According to the Yomiuri Shimbun, Satoshi Kon's latest anime feature Tokyo Godfathers will open simultaneously in Japan and the US on December 29.  The reason for the US opening is not financial (Kon's Millenium Actress earned a mere $37,000 in its US theatrical release); the December opening will make Tokyo Godfathers eligible for the 2003 Academy Awards.  Although Finding Nemo is the odds on favorite to win the Academy Award for feature length animation at the Academy Award celebration in March 2004, if Tokyo Godfathers can wrangle a nomination, it could reap a bonanza of publicity and exposure, which would certainly help video sales.

Tokyo Godfathers actually made its US debut at this year's Big Apple Anime Fest (see 'Tokyo Godfathers To Debut At Big Apple Anime Fest'), where director Satoshi Kon was a guest of honor.  Tokyo Godfathers is the story of three homeless people who accidentally stumble on an abandoned baby at a garbage dump.  The plot is very similar to a John Ford silent film, Three Godfathers, which has been remade several times in Hollywood.  Three characters, who have basically thrown their lives away, find new meaning and new opportunities thanks to the unexpected responsibilities forced on them by the discovery of a newborn.