Interview with the cast of the film “Your Tail!”
We spoke with Akihiro Takatani, Genki Yamanaka, and Suzume Hinata about their thoughts on the film “Your Tail!” and behind-the-scenes stories from filming.
Turning experiences with beloved dog Matsu into a film
What inspired you to make the film?
Takatani (honorifics omitted)
“Your Tail!” is based on my own real-life experience.
I have a Chihuahua named Matsu, who appears in the film, and I always take him to the same pet salon. The groomer there told me, “His gums don’t look healthy.” They suggested I take him to the vet, so I had him examined.
That’s when we found out he had heart disease. I’m grateful to the groomer for noticing something was wrong. It first developed when he was seven, and now he’s ten. With medication and restricted exercise, it hasn’t progressed much.
I chose “Your Tail!” as the title because a tail can be a barometer of health. When a dog’s tail is down on a walk, it means they’re unhappy, and when they’re excited, it’s up, right?
The film is directed by Genki Yamanaka.
Dogs get scared by bright lights or loud noises, so we filmed everything on smartphones. That lets us capture them behaving naturally.
I’d be happy if people who watch the finished film realize that you can make a movie with a smartphone and feel inspired to try making one themselves. I hope it will help energize Kurashiki’s entertainment scene.
I’ve been an actor for a long time, and I’m taking on filmmaking for the first time as part of my 40th-anniversary project. When you’re an actor, you start wanting to make a film yourself. I’m always with Matsu, so I wanted to make that part of the film, too. Yamanaka made my dream of co-starring with Matsu come true.
As executive director, I oversee everything. I spent three years researching and completed the script. I asked people I’d worked with before to join the cast. There are also junior high school girls who have never acted before, but they had fun performing.
The crew and even the location lunch boxes are people I know. An acquaintance’s mother made these lunch boxes for us. Through her son, who is appearing in the film with me, I asked his mother to take care of the location lunches. I relied on her for most of them.
I’ve appeared in many dramas and films, but sets can be intimidating. So when I’m in charge, I try to create a fun atmosphere. We’re quite far apart in age, but we get along well.
What did you pay particular attention to in making the film?
Takatani
We deliberately use the names of real companies and shops.
Commercial films usually don’t mention the names of filming locations or shops. This time, we chose to include them because we wanted to help promote Kurashiki’s industries. We’ve obtained permission, of course.
We also took extra care to schedule filming during the summer around the animals in the cast.
We started filming on April 3, Matsu’s birthday, but summer is hot and that would be hard on him, right? So we didn’t film in July or August.
We wrapped on November 1, in keeping with “wan-wan-wan” (the Japanese sound for “woof-woof-woof”).
A warm, welcoming set
We spoke with Suzume Hinata, who plays the heroine, Rumi Nekota.
What led to you being chosen for the lead role?
Hinata (honorifics omitted)
I’m from Ehime Prefecture, and I was in the drama club in high school.
Now I attend university in Okayama, and I work independently as an actor and singer. I met Takatani when I appeared in a JR West commercial.
It was our first time working together, and about six months later, Takatani approached me about this film.
Takatani has appeared in commercials and all sorts of things, but that commercial was my first appearance. I’m shy around people, so I’d been quiet the whole time, and he noticed and reached out to me.
I had a strong impression that Takatani was a very kind person, so when he approached me, I decided to take the role.
You hadn’t worked as a dog groomer before, right?
Hinata
No.
My family has a toy poodle, so I love dogs, but I don’t know anything about them. When I lived at home, there were quite a few times when I thought the dog was acting strangely and worried because I couldn’t figure out why.
In “Your Tail!”, a dog’s illness is discovered after someone notices something is wrong, so I can relate to that. Through the theater I love, I’d also like to share things about the dogs I love.
For the filming, a professional groomer taught me how to brush dogs and interact with them.
Some dogs are friendly, while others are shy, and it was difficult. Sometimes I thought I was acting normally, but I scared them; other times, things I thought were right turned out to be wrong. I learned a lot and became aware of many things.
What do you do when you can’t film with the dogs as planned?
Hinata
We wait, or adjust the schedule to suit the dogs.
We make sure not to burden the dogs, so after filming a few takes, we take a break. We don’t force them to do what we want. We change the camera angle so the dogs can move naturally.
Would you like to share a message with the audience?
Hinata
Through this film, I want to convey how important it is to care for animals, whether or not you have a pet.
In the film, I share my feelings while getting into conflicts with customers who say, “Don’t say whatever you want when you’re not even a vet!” It’s a story about growing and connecting with customers, not just animals. I’d be happy if watching the film warms your heart and makes your tail wag.
The set was a warm environment where we could joke around with each other. It was my first time filming, and I was often nervous, but the warmth on set and the great teamwork made it an enjoyable experience.
Filming with animals first
We spoke with director Genki Yamanaka.
How did you come to direct the film?
Yamanaka (honorifics omitted)
My main work is writing scripts, but I’ve also directed films before. Takatani asked me to direct “Your Tail!”, and I took on the role.
This was my first time working on a film centered on dogs, and the challenge was to make sure filming wouldn’t burden them. I’ve worked on other productions featuring animals, but there were times when we forced them to do things. We didn’t give enough consideration to the animals.
For “Your Tail!”, we’ve created an environment where we can film animals behaving naturally. If they don’t do what we’re hoping for, we wait. An environment that doesn’t burden the animals seems to help people relax naturally, too.
Because we put the animals first, filming has taken nearly a year. I hope as many people as possible will watch it—ideally with their beloved dogs.
Takatani
We wanted people to watch it with their dogs, so we made the film 30 minutes long. We thought they might be able to sit through 30 minutes.
We started filming at Ojigadake Rest House, so we’re holding a screening there, too.
We’re planning for visitors to enjoy the cafe menu at Marugodeli Ojigadake, located on Ojigadake Hill, watch the film with their dogs, and take home a souvenir.
From the Writer
We were able to conduct the interview on a set where jokes were shared and smiles never stopped. When filming began, everyone was completely serious. Watching them discuss things as they filmed conveyed the joy of creating a work together.
Filming while taking the dogs’ needs into account is extremely challenging. They reshoot scenes many times and adjust the schedule to suit the dogs. It was striking how the humans adapted to make sure the dogs weren’t scared or stressed.
But it wasn’t all hard work. Jack also brought comfort to everyone on set. That made the atmosphere even more relaxed and cheerful. I love dogs, so the interview was full of smiles. It may have been the first time I’ve felt so soothed during an interview.
The film, created from executive director Takatani’s real-life experiences with his beloved dog Matsu, is scheduled to be screened in various locations.
One screening will be held at Ojigadake Rest House on Sunday, March 22, 2026, starting at 4 p.m. You can watch it with your dog, too.
Tickets for the screening are sold out
Film “Your Tail!” details
| Name | Film “Your Tail!” |
|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, March 22, 2026 Doors open at 4 p.m. 30-minute screening |
| Location | 1421-8 Karakoto-cho, Kojima, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Admission (tax included) | Tickets for the screening are sold out |
| Website |
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