by: Isabel Allo
Hachi: A Dog's Tale is a beautiful movie based on the heavy but inspiring true story of HachikÅ and his master. Ueno Hidesaburo was a professor at the University of Tokyo. HachikÅ was given to him as a puppy by one of his students. HachikÅ and Ueno's bond grew quickly and securely. Pivotal moments that nourished their bond were each morning when HachikÅ would accompany Ueno to Shibuya Train Station. There, Ueno would leave for work on the train and HachikÅ would return home. At the end of the day, HachikÅ would be at the station waiting for Ueno. This heartwarming routine continued for years and years. A tragic stroke took Ueno one day whilst at work. HachikÅ still returned to the station to greet him. He did this for the days that followed, continuously waiting for Ueno. More than a decade went by, and HachikÅ still waited for him at Shibuya Station each day.
The real HachikÅ and his memorial statue at Shibuya Station
Hachi the movie was the fleshed-out narrative of this remarkable story. A few elements were embellished to make the story into a full and interesting movie. Some of these features were the addition of a wife, kids, and grandkids of Ueno and the removal of his other dogs from the story. His name was even changed for the movie. I will refer to him by his real name.
The movie opens up with Ueno's "grandson" telling the story of HachikÅ and why he is his hero to his class. This element was a nice addition to the narrative because it sets the scene. It also shows the impact the real HachikÅ and his story had on Japan and the rest of the world. The screen then flashed to the beginning of HachikÅ's life. The bulk of the story was kept the same as the true account. However, in the film when Ueno dies, HachikÅ moves in with Ueno's daughter, husband and their son. In real life, Ueno wasn't legally married to his wife. This caused his wife to lose all assets upon his death, including the dog. HachikÅ was actually given to a family friend. One thing that was the same was HachikÅ not staying with the wife. I don't want to
"spoil" the entire movie. So I'll talk about the dog stars from the movie instead.
HachikÅ as a puppy was played by a Shiba Inu. Compared to his real breed, an Akita. Shiba Inus and Akitas are very similar breeds and in the movie you can't really tell the difference. When HachikÅ was an adult in the movie, he was played by 3 different Akitas, all with different personalities for each scene. For example, the scenes where the dog needed to be excited, loveable, and affectionate, Layla was the star. On the other hand when HachikÅ needed to look forlorn and distant, Chico was the star. And then when a slow and old looking HachikÅ was needed, Forrest was perfect. Akitas are one of the most difficult dogs to train. So having dogs that could be rotated to fit certain parts was incredibly helpful for production.
Something that is a great addition to this film is the "No animals were harmed in the making of this movie." This is a tag that can only be given to a movie if the set was monitored by the American Humane Association. Their job is to observe the animals on set during each step of filming. They ensure that the animals are being taken care of, and are treated fairly. If everything goes smoothly and ethically, a movie can add the "No animals were harmed" to the credits.
All together, I think this movie was a great way to tell the story of HachikÅ and Ueno. It is a movie and a story that is emotional and will bring tears to your eyes. This is a film I could rewatch all the time. It's a short movie with a simple plot, but with the storytelling of a great and beautiful story.
