Doggie March
A 1963 Japanese animated film featuring a puppy's revenge.
Doggie March (Japanese: わんわん忠臣蔵, Hepburn: Wanwan Chūshingura) is a 1963 Japanese animated film blending adventure, comedy, and drama. Directed by Akira Daikubara, it was distributed by Toei Company, Ltd. and premiered the same year as another Toei Animation release, *Wolf Boy Ken*. A young Hayao Miyazaki, then an apprentice, worked on in-between frames for the film—his first job in animation. Toei released it in Japan on December 21, 1963.
The story follows an Akita puppy named Rock, who lives with his mother Shiro in a secluded cabin. Shiro is a protector beloved by forest animals. One winter night, a fox named Akamimi lures her to a mountain owned by his boss, Killer, a Bengal tiger. Killer attacks and kills Shiro. Come spring, Rock mourns and vows revenge.
Traveling to a city, Rock joins a troupe of street dogs who agree to help him. Word reaches the forest that Rock has gathered a large army, so Killer sends Akamimi to set Rock adrift in a barrel at sea. A girl rescues him, and Rock stays with her. Meanwhile, the forest animals—including Killer and Akamimi—are captured and placed in a city zoo. Learning that Killer still terrorizes the other animals, an adult Rock returns to the city and reunites with his gang. With forest friends, they summon dogs from across town and challenge the large zoo animals. Rock and Killer duel on a speeding rollercoaster, and Killer falls to his death. With danger gone, the dogs march through the city streets in celebration.
The cast includes Junko Hori as young Rock and the girl in the lighthouse, Hideo Kinoshita as adult Rock, Mizuki Ranoko as Shiro, Kitagawa Mari as young Karu, Chiyoko Honma as adult Karu, Hideo Sato as Goro, Sakae Umezu as Nukiya, Akira Nishimura as Killer, Kamo Kikuhisa as Akamimi, Makiko Ito as Rabbit, Kazuko Yoshikawa as Ron, Kiyoko Yamamoto as Rima, and Hanazawa Tokuho, Unno Yori, and Nishito Taika as stray dogs.
- title
- Doggie March
- director
- Akira Daikubara
- distributor
- Toei Company, Ltd.
- release_date
- December 21, 1963
- country
- Japan
- language
- Japanese
- genre
- Adventure comedy-drama
Quick Facts
- Native Name
- kanji = わんわん忠臣蔵 · revhep = Wanwan Chūshingura
- Director
- Akira Daikubara
- Producer
- Hiroshi Okawa
- Screenplay
- Daisaku Shirakawa / Kei Iijima
- Story
- Osamu Tezuka
- Starring
- Chiyoko Honma / Fumitake Omura / Hideo Kinoshita / Hideo Sato / Junko Hori / Kazuko Yoshikawa / Kiyoko Yamamoto / Kō Nishimura / Makiko Ito / Ranko Mizuki / Yoshihisa Kamo
- Narrator
- <!-- or
- Music
- Urato Watanabe
- Cinematography
- Jiro Yoshimura / Kenji Sugiyama
- Editing
- Ikuzo Inaba
- Studio
- Toei Animation
- Distributor
- Toei Company
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The film follows an Akita puppy named Rock, who lives in a secluded cabin with his mother Shiro, a protector beloved by forest animals. One winter night, a wily fox named Akamimi challenges Shiro and leads her to a mountain belonging to his boss Killer, a Bengal tiger, who attacks and mauls her to death. In the spring, Rock mourns his mother and vows revenge. He travels to a city and finds a troupe of street dogs who agree to help him. Rumor spreads that Rock has raised a large army, so Killer dispatches Akamimi to send Rock out to sea in a barrel. A girl rescues him, and Rock lives with her. Meanwhile, the forest animals—including Killer and Akamimi—are captured and put into the city zoo. Word reaches Rock, now an adult, that Killer is still terrorizing the other animals, so he returns to the city and rejoins his gang. Together with forest friends, they summon dogs from around town and challenge the large zoo animals. Rock and Killer duel on a speeding rollercoaster, and Killer plummets to the ground. With everyone free, the dogs march down a city street in celebration.
Reader's Guide
Doggie March is significant as an early Toei Animation feature that showcases the studio's output during the early 1960s. Its release alongside Wolf Boy Ken highlights a period of active production for the company. The film is particularly notable for being the first animation gig for Hayao Miyazaki, who later became a globally renowned filmmaker. As an apprentice, Miyazaki worked on in-betweens during the production phase, marking his entry into the animation industry. The film's plot, involving animal characters and a revenge quest, reflects common themes in Japanese animated features of the era. Its legacy is tied to Miyazaki's early career and the development of Toei's animation style. The film remains a historical reference point for the origins of major anime figures and the evolution of Japanese animation in the 1960s.
Did You Know?
- The film premiered in the same year as another Toei Animation release, *Wolf Boy Ken*, which was actually Hayao Miyazaki's first in-between animation job—not *Doggie March*.
- Despite rumors, Hayao Miyazaki did not work on *Doggie March*; his first in-between work was on *Wolf Boy Ken* (1963).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Doggie March?
Doggie March (Wanwan Chūshingura) is a 1963 Japanese animated feature that blends adventure, comedy, and drama. It was directed by Akira Daikubara and released by Toei Company, Ltd. on December 21, 1963.
Who is the main character in Doggie March?
The story centers on Rock, an Akita puppy who lives with his mother Shiro in a remote cabin. Shiro is a guardian figure deeply cherished by the surrounding forest creatures.
What is Doggie March's story about?
The film follows Rock and his protective mother Shiro, whose peaceful existence is disrupted, driving a narrative of a puppy seeking revenge. It weaves dramatic conflict together with comedic and adventurous beats.
Who directed Doggie March and when did it premiere?
Akira Daikubara helmed the project, which Toei Company, Ltd. distributed in Japan on December 21, 1963. It shared its release year with Toei's other animated feature, Wolf Boy Ken.
What is Doggie March's connection to Hayao Miyazaki?
A young Hayao Miyazaki, still an apprentice at the time, drew in-between frames for this production. It was his very first credited job in the animation industry.
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