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Asahiyama Dobutsuen Monogatari

© 2009 "Asahiyama Dobutsuen Monogatari” Film Partners

Original Title: Asahiyama Dobutsuen Monogatari
English Title: Penguins in the Sky -Asahiyama Zoo
Genre: Drama
Format: Vista / SRD / 112 min / Color
Year of Production: 2009
Release Date (Japan): February 7, 2009 (Japan)
Production Company: Kadokawa Pictures / Japan Film Fund / NTT DoCoMo
Director: Masahiko Makino
Producers: Tadahisa Sakamoto
Screenplay: Yasuhiro Koshimizu
Director of Photography: Yudai Kato (J.S.C.)
Music: Ryudo Uzaki / Haseo Nakanishi
Main Cast: Toshiyuki Nishida / Yasuhi Nakamura / Ai Maeda

Synopsis

The unpopular Hokkaido based Asahiyama Zoo has just welcomed its newest zoo keeper, the young insect-obsessed Yoshida (Yasuhi Nakamura). Yoshida soon learns that Asahiyama Zoo is facing a financial crisis, and that its director, Takizawa (Toshiyuki Nishida), has been doing all he can to keep it from shutting down.
Moved by Takizawa's passion, Yoshida and his fellow zoo keepers come to share his belief that dreams can come true. Together, they set out to tackle the seemingly impossible task of revitalizing Asahiyama. Their solution arrives in the form of "Behavioral Exhibition."
In 2006, Asahiyama Zoo has surpassed Ueno Zoo, Japan's oldest and most famous zoo! What is so special about Asahiyama Zoo and its "Behavioral Exhibition?"

About the Director

Masahiko Tsugawa was born January 2, 1940 in Kyoto Japan. At age 16, he debuted as an actor in the Kō Nakahira film Crazed Fruit (1956). Tsugawa attended school until finally dropping out of Waseda University Graduate School to focus on acting.
He grew in stardom as he appeared in such films as Otoko wa Tsurai yo, Watashi no Tora-san, and Godzilla, Mothra & King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack. He became one of director Juzo Itami's favorite actors, and went on to appear in nearly all of his films since Tampopo.
He recently debuted as a director with the film Nezu no Ban. Technically related to the Japanese director Makino Masahiro, he chose to use the pseudonym Makino Masahiro. Legend has it that as a child he was so awed by watching the director work, he asked if he could use his name should he ever become a director.

Sales Company

Kadokawa Pictures USA
6310 San Vicente Blvd. #295 Los Angeles, Ca 90048
Phone: 310. 818. 7020
Fax: 323. 930. 2773
Contact: Chiyako Tasai
Email: info@kadokawapicturesusa.com
www.kadokawapicturesusa.com


About the Sales Company

Kadokawa Pictures USA (KPUSA) the Los Angeles-based arm of the Japanese Kadokawa Group Holdings, Inc. (KGH, Inc) expands its brand of content in the growing international world of multimedia. KPUSA, remakes films and distributes its film libraries of live-action and anime from over 2000 film titles. KGH, Inc. includes Kadokawa Shoten Publishing, one of the largest publishers in Japan with over 60 year history, and Kadokawa Pictures, Japan's major production and distribution division.

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