When a nuclear disaster forces the residents of a small town to evacuate, a pet dog is left behind to survive on his own. As he navigates the wilderness that takes over the town, he comes face to face with a group of wild dogs, determined to claim back their territory.
Characters
Kiva
A medium-sized, mixed-breed Shiba with small expressive eyes. Found by the young Toru as a lost puppy on a mountain road, he was raised by the Endo family in their backyard, given food, shelter and plenty of love and care. When the family is forced to evacuate after the disaster, he decides to journey back home to find Toru.
Inui
A large female, wolf-like mixed-breed with white fur, a pointed snout and hardened gaze. Inui is one of the few remaining survivors of a dwindling pack of stray dogs living in the wilderness. When construction zones destroy their habitat, pushing them further into the forests, she grows a deep resentment towards humankind – as well as towards their pet dogs. After the disaster, Inui leads her pack into the deserted town to reclaim the territory.
Toru Endo
Toru is an only child to middle-class parents, raised in Futaba, Fukushima. At 13, after some minor trouble with his teammates in the baseball club, he quits and becomes slightly withdrawn. He shares an unspoken bond with Kiva. When the disaster hits, he is devastated to leave Kiva behind, and struggles to find his place of belonging.
In a small farm town on the coast of Fukushima resides Kiva – an excitable mixed- breed dog, the beloved pet of 13-year-old Toru. Ever since he was picked up as a stray when he was young, Kiva’s days are tranquil, revolving around playing with his best friend, Toru and his neighbor, the Akita-ken, Cruz. But after a chilling encounter with Inui – an enormous, vicious-looking stray in woods – he begins to question if the world, and his place in it, is as peaceful as he was raised to believe.
