Elephant from "Zoo Story"
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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

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)

Mitsuo Tsuda
Inoue (Camel handler)

Tadao Nakamaru
Narita (Sergeant)

Keiko Môri
Hisako (Student mobilization)

Keiji Sakakida
Postman

Akio Kusama
Ueno Police Chief

Hiroshi Akitsu
Old skilled worker

Tadashi Okabe
Newspaper reporter Tsurumi

Ren Yamamoto
Newspaper reporter Kanayama

Kazuyo Fukuda
Auxiliary Military Police

Takeo Oikawa
Sendai Zoo Director

Takashi Itô

Akemi Ueno

Reiko Wakamizu

Kimiko Naito

Yûko Nogami

Amagi Sanae
