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)
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)
Keiji Sakakida
Postman
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
Takashi Itô
Unknown
Akemi Ueno
Unknown
Reiko Wakamizu
Unknown
Kimiko Naito
Unknown
Yûko Nogami
Unknown
Amagi Sanae
Unknown
Masako Tsutsumi
Sayama's wife
Crew
Kajirō Yamamoto
Director, Screenplay
Chozo Obata
Editor
Koji Kajita
Assistant Director
Toshiie Sakigami
Assistant Director
Jin Usami
Producer
Hajime Koizumi
Camera Department Manager
Goichi Araki
Camera Supervisor
Tatsuo Kita
Art Department Manager
Soichi Yokoi
Lighting Director
Urato Watanabe
Music
Shin Watarai
Recording Supervision
Hidehisa Suga
Production Manager
Saburo Fukuda
Original Story