The grandkid telling the story is really unnecessary.

Yes ... I had the exact same sentiments. It lost a point on the IMDB grading scale because of this unnecessary, schmaltzy framing device. We didn't need it and it actually lessens the story by cheapening the entire thing.

I tend to agree, but I don't think it was the scene as much as the kid's speech that tarnished the film. "Hachi, my hero."
What??? A dog can be phenomenal, your very best friend, even be your heart. But a little kid's hero? That seemed too schmaltzy and unbelievable.

If they had to show a scene like this, why not just show him telling the class
"...and so, now I've got a friend a little like Hachi too." And show the kid & Hachi Jr. walk off together happily down the train track to home.


"I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus."
"Didn't he discover America?"
"Penfold, shush."

Yeah that was awful. I was crying my eyes out and then just cringed when they showed the stupid kids at the end, really took away from the film.

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"Hachi My Hero" was pretty cheesy. Then they show the kid with a Shiba Inu pup, who is apparently Hachi's replacement. I agree, it didn't make the film better. Maybe they just wanted a show a live dog at the end to make the ending seem more upbeat somehow.






"Joey, have you ever been in a Turkish prison?"

You're absolutely right. It's pathetic that Hollywood did it only because they were afraid you couldn't handle the emotional pain you will inevitably feel. By ending the movie with the little boy walking another Akita puppy, saying "here, Hachi!", it enables the viewer to breathe a sigh of relief: "oh look! There's Hachi's incarnate . . . he really is okay!" The original Japanese version ended the film based on reality: Hachi died in the streets, The End. They did show Hachi's dream of reuniting with the professor. However, immediately following the tragic dream sequence, the screen reveals a very dead-looking dog, his whole body laid down on one side, mouth agape with tongue hanging out, alone in a cold night. The camera then pans out to reveal the lonely street, then credits roll. The Japanese movie was shot in a way that left you completely bereft, hysterically mournful, even. They dared to take that approach, and I wish Hollywood would give us the same faith that American viewers can handle such tremendous emotions.

I almost didn't watch the film because I thought, 'No, it's not going to have some dumb cardboard kid in it, is it?' I only stuck with it because they moved off the kid. The kid can't act, not that he had much to do.