10 Promises to My Dog

I learned kindness. I learned love. Thanks to Socks.

Akari Saito (Mayuko Fukuda) is a 14-year-old girl living in the city of Hakodate in Japan’s northern prefectural island of Hokkaido. Secure in gentle and compassionate love of her father Yuichi (Etsushi Toyokawa), and mother Fumiko (Reiko Takashima) , Akari is leading a carefree childhood free of want. The only seed of dissatisfaction comes from having to watch her father, a promising surgeon at a university hospital, grow busier and busier at the cost of time spent with her.

And then one fateful day, Akari’s ever cheerful and energetic mother falls ill and is hospitalized. Just as worry and loneliness begin to take their toll on her, a stray puppy wanders into her yard. Taking the puppy with her on a visit to her mother in the hospital, she receives approval to keep it. It is a female Golden Retriever with white markings on its paws. They name him “Socks.” Before Akari leaves, her mother sits her down and carefully explains – by pretending to use the voice of Socks - the “10 Promises” Akari must keep to her new dog as her master.

 Spring arrives and Akari’s mother has been released from the hospital, just in time to enjoy the flowering cherry blossoms with her family. But she learns that she is dying of cancer and may not live past summer. When she does eventually pass away, Akari’s sadness and shock at the loss takes physical form as an inexplicable stiff neck that prevents her from turning her head freely. Soon afterwards, however, Akari discovers that Socks hadn’t just wandered into her life, but that her mother had received the puppy from the litter of a golden retriever owned by a local merchant, and had made sure that Akari found it.  As also a “keepsake” from Akari’s mother, Socks becomes an inseparable partner and mother substitute to the lonely girl, even miraculously succeeding in curing Akari of her neck injury even where her physician father had failed. Gradually, Akari’s sadness and introversion dissipate into a renewed enthusiasm for life, thanks to the magical healing power of Socks.

Also providing Akari with support and friendship is Susumu Hoshi, a gentle-hearted and soft-spoken classmate who spends his days practicing to become a classical guitarist.

Akari begins to adjust to her new life. But when her father, Yuichi, receives word of a career-boosting transfer to a top university hospital in Sapporo, he makes the decision to move. Akari and her father, however, will have to live in the company dormitory until they can find a new home. And there are no pets allowed. Crushed and devastated, Akari leaves Socks in the temporary care of her trusted friend, Susumu. Suddenly, she finds herself torn from her two best friends.

  The new job has Yuichi returning home later and later, leaving Akari bored and longing for companionship. Susumu, meanwhile, accepts an offer to attend a famous music school in Paris. As Akari and her father drive to the airport to see him off, Yuichi is suddenly called away for an emergency operation. Unable to say goodbye to Susumu, Akari fumes at her father. It turns out the emergency operation was but a simple procedure that any doctor on hand could have performed, but Yuichi had been called in as the leading surgeon because the patient had been an influential politician. Indignant with the way the hospital sets its priorities, and tortured by having disappointed his daughter, Yuichi immediately tenders his resignation, citing that he has been destroying his family for his career. Distancing himself forever from the elite professional track, Yuichi moves back to Hakodate with Akari, reunites with Socks, and the three begin to build a new life together as a family. Yuichi sets up his own humble practice with a clinic attached to their home.

 7 years pass. Akari is now 22 (Rena Tanaka) and attending university in hopes of becoming a veterinarian. Socks is the mascot for the family clinic and has become something of a local celebrity, drawing customers seeking both medical treatment and a chance to play with Socks. It turns out Socks is a natural at winning a popular “human” kids game.

One day, Akari notices a poster for a classical guitar concert to be given by her childhood friend, Susumu Hoshi. After many years, he has returned to Japan as a promising young musician. When they are reunited, it doesn’t take long for their old friendship to resume and blossom into a romance.

Upon graduation, however, Akari is thrilled to be offered employment at the Asahiyama Zoo as part of the veterinary team there. It is a job she had long dreamed about. But it is far from home. Nevertheless, she finds the work as rewarding as it is demanding. Between her work and dating Susumu, Akari’s time together with Socks diminishes.

 And then Akari gets word that Susumu has been in a traffic accident that threatens to end his guitar-playing career. Though he physically recovers, he no longer wields the amazing nimbleness he once possessed in his fingers. Having done little else but train to become a guitarist all his life, Susumu feels his life slipping away and closes himself off from the world, refusing to see even Akari. It is then that she remembers how Socks had helped her get over the shock of her mother’s death. “I know I haven’t been there for you recently, but please, come to my rescue again,” she pleads. “Be Susum’s therapist.” Once again, Akari leaves Socks with Susumu. But this time, willingly. Socks’ companionship begins to heal Susumu’s heart, as it did with Akari, and he finds himself picking up the guitar again and playing the Cyndi Lauper song, “Time After Time.” Listening outside Susumu’s door, Akari begins to sing along. The song had been her mother’s favorite, and Akari had as a child often sung it in the presence of Susumu. Socks had done it again.

 Akari realizes that she had been self-absorbed for too long, only to be saved repeatedly by the love of Socks whenever she was in trouble. Apologizing and promising never to neglect her again, Akari notices that Socks has grown quite old, her body seems smaller, frailer. That’s when she recalls the 9th promise that her mother had recited to her in Socks’ stead so long ago. “I can only live about 10 years. So let’s make every moment count.” Akari is now 24. 10 years have passed since she and Socks first met. For a dog, it is a lifetime.

Distributor: Golden Scene Company Limited

Release date: 11 Sept 2008

Category: I

Duration: 117 mins

Cinemas:
Original Japanese version
1/ Palace IFC
2/ Broadway-Cinematheque
3/ UA-Cityplaza

Cantonese dubbed version
1/ Broadway-Mongkok
2/ Broadway-Olympian City
3/ Braodway-Cyberport
4/ Broadway-Kwai Fong
5/ Broadway-Tsuen Wan
6/ Broadway-Kowloon Bay
7/ Broadway-Yuen Long
8/ Broadway-Kingswood Ginza
9/ Palace APM
10/ AMC Festival walk
11/ UA-Times Square
12/ UA-Langham Place
13/ UA-Shatin
14/ UA-MegaBox
15/ UA-Whampao
16/ UA-tmtplaza
17/ UA-Citygate
18/ GH-Mongkok
19/ GH-Hollywood
20/ GH-Tsing Yi
21/ Golden Gateway
22/ The Grand
23/ MCL-JP
24/ MCL-Telford
25/ MCL-Kornhill
26/ MCL-Cinema Metro
27/ Ma On Shan Classic
28/ Hyland
29/ Newport
30/ President
31/ Dynasty
32/ CEL-Paris London New York Milano
33/ Macau Tower