Elephant from "Zoo Story"

  • Genre: Drama
  • Run time: 67 min
  • Premiere: 1957. April 9.

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.

Discover

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)

Sōji Ubukata

Director of Toda Zoo

Noriko Honma

Tetsu (Zen's wife)

Okayu Taka

Takahashi (Leopard)

Akira Sera

Ito (Small Bird)

Mitsuo Tsuda

Inoue (Camel handler)

Tadao Nakamaru

Narita (Sergeant)

Keiko Môri

Hisako (Student mobilization)

Akio Kusama

Ueno Police Chief

Hiroshi Akitsu

Old skilled worker

Tadashi Okabe

Newspaper reporter Tsurumi

Ren Yamamoto

Newspaper reporter Kanayama

Kazuyo Fukuda

Auxiliary Military Police

Takeo Oikawa

Sendai Zoo Director

Masako Tsutsumi

Sayama's wife

Art

Tatsuo Kita

Art Department Manager

Camera

Hajime Koizumi

Camera Department Manager

Goichi Araki

Camera Supervisor

Directing

Koji Kajita

Assistant Director

Toshiie Sakigami

Assistant Director

Editing

Chozo Obata

Editor

Lighting

Soichi Yokoi

Lighting Director

Production

Jin Usami

Producer

Hidehisa Suga

Production Manager

Sound

Shin Watarai

Recording Supervision

Writing

Saburo Fukuda

Original Story

Kajirō Yamamoto

Screenplay

Art

Tatsuo Kita

Art Department Manager

Camera

Hajime Koizumi

Camera Department Manager

Goichi Araki

Camera Supervisor

Directing

Koji Kajita

Assistant Director

Toshiie Sakigami

Assistant Director

Editing

Chozo Obata

Editor

Lighting

Soichi Yokoi

Lighting Director

Production

Jin Usami

Producer

Hidehisa Suga

Production Manager

Sound

Shin Watarai

Recording Supervision

Writing

Saburo Fukuda

Original Story

Kajirō Yamamoto

Screenplay