Tokyo Godfathers (2003), A strange winter story.

Directed by: Satoshi Kon, Shogo Furuya (Co-directed) | Written by: Satoshi Kon, Keiko Nobumoto

Award(s)

• Best Animated Film; Mainichi Film Awards
• Audience Award | Best Asian Film; Neuchâtel International Fantasy Film Festival
• Best Animated Feature Film | Orient Express Award - Special Mention; Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival

"Although apt for family consumption, Tokyo Godfathers still keeps one of the director's obsessions: psychologically worn-out female characters, on the brink of despair, even though here the disturbed spirit is not one of the main characters." - Luis Canau (Translated by Carla Graça), Cinedie Asia 

The 2003 film that premiered at the Big Apple Anime Festival (BAAF), which marked it's last festival held as of yet, Tokyo Godfathers is a cozy turn of the reality-mashing flicks driven by fantasy and Romance or straight criminal paranoia. It's a strange holiday story that won't end up in bed time stories as most heroes aren't homeless, burned out,running away and hiding emotional scars while trying to return a baby they found in the garbage...

I have got to admit that I was expecting something mind blowing around every corner being it hallucinations or a play within a play. It wasn't that much saddening as exciting to see this film enlist in a new direction after two successful films. After all, I got the impression Satoshi Kon has a nag for interesting stories that do not necessarily contain the same elements. Despite this they are still some traces that bend toward excessive daydreaming.

Story

When a Washed out alcoholic, A homosexual cross-dresser and a runaway tomboyish girl  find a dumped baby with a note during a garbage search the day before Christmas. They are split between reporting it to the police or personally returning the child to it's parents or having to live with the fact that the baby's parent will be a cross-dresser who longs for a child. It is obvious to say that they chose the latter.

The comical side of the story defined by the strange group dynamic surfaced every now and then were entertaining. But I couldn't shake the fact that the ones paying for transportation fees are unhoused without any means of income (seriously, even I couldn't pay for the trips they made...). 

I also had a major problem with the plot structure of this film. Despite the great middle and unexpected ending it still felt like I was thrown into a movie that started 20 minutes ago It did not share it's predecessors strong plot structure and flawless introductions. The abrut start of the movie which felt like a considerable loss in story development. If it wasn't for the quick development later on and the subtitle character development along the way it would have stuck as a slightly incomplete plot.
As I said before the group dynamic between the 3 individuals drove the story brought adventure together with the events that occurred in this film, filling each others short coming and gradually solving each others issues. The diversity of personality, preferences and moral conduct is dysfunctional which causes 3 close friends to spice up the most normal journey turning Tokyo over the top in the most hysterical situations.

Though this movie wasn't as fantasy indulged as it's predecessors, there was still some hints of it in flash backs and in terms of making a point. I think the influence of Keiko Nobumoto Screenplay writer of such works as  Cowboy Bebop the Movie: Knockin' on Heaven's Door (2001), Macross Plus (1994/1995) and  the anime/manga Wolf's Rain (2003/2004) had a positive outcome on this movie.

Rating
8,5 - An uncanny Tokyo drama
As much as I loved this movie I could not shake the feeling that the lead of this movie could have been improved. Despite that this movie is unlike any drama-adventure I've seen before containing classic anime characteristics while maintaining a steady story. Might not be Satoshi Kon's best work, But it still is one of his greatest.  Comment and send feedback about your personal rating.



M.

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