Elephant from "Zoo Story" (1957)
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.
Director: Kajirō Yamamoto
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 67 min
Release Date: April 9, 1957
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)
Screenplay
- Saburo Fukuda (Original Story)
- Kajirō Yamamoto (Screenplay)
Music: Urato Watanabe
Editing: Chozo Obata
Production: TOHO
Country: Japan
Language: 日本語
Original Language: ja
Keywords
elephant
More Films by Director: Kajirō Yamamoto
More Films in Genre: Drama
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Elephant from "Zoo Story" about?
- 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.
- Who directed Elephant from "Zoo Story"?
- Elephant from "Zoo Story" was directed by Kajirō Yamamoto.
- Who stars in Elephant from "Zoo Story"?
- Elephant from "Zoo Story" stars Kenichi Enomoto, Keiju Kobayashi, Momoko Kôchi, Kyōko Anzai, Yoshio Kosugi, Sachio Sakai.
- How long is Elephant from "Zoo Story"?
- Elephant from "Zoo Story" has a runtime of 1h 7m (67 minutes).
- What genre is Elephant from "Zoo Story"?
- Elephant from "Zoo Story" is a Drama film.
- Where was Elephant from "Zoo Story" produced?
- Elephant from "Zoo Story" was produced in Japan.