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No, it’s not some kind of violent Japanese mafia/yakuza flick, it’s an anime film, and a rather good one at that.
Many people have preconceptions about Japanese anime; it’s all big-eyed young kids piloting giant robot suits in a battle against some evil alien invaders, preposterous sci-fi and ultra violence by the bucket-load right?
Wrong.
Many people do have the wrong idea about anime, because they don’t know enough about it and make snap judgements based around little or no knowledge. OK, you may have seen widely–known things like Ghost in the Shell, Ninja Scroll or The Animatrix, but there's plenty of good stuff beyond them if you’re willing to give them a go.
After the worldwide success of Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away, Japanese anime has been boosted by a sudden amount of interest and acclaim where there was often much cynicism before. The critically acclaimed Tokyo Godfathers is another film that challenges these misconceptions.
Like Satoshi Kon’s previous directorial efforts, Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers is another interesting movie reliant on a solid character-driven story rather than eye-popping visuals and shallow/clichéd plot.
The action takes place in Tokyo (obviously) on a snowy Christmas Eve, where we’re introduced to the three protagonists, three homeless people; Gin - a gruff middle-aged alcoholic, Hana – a transvestite former drag queen, and Miyuki – a brash young teenage runaway.
Not perhaps the kind of characters you’d expect in your typical Japanese anime movie, but again, this isn’t a typical anime movie. Rather than have some good-looking youngsters or beefy super warriors prancing about the neon flashiness of Tokyo, we have the forgotten people of society as our heroes, with the slums and back streets as our main setting. The heroes don’t look pretty, they smell funny and have many flaws, but they have heart, sole and resolve in the face of adversity, as you see throughout the movie.
The story, supposedly loosely based on John Ford’s 1948 movie “The Three Godfathers” starring John Wayne, starts with the three hobos attending a Christmas nativity service, and when finished, they head off outside to forage through some back-alley rubbish. Whilst rummaging amongst the bins however, they make an important discovery; a crying abandoned baby girl.
They take the child, who they name Kiyoko, back to their shabby makeshift abode, where the strange family unit argue and squabble as to what to do about their discovery, and question the heartlessness of someone who’s willing to abandon a baby on a freezing cold night. The feminine Hana wants to be its surrogate mother, and care for the child he/she had always wanted, but after some deliberation and arguing, they agree to track-down the missing parents and return the child, something that doesn’t prove straightforward.
As the story unfolds and the trio track down the parents using various clues left with the baby, we get acquainted with each characters back-story via flashbacks, and their reason’s why they are homeless. The tracking down of the baby’s parents seems to inspire each character, and evokes many of their own deep down emotions about their sad pasts and the lives they’ve thrown away, driving them into all kinds of events, some helpful, some dangerous, weaving an intricate plot filled with pathos but also humour set against the backdrop of hardship and struggle, right up until the very end.
Tokyo Godfathers really is unlike many anime films you’ll see; it’s heart-warming, poignant, thought provoking, sometimes harrowing and sometimes funny, has a good intricate plot and flawed but instantly likeable protagonists. The animation is top notch as expected, and the background art of Tokyo is very special indeed, creating a great contrast between the neon-lit nights associated with Tokyo and Christmas commercialism and jollity, with the bitter struggle and grim survival of homeless people in dingy back-alleys, something you don’t really get to see much of, particularly in anime films.
It won’t be to everyone’s taste, as it revolves around characters, storytelling, moral messages and social issues, rather than 90 minutes of sci-fi violence, but if you like anime films with plots, and enjoyed films like Kon’s Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress, then you’ll no doubt enjoy this one too.
It’s available now on region 1 dvd, and hopefully it’ll eventually see a UK release as well (but don’t hold your breath).
The official US website is here [URL]http://www.sonypictures.com/cthe/tokyogodfathers/[/URL]
Many people have preconceptions about Japanese anime; it’s all big-eyed young kids piloting giant robot suits in a battle against some evil alien invaders, preposterous sci-fi and ultra violence by the bucket-load right?
Wrong.
Many people do have the wrong idea about anime, because they don’t know enough about it and make snap judgements based around little or no knowledge. OK, you may have seen widely–known things like Ghost in the Shell, Ninja Scroll or The Animatrix, but there's plenty of good stuff beyond them if you’re willing to give them a go.
After the worldwide success of Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away, Japanese anime has been boosted by a sudden amount of interest and acclaim where there was often much cynicism before. The critically acclaimed Tokyo Godfathers is another film that challenges these misconceptions.
Like Satoshi Kon’s previous directorial efforts, Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers is another interesting movie reliant on a solid character-driven story rather than eye-popping visuals and shallow/clichéd plot.
The action takes place in Tokyo (obviously) on a snowy Christmas Eve, where we’re introduced to the three protagonists, three homeless people; Gin - a gruff middle-aged alcoholic, Hana – a transvestite former drag queen, and Miyuki – a brash young teenage runaway.
Not perhaps the kind of characters you’d expect in your typical Japanese anime movie, but again, this isn’t a typical anime movie. Rather than have some good-looking youngsters or beefy super warriors prancing about the neon flashiness of Tokyo, we have the forgotten people of society as our heroes, with the slums and back streets as our main setting. The heroes don’t look pretty, they smell funny and have many flaws, but they have heart, sole and resolve in the face of adversity, as you see throughout the movie.
The story, supposedly loosely based on John Ford’s 1948 movie “The Three Godfathers” starring John Wayne, starts with the three hobos attending a Christmas nativity service, and when finished, they head off outside to forage through some back-alley rubbish. Whilst rummaging amongst the bins however, they make an important discovery; a crying abandoned baby girl.
They take the child, who they name Kiyoko, back to their shabby makeshift abode, where the strange family unit argue and squabble as to what to do about their discovery, and question the heartlessness of someone who’s willing to abandon a baby on a freezing cold night. The feminine Hana wants to be its surrogate mother, and care for the child he/she had always wanted, but after some deliberation and arguing, they agree to track-down the missing parents and return the child, something that doesn’t prove straightforward.
As the story unfolds and the trio track down the parents using various clues left with the baby, we get acquainted with each characters back-story via flashbacks, and their reason’s why they are homeless. The tracking down of the baby’s parents seems to inspire each character, and evokes many of their own deep down emotions about their sad pasts and the lives they’ve thrown away, driving them into all kinds of events, some helpful, some dangerous, weaving an intricate plot filled with pathos but also humour set against the backdrop of hardship and struggle, right up until the very end.
Tokyo Godfathers really is unlike many anime films you’ll see; it’s heart-warming, poignant, thought provoking, sometimes harrowing and sometimes funny, has a good intricate plot and flawed but instantly likeable protagonists. The animation is top notch as expected, and the background art of Tokyo is very special indeed, creating a great contrast between the neon-lit nights associated with Tokyo and Christmas commercialism and jollity, with the bitter struggle and grim survival of homeless people in dingy back-alleys, something you don’t really get to see much of, particularly in anime films.
It won’t be to everyone’s taste, as it revolves around characters, storytelling, moral messages and social issues, rather than 90 minutes of sci-fi violence, but if you like anime films with plots, and enjoyed films like Kon’s Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress, then you’ll no doubt enjoy this one too.
It’s available now on region 1 dvd, and hopefully it’ll eventually see a UK release as well (but don’t hold your breath).
The official US website is here [URL]http://www.sonypictures.com/cthe/tokyogodfathers/[/URL]
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No, it’s not some kind of violent Japanese mafia/yakuza flick, it’s an anime film, and a rather good one at that.
Many people have preconceptions about Japanese anime; it’s all big-eyed young kids piloting giant robot suits in a battle against some evil alien invaders, preposterous sci-fi and ultra violence by the bucket-load right?
Wrong.
Many people do have the wrong idea about anime, because they don’t know enough about it and make snap judgements based around little or no knowledge. OK, you may have seen widely–known things like Ghost in the Shell, Ninja Scroll or The Animatrix, but there's plenty of good stuff beyond them if you’re willing to give them a go.
After the worldwide success of Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away, Japanese anime has been boosted by a sudden amount of interest and acclaim where there was often much cynicism before. The critically acclaimed Tokyo Godfathers is another film that challenges these misconceptions.
Like Satoshi Kon’s previous directorial efforts, Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers is another interesting movie reliant on a solid character-driven story rather than eye-popping visuals and shallow/clichéd plot.
The action takes place in Tokyo (obviously) on a snowy Christmas Eve, where we’re introduced to the three protagonists, three homeless people; Gin - a gruff middle-aged alcoholic, Hana – a transvestite former drag queen, and Miyuki – a brash young teenage runaway.
Not perhaps the kind of characters you’d expect in your typical Japanese anime movie, but again, this isn’t a typical anime movie. Rather than have some good-looking youngsters or beefy super warriors prancing about the neon flashiness of Tokyo, we have the forgotten people of society as our heroes, with the slums and back streets as our main setting. The heroes don’t look pretty, they smell funny and have many flaws, but they have heart, sole and resolve in the face of adversity, as you see throughout the movie.
The story, supposedly loosely based on John Ford’s 1948 movie “The Three Godfathers” starring John Wayne, starts with the three hobos attending a Christmas nativity service, and when finished, they head off outside to forage through some back-alley rubbish. Whilst rummaging amongst the bins however, they make an important discovery; a crying abandoned baby girl.
They take the child, who they name Kiyoko, back to their shabby makeshift abode, where the strange family unit argue and squabble as to what to do about their discovery, and question the heartlessness of someone who’s willing to abandon a baby on a freezing cold night. The feminine Hana wants to be its surrogate mother, and care for the child he/she had always wanted, but after some deliberation and arguing, they agree to track-down the missing parents and return the child, something that doesn’t prove straightforward.
As the story unfolds and the trio track down the parents using various clues left with the baby, we get acquainted with each characters back-story via flashbacks, and their reason’s why they are homeless. The tracking down of the baby’s parents seems to inspire each character, and evokes many of their own deep down emotions about their sad pasts and the lives they’ve thrown away, driving them into all kinds of events, some helpful, some dangerous, weaving an intricate plot filled with pathos but also humour set against the backdrop of hardship and struggle, right up until the very end.
Tokyo Godfathers really is unlike many anime films you’ll see; it’s heart-warming, poignant, thought provoking, sometimes harrowing and sometimes funny, has a good intricate plot and flawed but instantly likeable protagonists. The animation is top notch as expected, and the background art of Tokyo is very special indeed, creating a great contrast between the neon-lit nights associated with Tokyo and Christmas commercialism and jollity, with the bitter struggle and grim survival of homeless people in dingy back-alleys, something you don’t really get to see much of, particularly in anime films.
It won’t be to everyone’s taste, as it revolves around characters, storytelling, moral messages and social issues, rather than 90 minutes of sci-fi violence, but if you like anime films with plots, and enjoyed films like Kon’s Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress, then you’ll no doubt enjoy this one too.
It’s available now on region 1 dvd, and hopefully it’ll eventually see a UK release as well (but don’t hold your breath).
The official US website is here [URL]http://www.sonypictures.com/cthe/tokyogodfathers/[/URL]
Many people have preconceptions about Japanese anime; it’s all big-eyed young kids piloting giant robot suits in a battle against some evil alien invaders, preposterous sci-fi and ultra violence by the bucket-load right?
Wrong.
Many people do have the wrong idea about anime, because they don’t know enough about it and make snap judgements based around little or no knowledge. OK, you may have seen widely–known things like Ghost in the Shell, Ninja Scroll or The Animatrix, but there's plenty of good stuff beyond them if you’re willing to give them a go.
After the worldwide success of Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away, Japanese anime has been boosted by a sudden amount of interest and acclaim where there was often much cynicism before. The critically acclaimed Tokyo Godfathers is another film that challenges these misconceptions.
Like Satoshi Kon’s previous directorial efforts, Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers is another interesting movie reliant on a solid character-driven story rather than eye-popping visuals and shallow/clichéd plot.
The action takes place in Tokyo (obviously) on a snowy Christmas Eve, where we’re introduced to the three protagonists, three homeless people; Gin - a gruff middle-aged alcoholic, Hana – a transvestite former drag queen, and Miyuki – a brash young teenage runaway.
Not perhaps the kind of characters you’d expect in your typical Japanese anime movie, but again, this isn’t a typical anime movie. Rather than have some good-looking youngsters or beefy super warriors prancing about the neon flashiness of Tokyo, we have the forgotten people of society as our heroes, with the slums and back streets as our main setting. The heroes don’t look pretty, they smell funny and have many flaws, but they have heart, sole and resolve in the face of adversity, as you see throughout the movie.
The story, supposedly loosely based on John Ford’s 1948 movie “The Three Godfathers” starring John Wayne, starts with the three hobos attending a Christmas nativity service, and when finished, they head off outside to forage through some back-alley rubbish. Whilst rummaging amongst the bins however, they make an important discovery; a crying abandoned baby girl.
They take the child, who they name Kiyoko, back to their shabby makeshift abode, where the strange family unit argue and squabble as to what to do about their discovery, and question the heartlessness of someone who’s willing to abandon a baby on a freezing cold night. The feminine Hana wants to be its surrogate mother, and care for the child he/she had always wanted, but after some deliberation and arguing, they agree to track-down the missing parents and return the child, something that doesn’t prove straightforward.
As the story unfolds and the trio track down the parents using various clues left with the baby, we get acquainted with each characters back-story via flashbacks, and their reason’s why they are homeless. The tracking down of the baby’s parents seems to inspire each character, and evokes many of their own deep down emotions about their sad pasts and the lives they’ve thrown away, driving them into all kinds of events, some helpful, some dangerous, weaving an intricate plot filled with pathos but also humour set against the backdrop of hardship and struggle, right up until the very end.
Tokyo Godfathers really is unlike many anime films you’ll see; it’s heart-warming, poignant, thought provoking, sometimes harrowing and sometimes funny, has a good intricate plot and flawed but instantly likeable protagonists. The animation is top notch as expected, and the background art of Tokyo is very special indeed, creating a great contrast between the neon-lit nights associated with Tokyo and Christmas commercialism and jollity, with the bitter struggle and grim survival of homeless people in dingy back-alleys, something you don’t really get to see much of, particularly in anime films.
It won’t be to everyone’s taste, as it revolves around characters, storytelling, moral messages and social issues, rather than 90 minutes of sci-fi violence, but if you like anime films with plots, and enjoyed films like Kon’s Perfect Blue and Millennium Actress, then you’ll no doubt enjoy this one too.
It’s available now on region 1 dvd, and hopefully it’ll eventually see a UK release as well (but don’t hold your breath).
The official US website is here [URL]http://www.sonypictures.com/cthe/tokyogodfathers/[/URL]