After years of watching Christmas stories constantly steal the plots from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and the hit Jimmy Stewart 40s classic It’s a Wonderful Life, Tokyo Godfathers provides a new and welcomed take on the Christmas story-that actually draws its theme and plot directly from the actual reason behind the season, the birth of Jesus. (Many thanks to the coordinators of the BAAF/World Anime Party 2003 for making the viewing of this wonderful film possible!)
Tokyo Godfathers is the brain child of acclaimed anime director Satoshi Kon, the man behind such anime hits as psychotic thriller Perfect Blue and profound fictional docu-drama Millennium Actress. From the shores of a country that is predominately not Christian, Tokyo Godfathers is set in modern Tokyo, Japan in the ever famous Shinjuku District. Our protagonists are three homeless people celebrating Christmas Eve; Gin, a middle-aged man who claims to have been a professional bike racer, Hana (Flower), also known as, Uncle Bags, a middle aged Transvestite, and a high school runaway Miyuki. On this blessed night the trio’s usual arguing pattern is interrupted by the cry of a baby. The three soon find themselves the foster parents of a baby girl, whom Hana names Kiyoko.
After much bickering and arguing, the three, thinking of their own broken lives, resolve to find Kiyoko’s mother. Though cold, tired, and hungry they decide to tread for several days to complete their quest. During this time, the three discover the life altering events that led each to their current positions; and how their selfless acts to help Kiyoko renewed their spiritual faith, faith in themselves and opened their hearts so that each could go forward and renew their lives. Unbeknownst to the little baby, Kiyoko, she was in her own way a savior, for the three of them; wisemen (and a young woman) who have somehow become part of society’s disregarded.
Those who have seen Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress are well aware of the meticulous care that goes into a Satoshi Kon production. From the slick, sharp, fluid life character designs, to the excellent performances of the voice actors, and last but hardly the least, the amazing cinematography and camera shots. The animation is so refined one often forgets they are watching an animated feature and not a live action movie.
This film is well deserving of any accolades it has received. Satoshi Kon is definitely a director to watch for, and will definitely find himself a major influence for directors of animation and live action alike in this burgeoning century. And once again for those tired of the seasonal rip offs, Tokyo Godfathers will surely renew your faith in motion pictures and restore a sense of meaning, tradition, and reverence for the Christmas celebration.
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