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Tokyo Godfathers

Play trailer 1:00 Poster for Tokyo Godfathers PG-13 Released Aug 30, 2003 1h 30m Comedy Drama Anime Play Trailer Watchlist
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92% Tomatometer 77 Reviews 91% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Middle-aged alcoholic Gin (Toru Emori), teenage runaway Miyuki (Aya Okamoto) and former drag queen Hana (Yoshiaki Umegaki) are a trio of homeless people surviving as a makeshift family on the streets of Tokyo. While rummaging in the trash for food on Christmas Eve, they stumble upon an abandoned newborn baby in a trash bin. With only a handful of clues to the baby's identity, the three misfits search the streets of Tokyo for help in returning the baby to its parents.
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Tokyo Godfathers

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Critics Consensus

Beautiful and substantive, Tokyo Godfathers adds a moving -- and somewhat unconventional -- entry to the animated Christmas canon.

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Critics Reviews

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Nick Schager The Daily Beast A modern animé classic fit for rediscovery by both adults and kids-not to mention a stirring celebration of inclusivity that remains ahead of its time. Feb 2, 2021 Full Review Chris Stuckmann ChrisStuckmann.com Tokyo Godfathers stands as an excellent anime film and a really fun Christmas movie. Rated: A Dec 28, 2020 Full Review Joe Morgenstern Wall Street Journal In one sense the plot involves returning stolen goods to a thief, but Tokyo Godfathers is really about longing -- for family, for children, for parents and for the lost past. Dec 9, 2013 Full Review Chance Solem-Pfeifer Willamette Week Poignancy gives way to self-conscious sitcom shtick, which morphs into violent tension. It’s a balance so deft the movie elides subgenre altogether and just picks “a holiday classic to those who know.” Jan 22, 2025 Full Review Tim Brayton Alternate Ending Grotty, unpolished, but lovable humanity. Rated: 4/5 Dec 28, 2022 Full Review Mat Brunet AniMat's Review (YouTube) Tokyo Godfathers is a wonderfully emotional animated feature that manages to deliver so much with so little. Rated: 9/10 Nov 11, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Olivia T I will be needing a few weeks to recover from this movie. What a beautiful, beautiful Christmas story. We follow three homeless people through Tokyo on Christmas Eve, and we watch as they stumble upon a baby in a pile of trash. They soon become determined to get the baby back to it's parents, and are led on a wild goose chase. Throughout the movie, we get a glimpse of each character's tumultuous background, and we watch as loose ends are resolved. I will definitely be watching this every Christmas Eve. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/20/25 Full Review Insomniac X Quirky, sometimes harsh character drama about three friends trying to care for an abandoned infant while living on the street. Crisp animation and richly painted backdrops draw the audience in, while comic elements and a hopeful message help to soften the story's pervasive tragedy. The trio's efforts seem buoyed by divine intervention, as their newfound purpose leads them on a journey of reconciliation full of mysterious coincidences. Slow and steady pacing leads to a breathtaking finale. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/09/25 Full Review Sarah G A wild ride from start to finish. Intense, funny, heartwarming, and bizarre. There were a few plot elements that could use a little more explanation (I'm looking at you, Miyuki's plot), but overall it was enthralling. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/25/25 Full Review red g This is a film that perfectly combines humor and drama, showing truly deep characters that evolve throughout the story. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry. You will enjoy it 100%! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/19/25 Full Review Gustavo R 3 Homeless people find an abandoned little baby girl and they make it their mission to find and confront the mother. This story happens around Christmas and new years making it a perfect season movie. Beautiful story. Great voice acting. And the animation, superb and it’s full of twists and turns. One of my all time favorites 🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿/5 on Prime Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/12/25 Full Review Ada Isaís D Such a funny and beautiful movie, a lesson for people who believe that the "traditional family" is the only family that exists Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/30/24 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis Middle-aged alcoholic Gin (Toru Emori), teenage runaway Miyuki (Aya Okamoto) and former drag queen Hana (Yoshiaki Umegaki) are a trio of homeless people surviving as a makeshift family on the streets of Tokyo. While rummaging in the trash for food on Christmas Eve, they stumble upon an abandoned newborn baby in a trash bin. With only a handful of clues to the baby's identity, the three misfits search the streets of Tokyo for help in returning the baby to its parents.
Director
Satoshi Kon
Producer
Masao Maruyama
Distributor
Sony Pictures Entertainment, Columbia Tristar, Samuel Goldwyn Company
Production Co
Mad House Company Ltd.
Rating
PG-13 (Thematic Elements|Some Sexual Material|Language|Violent Images)
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Anime
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 30, 2003, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 2, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$129.0K
Runtime
1h 30m
Sound Mix
Surround
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