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Dog Star

  Country : Japan
Year: 2002
Genre: Drama
Format: DVD
Running Time: 2H05
Distributor: Universe Laser & Video Co., LTD
Date reviewed: 06/01/2003
   
Producer: Sumiki Miyake
Director: Takahisa Zeze

Cast:
Etsushi Toyokawa, Haruka Igawa, Ryo Ishibashi, Shigeru Izumiya

 


Story: If love loses control between a master and a dog, what will that lead to? Guide-dog Shiro’s last wish is granted and is transformed into a man and finds his ex-master. As love blooms between the two, Shiro must go against time and his star-crossed love affair to say goodbye. After confessing the truth to his ex-master, Shiro is shunned away and not believed. When one’s wish comes true that shouldn’t, what lies ahead?

Review: For such an ambitious thought of a dog falling for his master, I have to actually commend the writers and makers for trying to achieve such a bizarre storyline. The absurdity of the plot just got me so interested, but Dog Star falls short of its sight due to plot holes and the glaringly underdeveloped relationship between the characters. This is exactly what happens when you take on such a daunting task.

Shiro is a blind man’s dog who suddenly fall victim to a car accident. His master dies of the car accident and is given the opportunity to enter Heaven if he helps one soul on Earth. That one soul just so happens to be his dog Shiro. He grants Shiro a wish to become a man and with the new body that Shiro is given, he goes to find his first master which whom he’s always cared about. This becomes the conflict of the film that Shiro and his dead master must overcome.

Well, as enticing the plot may seem, the holes that were created throughout the film was surely a pain. I was unimpressed with the characters and the relationship that was supposedly brewing between this attractive woman and this dog turned male. Shiro was characterized as this stoic male whose emotions were hidden deep within his soul. What didn’t seem believable, however, was how quickly this young woman fell for this stranger. Most of the time, the director would display at least one scene that would glorify this blossoming of love and I was waiting for it all the way till the end. It never came of course. I’m being a bit too harsh, I know. However, when compared to a film like Fly Me to Polaris, where the characters fell in love within this short period of time, I can’t help but realize how unmoving the characters in Dog Star were.

If the creators’ of the film took the time to work in a decent romance and a few more scenes that would convince us of this, then this film would’ve been the magical story I know it could’ve become. This film fails in displaying the power of love overcoming all obstacles because it couldn’t overcome this one flaw; not enough heart.

DVD [ NTSC, Region 3 ] :

This Universe release of the film is quite good for what it’s worth. The film is transferred in true anamorphic widescreen, but the DD2.0 soundtrack was way too soft for my taste. The subtitling was really easy to follow where the words were bright white and well timed. There’s not much more in special features so if you want a barebones version of this film, then go ahead and pick up this DVD.

Reviewed by Mark Flora

You can purchase this film at :


Story Cast Entertainment Subtitles Overall
3 3 3 4.5 3


 

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