Tokyo Godfathers (2003)

On Christmas Eve, three homeless people living on the streets of Tokyo find a newborn baby among the trash and set out to find its parents.

Directors:

Satoshi Kon, Shôgo Furuya (co-director)

Writers:

Satoshi Kon (screenplay), Satoshi Kon (story)

Stars:

Tôru Emori, Yoshiaki Umegaki, Aya Okamoto

8 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tôru Emori	...	Gin (voice)
Aya Okamoto	...	Miyuki (voice)
Yoshiaki Umegaki	...	Hana (voice)
Shôzô Îzuka	...	Oota (voice)
Seizô Katô	...	Mother (voice)
Hiroya Ishimaru	...	Yasuo (voice)
Ryûji Saikachi	...	Aged Man (voice)
Yûsaku Yara	...	Miyuki's Father (voice)
Kyôko Terase	...	Sachiko (voice)
Mamiko Noto	...	Kiyoko, Gin's Daughter (voice)
Akio Ôtsuka	...	Doctor (voice)
Rikiya Koyama	...	Bridegroom (voice)
Satomi Kôrogi	...	Kiyoko, the Gangster's Daughter (voice)
Mitsuru Ogata	...	Hidenari Ugaki (voice)
Chiyako Shibahara	...	Eriko Kawasaki (voice)

Storyline

Christmas in Tokyo, Japan. Three homeless friends: a young girl, a transvestite, and a middle-aged bum. While foraging through some trash, they find an abandoned newborn. Hana, the transvestite with delusions of being a mother, convinces the others to keep it overnight. The next day, using a key found with the baby, they start tracking down the parents, with many adventures along the way.

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Plot Keywords:

family relationships | homeless | baby | tokyo japan | transvestite | 

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Taglines:

Meet the ultimate dysfunctional family.

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Genres:

Animation | Adventure | Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, violent images, language and some sexual material

Details

Official Sites:

Mad House Ltd. / Sony Pictures Online [Japan] Sony [Japan]

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese Spanish English

Release Date:

8 November 2003 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Tokyo Godfathers

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$37,127, 18 January 2004, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$128,985, 4 April 2004

Company Credits

Production Co:

Madhouse

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

House Rubble background in Tokyo Godfathers 52:37 mark the same with the one in Paranoia Agent's Opening sequence at 0:38 mark.

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Quotes

Hana: I'm starving!
Gin: I told you!
Hana: Look after my little angel. Go on without me. Just say you'll never forget the queer you once knew.
Miyuki: Look, a cemetery.
Hana: I'm not dead yet!

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Crazy Credits

The opening credits appear on billboards, store signs, truck lettering, etc.

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Connections

References Millennium Actress (2001)

User Reviews

A different kind of Christmas story

At first glance, I wasn't sure if I would like this movie. The "miracles DO happen on Christmas" cliché is very boring and I typically don't enjoy movies that employ it, but this is a very different kind of Christmas movie.

We are given three homeless characters with complex personalities and backgrounds, who are as endearing as they are repellent. They take up the task of caring for a baby they found in the trash, and trying to bring it back to its mother. We learn the secrets that made these people homeless, we learn about the workings of human shame and desperation, and we learn that "miracles DO happen on Christmas." But in the least cheesy way possible!

The plot is very slow-moving, but still, it is interesting and very carefully laid out. This would be a very compelling live-action movie, but the use of animation adds so much visual interest, particularly the expressive (and sometimes hideous!!) face of Hana, the gangly transvestite. The choice of music is unique and very fitting: the song played during a walking-around-the-city montage is reminiscent of Clockwork Orange.

Interesting and careful story, complex and realistic story, tremendous visual appeal and excellent music. I guess this movie pretty much has it all!