: On the last day of summer, the duo goes to the beach. After a day of swimming and fun, Robot’s metal joints oxidize and seize up, leaving him paralyzed on the sand. Unable to carry the heavy Robot, Dog is forced to leave him overnight, intending to return with tools the next morning.

remains stranded on the beach, dreaming of escape and reunion while enduring the changing seasons, scavenging birds, and eventually being salvaged by a scrap dealer.

tries to move on, attempting to make new friends (with varying degrees of success) but remains haunted by the loss of his companion.

The film is widely praised for its emotional depth, illustrating how some friendships are meant to be cherished for the time they lasted, even if they don't last forever.

: The heart of the film follows their separate paths over the next year:

Set in a vibrant, 1980s-inspired Manhattan inhabited by anthropomorphic animals, the plot follows , who lives a lonely life of microwave dinners and solitary television.