Tokyo Godfathers (2003) [Revisited]

We reviewed this twelve years ago and at the time more or less agreed with the consensus that it's a good movie, slapped a recommendation on it, and moved on. We never mentioned The Three Godfathers, because at the time we'd never seen a single adaptation or read the book (we've rectified that since). At some point, I picked up a copy of the film on blu-ray and dropped it in the "rewatch this soon" pile of discs sitting beside my television. That was probably three or four years ago. Last night I popped it in, hit play, and discovered a few things.

First, I discovered my memories of the movies were comically inaccurate. If you'd asked me to give you a brief rundown of the plot, I'd have given you a synopsis bearing absolutely no resemblance to anything after the first ten or fifteen minutes of this movie.

Second - and related - I discovered it is not, in any meaningful way, an adaptation of The Three Godfathers, but rather inspired by that story (or more accurately the 1948 adaptation). I sometimes see it referred to as an update of that premise, but any similarities are strictly homage in my opinion.

Third, I learned I no longer agreed with my earlier assessment that it's a "good movie." Good movies are a dime a dozen. This is a goddamn masterpiece. If you haven't seen it, you should do so at once.

Tokyo Godfathers was directed by Satoshi Kon, also known for making Perfect Blue (which I'm embarrassed to say I haven't seen yet - it's on my list), Millennium Actress (which I haven't seen in so long I might as well have never seen it), and Paprika (which I finally got around to earlier this year - it's very good but nowhere near as good as Tokyo Godfathers). It's far more grounded than most of his work or most Japanese animation that makes its way to the US, though it includes elements of fantasy reminiscent of magical realism. Thematically, this is - among other things - a treatise on empathy and understanding focusing on a group of characters discarded by society and revealing them to be complex, compassionate people deserving of respect and happiness. It's also exploring connections between motherhood and gender identity - one of the movie's three main characters, Hana, is a trans woman.

In 2012, I hedged on celebrating the movie's depiction of the character, as I felt it leaned dangerously close to embracing stereotypes and using her as comic relief. My opinion has shifted strongly on rewatch: I think Hana is the heart of the movie, and her depiction is essential for exploring her depth. That said, I'm writing this as a straight cis man, so take my opinion here with a grain of salt. But for what it's worth, I found the character compelling and multi-faceted.

The movie is set between Christmas and New Year's, and it makes use of associations with both holidays in its exploration of its themes. In the case of Hana's arc, the movie explores her desire for a connection with motherhood, alluding to both the nativity and the New Year's baby tradition depending on the holiday. Considering when this was released, I was struck by how firmly and unambiguously the movie embraced Hana's identity. The people around her may have doubted her gender, but the movie is framed to affirm her identity on what amounts to a metaphysical level. Contrary to the "father" in the title, it's undeniable she takes on the role of mother for a child thematically linked with Christ. That's a powerful statement, particularly for the era when this was made.

In addition, the movie is exploring two other holiday media staples: the holidays as a time of reflection and charity (or lack thereof). The reflection comes in the form of the three leads remembering and coming to terms with past mistakes: Hana losing contact with a found family operating a drag bar, Gin walking out on his family years before, and Miyuki attacking her father and running away. Over the course of the story, all three are given a chance to reconcile and make amends with those they left behind.

The charity angle is more straightforward. Tokyo Godfathers is borrowing a page from Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Match Girl," with the caveat this concludes with a far more upbeat finale. Still, it's showing us the way society demeans and discards those who have the least; the fact this is occurring with the holidays as a backdrop cements that point.

There's a great deal I could say about this, but I'm a little reluctant to go in-depth into the plot, if for no other reason doing so would reduce the likelihood I'll forget it again and be able to rediscover it for a third time. Suffice to say, it's a gorgeously animated movie with an engaging central mystery, brilliant comedy, and touching drama that makes the two or three moments where the supernatural arguably manifests all the more powerful.