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Hachi-ko

Original title: Hachikô monogatari
  • 1987
  • 1h 47m
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
6.3K
YOUR RATING
Hachi-ko (1987)
The true story about a dog's loyalty to its master, even after his death.
Play trailer1:33
1 Video
19 Photos
JapaneseBiographyDramaFamily

The true story about a dog's loyalty to its master, even after his death.The true story about a dog's loyalty to its master, even after his death.The true story about a dog's loyalty to its master, even after his death.

  • Director
    • Seijirô Kôyama
  • Writer
    • Kaneto Shindô
  • Stars
    • Tatsuya Nakadai
    • Kaoru Yachigusa
    • Toshirô Yanagiba
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.9/10
    6.3K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Seijirô Kôyama
    • Writer
      • Kaneto Shindô
    • Stars
      • Tatsuya Nakadai
      • Kaoru Yachigusa
      • Toshirô Yanagiba
    • 28User reviews
    • 13Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 4 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer [OV]
    Trailer 1:33
    Trailer [OV]

    Photos19

    View Poster
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    + 15
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    Top Cast83

    Edit
    Tatsuya Nakadai
    Tatsuya Nakadai
    • Shujiro Ueno
    Kaoru Yachigusa
    Kaoru Yachigusa
    • Shizuko Ueno
    Toshirô Yanagiba
    • Moriyama
    Toshinori Omi
    • Ogata
    Mako Ishino
    • Chizuko Ueno
    Masumi Harukawa
    Masumi Harukawa
    • Okichi
    Taiji Tonoyama
    Taiji Tonoyama
    • Hashimoto
    Yoshi Katô
    Yoshi Katô
    • Kondo
    Hisashi Igawa
    Hisashi Igawa
    • Maekawa
    Kei Yamamoto
    • Serizawa
    Kumeko Urabe
    Kumeko Urabe
    • Tabacco Shop Owner
    Chôei Takahashi
    • Mase
    Saburô Ishikura
    • Machida
    Shirô Kishibe
    • Customer
    Hairi Katagiri
    • Oyoshi, Maid
    Ben Hiura
    Chisako Hara
    Jun'ichi Hayakawa
    • Director
      • Seijirô Kôyama
    • Writer
      • Kaneto Shindô
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews28

    7.96.3K
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    Featured reviews

    8masterconcert

    Seen once and not forgotten

    We saw this movie once on Hong Kong Television when we lived there until the year 2000 and remember it as a true tear jerker but in a positive sense.

    It stuck in our memories for all those years which must mean something; and it may therefore mean a great deal to people who are not yet to emotionally in such deep freeze that the story of Hachiko can no longer warm their hearts.

    If I recall correctly the original was in Japanese but it had English subtitles.

    In the last four years we have tried to buy a copy but cannot find any.

    Thankful for any pointers in that direction

    Konrad Vienna
    8billcr12

    Doggy Tale

    The star of this film is an Akita. He is awesome. A professor raises him from puppy-hood and Hachi walks every day to a train station with his master. He remains at the entrance until his owner returns at the end of the day. The man dies and the dog continues to walk to the station every day for several years awaiting the return of his master. the people are secondary in this true story from the 1920s-1930s. An American remake was done with Richard Gere but I have not seen it. I highly recommend Hachi-Ko
    7Atreyu_II

    No doubts anymore to why dog is considered man's best friend

    While humans are weird on these things, dogs are companions for life. Dogs show eternal loyalty for the simplest things. Giving them food and water is enough for them to stay loyal forever, but if that includes love and attention that loyalty is taken to another degree. It is true that dogs CAN and DO chose their own masters and they are loyal to one person. It seems that, for them, life has no meaning if it's not with their first owner.

    This film is very, very moving and sad, like no other I've ever seen. It tells the (real) story of Hachi, the dog that waited 10 long years for his owner after his death. Hachi kept waiting for him for the rest of his life and only didn't wait more because he died. Besides that hard reality, that dog was a victim of violence, went through a lot of pain, sorrow and even illness. It's already very depressing to imagine what the real Hachi went through and seeing what we see in this movie is so heartbreaking. It breaks my heart how much he waits for a master that won't be back anymore, the cruelty of humans towards innocent animals, the bad condition and fragile health he is after years.

    The movie itself is far from being great, let alone a masterpiece. But it's unquestionably a valuable lesson about the loyalty of dogs in the highest sense and it shows that dog is definitely man's best friend, a companion for life in the good and bad moments, everything.

    There are many hateful human characters and this movie is so depressing and painful that I can't even watch it anymore and I couldn't help but cry hard. Having that said, it's impossible not to love Hachi and our hearts melt over him.

    This movie had an American remake with Richard Gere but it's very different. The original is a far more realistic approach to the real story, as it takes place in Japan in the 1920's/1930's - which is the place and time when this story really happened.
    10chinhao

    All Time Favorite BEST Movie

    I seldom post reviews online but this is one movie that I feel compelled to. This is my favorite movie of all times without a doubt. I have watched Hachiko close to 10 times now and every single time my tears would start flowing uncontrollably without fail. Each time I thought to myself, yeah I have watched it before so I wont cry again but each time I still could not stop my tears. A lot has been written on the story so I wont repeat all that. Just want to add that this is a true story and the newspaper reporter at the end of the movie did actually exist, writing up an article on Hachiko in the Japanese newspapers then. They did erect a statue of Hachiko at the very station but it was melted down during World War 2 for military usage. The Japanese later erected another statue in replacement after the war and today if you visit Japan, be sure to visit Hachiko's statue in Tokyo. And Hachiko's body has been preserved after his death and remains to this day on display in the Tokyo Museum of Nature and Science. I am going to make a trip one day to visit Hachiko. :)
    10thinking_about_forgivnes

    Great Movie

    This film was great . I watched it several times and I cried. There is another version of this movie which is made in 2009 . and I cried a lot ... This film is based on a true story and it is sooooooooo emotional . I loved 2 versions of this movie . Both of them are great . I think in some aspects , the American version is better and in some aspects , the Japenese one... You can buy this movie and its subtitles in English are in the internet . Watch this movie and enjoy . When I watched this movie , I found out that some movies like Titanic are like a joke when they are compered to such a deep and emotional and truthful storied Like Hachico. The Hachico story is based on truth and the statue of Hachico is built in Tokyo .

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    Related interests

    Hidetoshi Nishijima and Tôko Miura in Drive My Car (2021)
    Japanese
    Ben Kingsley, Rohini Hattangadi, and Geraldine James in Gandhi (1982)
    Biography
    Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monáe, André Holland, Herman Caheej McGloun, Edson Jean, Alex R. Hibbert, and Tanisha Cidel in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
    Family

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The breed of Hachi the dog is called Akita, and it's a rare breed. At the times of Hachi, there were only 30 living Akita dogs in all of Japan.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Nana: Ichigo gurasu to Ren no hana (2006)
    • Soundtracks
      Garasu no kanransha
      Music by Tetsuji Hayashi

      Words by Masao Urino

      Arranged by Tetsuji Hayashi

      Performed by Tetsuji Hayashi

      Courtesy of Vap Inc.

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    FAQ16

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 1, 1987 (Japan)
    • Country of origin
      • Japan
    • Language
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • The Story of Hachikō
    • Production companies
      • Mitsui Company Ltd.
      • Shochiku
      • Tokyu Group
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $13,827,720
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 47m(107 min)
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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