Wolf Children Anime Review
How would you react if the person you loved turned out to be a wolf? This woman's love never wavers. Her feelings remain, and she builds a lovely family.
PRODUCTION INFO
Wolf Children is an animated film directed by Mamoru Hosoda. A manga was serialised 3 days before the movie was first released. The movie first came out June 25th in Paris. The character designs were by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto. The Japanese name is Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki.
SUMMARY
This is a touching tale about Hana, a mother of two children who hold an incredible secret; their father was a wolf man. Watch as Ame and Yuki are raised by their loving mother who struggles with the kids' special needs as wolf children, all while keeping their lupin side as hidden as possible. The family may exert themselves over their unique quirks more than most other families would, but in the end, all that matters is that they care for one another.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Wolf Children brings laughs, tears, and an abundance of heartwarming feelings. At times, it'll be cute, and it'll hurt your heart at others. There's next to nothing for action, but there's plenty of emotion which Wolf Children will probably force out of you! If you decide to watch Wolf Children, expect it to control your feelings.
CHARACTERS
Hana is the mother of Ame and Yuki. She does her best to cope with the stress that comes with hiding their lupin connections while giving her all in raising her children to be happy. She is a very loving mother who works hard to always find a way to pull through the challenges in life. She even goes so far as to take her children away from the city and into the country to give them a happy, peaceful life.
Yuki is Ame's older sister whose name means snow. She is the opposite of Ame, being very stubborn and energetic. She is very excitable and takes to new environments well. At the beginning of the movie, she is perfectly fine with being a wolf, but she dislikes the way her mother keeps her hidden.
Ame is Yuki's younger brother whose name means rain. He is a skittish child, much unlike his older sister who is outgoing and hyper. Ame also initially hates the idea of being a wolf due to reading children's books that portray wolves as being the antagonist in the story. He tends to be easily scared and anxious.
OPINIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
I completely fell in love with Wolf Children within the first 30 minutes of the movie. I didn't think it could get much better at that point, but it did! The entire film moved me. The only problem I had with the movie was the ending which felt inconclusive to me. Aside from that, we have a very touching plot, easily likeable characters, and smooth, distinctive animation.
Ame and Yuki are so cute as toddlers, and there's a special feeling you get as you watch them grow up. It makes me feel excited for the future when I'll have children to raise and see grow. I only hope that it won't be nearly as challenging for me as it was for Hana! Likewise, if you plan to or already have children, this is a great watch for you. I strongly recommend Wolf Children to people who haven't already seen it; especially if they enjoyed other Mamoru Hosoda works such as Summer Wars or The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. For fans of Wolf Children, I recommend those titles as well as the series Usagi Drop and Clannad. Key works in general have a similar emotional effect, but these titles match the closest. I would also recommend Studio Ghibli for another company with superb animation.
RATING
★9/10★
