Star Watching Dog (2011 Film)

Star Watching Dog (Japanese: 星守る犬, Hepburn: Hoshi Mamoru Inu) is a 2011 Japanese drama film directed by Tomoyuki Takimoto. The screenplay, written by Hiroshi Hashimoto, is based on the manga series of the same name by Takashi Murakami, which was first serialized in Manga Action starting in 2008.

Plot

The narrative begins with the discovery of an unidentified middle-aged man (played by Toshiyuki Nishida) found deceased in his car near a campsite in Hokkaido. Beside him lies his loyal Akita dog, which had survived for approximately six months after the man's passing. With no identification on the body, a local city hall employee named Kyousuke Okutsu (Tetsuji Tamayama) is tasked with identifying the man to arrange a proper funeral.

As Okutsu investigates the man's final journey, he discovers a receipt that leads him to retrace the man's path. This investigation prompts Okutsu to reflect on his own past and his relationship with his own dog, named Kuro. Through this process, the film reveals the story of the man and his dog's final days together.

Production

Principal photography for the film commenced in August 2010. The production utilized various locations across Japan, including a park in Nayoro, Hokkaido, as well as sites in Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, and Tokyo. The film was distributed by Toho and has a runtime of 128 minutes.

Cast

• Toshiyuki Nishida as the man
• Tetsuji Tamayama as Kyousuke Okutsu
• Umika Kawashima as Yuki Kawamura
• Kimiko Yo as the innkeeper
• Yoichi Nukumizu as Tomita
• Mari Hamada as Tomita's wife
• Sansei Shiomi as Manager Nishitani
• Shido Nakamura as the convenience store manager
• Kayoko Kishimoto as the mother
• Tatsuya Fuji as Kyousuke's grandfather
• Tomokazu Miura as the seaside restaurant owner

Reception

The film was screened at the 16th Busan International Film Festival in October 2011 as part of the Open Cinema section.