Perhaps my favorite aspect of "Tokyo Godfathers" is that it isn't what you might expect from an anime--really, from an animated movie of any kind. In its own way it serves to prove that a simple, no-magic and no-monsters modern-life story can be told effectively through animation. The way in which it fell short for me was in the fact that it seems to rely too heavily upon being -endearing- to the viewer. In other words, I felt like throughout the entire movie I was supposed to be saying, "Awwww, how sweet / cute / bittersweet."

My problem was that I didn't really find everything to be quite as "endearing" as it was meant to be. When Gin joked about eating a family of cats to quell his hunger, the cats crowded around Miyuki and hissed at him. Instead of thinking, "Awww, you better leave those cute kitties alone!" I thought, "Wait, cats can understand Japanese??" In the case of Hana's character, I felt like I was supposed to be saying, "Awww, he's such a sweet transvestite, poor thing." But I guess I never considered the fact that he's a gay transvestite to be reason enough to objectify him as some kind of giant teddy bear. Additionally, I felt like there were an awful lot of convenient (or inconvenient) coincidences going on...maybe it was all just part of a "Christmas miracle."

Anyway I will say that it's been a while since I've seen a slow and thoughtful Christmas tale aimed at slow and thoughtful adults like me, so I'm certainly glad I watched this film. I'm also glad it didn't follow the formula of "psychadelic split-personality girl" that other Satoshi Kon movies seem to be following (although don't get me wrong, I loved Paprika). All things considered, "Tokyo Godfathers" is a light-hearted film, and maybe that's why I had trouble with it. But in the hopes that you're more capable than I am at getting into the spirit of a light-hearted film, I'd say you should take a look.

P.S. I loved Hana's haikus!

I first became aware of Tokyo Godfathers when it caught my eye due to its coincidental similarity to the Triplets of Bellville cover. I assumed it was a Mafia anime, and I pretty much ignored it until I saw the review here.

Tokyo Godfathers is about the sweetest dark-humored film I have ever seen, and I am definitely going to show it publicly at the library next Christmas, subtitles or not. Three fairly unsympathetic down-and-outers are brought together while searching for the mother of an abandoned baby, and on their quest (like in all good quest movies) they grow closer to each other and more in touch with themselves.

At times hilarious, at times grim, and at ti9mes sentimental, Tokyo Godfathers is a movie everyone should watch.

I do hope a good English dub might be in the works, though.

Wow.

I had wanted to see this film and check it out. It was worth every cent and more.

The basic plot surrounds the three homeless characters and the mysterious crying baby that they discover on Christmas night. I enjoyed the plot and the sudden turn of events that made you think, "Wow. Did that just happen?"

The exaggerated expressions, the flow and mixing of the stories that were being told, the almost realistic feel of the animation and backgrounds, and the music really helped set the scene and make this one of my new favorite anime movies.

If you're looking for a film with a whimsical tale with mystery, comedy, drama, and the whole shebang, Tokyo Godfathers is a film to watch and treasure, not just in the Christmas holiday season, but anytime.

4 stars!

From the director of 'Perfect Blue' comes this acclaimed and offbeat Christmas story about friendship and redemption. Three homeless people - one of them a religiously obsessed transvestite - discover an abandoned baby on the streets of Tokyo on Christmas night, and set about finding its parents.

This is a wittier and more ironic movie than 'Perfect Blue', though it's still pretty darn grim in its depiction of wasted lives, squalor and violence. Still there is a warm ray of humanity that shines strongly through most of the film, often in the form of Hana, the doting transvestite who initially wants to keep the baby as her own - but also in Gin, the middle aged bum who lost his wife and family years ago and seems to have given up on life. Even in the teenage runaway Miyuki.

I enjoyed TG a lot. It's not a great film, and perhaps even more so than with 'Perfect Blue' I found myself asking, "Why did this have to be animated?" At least there was a practical reason with 'Perfect Blue'. The live action studio was destroyed in an earthquake. But there was nothing here that couldn't have been done with a modest budget live action film. Not even any strange figures dancing on streetlights. Perhaps the reason though is the exaggerated, intensified facial expressions which are possible with animation, and the heightened sense of fantasy.

This is a strong film with a big heart, and more maturity than most anime. Recommended.