OVERLAY REPORT

The primary conflict in *Isle of Dogs* (2018) is a **systemic and ideological war between the authoritarian Kobayashi dynasty and the canine population of Megasaki City**, which manifests personally as a struggle between **Mayor Kenji Kobayashi** and his young ward/nephew, **Atari**. ### **How the Conflict Started** The conflict has two distinct origins: an ancient historical grudge and a modern biological conspiracy. 1. **The Ancient Grudge (The "How It Started"):** The film opens with a prologue establishing that the cat-loving Kobayashi clan has hated dogs for a millennium. A thousand years ago, the dynasty attempted to eradicate all dogs in Japan. They were stopped by a "Boy Samurai" who sympathized with the canines and decapitated the head of the Kobayashi clan. The modern-day Mayor Kobayashi and his right-hand man, Major-Domo, are descendants of this clan and view the current era as an opportunity to finally achieve their ancestors' goal of a dog-free society. 2. **The Modern Pretext (The Biological Outbreak):** In the year 2038, the conflict is reignited by an outbreak of **"Snout Fever"** and **"Canine Flu"** in Megasaki City. While the public believes this is a natural pandemic that threatens to jump to humans, it is later revealed as a **conspiracy**. Mayor Kobayashi’s administration intentionally manufactured and spread the virus to create a public health crisis, allowing them to legally justify the banishment and eventual extermination of all dogs. ### **The Primary Manifestation of the Conflict** The conflict is driven by the following character dynamics: * **Mayor Kobayashi vs. Atari:** To show "impartiality" and stoke public fear, the Mayor decrees that his own nephew’s bodyguard dog, **Spots**, be the first animal deported to "Trash Island." This act of betrayal starts Atari’s personal journey. Atari refuses to accept the decree, hijacks a "Junior-Turbo Prop" plane, and flies to the island to rescue Spots. * **The Science Party vs. The Mayor:** Professor Watanabe, the Mayor’s political rival, successfully develops a cure for the flu. However, the Mayor’s administration suppresses the cure, places Watanabe under house arrest, and eventually poisons him to ensure the "dog problem" remains "unsolved" so they can proceed with mass extermination. * **Chief (The Stray) vs. Domesticity:** On the island, a secondary conflict exists between **Chief**—a cynical stray who bites and distrusts humans—and the other "Alpha" dogs who were formerly house pets. This conflict is resolved through Atari’s persistence and kindness, which eventually "tames" Chief and reveals him as a loyal ally (and the biological brother of Spots). ### **Specific Details of the Escalation** * **The Extermination Plan:** The Mayor's final goal isn't just banishment but total eradication. He plans to use a lethal chemical gas on Trash Island to kill every dog simultaneously during a public ceremony. * **The Resolution:** The conflict ends when Atari and the dogs return to Megasaki City to present the cure. Atari recites a haiku that moves the Mayor to tears, reminding him of the ancient bond between humans and dogs. The Mayor experiences a rare moment of remorse and repeals the decree, though his subordinates (led by Major-Domo) attempt to carry out the massacre anyway until they are thwarted by a group of student activists and the dogs themselves.