Madman Entertainment once again hosted the Reel Anime Festival this September, showcasing four of the latest and highly anticipated Japanese animated releases. Screenings at Dendy Newtown included Wolf Children, a film directed by Mamoru Hosada (Summer Wars, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time), which follows the story of a young lady and her relationship with a wolf man.
Nineteen year-old university student Hana is intrigued by a mysterious man’s regular appearances in her classes. She soon gets to know him well and they quickly fall in love. However, there is a catch; he’s a half human, half wolf, the only surviving descendant of the Honshu Wolf (a species of now extinct Japanese wolf).
Once Hana’s initial shock passes, the couple settle into life quite contently. She soon finds herself with child and daughter Yuki (Snow) is born, followed by son Ame (Rain). Sadly things take a tragic turn when shortly after Ame’s birth, Hana discovers the dead body of her wolf man in a canal; his urge to hunt for his offspring turned fatal.
Raising two children with animalistic tendencies becomes difficult in the cramped city, as the children become increasingly boisterous and change form constantly. Hana moves the family to the countryside and they take up residence in a remote ramshackle house in the mountains. Yuki and Ame grow up freely, surrounded by nature and go through their own self-discoveries, which will ultimately help them choose whether to lead human or wolf lives.
Leading lady Hana comes across as a determined, kind and incredibly strong woman who endures, despite the constant isolation and hardship she experiences as part of the sacrifices she has made for her children. The movie follows the dependable formula of making waves once the water’s settled, resulting in a lot of fall off your seat with laughter moments, as well as gut wrenchingly sad ones.
Yuki and Ame are portrayed extremely well, which can be attributed in part to character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto(Evangelion series). Brilliantly executed voice acting combined with youthful high spirited behaviour serves to capture the essence of childhood perfectly. Shape shifting scenes are seamless and are carried easily by the style of animation used.
The film’s plot is well written and draws on a lot of themes, the overarching one being the delicate balance, beauty and powerful destructiveness of nature. Species extinction is also highlighted as an important issue, as well as social and self-acceptance. Whilst Wolf Children isn’t a Studio Ghibli creation, it definitely gives the power house a run for its money. With its clever, heartfelt charm and entertaining storyline, this anime should prove enjoyable for adults and children alike.
Rating: 9/10
Image © 2012 Ōkami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki Production Committee
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