The Rioux Family: Wolf Children Review

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Wolf Children Review

Today I'm going to review the Movie Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki

or Wolf Children

This is a story about a woman named Hana. She's a young college student who meets a man who has been sitting in on her classes. Soon he reveals that he can turn into a wolf.

She is undeterred by this fact and they fall in love. Soon they have a daughter named Yuki, followed a year later by their son Ame.

Shortly after their second child is born, He goes out on instinct to hunt to provide for his wife who had just given birth. In doing so, he ends up dying.

Heartbroken, Hana vows to take care of their children alone as best she can.

Learning how to care for children who can turn into wolves is a struggle. Being so little, they change back and forth whenever they feel like it.

Hana is constantly afraid they would be exposed. One example that really gets to me is when Yuki gets sick and Hana is standing in between a vet office and a children's hospital, not sure which one she should take her to.

She eventually decides that they should move out of the city and out into the country where they can decide on their own if they want to be wolves or humans.

They buy an abandoned house far away from any neighbors. Hana fixes it up all by herself, finding small little treasures along the way (beautiful stone sink, small sakura blossoms on the door).

Along their journey, they have to learn to cope with their situation. At first Hana tries to avoid all the neighbors, but after getting help with her garden from old man Nirasaki, she ends up getting help and helping the other neighbors.

Yuki discovers school, and Hana has to swallow her fear of sending them out alone and lets her attend. Ame, however, would rather be in the woods and finds his own teacher, who is a fox.

This story is beautifully laid out. You grow so attached to this family over the 2 hour time span. You just wish happiness for them. Needless to say, many a tear was shed while watching this movie.

The music, the animation, the story.