Josee, the Tiger and the Fish — Ending Explained

The most significant plot twist in "Josee, the Tiger and the Fish" is the reversal of the main characters' physical circumstances. After spending the majority of the film helping Josee navigate the world from her wheelchair, Tsuneo is struck by a car in the process of saving her. He suffers severe leg fractures, and doctors inform him that he may never fully recover the mobility needed to pursue his diving career. This event shatters his dream and plunges him into a deep depression, mirroring the hopelessness Josee felt at the beginning of the story.

This role reversal is the narrative's emotional core. Josee, who has grown immensely in courage and independence, must now become Tsuneo's source of strength. She does this by completing her picture book, "The Mermaid and the Radiant Wings," an allegory for their love. The mermaid (Josee) is given wings by a winged being (Tsuneo), allowing her to see a new world. When the winged being's own wings are broken, the mermaid's love gives him new "wings of the heart." By reading this story to him, Josee inspires Tsuneo to commit to his rehabilitation. He eventually recovers enough to walk again. The ending subverts the original short story's more ambiguous conclusion by providing a definitively happy one. After telling Tsuneo she won't see him when he is discharged from the hospital, she is actually waiting for him. They confess their love, and Tsuneo promises to return to her after finally going to Mexico. The film concludes with his return to Japan, where they share a future together.

While the film's ending is explicitly happy, with Tsuneo returning from Mexico to be with Josee, it's a significant departure from other adaptations of the source material. The 2003 live-action film, for instance, has a more bittersweet and ambiguous ending where the couple breaks up. This has led some viewers familiar with the original short story or the 2003 film to interpret the 2020 version as a more idealized, crowd-pleasing take on the narrative.

Another point of discussion is the nature of Tsuneo's devotion. While the film portrays it as pure love, a more cynical reading could question whether his initial commitment is influenced by a sense of pity or responsibility, a common trope in stories about disability. However, the film actively works to subvert this by having the characters' roles reverse after Tsuneo's accident, forcing him to rely on Josee's strength. This narrative choice reinforces the interpretation that their bond is one of genuine mutual support and respect, not pity.