Doggie March 1963 Japanese B4 Speed Poster

This is a 1963 Japanese B4 Speed Poster (10.1" x 28.7") for the Japanese animated film Wan Wan Chūshingura (わんわん忠臣蔵), known in English as Doggie March. It is a reimagining of the classic Japanese historical epic Chūshingura (The 47 Ronin), but adapted for children with an all-animal cast.

Produced by Toei Animation and released on December 21, 1963, the original story and storyboards were created by the "God of Manga," Osamu Tezuka. This film also marked the professional animation debut of legendary director Hayao Miyazaki, who worked on it as an in-betweener.

The plot follows a puppy named Rock (the dog at the bottom left) whose mother is killed by a tiger named Killer and a fox named Akamimi. To get revenge, Rock gathers an army of dogs to challenge the predators.

Characters Pictured in the poster:
  • Rock: The protagonist Akita puppy (bottom left).
  • Karu: The white/pink dog next to Rock.
  • Killer: The Bengal tiger (center right), the film's primary antagonist.
  • Akamimi: The wily fox (top right) who serves as Killer's henchman.
  • Goro: The large gorilla (top left).