Tokyo Godfathers

"For those still under the common misconception that anime is all child's play, the films of director Satoshi Kon offer a new perspective on the popular animated art form. With stories that are often intensely personal and characters that are three-dimensional and sympathetic -- not to mention beautiful animation -- Kon's films prove that anime can appeal to more than just the comic-book-reading teenage boys it is often associated with in America. Columbia/TriStar's eagerly awaited stateside DVD release of Kon's tender drama Tokyo Godfathers tells the touching tale of three homeless vagabonds who discover the value of family after finding an abandoned baby on the streets of Tokyo. Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, the image is crisp and the colors bold. Audio is presented in Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1 with optional English subtitles. Free of distortion or hiss and sporting impressive directional effects, viewers with babies will no doubt find themselves jumping up from the couch for a diaper check when titular trio's infant charge becomes restless. Though Kon fans will no doubt find slight disappointment in the lack of extra features, a fairly satisfying making-of featurette discusses the film, offers a look at the voice actors in action, and finds the director himself sitting down to discuss Tokyo Godfathers with young starlet Aya Okamoto. A handful of trailers are also included, and liner notes by Variety writer Ken Eisner discuss both the film and Kon's impressive career -- with an exclusive character illustration by Kon himself rounding things out nicely."