Richard Gere appears in a scene from Hachiko: A Dog’s Story.”

Richard Gere appears in Hachiko remake

Thursday 18th December, 05:35 AM JST

A new statue of the Hachiko dog will be installed in front of Fuji TV in Odaiba next year, to celebrate their 50th anniversary of broadcasting and coinciding with the Japan release of “Hachiko: A Dog’s Story” – a Hollywood remake of the 1987 film “Hachiko Monogatari.”

The story of the Akita dog, who in the 1920s and 1930s waited for his master at Shibuya station for nearly a decade after his death, was made into a movie in 1987. “Hachiko Monogatari,” starring Tatsuya Nakadai, made more than 4 billion yen at theaters across Japan.

Richard Gere, 59, a reported dog-lover himself and star of the remake filmed on Rhode Island this year, was confident of the film’s success, and said: “It’s something I want my kids to see.” One critic wrote in an article on the web edition of the Los Angeles Times that the movie could shape up as a candidate for next year’s Oscars.

Chihiro Kameyama, head of movie production at Fuji TV, said they will distribute the film together with Shochiku, and said: “We felt the dignified image of Hachiko was an appropriate choice to help celebrate our 50th anniversary. We decided against a temporary statue made of paper-mache or something, which would only be there while the movie was showing, and instead opted for something more real and permanent that can be loved and appreciated over a long time.”

The new statue will be 88.8 centimeters tall, weigh 88.8 kilograms and installed on May 12, 88 days before the movie’s release in Japan on Aug 8. The statue is expected to become a famous meeting spot, similar to the one in Shibuya.

15 Comments

franz75 at 08:45 AM JST - 18th December

"The statue is expected to become a famous meeting spot" My supermarket is already a famous meeting spot. That will stay that way.
saborichan at 08:45 AM JST - 18th December

I'm guessing it's not set in Japan, then?

I wonder what that'll do to the story.
wanderlust at 08:56 AM JST - 18th December

Joan Allen - Pamela Landy from the last two Bourne Films and "Send out the Dreadnought" Death Race is also in the film - I wonder if it can retain anything of the original sentiment...
Seawolf at 08:57 AM JST - 18th December

The story of the Akita dog, who in the 1920s and 1930s waited for his master at Shibuya station for nearly a decade after his death I thought that story was more or less made up by the military-regime and in reality that dog actually went there for the yakitori-stalls where he was regulary fed until he choked to death on a skewer...
neverknow2 at 09:43 AM JST - 18th December

88.8??? Death 2.22 times! Good work Fuji TV
DXXJP at 10:38 AM JST - 18th December

SAD Is all I can say for Richard. How well did his shall we dance remake do?.

Whats next the seven samurai.
cleo at 10:43 AM JST - 18th December

The statue is expected to become a famous meeting spot, similar to the one in Shibuya.

Yeah, right. 'Meet you in front of Hachiko, OK?' 'OK' One party waiting in Shibuya, the other party in Odaiba.
seesaw at 10:50 AM JST - 18th December

oh no! Hachiko Dog Statue will lose it's originality...:( if the intention is for making a meeting place convenient, why not replace Roppongi Crossing Almond Cafe, with a dog statue too...:)
ultradodgy at 11:21 AM JST - 18th December

There are already plenty of dogs around Almond Cafe...!
bdiego at 12:32 PM JST - 18th December

Only if you look for them.
Nessie at 01:51 PM JST - 18th December

Cleo, LOL! Good thing we all know what "See you at Yasukuni" means.

The story of the Akita dog, who in the 1920s and 1930s waited for his master at Shibuya station for nearly a decade after his death, was made into a movie in 1987. “Hachiko Monogatari,” starring Tatsuya Nakadai

He looks nothing like Hachiko.
Sarge at 07:17 AM JST - 19th December

His Shall WE Dance remake was great, this should be as well.
681472 at 08:52 AM JST - 19th December

wonder if a japanese dog will play the part of the dog?

I don't think an american public can connect emotionally with some strange japanese dog though.
cwhite at 05:03 PM JST - 19th December

they choose a nice dog
WolfSilverOak at 04:34 AM JST - 19th January

The movie does indeed feature REAL Akitas.

I had the pleasure of meeting one of the dogs used last Sept at the Akita rescue of Western New York's Akita Fun Day and Picnic.

http://wolfsilveroak.deviantart.com/art/2008-ARWNY-Akita-Fun-Day-3-98396824

This is Forrest. He is one of several dogs used in the film.

I personally have owned Akitas for 16+ years now, my latest is a Rescue. Those of you saying that you doubt an American could connect emotionally with a 'Japanese Dog' have obviously never owned a Japanese Akita.

My Dante-Inu was my fourlegged soulmate and best friend. I was devastated when she passed in June of 2008, after 14.5 years together.

Caena Kamikaze Ryu was born 10 days after Dante passed and came to me at the age of 3.5 months, from Heart of Dixie Akita Rescue. While she cannot replace Dante, she's gone a long ways towards the healing.

Akita Rescue and the Akita Club of America have been in contact with the Producers and Directors of this film. They agreed to promote Rescue over Pet store bred dogs. They are also staying as close as reasonably possible to the spirit of the film.

So yes, while it may not be shot in Japan, yes, while it may not feature Japanese actors as the main chars, I for one look forward to seeing how they bring this remarkable story about the breed I love to life.

The original statue- which if you know your history, is not the original, but in fact a remake (the original was melted down during the war to make shells for ammuntion, it was recast from the original mold after the war)- will never lose it's 'originality'. It is and always will be, the one and only Hachiko statue.