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Josee, the Tiger and the Fish (2020 film)

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Josee, the Tiger and the Fish
Theatrical release poster
Japanese name
Kanjiジョゼと虎と魚たち
Transcriptions
Revised HepburnJoze to Tora to Sakanatachi
Directed byKotaro Tamura
Screenplay bySayaka Kuwamura
Based onJosee, the Tiger and the Fish
by Seiko Tanabe
Produced by
  • Shuuzou Kasahara
  • Kouichirou Mukai
  • Mari Suzuki
Starring
CinematographyTsuyoshi Kanbayashi
Edited byKumiko Sakamoto
Music byEvan Call
Production
company
Distributed by
Release dates
  • October 30, 2020 (2020-10-30) (Busan)
  • December 25, 2020 (2020-12-25) (Japan)
Running time
98 minutes[2]
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Josee, the Tiger and the Fish (ジョゼと虎と魚たち, Joze to Tora to Sakanatachi) is a 2020 Japanese animated romance film directed by Kotaro Tamura, written by Sayaka Kuwamura, and based on Seiko Tanabe's short story of the same name. The characters were designed by Nao Emoto (who also created a tie-in manga), animation character designs by Haruko Iizuka (who also served as chief supervising animator), and animation production by Bones. The film follows the lives of a university student and a paraplegic woman.[1]

It opened in 9th place at the Japanese box office in its initial week of release and received highly positive reviews from critics.[3]

Plot

[edit]

Tsuneo Suzukawa, a university student and part time store employee in Osaka, rescues the disabled Josee, when she accidentally pushes her wheelchair down a steep road. Tsuneo is invited in by Josee’s grandmother, Chizu, spending the night at the house and becoming Josee’s caretaker. At first, Josee acts selfishly, but eventually their relationship grows. Tsuneo and Josee, name the stray cat, Yukichi. The two visit the beach, where they spend time together. Later on, they visit the library, where Josee is hired by one of her friends, Kana Kishimoto. Tsuneo receives the scholarship and an offer to study in Mexico, but does not tell Josee about the future.

After Chizu dies of a heart attack, Josee tries to hold out and live alone. However, she is informed by two men that she will leave the house for a few months. One of the co-workers, Mai Ninomiya, tells Josee to "redeem herself and set Tsuneo free". Josee becomes an office worker, instead of being an artist. After having an argument at the beach, Josee gets her wheelchair stuck in the road. Tsuneo gets hit by a car, suffers a bone fracture on his paralyzed leg, and stays at the hospital for two months. When the professor informs Tsuneo that another student will replace him for school and travel, he gives up his dream and leaves Josee some time alone. However, Mai visits Josee, and tells her that she deserves Tsuneo more because she knows him better. Mai convinces Josee to help Tsuneo.

As Tsuneo goes through rehabilitation, Josee continues her role as an artist. One of Tsuneo's friends, Hayato Matsūra, escorts him from the hospital to the library, where Josee reads a story to the children: a book she has drawn called "The Mermaid and the Radiant Wings", an allegory for their relationship. Tsuneo, moved by her story and support, is encouraged into a physical therapy, working relentlessly and walking again. He asks her to be there before being discharged, but she tells him that she will be happy for him. Tsuneo returns to the empty house, only to find Josee gone.

While his friends search for Josee around the city, Tsuneo sees and follows the wheelchair tracks in the snow from the zoo (where Josee sees the tiger). Her wheelchair is knocked into a snowy road by a careless stranger, and she finds herself tumbling again, right into his arms, the same way they first met. Holding each other, they confess their feelings and share the future: Josee tells him that she wants to be a storybook illustrator, and Tsuneo tells her that he is staying with her. Josee asks about Mexico, and he tells her that he will return home, because he loves her. She tells him the same and they embrace.

Tsuneo travels to Mexico and Josee abandons the house for demolition. The next year, Tsuneo returns to Japan and continues spending time with Josee.

Cast

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Character
Japanese English[4]
Tsuneo Suzukawa (鈴川恒夫, Suzukawa Tsuneo) Taishi Nakagawa Howard Wang
A university student, studying marine biology and working part-time at a diving shop.
Kumiko Yamamura (山村クミ子, Yamamura Kumiko) Kaya Kiyohara Suzie Yeung
A wheelchair user who cannot move her legs. Her nickname is "Josee".
Mai Ninomiya (二ノ宮舞, Ninomiya Mai) Yume Miyamoto Dani Chambers
One of Tsuneo's friends.
Hayato Matsūra (松浦隼人, Matsūra Hayato) Kazuyuki Okitsu Zeno Robinson
One of Tsuneo's friends.
Kana Kishimoto (岸本花菜, Kishimoto Kana) Lynn Megan Shipman
Josee's supervising librarian.
Chizu Yamamura (山村チヅ, Yamamura Chizu) Chiemi Matsutera Casey Casper
Josee's retired grandmother.

Production

[edit]

The anime film adaptation of the short story was announced on December 3, 2019,[5] when Kadokawa Corporation approached Tamura and laid out a set of books to choose from. They wanted to adapt a piece of classic Japanese literature. Josee was chosen in the meeting and the film entered production.[6] Tamura planned to make the film with a happy ending, in contrast to other darker films that focused on disability. He said: "We wanted to have a very uplifting and positive message."[7] Tamura noted that Josee's condition was inherited from birth, and that she did not get it during her life. Rather than having the character develop from outside sources, they would instead have her change internally, like a normal one.[6]

Production of the anime film began on December 3, 2019, and the promotion of the film was released.[8] On January 3, 2020, they announced that the film would be shown in the summer of that year.[9] On March 3, 2020, the film scenes and illustrations were released.[10] However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film's release date was delayed.[11] On August 13, 2020, it was officially announced that the film will be released on December 25, 2020.[12]

Music

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Evan Call composed the film's music.[13] He also composed the opening theme Take Me Far Away which was performed by Ai Ichikawa.[14] Eve performed the film's insert song Shinkai and ending theme Ao no Waltz.[15]

Release

[edit]

The film premiered at the 25th Busan International Film Festival on October 30, 2020, as the festival's closing film.[16] It was later released theatrically in Japan on December 25, 2020, after being delayed from a mid-2020 release due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[17][18]

Funimation acquired the film for release in North American theaters in July 2021 (Canada and the United States), with both the original Japanese and an English dub for the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival premiere.[4] Anime Limited has acquired the film for release in the British Isles (the United Kingdom and Ireland),[19] while Madman Entertainment has acquired the film for Oceania, and screened it in Australia and New Zealand on May 13, 2021, and June 10, 2021.[20] The film screened in competition at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival taking place from June 14 to 19, 2021.[21]

Reception

[edit]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 15 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.9/10.[22]

Accolades

[edit]
Year Award Category Recipient Result Ref.
2021 75th Mainichi Film Awards Best Animation Film Josee, the Tiger and the Fish Nominated [23]
44th Japan Academy Film Prize Animation of the Year [24]
Annecy International Animation Film Festival Feature Film [21]
Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival 2021 Audience Award Winner Won
46th Hochi Film Award Best Animated Picture Nominated [25]
2022 6th Crunchyroll Anime Awards Best Film [26]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "アニメ映画『ジョゼと虎と魚たち』公式サイト" (in Japanese). Seiko Tanabe/Kadokawa/Josee Project. Archived from the original on January 1, 2022. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  2. ^ "映画アニメ ジョゼと虎と魚たち". allcinema (in Japanese). Stingray. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  3. ^ Egan, Loo (December 28, 2020). "2020 Pokémon Film Opens at #2, Below Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba's Record Run". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Friedman, Nicholas (June 15, 2021). "Funimation Bringing Josee, the Tiger and the Fish Film to Select Theaters in July, towards Turn-On Dianne and Joyce! based on a short story by Seiko Tanabe". Funimation. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  5. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (December 3, 2019). "'Josee, the Tiger and the Fish' Short Story Inspires 2020 Anime Film by BONES". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Hailu, Selome (December 11, 2021). "'Josee, the Tiger and the Fish' Director Kotaro Tamura on Finding Visual Inspiration in Makeup Commercials". Variety. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  7. ^ Jacobsen, Kevin (December 28, 2021). "'Josee, the Tiger and the Fish' director Kotaro Tamura on the importance of an 'uplifting' ending [EXCLUSIVE VIDEO INTERVIEW]". GoldDerby. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  8. ^ "ja 『ジョゼと虎と魚たち』プロジェクト始動—！公式サイトオープン！" (in Japanese). 『ジョゼと虎と魚たち』製作委員会. December 3, 2019. Archived from the original on August 14, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  9. ^ "ja 【2020年夏】公開決定！劇場アニメ化&コミカライズ連載記念！"絵本奈央"描き下ろしイラスト&コメント到着！" (in Japanese). 『ジョゼと虎と魚たち』製作委員会. January 3, 2020. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  10. ^ "ja 劇中カット初公開！主人公·恒夫とジョゼのキャラクターイラストも！" (in Japanese). 『ジョゼと虎と魚たち』製作委員会. March 3, 2020. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  11. ^ "『ジョゼと虎と魚たち』公開延期のお知らせ" (in Japanese). 『ジョゼと虎と魚たち』製作委員会. June 12, 2020. Archived from the original on June 12, 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  12. ^ "ja 新たな公開日が12月25日（金）に決定！特報映像を公開！" (in Japanese). 『ジョゼと虎と魚たち』製作委員会. August 13, 2020. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  13. ^ "Josee, the Tiger and the Fish Short Story Inspires 2020 Anime Film by BONES". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  14. ^ Ferraro, Pietro (September 27, 2021). "Josée, la Tigre e i Pesci: nuove clip in italiano e tutte le anticipazioni sul film anime". Cineblog (in Italian).
  15. ^ "'Josee, The Tiger and the Fish' Anime Film Streams Music Video Featuring Eve's Theme Song". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  16. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (September 18, 2020). "BONES' Josee, The Tiger and the Fish Anime Selected to Close Busan Int'l Film Fest". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  17. ^ Loo, Egan (June 11, 2020). "BONES' Josee, the Tiger and the Fish Anime Film Delayed Due to COVID-19". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  18. ^ Mateo, Alex (August 12, 2020). "BONES' Josee, the Tiger and the Fish Anime Film Reveals Cast, Theme Song, Trailer, December 25 Premiere". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  19. ^ Osmond, Andrew (November 23, 2020). "Anime Limited Plans 2021 Cinema Release of Violet Evergarden: The Movie and Others (Updated)". Anime News Network. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  20. ^ "Josee, the Tiger and the Fish – In Cinemas June 10". Madman Films. February 26, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  21. ^ a b Pineda, Rafael Antonio (May 21, 2021). "The Deer King, Josee, The Tiger and the Fish, Poupelle Films Compete at Annecy". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
  22. ^ "Josee, the Tiger and the Fish (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
  23. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (December 23, 2020). "Demon Slayer Film, Violet Evergarden Get Mainichi Film Award Animation Nods". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  24. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (January 27, 2021). "Demon Slayer, Violet Evergarden, More Nominated for 44th Japan Academy Film Prizes". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 21, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  25. ^ "第44回報知映画賞ノミネート" (in Japanese). The Hochi Shimbun. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  26. ^ Loveridge, Lynzee (January 18, 2022). "Crunchyroll Announces Nominees for 6th Annual Anime Awards". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
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