Anime Movie Review - Wolf Children (2012)

おおかみこどもの雨と雪 (Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki)

Remember when I said I'll watch this and review it? Well, I watched it and reviewed it and it was good... but not like AWESOME good, it was like... goood in many profound ways that I will try to elaborate in the next few paragraphs. I've previously mentioned how I love films/animations that integrate the culture we have now with something science-fiction or fantasy related. The ability to not only combine the two but to also make sense to some degree (not asking for evidence based logical reasoning with a 95% confidence intervel less ye scientists get le triggered) is no easy feat. 

Now, Wolf Children is about... you got it - Wolf Children, particularly the lives of two bloody adorable kids called Yuki (Snow) and Ame (Rain) and how real life works. Spoiler alert: life's a bitch. Hana - a diligent and hard-working college student, who had a promising future ahead of her but falls in love (GG, well played!) with this mysterious dude in class that "doesn't even go here!". Turns out, creepy dude is the last remaining werewolf of his kind and romance ensues. 

Some movies make you think, ponder and sometimes confused; some throw senseless action at you like Michael Bay doing rigorous hip-thrusts in your face; some make you empathize and subsequently bring you on a feels trip. Thankfully, this film does the first and the latter... cause no one likes point blank hip-thrusts from a middle aged man. I say it makes you think and confused because you might question some of the decisions made by the characters in the film, but then again if the all the characters made sound and responsible decisions, there wouldn't be any story. So tone down on the "IF IT WAS ME, I WOULD..." and just enjoy the show.

The blending of CGI and animation was very subtle and superbly done. The background really reminded me of Studio Ghibli's hand-painted still backdrops but with a healthy dash of CGI that made everything look pretty damn realistic. Props to Studio Chizu and Madhouse. Who is Studio Chizu you ask? Remember, Mamoru Hosoda, the director of Summer Wars (who was also director of The Girl That Leapt Through Time)? Well, he was working with Madhouse from 2005 - 2011, until he got sick and tired of putting up with Madhouse's shit (not what actually happened) and left to make his own animation studio, hence Studio Chizu. Wolf Children was his first brainchild, which he co-produced with Madhouse studios. So it's safe to assume that they are at least on good terms with each other.

Whoa... damn...

I am looking forward to watch Studio Chizu's 2nd work: The Boy and the Beast in the future. Until next time girls, boys and everyone else in between... Ja ne!

tl;dr: College girl with furry fetish overcomes difficulties raising her furry children in society.

I rate 7/11, thank you come again!