Tokyo Godfathers - Characters & Cast

Initially motivated by self-preservation and a desire to be rid of the baby, his core motivation is revealed to be a deep-seated guilt and a buried love for the family he left behind. Protecting Kiyoko becomes a way for him to atone for his failures as a father.

Gin begins as a belligerent, cynical alcoholic who lies about his past, claiming his wife and daughter are dead. His journey with Kiyoko forces him to drop his hardened exterior and embrace a paternal, protective role. He confronts his shame over his gambling debts and abandonment of his family, ultimately culminating in a tearful reunion with his own daughter, who works as a nurse.

Driven by a powerful maternal instinct and a deep-seated desire to have a family, Hana wants to find Kiyoko's parents to understand why a mother would abandon her child, hoping it will help her forgive her own mother. Her faith in miracles fuels her optimism throughout their ordeal.

Hana, a transgender woman and former drag queen, is the emotional core of the group. She immediately sees Kiyoko as a gift from God and embraces the role of a mother she always dreamed of. Her unwavering faith and compassion drive the quest forward. Her arc involves confronting her feelings of abandonment by her own mother and proving to herself that she is capable of profound love and maternal care, finding her miracle not in biology, but in action.

Miyuki's primary motivation is survival and maintaining her independence. She is trapped by guilt and the belief that she can never be forgiven by her family. The quest to return Kiyoko parallels her own need to return to her family, forcing her to confront her fear of rejection.

Miyuki starts as a sullen, sharp-tongued teenager who is annoyed by the baby and constantly bickers with Gin. She ran away after stabbing her policeman father in a dispute over her missing cat. Through caring for Kiyoko and witnessing Hana's selflessness, she matures from a selfish child into a caring 'older sister.' Her journey is about learning to communicate and overcoming the stubborn pride that prevents her from going home, leading to a reconciliation with her father.