Tokyo Godfathers

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Tokyo Godfathers

PG-13

2003

1h 30m

Comedy

Drama

Anime

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

76 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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Critics Consensus

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

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Nick Schager

The Daily Beast

Feb 2, 2021

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.

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Chris Stuckmann

ChrisStuckmann.com

Dec 28, 2020

A

Tokyo Godfathers stands as an excellent anime film and a really fun Christmas movie.

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Joe Morgenstern

Wall Street Journal

Dec 9, 2013

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.

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Rose Ho

The Asian Cut

Jul 31, 2025

3.5/5

There is a sense of dark tongue-in-cheek throughout the movie that helps ease this sense of increasing incredulity along.

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Chance Solem-Pfeifer

Willamette Week

Jan 22, 2025

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.”

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Tim Brayton

Alternate Ending

Dec 28, 2022

4/5

Grotty, unpolished, but lovable humanity.

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Bucky R

@Bucky3085 Jan 24, 2026

Poorly animated and boring as hell. Awful.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Dec 29, 2025

Funny anime holiday classic in 1.5 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Nathan Y.

@NathanYatesDouglass Dec 25, 2025

Surprisingly touching with lots of twists and turns. Pretty abrasive at times, but it makes the moments of quiet stand out that much more. Quirky fun with a wild story. Warning that some of the language, at least in the English translation, is heavy with Q slurs. It makes sense in the context and I wonder if it’s more nuanced in the native language, but can be jarring.

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Jonathan J.

@jonjondotcom1312 Dec 24, 2025

A treasure of a Christmas movie.

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Kira T

@KtanBrik Dec 19, 2025

Definetely not for children's brain. Awesome story, the miracle everyone needs.

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no o

@RT76850400 Sep 26, 2025

fantastic and amazing art

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Satoshi Kon

Director

Yoshiaki Umegaki

Hana

Aya Okamoto

Miyuki

Toru Emori

Gin

Shinichi Kobayashi

Executive Producer

Taro Maki

Executive Producer

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Tokyo Godfathers: Re-Release Trailer

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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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