Bunobyers

Tokyo Godfathers is a Japanese animated film, made in 2003, that follows the adventures of three homeless friends on Christmas Eve in Tokyo, Japan. Throughout the movie, we follow Hana, a transwoman and former drag queen, Gin, a middle-aged man with a gambling addiction, and Miyuki, a teenage runaway, as they find a baby in a trash can and spend Christmas Day trying to reunite the child with her mother. A comedic adventure quickly ensues, as the chaotic but loving trio, do their best to take care of their new baby, solve the mystery of her appearance, and all the while combat the dangers and prejudices that come with being homeless. Though predominantly a comedy, the film also strays away from its humorous tone and delves deep into the characters’ complex backstories, emotionally exploring the myriad of reasons why Hana, Gin, and Miyuki are homeless and why getting the baby back to her mother is so important for each of them. Directed by the famous Satoshi Kon and loosely based on the 1913 novel “The Three Godfathers”, the film explores themes of parenthood, found families, classism, transphobia, and addiction, and illuminates the complex ways in which these forces interact and impact daily life. In essence, Tokyo Godfathers effectively explores themes of transphobia and the intersection of classism and queerness, and though not entirely unproblematic, is unique and powerful in its complex characterization of both Hana as a character and the oppressions she faces as a transwoman who is homeless. 

(Hana speaking about her desire to be loved)

Before beginning, it is important to note that the following analysis is of the 2020 English dubbed re-release of Tokyo Godfathers by GKIDS. As of now, there are many fan-subbed versions of the film circulating on the internet that misgender Hana in their subtitles. The GKIDS re-release does not so I will not be addressing that form of transphobia in my analysis. Similarly, in the original Japanese version, Hana is voiced by a man, and the fluctuations of her voice, from high and feminine when she is happy, to low and masculine when she wants to be intimidating, is present and follows a very transphobic trope in comedy. In the GKIDS dubbed version, Hana is voiced by Shakina Nayfack, a transwoman, actress, and activist, and these vocal fluctuations are not present so, once again, I will not be addressing that form of transphobia, as it was not present in the updated version that I watched.

How Shakina Nayfack used her voice to reclaim trans representation in animation

(A short article on Shakina Nayfack, the English voice actress for Hana in the 2020 GKIDS re-release)

Though Tokyo Godfathers does not have the popularity or mainstream attention to be considered a breakout text, it’s humanizing and complex characterization of Hana breaks traditional transphobic tropes, particularly in comedy, that lends itself to “creat[ing] small cracks in the glass ceiling of cultural consciousness and makes room for future breaks” (Cavalcante, 2017, p. 4). Hana is the main protagonist of the film. She is both the center of comedic relief, the leader of her found family and the driver of the plot as a whole. It is through her desire to fulfill her dream of becoming a mother, and her desperate need to understand why parents abandon their children (as her parents did to her), that motivates her, and in turn, her friends, to find the child’s parents themselves, instead of going to the police. It is in this complexity that Hana, “breaks historical representation paradigms” of both trans characters and queer characters as a whole (Cavalcante, 2017, p. 2). In her desperate search to love and be loved, Hana is immediately humanized, her identity centered in love and family, and not in her gender or sexuality, as so many queer characters are. In addition, she is not portrayed as “sexless” as is the norm for queer characters, wherein they can exist in media as long as their love stories and intimate desires do not. Though very subtle, Hana is the only character in the movie that has a love interest, Gin, and she had a boyfriend, who died, but is still a key part of her characterization. Though these love stories are not centered in the film, they are the only ones in the movie, and this exclusive existence, unique to Hana, illustrates their importance to both the themes of the movie and Hana’s character.   

(Miyuki asks Hana about her feelings for Gin)

(A photo of Hana and her ex-boyfriend Ken at the club she once worked at)

That is not to say that the queer representation in this film is by any means perfect. As mentioned, the movie is a comedy and thus falls into the historical “preponderance of these representations occurring in the comedy”, especially given that  Hana is the comedic center (Dow, 2001, p.130). Even more so, there are instances in which Hana’s trans identity is stereotyped and used as the joke itself. In one scene, she flirts with a cab driver knowing that he is uncomfortable by the fact that she is a trans woman, and his transphobia is framed as comedic. She also has a very flamboyant personality, with sharp emotional highs, and equally dramatic lows, that once again plays into stereotypical representations of transwomen as over-the-top and overly dramatized to the point of ridiculousness. In line with this, her previous line of work was as a drag queen, and though scenes of her in the drag community are dominated by a sense of love and community, it still plays into already established tropes of transwoman living as a performance. In these ways, her representation at times leans towards the role of the “clown…putting on a show for The Other” where it is “never quite clear whether we are laughing with or at this figure” (Hall,1995, p. 22).  However, as mentioned above, Hana’s complex and nuanced backstory, combined with her frequent acts of heroism and her leadership role, make it so she is deeply humanized. Though her dramatic personality falls into these stereotypical tropes at times, it does not detract from her character arc of motherhood and finding love, a nuance that is missing from many stories of trans women in media.  

(As pictured, Hana’s emotions are very dramatized and quickly jump from very high to very low)

This nuance is heightened through the intersection of classism and queerness, which is an equally prevalent theme throughout the film. In particular, class struggles are illustrated through medical care. At one point, Hana falls ill, and Gin is forced to give away his life savings in order to pay for her treatment. It is also here where Hana’s gender identity is questioned, as the hospital houses her in the men’s ward, and she explains that she “is not pleased with this”. This particular intersection of class and queerness within a medical setting is impactful given the long and “oppressive role of medicine in trans people’s lives” (Keegan, 2016, p. 607) and the strong tendency of media to tell trans folks stories, about both life and transition, in a way that is medicalized. For Hana, the discrimination she experiences at the hospital, and her inability to pay for her treatment, illustrate the violence of intersecting oppressions of queerness and homelessness in medical systems, while also straying away from the problematic representation of trans folks that are centered around a rhetoric of medicalization. More visually, the family is also a key illustrative example of how class and queerness are explored. The trio is constantly visually contrasted with traditional Japanese families in a variety of settings. This harkens back to ideas of “alternative forms” of families that queer folks create and this difference is visually exasperated by the trio’s homelessness, making them stand out in whatever space they are in (Keegan, 2016, p. 607).

(An angel asks Gin if he would rather have her magic or an ambulance. He chooses the ambulance.)

(Hana in the hospital. The subtitle reads “This ward, it’s the men’s isn’t it?”)

(One of many scenes where the trio is set up in  familial positions)

As a queer, white woman living in the United States my subject positionality had a great effect on how I consumed the movie. Most notably, I was born and raised in Western society, and given that this film is Japanese and made for Japanese audiences, there is a variety of cultural norms and perceptions that I did not pick up on because of my lack of familiarity with them. In the same vein, I watched this movie translated into English and, as with every translated work, there are words and subtle, yet important, nuances in the language that were very likely lost to me as a viewer. My identity as a queer woman made it so that I was drawn to Hana as a character and was very moved by her deep desire to be a mother. The movie is steeped in images of Hana and her friends encompassing the idea of a non-traditional family, and since I would love a family of my own one day and I expect that to look different than the dominant nuclear family norm, I really focused my experience on the variety of nontraditional families that this movie shows, all of them as loving as the next.

(Hana and her drag mother reuniting)

(Hana and her family)

As a whole, Tokyo Godfathers, though not without its faults, is a refreshing take on the traditional feel-good Christmas movie trope, delving into class and queerness, and using the two to explore what it really means to be a family that is loving and kind. Spoiler alert, that family looks a little something like one ex-drag queen, one man with a gambling addiction, a teenage runaway who loves cats, and their baby they found in a dumpster.  

Sources

Dow, Bonnie (2001). “Ellen, Television, and the Politics of Gay and Lesbian Visibility.” Critical Studies in Media Communication 18(2), 123-140. 

Cavalcante, Andre (2017). “Breaking into Transgender Life: Transgender Audiences’ Experiences With ‘First of Its Kind’ Visibility in Popular Media.” Communication, Culture & Critique, 1-18. 

Keegan, Cáel (2016). “Tongues without Bodies: The Wachowskis’ Sense8.” Transgender Studies Quarterly 3(3–4), 605-610. 

Had this idea ever since I saw this photo:

Let's go in order, starting from the very first season and ending with Season 5!!

Season 1.

🎵 A Kiss — Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein.

The song plays during Mike and Jane's kiss scene. Yes, the song title is telling, bright. But there's one catch.

To see the twist, you need to look at the official Season 1 soundtrack list.

6. Friendship

7. Eleven

8. A Kiss

Do you see it? Before the track "A Kiss" comes "Friendship" and "Eleven."

And that's just the first season.

Season 2.

🎵 Every Breath You Take — The Police

When Mike and El finally reunite at the school dance and have their first and only dance, this song plays.

Sting (the vocalist) about this song:

"One couple told me, 'We chose your song for the first dance at our wedding.' I replied, 'Well, good luck with that. Because that song is about jealousy and obsession.'"

The song is literally about obsession, about stalking and unhealthy relationships.

ㅤㅤEvery vow you break

ㅤㅤEvery smile you fake

ㅤㅤEvery claim you stake

ㅤㅤI'll be watching you.

I'll remind you how El watched Mike daily in Season 2, was jealous of him over Max, that her room was full of drawings of him, with his name. Millie even said she took a photo of Mike with hearts around it from the set.

(Also, I want to remind you about the drawings; initially, Jane drew herself with Dr. Brenner, and then switched to Mike)

This is obsession. The word love is never mentioned in the song.

Sting wrote this song after his divorce. It was the result of pain, jealousy, and a sense of loss, not love.

Season 3.

🎵 Never Surrender — Corey Hart.

The song plays during Jane and Mike's kiss scene.

"Nobody wants to know you nowww" — Mike sings these lines right after kissing Jane. He grabs her hands and shakes her, and the girl tells him to stop.

"Nobody wants to know you."

This song isn't about tenderness, but about imposition.

"Just a little more time could open closing doors" — the lines have a queer subtext and reference Mike's closet 🙂

🎵 Can't Fight This Feeling — REO Speedwagon.

Plays during another Mileven kiss scene. On one hand, this song relates to Hopper, who is overprotective of his daughter. On the other hand, it also resonates with Mileven.

ㅤㅤWhat started out as friendship

ㅤㅤHas grown stronger

Kevin Cronin (the songwriter) told the real story behind it:

"The inspiration was the pain I felt when I was drawn to a woman who was part of my circle of friends... She was dating my friend, so I kept it inside. The more I got to know her, the more I liked her, but I couldn't say anything about it."

Oh wow, that's a complete description of Will and his feelings for Mike!!!

Kevin also said:

"The song is about the moment when... it becomes too painful to stay where you are, and you know you have to change... but change is hard... and you overcome that fear of change"

In my opinion, this is about Mike! He's afraid to change; it's extremely difficult for him. The fear of not being understood.

🎵 The First I love You — Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein.

First, this song played during the scene with Steve and Robin. At the moment Robin comes out. A scene with friends, it's platonic love.

And then, in the next episode, the same track plays during the Mileven scene. Just like in the scene with Steve and Robin, there's also one queer character here — Mike. Mike can't confess his love, Jane says "I love you" first, they kiss.

jtlupe on Tumblr writes:

"My favorite detail here is that the word 'love' in the track title is written in lowercase. It might seem insignificant, but when you look at the ENTIRE Stranger Things soundtrack up to Season 4, no other words were written in lowercase. This was done intentionally."

Season 4.

🎵 California Dreamin' — The Beach Boys

Jane reads a letter to Mike in voiceover. She talks about how great everything is in California, what cool friends she has, how happy she is. But as we know, she's lying. The song about "dreaming of California" plays exactly at the moment she's describing the perfect, fictional version of her life.

The Beach Boys sing about longing for home, for a place where you're accepted. Jane longs for Hawkins, for Mike, for her real life.

🎵 You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) — Dead or Alive

Mike and Jane are at the Rink-O-Mania skating rink, skating to this song. The song is about obsession, about a compulsive desire to possess. The line "I got to be your friend now, baby" — a disguise, a way to get into someone's personal space. This is the only "romantic" Mileven moment in Season 4. And it happens to a song about obsession, not love. Just like in Season 2 with Every Breath You Take, they show a cute scene, but the soundtrack screams the opposite.

🎵 Tarzan Boy — Baltimora

Mike, El, and Will are sitting in the cafeteria at the Rink-O-Mania skating rink, drinking milkshakes. Angela and her friends approach them. The song plays in the background.

On SongMeanings, there's a brilliant analysis by a user connecting the song to gay themes.

Jungle life, I'm far away from nowhere / On my own like Tarzan boy

As a gay man in the 80s, he's outside mainstream society ("in the jungle"). It's wild and lonely there because most gays are still in the closet.

Hide-and-seek, I play alone while rushing 'cross the forest / Monkey business on a sunny afternoon

"Hide-and-seek" — gay people trying to find each other without revealing themselves. "Monkey business" — standard slang for sex.

Night to night / Gimme the other, gimme the other world

"The other" — slang for sex and for same-sex relationships ("playing for the other team").

Take a chance, leave everything behind you, come and join me / Won't be sorry, it's easy to survive

A call to other gays to come out of the closet ("take a chance") and live openly.

The performer, Jimmy McShane, was gay and died of AIDS in 1995.

This is a song about loneliness ("on my own like Tarzan boy"). About the need to hide ("hide-and-seek, I play alone"). About trying to reach out ("does the message get to you?"). About the desire to get to another world ("the other world") where you can be yourself. And about the call to take a risk ("take a chance, leave everything behind, come and join me"). It's a cry from the soul, directed from Will to Mike. The way he just silently watches Jane and his best friend, holding onto hope.

Season 5.

AND NOW THE MOST INTERESTING PART.

Throughout the entire season, during Mileven scenes, there is complete silence in the music. EXCEPT for the final farewell scene in the void.

🎵 Purple Rain — Prince and the Revolution

I'll just show you the lyrics and their translation.

I never wanted to be your weekend lover

I only wanted to be some kind of friend

Baby, I could never steal you from another

It's such a shame our friendship had to end

Do you understand? MILEVEN BROKE UP IN THIS SCENE. That was a goodbye kiss!!