Tokyo Godfathers, a 2003 Japanese anime from well known director Satoshi Kon (Paprika, Millennium Actress), is about an unlikely trio of homeless people that finds a baby abandoned on Christmas eve. Although the obvious inspiration for this story is John Ford's similarly titled 1948 Western Three Godfathers, the coincidence filled novels of Charles Dickens are an even greater influence. Like Dickens, Kon is interested in the lives of the poverty stricken. Also, Kon's film is just as full of incredulity straining coincidences and plot twists as well known Dickens novels such as Great Expectations. There are also some similarities to Dickens' Christmas Carol including numerous flashbacks and a character encountering what seems to be a future version of himself who offers him a second chance.
Satoshi Kon's film is more than just a pastiche of his influences, however, he brings his own unique sensibilities to the table. For one thing, neither Dickens nor Ford would have dreamed of focusing a story on a transvestite who desperately wants to be a mother. The animation is always well done and it manages to draw just as much focus as the frenetically outlandish plot twists and turns. These narrative elements include chance encounters with figures from each of the three godfathers' pasts, an encounter with a yakuza boss and his would be assassin who only speaks Spanish, and a visit to a gender bending night club.
Tokyo Godfathers does an excellent job of presenting its characters realistically and it even manages to be fair about some of their less savory actions. The film also comes close to working on an emotional level: there are some genuinely heart-warming moments but they are presented so quickly that their impact is lessened. Ultimately, this film has a few too many unlikely plot contrivances that go by a little too fast for it to be a great one but it works well enough often enough to make the film better than average.
Satoshi Kon's film is more than just a pastiche of his influences, however, he brings his own unique sensibilities to the table. For one thing, neither Dickens nor Ford would have dreamed of focusing a story on a transvestite who desperately wants to be a mother. The animation is always well done and it manages to draw just as much focus as the frenetically outlandish plot twists and turns. These narrative elements include chance encounters with figures from each of the three godfathers' pasts, an encounter with a yakuza boss and his would be assassin who only speaks Spanish, and a visit to a gender bending night club.
Tokyo Godfathers does an excellent job of presenting its characters realistically and it even manages to be fair about some of their less savory actions. The film also comes close to working on an emotional level: there are some genuinely heart-warming moments but they are presented so quickly that their impact is lessened. Ultimately, this film has a few too many unlikely plot contrivances that go by a little too fast for it to be a great one but it works well enough often enough to make the film better than average.