Tokyo Godfathers Blu-ray/DVD

Alternatingly crazy, hilarious, and touching all in one, TOKYO GODFATHERS is also a surprisingly thoughtful study of homeless people. It could also very well be one of the late Satoshi Kon's most lighthearted films he ever made. If you found PERFECT BLUE tough to sit through,this is a much easier experience. As mentioned, there is plenty of humor in this story, as well as an impeccably staged climactic chase that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The end credits song, set to Beethoven's 9th, is a riot as well. It really is a shame that Mr. Kon's career was cut short, as this is yet another winner from him. Why it took 17 years for this movie to be dubbed is beyond me, but luckily the wait was worth it. Produced by the reliable folks at NYAV Post, this one features terrific performances by Shakina Nayfack, Jon Avner, and Victoria Grace, all of who infuse their characters with such a contagious energy that it's hard not to be engaged with them.

Watching a movie by Satoshi Kon dubbed is truly the wrong way to go about doing it because the director never liked dubs for his movies, and considering how bad dubs truly are, it is for the better if they don't exist at all.

On that level, TOKYO GODFATHERS' new dub is absolutely horrible and fails desperately to do any justice to the far superior Japanese voice actors. Everyone involved sounds flat and shrill, and obviously come across as though they're reading lines. It's that horrible. A previous dub by Odex is at the very least far more tolerable and GKIDS should have offered that version instead of this ghastly new dub. Seriously, DON'T watch this dubbed, only in Japanese. They bring REAL nuance and emotion. The new dub cast simply can't. End of story.

First of all, I absolutely love this movie. It's heartfelt and nuanced, but also hysterically funny. As much as I love Kon's films, this is one of my favorites from him. That it backs off from the sometimes maddening but still effective shifting from different scenes from films like PERFECT BLUE and PAPRIKA also makes it his most accessible.

I only saw a little bit of the old Odex dub back then, and honestly, it's pretty rough to listen to. This newer version is far superior overall, and arguably benefits strongly from casting a real-life transvestite for the role of Hana, Shakina Nayfack, who brings real heart to her character. I still prefer the Japanese version, but either version of this movie will suffice. GKIDS offers a fine BD for this film, too -- it looks fantastic in HD and features great extras.

This was a bit of a gamble for me, I bought this movie knowing basically nothing more than the blurb from the back of the box. And boy howdy, did that gamble pay off.
Like the synopsis says, Tokyo Godfathers follows 3 homeless people who discover a baby girl abandoned in the snow on Christmas, and their quest to find out where she belongs. That quest is very much the heart of the movie, but it's also dexterously and cleverly intertwined with the stories of the struggles of the titular "godfathers" and how they wound up where they are. The film does a fantastic job of giving you enough information to keep you intrigued and paying attention without spelling everything out, and there were moments I was literally on the edge of my seat, holding my breath waiting to see how events played out.

This is my favorite movie of all time, anime or otherwise. It is also, almost by coincidence, my favorite Christmas movie of all time, although it’s easy to forget that it in effect is one because there isn’t a Santa Claus, tree, or carol anywhere in sight.

The quirky, fast-paced story lets a seemingly random aggregate of little disasters and little miracles pile one atop the other, until out pops a magnificent, entertaining, heartwarming, hilarious, grungy, beautiful triumph.

Possibly the best thing about it is that the material sounds bleak and dark--the forgotten homeless, the miserable fringes of society, and an abandoned infant--and pulls something grand and FUN out of it.

Watch this movie. You can’t go wrong.

I am so glad I finally added this movie to my collection, sight unseen. I deeply respect Kon's vision for his films, he was a genius on par with Hitchcock and Kubrick. I can't always say I've "clicked" with them, but I never regret watching them at least once.

This one in particular was well worth owning for me. It's heartwarming, it's real. It's funny. It's a viewpoint that no one else seems to want to take (the homeless), much to our loss and theirs. I wish more manga/anime would make the effort. These are real people in our world, deeply excluded, each with their own story.

I love the Christmas backdrop, it gives a nice bit of spiritual punch to the film. I really love it, and I think you will too.

Also, unlike the other reviewer I think the dub was great here, zero complaints.

This movie is a groundbreaking and touching look at homeless people and trans people in Japan. It has some harsh moments but is overall quite uplifting. Another masterpiece from the amazing library of Kon. Being from the LGBTQ+ family myself, I fell in love with Hana. She is one of the first and only trans characters that I have seen in anime that is portrayed with such love and kindness. The other characters are amazing as well. Satoshi Kon was a wonderful human being, and you can tell by how well he treats his characters. The Video and Audio quality is stunning. The new English dub sounds quite natural. There is a ton of extras and BTS. I enjoyed hearing from Kon all his thoughts on the process. Although it was cringe-worthy hearing some of the interviewers and their insensitivity with both homeless people and the trans community, but that is both a product of the time and Japanese culture. The blu-ray comes with Kon's short film "Ohayo". Which is a beautiful one minute short.