Based on a true story, “A tale of Mari and three puppies” will fill your heart with full of love.
Mari is a be-loved dog, happily living in a small village in Japan. One day, a huge earthquake strikes her village, and her owner-family has to leave the village without her and her three puppies…

Introduction :
October 23, 2004 in Japan. An earthquake occurred with a magnitude of 6.8, it’s epicenter in the Chuetsu region of Niigata Prefecture.
In a small village of the region, there was a dog named “Mari” which gave birth to three puppies on the very day of the earthquake. After the earthquake occurred and all of the people were evacuated to safety, Mari was left with her puppies in the desolated village. When people went back to the village 16 days later, they found Mari alive and taking care of her three puppies. The story of her survival greatly moved the residents who lost their houses and family and gave them a hope.
The illustrated book that depicted this story, “Yamakoshi-mura no Mari to Sanbiki no Koinu” (published by Bungeishunjyu) became popular, and sold 150,000 copies to become a best-seller.
The movie, “A tale of Mari and three puppies,” is based on this book, spontaneously evolved into a symbolic anthem of reconstruction from the earthquake. It is a story of the miraculous and deeply moving “spirit of life.”

Story :
Yuichi, a village official of Yamakoshi, lives with his old father, Yuzo, his son, Ryota, and his daughter, Aya. One day a female puppy comes to live with them. They name it Mari. In 2004, Mari bears three puppies. It pleases the family, but their happiness ends all too soon.
On October 23, a great earthquake destroys the village. Yuzo and Aya are caught under the fallen pillars, injured and unable to move. Yuzo expects death when he hears Mari barking in the darkness.
It soon finds Yuzo and Aya, and finally Yuzo and Aya are dug out and taken away to safety by an army helicopter, but Mari and her puppies are left behind because human lives are prior to dogs.
Ryota and Aya secretly prepare to go to the village to save Mari and the three puppies…