Josee, the Tiger and the Fish

"Together they can fly."

2020 1h 38m JA

🙌

8.2

BANGER

🔥

100%

CERTIFIED FRESH

⭐

7.6

IMDB

★8.2TMDB · 634🍅100%Rotten Tomatoes★7.6IMDB · 11,296

AnimationDramaRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

With dreams of diving abroad, Tsuneo gets a job assisting Josee, an artist whose imagination takes her far beyond her wheelchair. But when the tide turns against them, they push each other to places they never thought possible, and inspire a love fit for a storybook.

“Together they can fly.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Taishi Nakagawa
Tsuneo Suzukawa (voice)
Kaya Kiyohara
Kumiko 'Josee' Yamamura (voice)
Yume Miyamoto
Mai Ninomiya (voice)
Kazuyuki Okitsu
Hayato Matsuura (voice)
Lynn
Kana Kishimoto (voice)
Chiemi Matsutera
Chizu Yamamura (voice)
Kanji Obana
Professor Kondo (voice)
Shintarou Moriyama
Nishida (voice)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Kotaro Tamura
Writers: Seiko Tanabe, Kotaro Tamura, Sayaka Kuwamura
Languages: Japanese
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 6 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Kotaro Tamura, shot by Tsuyoshi Kanbayashi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Evan Call. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Kumiko Sakamoto shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Taishi Nakagawa and Kaya Kiyohara and Yume Miyamoto carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Together they can fly.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt12879624 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Kotaro Tamura directs. Tsuyoshi Kanbayashi behind the camera. Evan Call scores. Kumiko Sakamoto cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 6 years ago.
2Directed by Kotaro Tamura, shot by Tsuyoshi Kanbayashi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Evan Call. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Kumiko Sakamoto shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Taishi Nakagawa and Kaya Kiyohara and Yume Miyamoto carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Together they can fly.".
7IMDB entry: tt12879624 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 10 themes, including "based on novel or book", "paraplegic", "love", "slice of life".
9Released under 10 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Tsuyoshi Kanbayashi
Original score: Evan Call
Editing: Kumiko Sakamoto
Costume design: Kohei Tokuoka
Runtime: 98 min · 1h 38m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: JA
IMDB: Josee, the Tiger and the Fish (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% 🍅 Fresh
IMDB rating: 7.6/10 · 11,296 votes
MPAA: TV-PG

Awards

1 win & 8 nominations total

Also by

Kotaro Tamura

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Alunauwie2025-09-30
★ 8/10
Josee, The Tiger and The Fish tells a touching story of two dreamers facing personal and external challenges, brought to life with smooth animation and expressive voice acting. The film thoughtfully explores deep internal conflicts, such as Josee’s struggle for freedom and Tsuneo’s balancing of ambition and love, while also portraying strong supporting characters and tension from outside forces. Its vivid visuals and well-chosen music enhance the emotional impact, creating a rich, harmonious experience. The story’s satisfying resolution highlights meaningful character growth, and the after-credit scene reveals an important final touch. Overall, it’s a romantic and engaging film perfect for fans of heartfelt storytelling. Read the full review here: (Indonesian version : alunauwie.com) and (English version : uwiepuspita.com)

Production companies