Josee, the Tiger and the Fish

Gentle and empathetic, this Japanese animation celebrates friendship and the joys of encouraging others. Josee, the Tiger and the Fish is also thoughtful, never taking its central character, Josee, a wheelchair user, for granted. We accompany her on her journey from shut-in to independent adult and sometimes she's not great company. Her carer and friend Tsuneo is shouted at, picked on, and abused by her. Like the movie, Tsueno understands that Josee's life experiences may well have caused her emotions to be mixed up. He doesn't fight back, he just keeps trying to help how he can.

When they first set out, we're with Josee at a train station. She feels in the way and a man bangs into her and loses his temper. At first it looks like Josee's grandmother is right -- the world's a bad place. But Josee sticks around long enough to see the guy's being rude to someone else, it wasn't personal. She boards the train with assistance from the guard, who respectfully puts down a ramp. In the carriage, she's in the section designated for wheelchairs. Suddenly the world seems OK. In this short scene, our perspective shifts. The movie constantly and subtly shows the importance of how we see the world and ourselves, and how that impacts how we live our lives, regardless of our situation. Beautifully animated and even smarter than it seems on the surface, Josee, the Tiger and the Fish is an inspirational triumph.