This bird was first drawn by Shinichi Hoshi in 1965. He sketched the bird after his signature while signing an autograph in a Tokyo bar. Hoshi insisted it was a crane, a symbol of longevity in Japan. The bird, of course, didn't look anything like a crane, but readers loved it anyway. Over the years, the bird became Hoshi's trademark and earned the name "Hoshi-Zulu" (Hoshi's Crane).

After Hoshi's passing, fellow Sci-Fi writer Sakyo Komatsu declared September 6 (Hoshi's birthday) "Hoshi-Zulu Day" (The Day of Hoshi Crane). The first "Hoshi-Zulu Day" was celebrated by fans and Sci-Fi writers in Tokyo in 1999.

This short film was shown at the Hoshi-Zulu Day event in 1999. The event mourned Hoshi's passing, in 1997, while celebrating his life's work.

Thanks to Yutaka Yoneda, the filmmaker, we are now able to show it to you via this website. Please enjoy watching our beloved crane come to life.