Elephant from "Zoo Story" (1957)
Overview
The fifth film in the Toho Diamond series, following "The Hateful Thing." Based on the true story of "Zoo Story" by author Fukuda Saburo. During the Tokyo air raids of World War II, Zen-san, an elephant keeper at Ueno Zoo, is faced with the heartbreaking task of euthanizing Tonki, a beloved elephant, due to food shortages and wartime pressures. Unable to carry out the order, Zen-san secretly feeds Tonki, but the elephant is ultimately shot by the military police. The film poignantly captures Zen-san’s despair and the devastation of war, as he reflects on his powerlessness amid the chaos.
Cast
Kenichi Enomoto
Zen-san (Elephant Officer)
Keiju Kobayashi
Head of Animal Care Division, Higashi
Momoko Kôchi
Yoshiko (Student mobilization)
Kyōko Anzai
Miyazawa Sensei
Yoshio Kosugi
Sugiura (Gatekeeper)
Sachio Sakai
Tamura (Lion Officer)
Noriko Honma
Tetsu (Zen's wife)
Tadao Nakamaru
Narita (Sergeant)
Keiji Sakakida
Postman
Akio Kusama
Ueno Police Chief
Tadashi Okabe
Newspaper reporter Tsurumi
Ren Yamamoto
Newspaper reporter KanayamaRecommendations
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