Anime Comes of Age
Tokyo Godfathers, just out on DVD, is further proof that Japanese Anime has moved beyond its geeky/sci-fi/fantasy roots. This is a dramatic story on par with the best live-action dramas that Hollywood can produce. The story centers around three homeless people in Tokyo that find an abandoned baby in a dumpster on Christmas Eve. What follows is a cleverly written script involving chance, luck, coincidence and salvation of the three main characters as they attempt to return the baby to its parents. There are gritty depictions of life on the streets and the misery that life can bring, but it is balanced with humor and wit. There is a twist at the end and the smartly written screenplay comes together at the end.
In addition to this DVD, Spirited Away, Millennium Actress, and Perfect Blue are also recommended. The Triplets of Bellevile is also recommended even though its a French Canadian production by the way of France and the UK. These movies appeal to the general movie audience, so don’t shy away from these great movies just because they are “cartoons”. They are available on NetFlix, not sure how easy they are to find elsewhere.