Christmas is a time when people tend to enjoy warm and hopeful films about family and faith, focusing on the joy that comes with the festive season. Japan is no stranger to this, producing a list of brilliant films that can be a sweet holiday watch for any anime or film aficionado in the festive season.
There are more than a few Christmas films that could serve as a great watch for the holidays, but these five films specifically bring about the holiday cheer and the spirit of the season like no other film does, giving their viewers that feel-good, warm, fuzzy feeling.
5. Tokyo Godfathers
A heartwarming and heartwrenching tale, Tokyo Godfathers follows 3 homeless characters who embark on a quest to return a child to their parents, set against a snowy winter, right around the time of Christmas in the country. The film explores the theme of family and has a cast of loveable characters with some genuinely loveable and comic moments, the kind that could make the holiday season that much more cosier.
4. Wolf Children
Another great flick with a focus on family, the film follows a single mother as she raises two wolf children, the film is one of the most heartwarming offerings of the season, making it a thrill for young and mature viewers alike. With certain gut-wrenching scenes, the film manages to tug at heartstrings and make a truly wholesome experience for the holidays.
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3. Saint Young Men
One of the more wackier entries on the list, the film follows Jesus and Buddha sharing a small apartment in Japan, and going through life as they hide their identities. Filled with fun gags referencing Christianity and Buddhism, the duo serve a warm and lovely array of slice-of-life moments, making it one the most ingenious films to watch this holiday season.
2. Kiki’s Delivery Service
No anime film list is complete without at least one entry from Studio Ghibli. Kiki’s Delivery Service might not be Princess Mononoke, but it is a light-hearted feel-good story that could sit comfortably with other holiday films. While not an outright holiday film, the idea of a protagonist who flies on a broomstick delivering to customers is more than a little reminiscent of a certain holiday figure.
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1. Flavours of Youth
Flavours of Youth is an anthology film, that follows multiple stories. The theme focuses on the necessities of life: food, clothing, housing and transportation. A look into the urban lives of everyday people, the film explores the basic things in life, reminding the holiday crowd about all the things that matter above all else: food, laughter and good cheer.
