# Josee, the Tiger and the Fish (2020 film)

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

## Plot

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 spend time at the beach together. Later, Josee is hired at the library 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 holds out alone, but 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 right 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, in an attempt to convince 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. Josee does not come to the hospital when Tsuneo is discharged. 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

| Character |
| Character | Japanese | English |
| 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

The anime film adaptation of the short story was announced on December 3, 2019, 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. Tamura planned to make the film with a happy ending, in contrast to other darker films about disability. He said: "We wanted to have a very uplifting and positive message." 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.
Production of the anime film began on December 3, 2019, and the promotion of the film was released. On January 3, 2020, they announced that the film would be shown in the summer of that year. On March 3, 2020, the film scenes and illustrations were released. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film's release date was delayed. On August 13, 2020, it was officially announced that the film will be released on December 25.

## Music

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

## Release

The film premiered at the 25th Busan International Film Festival on October 30, 2020, as the festival's closing film. 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.
Funimation acquired the film in North America in July 2021. It later premiered at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival. Anime Limited has acquired the film for release in the British Isles (the United Kingdom and Ireland), while Madman Entertainment acquired the film for Oceania, and screened it in Australia and New Zealand on May 13, 2021, and June 10, 2021. The film screened in competition at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival taking place from June 14 to 19, 2021.

## Reception

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

## Awards

| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
| 2021 | 75th Mainichi Film Awards | Best Animation Film | Josee, the Tiger and the Fish | Nominated |
| 2021 | 44th Japan Academy Film Prize | Animation of the Year | Josee, the Tiger and the Fish | Nominated |
| 2021 | Annecy International Animation Film Festival | Feature Film | Josee, the Tiger and the Fish | Nominated |
| 2021 | Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival 2021 | Audience Award Winner | Josee, the Tiger and the Fish | Won |
| 2021 | 46th Hochi Film Award | Best Animated Picture | Josee, the Tiger and the Fish | Nominated |
| 2022 | 6th Crunchyroll Anime Awards | Best Film | Josee, the Tiger and the Fish | Nominated |