Elephant from "Zoo Story"

The story

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 & crew

Kenichi EnomotoZen-san (Elephant Officer)

Keiju KobayashiHead of Animal Care Division, Higashi

Momoko KôchiYoshiko (Student mobilization)

Kyōko AnzaiMiyazawa Sensei

Yoshio KosugiSugiura (Gatekeeper)

Sachio SakaiTamura (Lion Officer)

Sōji Ubukata

Sōji UbukataDirector of Toda Zoo

Noriko HonmaTetsu (Zen's wife)

Okayu Taka

Okayu TakaTakahashi (Leopard)

Akira Sera

Akira SeraIto (Small Bird)

Mitsuo Tsuda

Mitsuo TsudaInoue (Camel handler)

Tadao NakamaruNarita (Sergeant)