Forum - View topicAnswerman - Why Are There Statues Of A Reading Boy And A Dog In Japan?
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Frenzie
Posts: 11 |
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When I saw the title I thought it might be about https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Dog_of_Flanders
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halo
Posts: 356 |
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You just had to reference that episode of Futurama, now I'm crying at work.
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EricJ2
 Posts: 4016 |
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And was Ran Kotobuki's favorite sitting "throne" as leader of the Shibuya girls in Super Gals. The Sontoku statue, OTOH, became more famous as the "Walking statue" that haunts every Japanese high-school at night, in nearly every school's collection of traditional urban-legend ghost stories for the underclassmen. Last edited by EricJ2 on Fri Sep 08, 2017 7:56 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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DerekL1963
 Subscriber Posts: 1122 Location: Puget Sound |
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Many statues of Sontoku were erected by the Imperial Government in the Meiji, Taishō and early Shōwa period to serve as an inspiration to students. During the Taishō and early Shōwa, smaller (desk size) statues were widely used as prizes in school competitions. Imperialistic and militaristic regimes often provide such exemplars to their population. (Soviet era Russia, especially during Stalin's era, had the New Soviet Man. The Nazi's exploited Nietzsche's ideal Übermensch to the same end.)
Though nowhere near as intense as the de-Nazification program in Germany, there was a (mostly half hearted) program of removing and discrediting the symbols of Imperial Japan. These statues were seen by some as such a symbol and during the Occupation many (most?) of them that had been erected by the Imperial Government were pulled down and destroyed. Still, Sontoku remains a popular 'folk' hero and adults can't resist providing good examples for kids... So they still erect those statues today. |
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dragonmastr
 Posts: 209 |
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Hilariously enough this was my intro to Hachiko. |
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GrdAdmiral
 Posts: 101 Location: Tokyo, Japan |
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Actually the legend of Hachiko takes another unique twist. (^\^) Did you know the University of Tokyo actually completed an autopsy of Hachiko prior to the dog's cremation? They found some parasites and possible cancer related health issues with the dog. But thats not all. The dog had wooden sticks in the stomach. The exact same kind used for yakitori. They believe that the dog Hachiko didn't come back to wait for the professor. The passengers visiting the station would feed Hachiko every day. So he returned everyday for free food. (
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jenny10-11
Posts: 98 Location: Australia |
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Everytime I think if Hachiko I start tearing up
 . It's just so sweet/sad.
I've heard the same thing suggested of Greyfriars Bobby. Knowing my own dogs, I can believe they would be more likely to stay around for food and attention than out if loyalty 
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Kadmos1
 Posts: 13623 Location: In Phoenix but has an 85308 ZIP |
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On Japanese dog breeds: The Shiba is the most popular dog breed in Japan. The Akita is the most famous Japanese dog breed. The largest Japanese dog breed is the Tosa. This Mastiff-type breed's home city is Kochi City, the home city of veteran seiyuu Sumi Shimamoto.
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Shiroi Hane
Encyclopedia Editor
 Posts: 7584 Location: Wales |
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Guys, I highly recommend not googling "heartworm".
While I'm here I may as well mention once visiting Beddgelert while on a school trip, from a similar tale of a loyal dog (albeit with a sadder ending for the dog). I don't recall the nice slate path back them mind, I just remember trekking to the middle of a field to see a stone slab under a tree. |
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SaneSavantElla
 Posts: 252 Location: Philippines |
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I second this. Too late for me though, can't unsee the first image that popped up. -_- |
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Kadmos1
Posts: 13623 Location: In Phoenix but has an 85308 ZIP |
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Helen Keller was the 1st known perosn to bring the breed to the USA. It was 80 years ago this past July or August.
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kgw
 Posts: 1193 Location: Spain, EU |
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Sontoku Ninomiya (actually, a statue of him) was a character in the 90's Haunted Junction manga/anime series. When released overseas, people wondered who this Ninomiya guy was and why people was so excited about him.
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EricJ2
Posts: 4016 |
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Again, the joke on Haunted Junction was that all the wacky "sidekicks" were the six cliche' ghost stories kids are always told about their schools the first week: The walking Sontoku, the living science-room anatomy model, the ghost in the girls' toilet, the Red Mantle, and Hanako-chan in the mirror...Just turned slightly sillier. (And since the Sontoku of the statue is a young boy, our heroine Mutsuki has a comically unhealthy interest in him...  )
HJ was pretty much my introduction, too--I had no idea who the figure in the statue was, either, just that every school had one. Last edited by EricJ2 on Sun Sep 10, 2017 5:40 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Ouran High School Dropout
 Posts: 440 Location: Somewhere in Massachusetts, USA |
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Then there's the parodies, like the Hachiko statue in Puni Puni Poemy that looks like a Puuchuu from Excel Saga, seen just before Poemy goes on a mindless rampage upon the "evildoers" of Shibuya. Then, in Ghost Stories, the Ninomiya Sontoku statue comes "alive", because that's what ghosts do in an elementary school.
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residentgrigo
 Posts: 2609 Location: Germany |
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The US Hachi: A Dog's Tale with Richard Gere is pretty good btw and surprisingly emotionally resonant. Fairly close to the actual story too. It is even cemented in multiple Imdb Top 250s (despite mediocre critical reception), as it´s basically porn for pet owners. Is it the best Japan to US adaptation of all time? It´s better than (the 60s) Magnificent Seven and Black Swan isn´t really based on Perfect Blue. Which random film am i forgetting...
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