Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog

Adapted from the novel by Ryohei Akimoto and Kengo Ishiguro, Yoichi Sai's Japanese drama is based on a true story. Out of five yellow lab puppies born at the home of Mrs. Mito, little Quill—so named for an unusual feather-shaped mark on his abdomen—stands out as a candidate to become a guide dog. Quill embarks on his first plane ride to live with a “puppy walker” couple who shower him with toys and love for his first year, until he's ready to move on to join adorable peers at a training center where the dogs engage in exercises, learn obedience, and are taught tricks for handling curbs and corners. The narrative then shifts to focus on Quill's pairing with a blind crotchety journalist named Watanabe (Kaoru Kobayashi). At first, the skeptical Watanabe would “rather stay here than be pulled around by a mutt,” but this odd couple learns to work together—eventually. Telling a quiet and genuinely touching tale about the human-canine relationship—rarely found in corny U.S. anthropomorphic family films (such as Air Bud)—this engaging tale is recommended. (J. Williams-Wood)