Review of Tokyo Godfathers (2003) by Sam J — 15 Aug 2018

I have decided that Tokyo Godfathers is now a quintessential Christmas movie. Directed, written, and produced by the brilliant Satoshi Kon, this heartwarming tale chronicles the Christmas Eve (or perhaps New Years, it's a little unclear) of three homeless people: Hana-san, a transwoman, Miyuki, a teenage runaway, and Gin, a washed up gambler, as they find a baby abandoned in the trash and attempt to return it to its parents. In the vein of It's a Wonderful Life and a Christmas Carol, the motley crew are confronted with their past and how their departure, sometimes willing sometimes not, from normal society has affected those they left behind.

While I won't tell too much without giving away the plot, the movie does give a stark look at definitions and limits of family in modern(ish) Japan, and what that looks like to individuals with incredibly different backgrounds. And, like Its a Wonderful Life, this movie takes a stark look at suicide and desperation, both increasingly serious problems in Japan. However, unlike Its a Wonderful Life, it doesn't seem to resolve the big question: should I kill myself? Instead, it shows what happens to those you leave behind when someone removes themselves from their lives, either through abandonment or suicide. Despite this, it's an overall happy movie, and I would recommend it for everyone able to understand the depths that desperation can lead to.

While I am wholly ignorant of Japan's treatment of queer people, the inclusion of a transwoman as a main character was particularly striking, especially considering this movie came out in 2003 and not, say, after Laverne Cox rose to stardom. And while the animation and actions of Hana-san are consistent with other representations of gay men in anime, Kon's writing gives this woman a poignancy and realness to her drives, and while her backstory is (surprisingly) probably the least tragic, her desires for bodily womanhood and motherhood are showcased prominently and almost respected by the other characters. And while the treatment of Hana-san isn't great, it's certainly real, in a way that I haven't always seen in more American stories of queer people before.

My only previous experience with Satoshi Kon being Paprika, and this movie was a much more muted affair. Paprika features fantastical characters, bold colours, and surreal dreamscapes, and Tokyo Godfathers most certainly did not. However, Kon's fanciful writing shows true through the script, with several highly improbable events converging to support the protagonists in a way very much in keeping with other Christmas movies. His studio's distinctive animation style was nonetheless showcased in this work of fantastical realism, with mild aspects of Looney Toons and animation humor thrown into a couple action sequences and facial expressions during arguments. Definitely enough to remind you that you weren't watching a drama, but humorous and appropriate.

And I'll let you know, Kiyuki does eventually stop crying.

5/5.