Wolf Children is one of those films that makes me want to watch it all over again straight away, despite how much I was crying at the end. With a beautiful story and music to match, you could have told me Wolf Children was a Ghibli film, and I’d have believed you. This is a must-see for any fans of quieter Studio Ghibli films like Whisper of the Heart and My Neighbour Totoro. I watched it with Japanese audio and English subs, as I usually do with anime.
| Storyline | 10/10 |
| Visuals | 10/10 |
| Soundtrack | 10/10 |
| Would I rewatch? | Absolutely! |
The film follows the story of Hana, a college student whose life changes when she sees a stranger in her class, a man who is far from ordinary. He’s a werewolf, though not in the western sense. He can transform at will, either making parts of himself wolf-like or turning fully into a wolf.
The two soon fall in love, and have two children together, a girl, Yuki, and boy, Ame. They, like their father, can transform into wolves, which leaves Hana with the challenge of raising them without anyone discovering their secret. This is no easy task.
As a mother myself, this film struck chords with me about the difficulty of raising children. It’s hard enough without added wolf-antics, but we see a beautiful story unfurl. It’s a tale of motherhood, with the addition of her children’s coming-of-age stories. They face highs and lows, with some moments of pure joy, and others of utter heartache.
In places, Yuki narrates the story, which is a lovely touch. We hear about things coloured by what she was told, but the film mostly shows Hana’s perspective. Later in the film, we see a bit more of Yuki and Ame away from their mother. Seeing the siblings grow is wonderful, with many adorable moments that would surely warm even the coldest of hearts.
The artwork is breath-taking. There is one sequence where Ame runs through untouched landscapes that blew me away, but all of the backdrops are stunning, particularly the ones of nature. The music really adds to this, invoking feelings of hope and courage. The Wolf Children soundtrack is available on major music streaming services, and I’m listening to it as I write this, my heart again filling with the joy this movie creates.
I can’t think of a single bad thing to say about Wolf Children. The pacing felt perfect, the storyline flawless. I was never bored, always longing to find out what would happen to this family. Quiet moments came in all the right places between action or conflict, with wonderful slice-of-life scenes.
This film gets a huge thumbs up from me, and I highly recommend it. It is available to stream on Funimation’s website for premium members. The trailer is embedded below.
