While at University, Hana (Aoi Miyazaki) meets the love of her life (Takao Osawa). This man, who is actually not enrolled at the university, harbours a secret: he is a werefolf, and the last of his kind. The two start a family, with Hana giving birth to two children, a daughter named Yuki (Momoka Ono/Haru Kuroki), and a son named Ame (Amon Kabe/ Yukito Nishii), so named for the snow and rain prevelant at the time of their births. Yuki and Ame inherit their father’s ability to transform into wolves. Following the tragic death of her partner, Hana is left to raise the children alone, moving to a remote, abandoned house in the mountains in the hopes of remaining safe from prying eyes.
Directed by Mamoru Hosoda (Summer Wars), from a screenplay by Hosoda and Satoko Okudera, “Wolf Children” is a beautiful tale about raising children and the various joys and sorrows that entails. Despite their peculiarity, Yuki and Ame present many of the same issues for their mother as any young siblings: they fight; they stubbornly refuse to listen to their mother; they get ill; and make numerous other demands on her time and patience. But throughout it, Hana’s affection and desire to protect her offspring make any temporary struggle worthwhile. The film lacks a traditional narrative and instead shows us the daily lives of Hana and her two children, with the action being narrated by Yuki. The film’s stunning depictions of nature and the changing seasons, along with the everyday scenes of rustic life are charming and give a real sense of getting to know the characters as we see them grow, as well as their relationship to their environment. The art and animation do an incredible job with the children in both human and wolf form, making this fantastical transformation appear natural. Masakatsu Takagi’s score of melodic strings provides an exquisite accompaniment to the emotional drama that is filled with several highs and lows.
“Wolf Children” gives equal time to Hana and the children, giving the film an inter-generational appeal. We see Hana’s struggles as a single-mother attempting to raise two children; the tragedy of losing her husband; and the difficulties in attempting to learn about mothering without being able to ask for help. In one amusing scene we see her debating whether to take her sickly child to a paediatrician or a veterinarian. She is always sympathetic in her attempts to bring them up, protect them, and allow them to follow their own hearts. Likewise, the children are enjoyable and relatable, with the boisterous older sister Yuki and her introverted younger brother Ame providing a number of memorable moments. The children’s journey includes them learning about the dangers of the wider world, exacerbated by their circumstances, and discovering their own will: with each making a choice about their true nature. The film’s final scenes, in which Ame and Yuki forge their own paths, while their mother looks on both proud of their achievements and sorrowful of their growing independence, are sure to strike a chord with parents and children alike.
