A Movie not to be Overlooked: Hachiko

By Shane Craver on April 30, 2010

Released straight to DVD by Sony Pictures, Hachiko: A Dog’s Story, may be easily overlooked on the rentals shelves across America, but it’s a film that will resonate in the hearts of animal lovers for years to come.

Starring Richard Gere and a cast of Akita’s (and one Shiba puppy) who play the main character, Hachi, the film truly is a dog’s story.

SPOILER ALERT

The film is based on a true story in which a Japanese dog waits for his master at the steps of a train station for nearly ten years after the man’s death.

The actual story took place in pre-war Japan and involved a professor at the University of Tokyo, Hidesaburo Ueno, and his Akita, Hachiko. Ueno, had owned Hachiko for only a year but the bond that had developed during that time was literally unbreakable even by death.

After Ueno suffered a fatal heart attack while away at work, Hachiko, unaware of his owner’s death continued to wait for him at the Shibuya Station. Hachiko waited for his owner’s return each day when the train returned until his death on the steps of the station in 1935.

The loyalty shown by Hachiko has been repeated throughout history with other owners and breeds.

In 19th Century Edinburgh, a Sky Terrier named Greyfriars Bobby, guarded the grave of his owner for 14 long years. During Bobby’s watch, an argument was made to destroy dogs without owners. As a result, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh purchased a dog license for Bobby making him a dog owned by the town. Bobby continued his watch until his death and was buried outside of the steps of the cemetery.

In 1926, an English Shepherd mix walked 2,800 miles to his home in Oregon to reunite with his family after being lost in Indiana. The dog, Bobbie, crossed a desert and mountains during his journey home.

The American version of the tale of Hachiko is no less inspiring than the true story or the stories above.

It is a simple theme of dedication, loyalty and love from an animal that can at times bond deeper with humans than we can with each other.

Hachiko: A Dog’s Story is movie you shouldn’t miss and won’t forget.