby in the trash . Now they have to decide what to do with her - keep her , give her over to the cops or try to find her mother . As the three try to decide what they need to do the three people end up exploring love , life and the meaning of it all . It is very touching , with lots of humor and heart in each moment . The artwork is lovely , the director Satoshi Kon's work is clearly seen within each frame and the movie is something you can't miss .
At 92 minutes this small film has a huge punch and the DVD has a great behind-the-scene featurette to boot . Along with Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress this should be in the library of any anime fan's library .
031 4 At first glance at the cover the style of animation put me off a little , but please don't let that stop you !
This is a wonderful movie . The characters are stunningly well crafted and real and the story is fascinating and fun . Funny , sad , wise , madcap , by turns this movie makes you smile and get weepy , it thrills , worries and surprises you . Seriously ! I totally love the story and the ending is brilliant .
Give this movie a try , you will totally not regret it !
Synopsis : Three homeless people in Tokyo - Hana ( a wonderful transvestite ) Gin ( a protective soul ) and 16 year old Miyuki find a baby in the trash on Christmas Eve . Gin and Miyuki are prosaic and want to take her to the police but sentimnental Hana ( abandoned himself as a child ) wants to find her family . Along the way little Kiyoko seems surrounded by coincidences and almost miracles as her new friends find her home !
032 4 Here's another film , like Isao Takahata's Grave of the Fireflies , that proves that animation can cover important topics and stories that could seemingly only be done justic through live-action .
Tokyo Godfathers is the story of three homeless people ( Hana , Gin , and Miyuki ) who discover a baby in a dumpster the day before Christmas . The rest of the film is spent trying to discover the parents of the baby . Along the way , through a complicated series of events , they each learn about one another and themselves . Each character is given his ( or her ) chance to develop and tell their story , and each is given a chance to redeem themselves .
The animation is beautiful , perfectly capturing the loneliness of the homeless during the holidays . The dialogue between the three main characters seems natural , and the Japanese voice actors are excellent .
Perhaps the mixture of comedy and drama is a bit uneven , perhaps the story and characters can be a bit - bizarre and improbable , but in the end , it doesn't really matter . Heart-warming and poignant , a wonderful film . Highly recommended .
033 4 Three homeless people are celebrating Christmas Eve together . Gin is a former bicycle racer who left his family after amounting incredible gambling debts ; Hana is a drag queen who left the safety of her surrogate family after a violent incident at a bar ; Miyuki is a young girl who ran away from home after a fight with her father . While rummaging through a garbage heap , they hear a baby crying and find an infant girl hidden among the trash . Determined not to let the child have unhappy memories of Christmas , Hana convinces the others that they need to find the child's family . Along their journey , each is forced to confront his or her own past and what forced them to turn away from their families .
Filled with beautifully animated scenery , great stories about friendship and family , and just a hint of the magical , director Satoshi Kon has crafted a marvelous anime film that goes beyond the futuristic action that I've usually associated with anime . The characters are very human , very believable . It shows you just what animation can do as a storytelling medium .
035 4 this movie was everything i wanted it to be and more . it made me laugh but at the same time weep . that is the beauty of this movie , it touches people on so many levels . i first heard about this movie from a magazine . Upon seeing the movie stills i was instantly drawn to it . i knew that i had to see it . i thank god that i was able to see Tokyo Godfathers at such a pivotal moment in my life .
036 4 This film made me curious of what Satoshi Kon's other works are like .
What I liked about this movie is the diversity of the characters and the series of events that allowed them to face their pasts and patch things up . The haikus are good too . It is unusual to see homeless people as protagonists in this anime , but I think Satoshi Kon made the right choice .
I may not be an avid anime watcher , nor am I in the capacity to review this film in a seemingly professional matter . But in my opinion , I think that the only way to actually enjoy this film is to sit back and watch it as it is and not to look for its technical and non-technical failings .
To all animation ( and non-animation ) lovers out there , Tokyo Godfathers is really worth your time . It's the GREATEST anime I've ever watched so far .
037 4 With a name like Tokyo Godfathers I didn't know what to expect from this movie ( for all I knew this was an adaptation of the american movie The Godfather hehehe ) . But I decided to give it a chance and see why this movie had gotten 3 stars ( when it was out in the movie theaters ) . By the end , I felt like I had to watch it again , it was great . The visuals were fine , the story was intriguing , and overall I highly enjoyed it . The mix of comedy , seriousness , and touching emotions were put at just the right moments in the story that it just blended so well and helped to draw you into what was going on .
You won't find the big-eyed , super power , or robo tech type of animation here , which is popular with anime . This movie is done in a more realistic style . Nevertheless the drawings are done quite well .
All in all I think you'll find a winner with this movie .
038 4 This review is from :
Tokyo Godfathers ( DVD )
John Ford made this movie twice ( as Three Godfathers ) , once with Harry Carey in the silent days again with John Wayne in 1948 . It's also been done at least three other times as well . I love the Wayne version but this one is the best of the bunch . Funny , warm and ultimately gentle as three homeless people undertake a life changing mission involving a abandoned baby . The change from three bad men to three homeless people is an inspired one and gives the story characters room to breath . Well worth your time .
039 4 John Ford made this movie twice ( as Three Godfathers ) , once with Harry Carey in the silent days again with John Wayne in 1948 . It's also been done at least three other times as well . I love the Wayne version but this one is the best of the bunch . Funny , warm and ultimately gentle as three homeless people undertake a life changing mission involving a abandoned baby . The change from three bad men to three homeless people is an inspired one and gives the story characters room to breath . Well worth your time .
040 4 This is the kind of animated feature that puts the vast majority of live-action - - and especially big-budget - - movies to shame . There is little in this glowing , passionate story about three of Tokyo's homeless finding a baby on a trash heap one New Year's Eve that couldn't be done on film . But God is in the details , and as animation it pushes the boundaries of kitchen-sink reality outwards to make the film's themes that much bolder , broader , funnier and meaningful . Beautifully-drawn characters , deeply-felt themes of love and truth , superb performances ( even with the subtitles ) , and melt-in-your-mouth animation show why Kon is considered to be a master of the craft .
041 4 This review is from :
Tokyo Godfathers ( DVD )
The only thing that bothers me about this film is that it is sub-titled in English instead of dubbed in English . Anime purists will tell you that subtitles are the only proper way to view anime , but I dislike hobbies with have to rules and I prefer well-performed dubbing ( which is not so unusual these days ) . This film , either version , is a charming story about three homeless men who discover an abandoned child at Christmas time . Sound like Three Men and a Baby to you ? Yeah , me too . But don't let that stop you from enjoying the unique take on the storyline and the beautifully presented artwork . It's a film for teens or older but is totally appropriate with a tender meaning . Characters are well-drawn and well-drawn ( if you know what I mean ) . A keeper in your anime collection . More so , if you're a fan of Satoshi Kon's work .
042 4 The only thing that bothers me about this film is that it is sub-titled in English instead of dubbed in English . Anime purists will tell you that subtitles are the only proper way to view anime , but I dislike hobbies with have to rules and I prefer well-performed dubbing ( which is not so unusual these days ) . This film , either version , is a charming story about three homeless men who discover an abandoned child at Christmas time . Sound like Three Men and a Baby to you ? Yeah , me too . But don't let that stop you from enjoying the unique take on the storyline and the beautifully presented artwork . It's a film for teens or older but is totally appropriate with a tender meaning . Characters are well-drawn and well-drawn ( if you know what I mean ) . A keeper in your anime collection . More so , if you're a fan of Satoshi Kon's work .
043 4 I'm so glad to see so many others really enjoyed this movie as much as i did . This movie was not an action movie or wowed you with over the top anything , it simply captivates with the story and characters and makes you love it , i sure did . This is easily one of my favorite animes . If your thinking of getting this , dont think , just get it .
044 4 I don't know why - it's probably the title - but I've always had the impression that Tokyo Godfathers was an animated Japanese gangster film . I should have known better than expect something so prosaic and predictable from a director like Satoshi Kon ( Perfect Blue , Millennium Actress ) . There are yakuza gangsters involved here , but only as one of the background elements that the director makes use of in this entertaining Christmas tale journey through the backstreets of Tokyo , when three down-and-outs find an abandoned baby in an alley on Christmas Eve and set off in search of its mother .
Even that old story , played out and parodied in many comedy movies , is given a rather different spin by Satoshi Kon - one of the very best directors working in Japanese animated features - starting off with the main characters . A bum , a homo , a runaway and a foundling is how homeless alcoholic Gin describes their odd little family unit , and there's a lot of fun to be found in such a gathering , as well as a little bit of self-reflection and sentimentality . And sure why not ? It's a Christmas setting and inevitably , confronted with a baby left out on the streets , it's going to remind them of their own families and going to think about their own position , the chances they have lost and the lives that none of them will ever have again .
What's wonderful about Tokyo Godfathers however - and why it's an animated film rather than a regular live-action comedy-drama - is the fine detail that can be added to the characterisation and the exaggeration that can be indulged without it seeming unnaturalistic and out of place . Here , movements can be paced and coordinated , expressions perfectly thought through for what they reveal about the characters , and they are animated as ever with supreme precision . Satoshi Kon does perhaps manoeuvre events a little too smoothly and schematically here in this particular film , but it flows wonderfully and is full of wit and entertainment .
045 4 The serious side of anime never ceases to amaze . From the director of Perfect Blue comes a Christmas story which is full of personal introspection , twists and turns . The character development is excellent . Gin's tragic trail of alcholism , the young girls adolescent frustration with her home life that has driven her to the streets , and the dreams and the hopes of a transvestite who wants from the world what her body cannot give . These persons come to peace with this personal strife by trying to find the parents of a baby they found while rummaging in the trash .
It's a triumph .
046 4 This review is from :
Tokyo Godfathers ( DVD )
Great movie with exceptional animation . There is no English dub , but subtitles are available .
048 4 This review is from :
Tokyo Godfathers ( DVD )
This is a brilliant take on ' Three Godfathers . ' It is twisted and touching and a great introduction to Japanese animated film .
049 4 This is a brilliant take on ' Three Godfathers . ' It is twisted and touching and a great introduction to Japanese animated film .
050 4 This review is from :
Tokyo Godfathers ( DVD )
If you love Japanese anime , you'll love this movie . It's funny , sad , and very entertaining !
051 4 If you love Japanese anime , you'll love this movie . It's funny , sad , and very entertaining !
052 4 This review is from :
Tokyo Godfathers ( DVD )
As a student of Japanese culture , I found this movie to be a great intro to Japanese culture for Americans that have never been to Japan . The three bums are characters that all of us can relate to , even if their are a bit extreme . This movie has adventure , comedy and a hint of romance . There is enough to keep your attention . Definately worth the money . Five stars and two thumbs up ! ! !
053 4 As a student of Japanese culture , I found this movie to be a great intro to Japanese culture for Americans that have never been to Japan . The three bums are characters that all of us can relate to , even if their are a bit extreme . This movie has adventure , comedy and a hint of romance . There is enough to keep your attention . Definately worth the money . Five stars and two thumbs up ! ! !
054 4 Tokyo Godfathers is a comical and touching story about three homeless friends and their quest to find an abandoned baby's parents during the Christmas holiday . The main characters each have a unique personality , but they interact well and portray a feeling of ' family ' between them . The animation is superb and the subtitles are easy to read . Tokyo Godfathers is magical and heartwarming . A truly delightful anime film about friendship , love and miracles . . . with a perfect ending .
055 4 On X-Mas Eve in Tokyo , three homeless people , find an abadonned baby lying in the rubbish . The trio : Gin , an ex-gambler ; Miyuki : a runaway teenage girl ; Hana : a drag queen , decide to find the child's parents . They name her Kiyoko , and then look through some belongings that were left with the child for clues to her origins . A trip to a family cemetery finds them running across a yakuza boss who they help out from nearly getting run over by his own car . He takes them to a club that they found a business card for with Kiyoko , which turns out is where the dom's daughter is getting hitched that day . Once there , Gin realizes that the groom is the man who caused him to become poor years ago from a jibbed bet , but before he can try to get at him , a hitwoman accidently shoots the groom while trying to kill the dom . Miyuki and the baby are kidnapped by the hitwoman , while Gin and Hana seperate after arguing . Gin runs into an older homeless man , and he gets injured while protecting him from some punks . Hana meets up with Miyuki who escaped with Kiyoko , and they go to an Hana's old bar for drag queens , where they find Gin who was taken into care for his injuries . They later run into a woman who appears to be Kiyoko's actual mother , however she's instead suicidal , and it's up to the homeless trio to save Kiyoko in a great comedy / traumatic fashion .
This movie was directed by Satoshi Kon , who also did the movies Millenium Actress , Perfect Blue , Paprika , and the Adult Swim series , Paranoia Agent . This was a distinct departure from his normal supernatural / surrealistic thrillers . It was partially based on the western movie , 3 Godfathers . For Kon , this was a great piece of storytelling . The characters are very entertaining and believable . His appear to be more realistic looking than most anime characters . Not all the girls are thin with big hooters , and not all the guys look like girls with long spikey hair .
What makes this a great movie for X-Mas is there are so many points in it where you actually believe some of the plot devices or coincidences are genuine Christmas Miracles . There's so many revelations about the characters lives as the story moves along , and how the all culminate at one of the most satisfying anime movie conclusions ever is really special . The other reason its a great title for the holidays is because its one of the few ones that isn't the special Christmas episode of an already existing anime series , and is great to see on its own merit .
057 4 I have to admit that this movie had a slow start for me . I tried watching it twice and tired out both times . But then on one sleepless night I gave it a third time and was completely engaged until the very end . I have to confess that my attention span has been conditioned by Hollywood , where plot takes off within a few minutes . With Tokyo Godfathers , traditional storytelling takes the stage , and important character development stacks up at the beginning , making for a very fun , very eventful second half to the movie . The combination of the three characters becomes a circus as half-truths from everyone involved suddenly starts to clash . The comedy is very sophisticated , even when it is slapstick , and exceeds the standards of most hollywood humor . The ending is absolutely flawless . I'm so glad I didn't give up on this movie .
058 4 I didn't know what to expect when I watched Tokyo Godfathers , but loved it by the end . I've seen Millennium Actress and Perfect Blue , neither of which sincerely moved me , although the animation was beautiful .
I loved this film because it was set in the everyday , making it much more accessible for the viewer . I cared for the characters and was touched by the small miracles the movie centered around . It had a great blend of drama and humor , and in the end it inspires hope , which I don't normally associate with Satoshi Kon's anime . All in all , I was pleasantly surprised !
059 4 When looking at Disney's early releases , it's surprising to see how many classics there is : Bambi , The Lion King , Sleeping Beauty , Snow White and many others . Yet in recent years things haven't been so kind to them . Besides the technologically impressive but emotionally hollow Fantasia 2000 , Disney hasn't really done a really great film . Home on the Range , Treasure Planet , Brother Bear don't really have the timeless quality that previous releases had . Enter an emerging line of japanese films and the films by Pixar to fill the gap . So we have the third film from the director of Perfect Blue and Millenium Actress , Tokyo Godfathers .
Gin is a middle-aged ex-cycling champ . Hana is a proud but kind of pathetic drag queen while Miyuki is a runaway teenager . All of them have troubled pasts and issues which they confront once they find an abandoned baby , which they name Kiyoko . They decide to return the baby to its rightful parents only they end up meeting some interesting people such as a mob-type person , a spanish hitman , Hana's old group and some rather mean kids .
There's a certain charm with the film where you start caring about the characters even if it's not big on action sequences which is something that's really missing with today films . Watching the film there is a certain leap of faith you have to take since many of the film moments will yeah right , as if that would happen but the film's meant to be touching and sentimental so you can blame the filmmakers for being really sappy .
Really disappointing are the extras . You get 2 . I put 2 in quotations marks cause there's actually just one . A kind-of informative making-of which has interviews with the director and the 3 leads ( I had no idea Miyuki's voice actor was so damn hot ) and it has 2 interviews , the first being the best . The interviewer talks too damn much . The 2nd extra is actually just trailers . Whoopee .
With films like Spirited Away , this one and others , maybe there's a new animation group we should be looking at . Only since it's animation from Japan , it probably won't get the recognition it deserves . Too bad .
060 4 another great anime film from the genius who gave us perfect blue and millennium actress , satoshi kon .
this time around he offers us a comedy about three homless characters . an ex shop owner , a drag queen and arunaway teenager , who stumble upon an abandoned infant in christmas eve , and decide to look for the baby's mother . and since it's christmas , we're treated with a hilarious amount of miracles , that do get a little too much near the end , but satoshi kon manages to put it back in balance , when he introduces the mother . and it's all served with kon's famous striking visuals and breathtaking action .
too bad there is no dubbed version of the film in this dvd.readind subtitles , with no background knowledge of the language it's translating , takes out some of the fun of watching a film . the original version is definitely great , but dubbing lets us enjoy the visuals a little bit more .
oh , and there is a reprinting of an original character illustration by satoshi kon of miuki , signed and dated , exclusively for this dvd .
061 4 So this is real-life anime . Wow . I'm stunned . Where Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress failed , Tokyo Godfathers greatly achieves . I loved this film . It's real-life anime with characters most of us have been at one time . We've all struggled - - some to the point of being homeless . We've all had defeating family issues . And we've all wanted nothing more than to get away ; this movie captures both that fantasy and that reality in one anime package .
And the story itself is touching . How can you not feel for these homeless people as they struggle to get a child back to its rightful mother ? These three very unique individuals struggle to no end , facing bodily harm , organized crime , AIDS , and a possessive father , just to get this tiny little child to a safe place , a home , where it can be loved . And all of their efforts comes across as genuine . Excellent .
062 4 This is what a masterpiece is al bout . Action , drama , comedy , and adventure . The 4 main elements of a movie and wow is it done well ! ! ! !
The characters are the most realistic in any anime I have seen . I love how when the youngest is worried bout the other 2 bumbs and when she is relieved they are ok she saysuncle bag or geezer . But my personal favorite is the trans . I recommend this movie to every1 . Also by the way this movie takes place on Christmas . So watch it wit the family on Christmas eve or somethin . It is everything !
063 4 I rented this movie out of ceriosity . Hey , the animation looked good , but I've been disappointed by recent anime flicks I almost passed it by . This isn't a typical rehased story or vaporware plot . The characters are solid , flawed individuals , the story is comic , brutal , exciting and overall very heart warming . Highly recomended if you like quirky fun films .
The soundtrack is nice too . Not the best 5.1 surround , but it's there when it matters . The music is quirky and IMHO suites this film perfectly . Sorry , no english dub on this one . But an average dub job would ruin this great character film anyway .
Oh , and the preview for Otomo's Steamboy was a nice little bonus , too .
064 4 Now , there's nothing like seeing a film which you have no idea what it is , about , or anything like that and then bowled over by how great it is . This is one of those films , and come to think of it even if I had some forewarning it still would've suprised me , becuase this anime covers so much .
Still though , to give you heads up this story is about three homeless people : a upper middle age man , a young girl recently runaway , and a transvestite . Now , right of the bat the movie should seem interesting , but probably plot less . However , the story picks up when the three discover a baby and , over very little time , their fate somewhat becomes intwined with it's fate .
See strange , right ? Somehow though , the ecclectic characters and the Holiday theme keeps it all together . Through laughs , of which there are a plenty , and even some tough times the movie will keep you latched in . And why not , the characters could be the start of a joke all on their own ; this is true . However , this movie is no joke . Instead , it is probably one of the best animes ( not relating to machines and robots ) that I've seen yet .
065 4 This review is from :
Tokyo Godfathers ( DVD )
As an avid fan of Jidei Geki and Anime I am probably more attuned to the Japanese storytelling style than most westerners . This one is a really well told and beautifully visual story of a group of losers who manage to come off as heroes . Some will be offended by the side story of a love interest between a drag queen and a burned out straight , but the story wouldn't work without that thread . It really dips into the misery of the human condition and yet the ability of the human spirit to rise above it all . A must-have film for the true anime buff , but it is not for children . Very deep and complex once you get into it .
066 4 As an avid fan of Jidei Geki and Anime I am probably more attuned to the Japanese storytelling style than most westerners . This one is a really well told and beautifully visual story of a group of losers who manage to come off as heroes . Some will be offended by the side story of a love interest between a drag queen and a burned out straight , but the story wouldn't work without that thread . It really dips into the misery of the human condition and yet the ability of the human spirit to rise above it all . A must-have film for the true anime buff , but it is not for children . Very deep and complex once you get into it .
068 4 I really have no words for this . The only thing is they could've subtitled the Spanish .
069 4 Satoshi Kon is earning a place for himself in the history books crafting one animated masterpiece after another . Tokyo Godfathers has scenes of sincere emotional weight and power . Bring some kleenex for this one I cried at least two times during this film . . . My wife cried about five times . This is one of the most magical and compassionately humanistic films I have ever seen live action , animated or otherwise . Wonderful music in this as well .
070 4 During a cold white Christmas in Tokyo three homeless characters , Hana , Gin , and Miyuki , with different pasts , discover an infant thrown away among garbage . Hana , a transvestite , dreams of having a child of his own and considers the infant a godsend . However , the drunkard Gin brings to light that someone must have had the child and someone might be missing the infant . Hana reconsiders her gift and decides that they will try to find the mother and an answer to why the child was thrown away . Gin and Miyuki , a teenage girl , agree and together the odd trio begins a heartwarming search for the parents of the infant .
Tokyo Godfather is both a warm and distressing animated film that brings numerous topics to the table such as gambling , alcoholism , poverty , homosexuality , generosity , family and much more . These topics create several different subplots that are all intertwined into the main theme of the film , which is brought to the audience with a pragmatic dialogue . The realistic environment is alleviated through the animation which eases on the suffering of the audience as some scenes would be too distressing if really filmed . Tokyo Godfathers also switches interjectionally between tragedy and comedy which leaves the audience with a humorous , yet serious cinematic experience .
072 4 I can't say enough good things about this movie . I watch a lot of anime , but I have to say this is the most well animated movie I've seen . You completely forget you're watching a cartoon . The characters just come to life . All of their subtle movements make them seem like real people . Especially Hana the transvestite . She was animated with so much attention to detail . It's so incredible ! And then there's the story . Three homeless people find an abandoned baby and go out searching for the mother . These characters show so much heart and you really find yourself caring for them . And each of their situations for why they're homeless are all so real . So then they find the mother and then there's a huge twist in the story which I wont give away . I'll just say the ending is a miracle .
Fantastic movie !
073 4 The lives of three homeless people are plunged into chaos when they find an abandoned baby on new-year's eve . Do they keep it or do they start an impossible search for the parents in snowbound Tokyo ?
Diverting , but felt like it was not explored as fully as it could have been . The characters are definitely fascinating , but seem to lack something in depth .
074 4 This movie has three homeless people . Gin a former bicycle racer but thanks to alcohol that turn him into a wash up loser , Hana an ex-drag entertainer , Miyuki a teenager who thought she was grown and decided to runaway an look were it got her . All three of these people don't like each other but what brings them together is a find the parents of an abandoned baby on Christman Eve . I am taking off a star cause this movie has no english dub .
075 4 Tokyo Godfathers is not , as the title would suggest , a film about the Japanese mafia , but rather a sentimental fable about three homeless people - a destitute gambler , a lovesick transvestite and an ill-tempered runaway - who find an abandoned newborn babe , wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a dumpster , on Christmas Day . The film recounts their journey through the city as they search for the little girl's mother .
This animated feature is indeed lovely to look at , capturing the stark beauty of its snowy urban landscape in finely drawn detail . The story , however , steeped in sentimentality and riddled with coincidence , plays like a third-rate Dickens melodrama , minus the richness of character and subtlety of wit the Master would have brought to the task . The three main characters aren't particularly interesting , and the story , such as it is , is tedious , unfocused and rambling . I guess there has to be a reason for a story to be done in animated form , but Tokyo Godfathers fails to provide us with that reason . The backgrounds are pretty , but the film itself is instantly forgettable .
076 4 I catched this on Starz the other day , this was a funny anime .
A baby thats kidnapped gets dumped and is found by a homeless gay couple . One man names the baby Kiyoto after his daughter .
By a strange twist , he meetshis long lost daughter , though the homeless man left his family and from then were heard treated to one bizarre scene after another .
The couple realized the baby is still lost and try to find the real mother , a woman claming to be the mother takes the baby , but the gay couple realize she is a fake and hunt her down .
Dont want to give anymore info except this is one funny anime .
