Tokyo Godfathers
Joe Nguyen, staff writer
Feb. 21, 2004

This latest movie from director Satoshi Kon ("Millenium Actress," "Perfect Blue") follows the story of three homeless people, Gin, an alcoholic, Hana, a transvestite, and Miyuki, a runaway teenage girl. The three end up finding an abandoned baby at a garbage dump, who they name Kiyoko. Instead of turning her into the police, they go and search for the parents themselves.

I first heard about this movie when I was reading an article on potential Oscar nominees. From the title, it sounded more like a dramatic, action mafia feature. When I went to see it at the StarzFilmCenter (at the Tivoli Center), I was welcomed with a pleasant surprise.

The difference between Japanese and American animation is that the Japanese don’t just focus toward a children’s audience. Many of their shows and movies are meant for an adult audience and that’s what "Tokyo Godfathers" is.

Gin, Miyuki, Hana and Kiyoko in "Tokyo Godfathers"

Living on the streets, the three main characters find each other to form a family of sorts. Each has their own reasons why they’re homeless, and through the course of the movie, their stories are told.

What I really loved about this movie was how several different stories are interwoven together. Just about every character on the journey has their own little story to be told. With each story, the three become involved in their lives in one way or another.

This was truly a heartwarming story. It’s refreshing to see a non-traditional uplifting feature instead of some the generic, cheesy movies that come out around the holiday season. It’s a sweet Christmas tale about family and definitely a movie to watch.

Joe gives "Tokyo Godfathers":

Joe Nguyen is a staff writer for asiaXpress.com. You can reach Joe at joe@asiaxpress.com.

Back to The Reel World | Home