Asahiyama Zoo in Hokkaido, is the northernmost zoo in Japan. The unpopular zoo welcomes a new zoo keeper, young Yoshida (Yasuhi Nakamura), who has more affection for insects than people after years of being bullied at school when he was young. Yoshida soon realizes that Asahiyama Zoo is facing a financial crisis and the zoo director Takizawa (Toshiyuki Nishida) has been doing everything in his power to save the zoo from closing down. Moved by Takizawa's passion, Yoshida and other zoo keepers came to share the zoo director's belief that one's dreams can come true, and together they tackle this seemingly impossible task of revitalizing Asahiyama. A breakthrough arrives in the form of “Behavioral Exhibition,†a method that is pioneered by Ashiyama's zoo keepers and which eventually makes the zoo renowned throughout the world.
Acting
Nishida's Takizawa radiates stubborn, foolish hope
Practical Effects
Real penguin tunnel vision sequences, no CGI
Production
Frozen Hokkaido zoo becomes character itself
Director
Masahiko Tsugawa
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The real Asahiyama Zoo's penguin walk is still a massive tourist draw; the actors trained with actual keepers for months.
Based on true 1990s events when Japanese regional zoos faced extinction under bubble economy collapse—this almost didn't have a happy ending.
No ratings yet
Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.
Discussion starters
JP
