Japan's Taxis of the Night (4k Patreon Exclusive Video) | *Film Friday* "Tokyo Godfathers" (2003) (Patreon)

So a couple of days back I was visiting a friend in neighbouring Iwate prefecture, and after he shot off in the evening to meet someone better, I grabbed my new camera and went for a night time stroll alone.

I don’t do it as often as I should, which is a shame as photography is often best done alone, when it’s just you, your camera and the street with no distractions along the way.

There was no plan other than to test out the new camera and see how it performed in a night time setting - of course, in glorious 4K once again.

And as I wandered the streets, filming folks strolling around and taxis meandering through the narrow roads and lanes, I noticed there seemed to be a heck of a lot of taxis around. 

Even as the streets emptied and the crowds disappeared, middle aged men could be seen prowling around in their late night taxis at every turn. I swear to god, Japan has way more taxis than it needs. There’s a taxi for every man, woman and child in the country.

But I was so pleased with the spontaneous test footage, that I hastily edited it together with a beautiful soundtrack from Shin Suzuma (“Bonsai Forest”) and this was the end result.

Japan's Taxis of the Night (4k)
► Watch:https://youtu.be/khxGd63sxX8

Also, last week’s mountain shrine video is finally available to watch in 4K on Youtube!
► Check it out:https://youtu.be/bjYZ8foDmcM

It’s another busy week, as this weekend sees the release of a new Abroad in Japan video on What it’s Like to Own a Sushi Restaurant. It’s a video I’ve wanted to make with my friend Satoshi Ueno - the owner - for many years, so it’s exciting to finally feature his restaurant and his story after all this time.

After it’s released, I’ll return with some behind the scenes Patreon commentary in the next few days, along with some exciting news about a huge upcoming project!

But is it as exciting as the this week’s FILM FRIDAY?!

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Tokyo Godfathers (2003), Anime Comedy-Drama
Director: Satoshi Kon 

I remember watching Tokyo Godfathers for the first time and thinking how absurd the premise of the film was.

Three homeless, including a runaway teenager, a middle-aged father riddled with regret and a drag queen who stumble across a disowned baby in a dumpster in central Tokyo on Christmas Eve and go off an adventure across the city in search of the mother and answers. That premise alone should be enough to make you want to watch the movie. 

It’s the kind of animated film you won’t see Pixar making in a hurry - although after watching Tokyo Godfathers, you’ll wish Hollywood dedicated more time and resources to producing animated films for an adult audience. 

But the film is memorable not just because of the hilarious characters and their bizarre adventures, but once again thanks to the artistic direction of director Satoshi Kon, who makes every single scene pop with cinematic detail that surpasses a regular motion picture. 

In some ways, if I’d never visited Japan I would have found the plot farfetched to the point of disbelief. However, having seen the cardboard dwellings homeless people call home in densely populated neighbourhoods of Tokyo, and having met the feisty drag queens who dominate the bars of Japan at night, over the years I’ve certainly come to find the characters and the setting are all the more believable for it!

And though in a live action setting, the premise of the film would likely make uncomfortable viewing (particularly the scenes with the baby), it’s a reminder of how good anime can be at opening doors and breathing life into worlds that are impossible to do in live action feature films. 

Watching Tokyo Godfathers helped me realise that and turned an anime sceptic into a full-blown believer of the medium.