Film
Starring the Akita
Entertainment newspaper Variety reports that Richard Gere is producing Hachiko: A Dog's Story with himself in the lead as the dog's owner, Professor HidesamurÅ Ueno. The 1987 Japanese film won a Genesis Award for contributing to the humane treatment of animals. (Yes, I know that image is an American Akita, not a Japanese Akita, but I couldn't find any free clip art of a Japanese Akita. For the record, Hachiko was light-colored.) Hachiko was famous for his loyalty, as he returned to the train station every day to meet his master returning home from work, for many years after his master died. One of the more amazing stories about Hachiko is that he stimulated a Japanese revival of interest in Akitas, which had almost died away as a breed.
