#like in wolf children when hana moves to the countryside

[zoruui]

post purge trooper / rebels era night makes me…so soft. im not saying this is the most peaceful point of his life, but it is absolutely the most peaceful point in his life and he deserves it.

more lore under the cut!

instagram ( instagram.com/fishermanarts ) twitter ( mobile.twitter.com/fishermanarts ) side twitter ( mobile.twitter.com/fishermantalks ) shop ( www.etsy.com/shop/FishermanArtsStudio ) ko-fi ( ko-fi.com/fishermanarts )

night went a long time living on his own along the outskirts of a quiet seaside village on a small rainy planet. he maintained their rundown lighthouse comm tower and was their first defense against any possible raiders. he mostly kept to himself and only occasionally went into town for supplies and groceries. for a while, that’s all the locals ever saw him come around for. they just called him “the lightkeeper”.

but of course, its a small town, so they were always curious about newcomers. besides, ever since he moved into the lighthouse, fewer ships went missing and solo raiders who thought they could make an easy job were swiftly taken care of. sometimes the townsfolk would ask him to fix their machinery or help transport merchandise. in return, they started dropping by the lighthouse to share with him their catch of the day or crops from harvests.

the town’s willingness to welcome him into their space took night aback for some time, but as years passed, he blended in nicely. even the children eventually flocked to him whenever he visited, asking him to tell them more spooky stories or tales of heroes with swords of light. 

though he still had a hard time showing it, night loved nothing more than to be with the people he protected. “this isn’t the easiest place to live,” they’d say, “the winters are harsh and the rain always turns to ice. that’s why we’ve got to help each other out. we don’t care who you were or what you did. all that matters to us is who you choose to be today.”

[bribriz]

Wolf Children

I cannot help but appreciate how emotional this film was for me. And I already watched this before!

I would like to address the art style before analysis of themes. One might critique as bland and thoughtless. Instead, I adore it because it does not try to exaggerate the characters; it is by far one of the most grounded in reality films, even though it has fantasy elements. It only helps to emphasize this coming-of-age for Hana, Yuki, and Ame.

We all should have gathered the main theme of the film: one should live as their true self without wavering. This is especially important during the developmental stages of life, as depicted through Yuki and Ame.

Throughout the film, we are shown repeatedly shown that Hana truly wishes for both of her children to grow up freely, walking down different paths. However, she does not let them turn into wolves in front of humans, which is a contradiction. How are they supposed to choose when they cannot even choose in the first place? The main culprit is society: it would never accept such “monsters” in an age of increasingly homogenous lifestyles. Thus, Hana moves out to free themselves from the shackles of society.

Unfortunately, Hana is forced to interact with the other people in the rural area. It seems to imply there is no choice but to accept societal pressures since you cannot survive without society, at least in this day and age. Despite this, Yuki is seen to more freely explore her wolf self, while Ame is devoid of wolf-like traits.

Both Yuki and Ame have their individual turning points in their sense of self. For Yuki, it was school, and for Ame, it was nature.

Yuki is always insisting on trying everything out, like a child would—except she would not know how begging her mother to go to school changed her forever. This is a case of nurture because Yuki eventually idolized being a human. In particular, she is very insecure whenever she does not fit in, such as when she is not as girly as her girl friends, and when Souhei tells her she smells like a dog. Yuki develops from embracing her wolf self to being repulsed by it. She is utterly traumatized when she could not control herself from transforming into a wolf; she becomes afraid she could lose control forever, but also her position in human society. When Souhei tells her he has not told anyone about Yuki’s wolf self, she feels tremendous relief because he is one of the few people that accepts the entirety of her. This relationship parallels the one between Hana and the wolf man.

It is quite ironic for both Yuki and Ame to switch sides over the course of the film. For Ame, his profound change started with him being nurtured by nature. When he was drowning, Ame experienced a revival of his self—his wolf self. Following that, he willingly chooses to learn more about nature at a natural park, which further shapes his path. After learning from his fox master, the storm culminated as the final hurdle for Ame to clear to become a true wolf. It is disheartening when Hana proclaims she has not done anything for Ame. However, without words, Ame proves her wrong by simply climbing to the top of the mountain and howling. Hana has raised Ame into finding a world where can be his self.

Moving onto Hana’s character, she constantly persists through all hardships. On one hand, this is a strong trait to have in life, but on the other hand, it can develop into a type of stubbornness. For example, when Hana decides to farm, she keeps trying again and again after her crops keep wilting. If not for the old farmer, she likely would not have found the solution, and who knows how that could have affected her family. Sometimes, you need to contemplate what went wrong in the past instead moving forward while being nearsighted. In any case, I find Hana’s smiles to be charming, as it is a symbol of her endurance.

Ultimately, the film indirectly tackles the system of capitalism. The family retreats into the countryside, and they are thriving in their own way—if only everyone could achieve happiness and fulfillment that way. Although, this is somewhat extreme: a widowed mother immediately moves out by herself to raise her children. Luckily in hindsight, it was the best choice for them.

This movie really made me reflect on my life, especially my parents. I could not have made it this far without them. I love you two

Also, Hosoda>>>Miyazaki ezzz.

[lunacyn24]

Wolf Children

Wolf Children is a movie that I didn’t expect to enjoy nor did it follow a plotline and universe I was expecting. I thought with a name like Wolf Children it would be a fantasy-centered world with elves, fairies, and a demi-human kind of world, but it wasn’t. Wolf Children takes place in a realistic world that centers around a family whose livelihood is forever changed because the children aren’t fully human, they are half-human and half- wolf. The challenge with this, for both the children and the Mother, is that nobody knows what to do or how to handle raising wolf children because their father was the last living descendant of half- human, half-wolf. Due to this worry and struggle to protect her children, the mother, Hana, decides to move her family from the city to the countryside, so that her children would be free to embrace their two sides of being. At first, all goes well ( at least well enough after moving to a different town with two young wolf children), but, as Yuki and Ame grow older, their sense of identity begins to shape and develop. In this movie, we see that the two siblings become at odds with another in their identity as they continue to live in the countryside. With Yuki, she changed herself and her mannerisms to better fit in with the children at her school, showing that she wants to embrace her human side more, especially between 4th and 6th grade. However, when she was a child, she was very free-spirited and embraced her wolf side, which is a switch compared to her teenage years. When Ame was younger, he was very shy and timid, the complete opposite of his sister. As he grew up in this small countryside town though, we slowly see his shyness shed away to make room for the independence and confidence he never had. Ame even goes as far as fully embracing his wolf side on the mountainside and finding purpose and contentment in the wild. All in all, I believe Wolf Children did a wonderful portrayal of embracing one’s identity. This movie depicted the rawness of fully embracing one’s identity when that decision may not be well reciprocated or accepted, while also showing the tranquility of being confident of who you are and what you want to be. Furthermore, Wolf Children highlighted the theme of parent and child as we see Hana, a single mother, sometimes struggling to take care of and protect her children. We see how taxing, yet tranquil raising Yuki and Ame makes Hana because she was so protective of them both, but still wanted them to discover who they wanted to be, whether that was as a human or as a wolf. That was the whole reason she took them out of the city and into the countryside because she wanted to give them the choice of what or who to be. We see this tranquility at the end of the movie when Hana accepts that Ame will remain in the wild, while Yuki will live a traditional human lifestyle. 

[albertausprey]

WOLF CHILDREN

A film from 2012. I don’t know why I haven’t seen it until now. Spoilers ahead, so read with caution. The story is narrated from the daughter’s point of view. This is about a woman, named Hana who meets a mysterious person one day while she was at college. Though his name is never known, they end up getting to know each other and fall in love. He finally reveals that he is an extinct wolf species and that he can transform into one at will. They later have two kids. The eldest is their daughter, Yuki and conceiving another child a year later, their son, Ame. One day her lover doesn’t return home, so she goes out looking for him, finding him being dragged into a garbage dump in the form of a wolf. His death was also unknown, only that he had died, probably trying to find dinner, with the clues of bird feathers still on his fur. She then moves out to the country side to make a life away from neighbors, in fear that they may find out about her children and their ability to turn into wolves. So once Hana starts making a living on the country side, she fails at growing crops. She soon attracts attention of local farmers, as she is a single mother trying to grow crops and living off of her father’s savings. They build a bond and she shares her harvest with the others all while getting the help from an elderly, grumpy man named Nirasaki. Yuki finds out about school and wants to go, but afraid of what might happen, Hana declines, until eventually getting the trust that Yuki will not turn into a wolf while away at school. Ame soon joins after and a few years go by. Yuki is now in middle school and meets a transfer student named Sohei. He says she smelled like a dog, which brings fear that he might find out, because she’s been trying to live as a human-being so not to make her mother fearful. Yuki is followed one day by Sohei as he’s trying to find out why she has been avoiding him and they get into a tussle, in which Yuki unleashes a part of her wolf form scratching a part of Sohei’s ear. Yuki doesn’t go to school after this. At this point, though Ame had been fearful to be a wolf, while reading books about wolves being hunted by humans, he starts to get mentored by an old fox that lives up in the mountains. He starts to take on more of his animal form and learn about the lifestyle in the wilderness. Ame and Yuki one night argue, because Yuki wants to continue to live on her life as a human, mean while Ame wants to become a part of the wild as he had been training with his sensei, the old fox. Ame and Yuki soon fight one another and end the scrimmage when the home is in shambles. They do forgive each other after. Soon, as Yuki has started going back to school again, while building a relationship with Sohei within that timeframe, a huge storm is on the horizon while Yuki is still at the school. Ame feels the call of the wild to save the mountain from the brewing storm. Parents are called to pick up their children, but Hana is distracted when she has to go find Ame in the mountains and ends up slipping down a hill and getting knocked unconscious. So, Hana never gets to pick up Yuki, as Sohei and her daughter are the only last two students in the building. That night, Yuki reviews her true self and he says he knew all along already and accepted her for who she is. Ame finds his mother and brings her out of the woods and as Hana wakes, he had already jumped back into the forest, leaving Hana to accept his fate as he has grown up to want to be a wolf. Years go by and Yuki is dorming at the junior high school now and Hana still lives by the countryside. I loved the story, telling about Hana’s single parent life, raising kids she has no clue how to raise because they’re half beasts. As well as the identity crisis of the children. One choosing to be human, the other, wolf. So a class of culture and single-parenting made it a heart-felt film. (10/10 ✨)

[guoxind]

Wolf Children

This movie is mainly talked about children’s growth, self-identification, and separation. First, I would like to focus on Yuki and Ame. Yuki, at first, is brave and outgoing. But after she goes to school, she adapts to the human world. She makes good friends with kids near her. Finally, she decides to live as a human. This is her self-identification. But also, she does not deny that she has a Wolf part. But for her to face up to her identity, that is not important, she is human. The opposite is Ame. Ame is first cowardly and vulnerable. At the beginning of their move to the countryside, he looked forward to moving back to the city and reintegrating into human society. At this time, he identified himself as human. But he doesn't get good treatment when he goes to school. He is so quiet, therefore becoming a good victim of the school bully. However, after he quit school, he goes to Nature. Then he meets his teacher, the fox who controls the mountains. After the fox is hurt, he decided to help and finally quit human society and only becomes a wolf.

Hana, their mother's contribution to their lives cannot be ignored. She is inclusive, positive, and constantly strives to improve children's living conditions. Sohei's mother was different. In the beginning, Sohei's mother was very caring and concerned about anything that happened to Sohei. But that all changed when she had a new life of her own and gave up Sohei. Even as parents, people have very different choices to make between continuing to give of themselves and starting a new life. So, as a mother who lost her father when her child was very young, Hana is great. She gave up her education and life to create a better environment for Ame and Yuki. It is sad that Hana is still alone, while Ame and Yuki finally have their own life. But this is the kind of love most parents have, unconditional and unrequited love.

[kookiewinchester1401]

Wolf Children

The Wolfman is technically not an actual student in Hana’s college, but it seems that he is attending classes, seeking in the library wanting to learn. It appears that he is part of the working class and that he can’t really afford college, not like Hana is rich because she is also working to pay for college. The wolfman was scared to show Hana his true identity of being a wolf because she getting close to him and he was scared that she will reject him. He grew up hiding his identity because he knew if he told his relative about his condition he would be rejected and kept to himself, until Hana. It is pretty sad to isolate yourself to hide your true identity and miss out on opportunities. Hana had to give birth at home without any midwife or doctor because of the possibility of the child coming out as a pup. 

Hana had trouble and questions on how to raise Yuki and Ame but had no one to ask because there wasn’t anyone besides the deceased father. When Yuki got sick Hana didn’t know if she should take her to the animal hospital or the child clinic. Yuki and Ame were isolated from others because Hana was scared that their secret of being a part wolf would be known. Honestly, she doesn’t know how to raise wolf children. The children are still scared of interacting with their neighbors in the countryside because Hana told them they can have their secret out. Eventually, Yuki started to go to school and interact with other children like normal children. However, Yuki was still different from other girls, so she decided to act more ladylike. But Ame was less inclined to go to school and rather go to Hana’s workplace for the wolf. Sure Hana’s method didn’t always perfect but at least she give them a choice.

The difference between Ame and Yuki is very noticeable when they move to the countryside. Yuki is more comfortable with nature and with her wolfish characteristics. While Ame is more fearful of insects and nature and he rather is in his human nature. At one point he reads a book depicting wolfs as bad. He doesn’t want to be a wolf because they always get hurt and mistreated in the stories. Ame is more scared of being discriminated against for being a wolf. He had slowly let his wolf instinct free which made him also die like his father. However, this was a growth opportunity. It seems that halfway through the movie, Yuki wanted to become more like a human rather than a wolf because she wanted to fit in with the other kids. That she accidentally hurt sohei because she was scared that her secret will come out. And Ame wanted to learn more about being a wolf so he stop going to school and started learning from an older wolf.

It sucks that Hana in the end was left alone! I hope Yuki and Ame visit her sometime.

[l1l1l1l1]

Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki review

I picked this movie because I thought it would be lighthearted and fun - which it was for the most part..until it wasn't. This has to be my favorite movie so far, I had this on my watchlist for a while and thought it was going to be boring but I was wrong! I really didn't expect to cry for this one smh.

I knew the dad was going to d*e because of the sypnosis but the way Hana never got to say goodbye or even give him a proper burial hurts, they just threw him in the trash. We don't even know what was going through his mind during his last moments. And the fact that the only photo she has of him is of his ID.

I love Hana. Seeing her raise her children by herself brought a surge of emotions. I admire her for being strong and always smiling in front of Yuki and Ame even though I know she had to be struggling mentally. Despite all that, she did her best and put her children first. When they moved to the countryside that was definitely a big step for her but she did what she felt was best to raise her children. I liked seeing the community gather together, especially the old man, to help her out when she was having a hard time harvesting plants. She even took a job as a park ranger so she could learn about the forest and help Ame.

Yuki and Ame when they were little kids were soo freakin' cute. Ame was literally a copy of his dad. Yuki chose her human side, unlike her brother. Her situation with Souhei and how it developed at the end was very sweet, how he accepted her wolf side and promised he wouldn't tell anyone.

It was really hard to see Ame slowly drifting apart from his family. Of course I wanted him to stay with Hana because she still felt like she hadn't done enough for him. Hana did so much for her kids!!!! I get where she's coming from because parents worry about their kids even when they're grown, there will always be a part of her to want to protect her kids. Ame was only 10 but that's an adult as a wolf. Ame chose his wolf side and the dad reaffirmed it which helped Hana accept it. (Also that scene really made me think she passed away) I cried so hard because we spent an hour and a half watching her raise her children, only for the timid one, who was attached to her hip, be the first to leave the nest. I don't blame Ame of course, it was just very bittersweet. The ending song hits right in the feels, especially when you read the lyrics. I went back to watch a scene on youtube and I heard a clip of the song and I immediately cried.

Really wished we got to see a little more into their futures, just me needing closure lol. I'm still happy with the movie nonetheless. I definitely recommend watching this, it may not make you cry like I did but it really is a good movie, one where you can appreciate a mother's love.

Rate: 10/10

[somegirlsnerdywords2]

Anime i’ve Watched

That begin with a O (Part 1)!

Yep this is how i’m going to bring over all the anime and manga i’ve watched and posted about on the old blog. It’s not so detailed but it will have to do. Anything new I watch or read from this point on will have their own posts.

Ojisan to Marshmallow:

Genres: Slice of Life, Comedy, Romance, TV Short

Synopsis: Habahiro Hige is a simple-minded older man who works an office job and is an enthusiast of Tabekko Marshmallows. His days often consist of being teased by his 24-year-old colleague Iori Wakabayashi, who uses his obsession to her advantage: from eating them in front of his face, to buying out his favorite brand from the convenience store, and even embarrassing him in front of their boss. Although her friends cannot fathom what she sees in him, she just cannot get over his marshmallow-like, fluffy frame. No matter the lengths it takes, Iori will find a way to get his attention. Little does Habahiro know that she is trying to seduce him into a romantic relationship with her. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach, right? At least this is what Iori would honestly like to believe. With a bag in hand, Iori continues to make him chase after her day after day, hoping that he will finally see through her attempts. Will he ever realize that their relationship can become s'more? [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 9/10

Finished airing in 2016 with a total of 12, 3 minute long episodes. 

My Thoughts: A cute, bite sized anime with feeling. Something light and short to watch on a bad day. 

Omoide Poroporo (Only Yesterday):

Genres: Slice of Life, Drama, Romance, Film

Synopsis:  Taeko Okajima is a 27-year-old, independent woman who spent her entire life in Tokyo. Looking to unwind from the rush of the big city, she decides to visit her family in the country to help out during the harvest. On the train there, Taeko vividly recalls her memories as a schoolgirl in the initial stages of puberty, as if she is on a trip with her childhood self. A young farmer named Toshio picks her up at the station, and they quickly develop a friendship. During her stay, Taeko forms strong bonds with family and friends, learning the contrasts between urban and rural life, as well as the struggles and joys of farming. Nostalgic and bittersweet, Omoide Poroporo takes on Taeko's journey as an adult woman coming to terms with her childhood dreams compared to the person she is today.

My Rating: 9/10

A film released in 1991. 

My Thoughts: One of the lesser known films by Studio Ghibli and well it didn’t leave that big of an impact on me it was still an experience to watch and one i’m thankful for. 

Onigiri: 

Genres: Comedy, Supernatural, Fantasy, TV Short

Synopsis:  Ancient Japan is under attack by powerful beings called "Kamikui," and it is up to the "Oni" and his band of eight beautiful female warriors to stop them. Each of these girls have unique skills, abilities, and personalities. They partner themselves with the Oni, Jin, to stop the miasma of darkness sweeping across Japan. Onigiri follows the escapades of Jin and his merry companions as they strengthen their bonds and fend off the demonic invasion. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

(Couldn’t find a gif, the one above is not from the anime.)

My Rating: 7/10

Finished airing in 2016 with a total of 13, 4 minute long episodes.

My Thoughts: Meh. Can’t remember a thing. 

Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki (Wolf Children):

Genres: Fantasy, Slice of Life, Film

Synopsis: Hana, a hard-working college student, falls in love with a mysterious man who attends one of her classes though he is not an actual student. As it turns out, he is not truly human either. On a full moon night, he transforms, revealing that he is the last werewolf alive. Despite this, Hana's love remains strong, and the two ultimately decide to start a family. Hana gives birth to two healthy children—Ame, born during rainfall, and Yuki, born during snowfall—both possessing the ability to turn into wolves, a trait inherited from their father. All too soon, however, the sudden death of her lover devastates Hana's life, leaving her to raise a peculiar family completely on her own. The stress of raising her wild-natured children in a densely populated city, all while keeping their identity a secret, culminates in a decision to move to the countryside, where she hopes Ame and Yuki can live a life free from the judgments of society. Wolf Children is the heartwarming story about the challenges of being a single mother in an unforgiving modern world. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 9/10

A film released in 2012.

My Thoughts: Like movies that make you cry and have a bit of an odd concept? This film may in fact be for you! Nice art and a touching story.

Orange:

Genres: Sci-fi, Drama, Romance, School, Shoujo

Synopsis:  Naho Takamiya's first day of her sophomore year of high school is off to an uneasy start. After waking up late, she receives a strange letter addressed to her. However, the letter is from herself—10 years in the future! At first, Naho is skeptical of the note; yet, after witnessing several events described to take place, she realizes the letter really is from her 26-year-old self. The note details that Naho's future life is filled with regrets, and she hopes that her younger self can correct the mistakes that were made in the past. The letter also warns her to keep a close eye on the new transfer student, Kakeru Naruse. Naho must be especially careful in making decisions involving him, as Kakeru is not around in the future. With the letter as her guide, Naho now has the power to protect Kakeru before she comes to regret it once more. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 8/10

Finished airing in 2016 with a total of 13 episodes. 

My Thoughts: I loved the manga... I honestly have no idea why I only gave the anime an 8... Maybe the story just had less impact the 2nd time around? Not a clue. 

Ore Monogatari!! (My Love Story):

Genres: Comedy, Romance, Shoujo

Synopsis: With his muscular build and tall stature, Takeo Gouda is not exactly your average high school freshman. However, behind his intimidating appearance hides a heart of gold, and he is considered a hero by the boys for his courage and chivalry. Unfortunately, these traits do not help much with his love life. As if his looks are not enough to scare the opposite sex away, Takeo's cool and handsome best friend and constant companion Makoto Sunakawa easily steals the hearts of the female students—including every girl Takeo has ever liked. When Takeo gallantly saves cute and angelic Rinko Yamato from being molested, he falls in love with her instantly, but suspects that she might be interested in Sunakawa. With his own love for Yamato continuing to bloom, Takeo unselfishly decides to act as her cupid, even as he yearns for his own love story. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 9.5/10

Finished airing in 2015 with a total of 24 episodes. 

My Thoughts: I freaking loved this anime!! The male lead wasn’t your typical pretty boy, all of the characters were wonderful in their own ways and the relationship between the two leads was painfully adorable. Big fan of this title!

[semper-legens]

62. Wolf Children Ame and Yuki, by Mamoru Hosoda

Owned?: Yes Page count: Unknown (doesn’t have page numbers) My summary: When university student Hana falls for the strange young man she meets in class one day, she doesn’t know what she’s getting herself into. The fact that her new suitor is a wolf doesn’t seem to put her off at all - but when tragedy strikes, she is left to raise their children alone. Normal children are enough of a handful, but how will she cope with two wolf babies? My rating: 3.5/5 My commentary:

Guess who’s back, back again. And with some manga this time! This is the manga adaption of the movie of the same name, and is an incredibly faithful adaption from what I remember of the film. 

There’s obviously some things that don’t translate as well from the screen to the page. In particular, the excellent sight gag when Hana is trying to cope with a sick Yuki and stands in between a hospital and a vet, unsure of where to go, kind of loses something in translation to manga. But overall, this is a pretty spot-on, beat for beat adaption.

Hana is by far my favourite element of this. I love female characters who are resilient - she’s not a pillar of strength all of the time, it’s clear that she struggles when the kids are small and she’s on her own, as well as losing her boyfriend, but that doesn’t beat her. Later, when she moves out to the countryside and has to learn to grow her own food in an inhospitable bit of land, she is determined and studies and eventually makes good for herself and the kids. She dropped out of uni when she was pregnant with Yuki, so she has few qualifications and has to scrape by with low-paying jobs, but she keeps going and she tries and she makes it work, and I love this sort of character who isn’t particularly special, and doesn’t rock the societal boat, but still prevails and perseveres.

And yeah, there is something to be said for the cultural conventions here - while in Western media women aren’t often allowed to be strong and feminine at the same time, femininity is far more foregrounded and prized in Japanese media from what I understand? I don’t know the nuances of it so I won’t presume to make any more in-depth of a comment. Just, you know, I’m not necessarily making a Big Statement On Women In All Kinds Of Media by saying that I like Hana’s existence within traditional gender roles, because those are the kind of characters I like from my background of reading a lot of genre fiction where female characters have to be Strong Punchladies who are Just As Good As The Boys. Personal preference, is all.

Yuki is my favourite of the children. There’s a switch that happens with the kids, where Yuki is more wolflike as a kid where Ame is more human, then they swap over when they start interacting with the world. I love Yuki’s extroversion, her tomboyishness, she’s a very realistic little girl. I mean, there is something to be said for her slow assimilation into standard female gender roles that happens as she grows older - looking at you, clichéd romance plot with some boy she hates at first - but I think this is an experience a lot of girls go through. Her subplot, too, of fear and shame over her wolf side being exposed, is very engaging.

Ame, by contrast, is quieter and more introverted than his sister, so much that it’s hard to get a read on him at times. It doesn’t help that most of his actions in the second half of the story happen outside of our vision as he travels the woods learning to be a wolf. I don’t really have much to say about him? He didn’t really make an impact on me.

The art is pretty, by and large, with some gorgeous colour pages, though I have to question the logic of keeping Ame and Yuki’s human faces when they’re in fully human form. It just looks kinda goofy.

[randy-wlee]

Feb 24 - Wolf Children

After watching Hosoda’s Wolf Children for the first time, I think it’s a pretty good movie. To me, Hana stood out the most out of all the characters. She tries to remain positive during difficult times and whenever she fails at something. Even when the old man Nirasaki criticizes her farm constantly, she isn’t discouraged and remains determined to improve the farm, and I find this worthy of admiration.

This movie depicts complications arising as a result of being different from others, which is similar to Naruto. Initially, when the family is still living in the city, Hana encounters many difficulties as her children aren’t entirely humans. For example, she doesn’t know whether she should visit a pediatrician or a veterinarian when Yuki vomits. Also, health officials threaten to suspect her for neglecting children since she didn’t confirm her children’s vaccination shots. Hana understands that the city isn’t a place for wolf children to grow up, which is why she moves to the countryside.

Wolf Children focuses on understanding one’s identity and place in the world as well. In one scene, Ame encounters a children’s book that portrays a wolf as a bad guy, and questions why this is the case. On the other hand, Yuki’s incident with Souhei-kun further helps her understand that wolves have no place in human society. The two children, however, have different views of their place in the world. Yuki thinks she belongs to the human world and Ame thinks he belongs to the natural world, and I think this is because they’re affected by external forces. We see Yuki being more involved with other humans, so that is likely why she feels a pressure to be human. In contrast, Ame is more exposed to the natural world, and spends more of his time with a fox, which is why he chooses to be a wolf.

This movie very much reflects our own world. Those who are different from society often find it difficult to be part of society. We saw this in our discussion of Japan’s workplace, where Furiitaa and NEETs are looked down upon. In US history, segregation prevented many from enjoying public accommodations.

[twisted-tito]

Wolf Children

           It’s very important to look at the name of the movie in order to analyze what the movie was trying to get across to the audience. The lone wolf is portrayed through many of the characters in the movie, each at one time in their life struggled to be accepted or not criticized by society. At first it started out with the Wolfman trying to fit and Hana finally makes him a part of her life. It also happens to Hana as well since her pressure to hide wolf children might be an obstacle to her fitting in. However eventually she starts fitting in when she moves into the countryside and she receives help from the neighbors.

           The children also go through their own struggle to figure where they fit into society. At first, they unaware of their perception of how people will react to who they truly are. First it was Ame who realized how people would treat him if he were a wolf, this perception of him was also realized at school where he was bullied. This eventually led to his decision to be independent and be free in the wild. Yuki also feels that how she truly is might not be what other people might like. We definitely see how the kids are freaked out by the fact she keeps small dead animals. She eventually figures out she has to conform in order to be happy which she eventually is.

           This can definitely relate to Japanese society and how they were rejected by the world and struggle to find their identity during war and postwar. We eventually can relate to the narrative that after a while Japan started to settle and be part of society. Their acceptance was gradual and they were able to grow independent as well.

[expshared]

i’m curious about how you saw the portrait of motherhood that wolf children painted unkind?? because i see it as the exact opposite, so i was really shocked to see such a different opinion about it.

yeah sure I can totally talk about that! 

I think Hana’s a wonderful mother. She’s a lovely young lady who tries to make the best of a horrible situation and raises her children to the best of her ability and she is strong and resourceful and that should be lauded.

I approach this movie though with the specter of Yamato Nadeshiko hanging over my head– this idea of the ideal Japanese woman. I feel like that colors a lot of my experiences consuming Japanese media. “Is this female character a Nadeshiko? Is she more of an ideal than a person? Is this Nadeshiko propaganda?” I don’t think that Wolf Children quite clears that hurdle. I feel like the traits the movie celebrates– her selflessness, her patience– fall under the umbrella of the Nadeshiko trope.

The scene that I react to most strongly is the one near the end, where Ame has made his decision to live as a wolf, and Hana, sobbing in the rain in an empty parking lot, is begging him not to go. “I haven’t done anything for you yet,” she says, as if she hasn’t dropped out of college and moved to the countryside to raise her children in secrecy, just to give them a better chance at life. She sacrifices everything and still feels like she could have given up more. That if she just did more for her children then they’d stay. And then her story ends, with the implication that she never sees Ame again, and certainly never exchanges words with him. Yuki goes off to her dorm. Hana is left alone in her big house in the countryside. That’s her happy ending. That’s what I mean when I say that Wolf Children has always felt unkind to me. I truly feel like this movie celebrates her sacrifices in the wrong spirit and I’m uncomfortable with it.  And, as a woman myself, I’m not a huge fan of the portrait it paints of how a good mother acts. 

This isn’t unique to Wolf Children, either– Boy and the Beast also presents this idea of parenthood as sacrifice and total selflessness. Hosoda seems really taken with this concept and it’s never sat right with me. Maybe it’s a cultural divide?

I like to bring in a comparison to Maquia when I talk about what I didn’t enjoy about Wolf Children, because they are two anime films about motherhood that also struggle with ideas of Otherness (werewolves and immortals, respectively). Despite being a tonally darker film, I think Maquia is much kinder and more holistic in its portrayal of motherhood. Maquia’s journey ends with parting from her child, too, but it is hopeful. To me, the difference is that motherhood in Maquia is about legacy and choice, and motherhood in Wolf Children is about sacrifice and identity. It’s worth noting that Maquia is written and directed by a woman. 

Anyway I’m not here to tell anyone to stop enjoying Wolf Children. It’s a good film. I just don’t like it. 

[batangtamad]

Wolf Children

Genres: Drama, Fantasy

Favorite Quote/Line: Why don't you just act like yourself? Because when I do, they all leave me.

Plot Synopsis:

Hana, a hard-working college student, falls in love with a mysterious man who attends one of her classes though he is not an actual student. As it turns out, he is not truly human either. On a full moon night, he transforms, revealing that he is the last werewolf alive. Despite this, Hana's love remains strong, and the two ultimately decide to start a family.

Hana gives birth to two healthy children—Ame, born during rainfall, and Yuki, born during snowfall—both possessing the ability to turn into wolves, a trait inherited from their father. All too soon, however, the sudden death of her lover devastates Hana's life, leaving her to raise a peculiar family completely on her own. The stress of raising her wild-natured children in a densely populated city, all while keeping their identity a secret, culminates in a decision to move to the countryside, where she hopes Ame and Yuki can live a life free from the judgments of society. Wolf Children is the heartwarming story about the challenges of being a single mother in an unforgiving modern world. (MAL)

This movie have a good plot with only three character. I would recommend this movie to all anime lover. You should watch this.

[apreciateallthefandoms]

Anime vs Disney

I talked about Dreamworks vs Disney before,but now I want to talk about Womens of Anime (only films I have seen).

First lets talk about of Chihiro of Spirited Away

This nine years-old girl was trapped in a magic and supernatural world,with creatures named yokais in the japanese folclore. Chihiro needs to find the way to give back her fathers to normal,because these have been transformed into pigs. Chihiro faces a lot of problems with a little help from Haku,Kamaji and Lin. But this little girl is not afraid to face Yubaba or the terrible No-Face.

Hana from Wolf Children

Hana meets a mysterious man in the university. They fall in love and the man confesed Hana he is a werewolf. They have two kids and one day the man dissapeared. Then Hana has to take care of two children that are also werewolfs. She moved with the kids to and old house in the countryside,far away of Tokyo to keep the secret of his children in order that they live learning of the nature. Is beautiful how this film show what a mother is cappable of do for their kids. This film always makes me cry.

San from Princess Mononoke

Okay,I really love this film. 

San is a teenager adopted and raised by a she wolf of the forest. She is in a continual war against humans to protect the forest,with the spirits and creatures that lives in him. San is determined to kill Lady Eboshi if so save her home.

Bonus because this film shows how beautiful and important nature is.

Suzu from This Corner Of The World

Maybe the animation of this film put you back off,but believe me,this is amazing.

Set in Japan in the World War II tells the story of Suzu,a 19 years-old girl who marries a young man she doesn't even know. The film shows how Suzu has to adapt her in a new house,a new family and in a new life. She has to deal with the pain of the loss and survive in city devasted for the war.

Sophie from Howl's Moving Castle

This film tells the story of Sophie,a young girl who is transformed into an old woman by the Witch of the Waste. Seeking to break the curse, Sophie leaves home and sets off through the countryside. She meets Howl,an arrogant,womanizera and supposedly evil wizard. Sophie with Calcifer,a fire demon,the apprendice of Howl,Markl and a living scarecrow search the way to break the curse of Sophie and save Howl.

Naruse from The Anthem of the Heart

Jun Naruse is a little girl who always says what she thinks. But one day everything changes when accidentally tells her mother that her father was cheating on her. A magical egg appears and Naruse make the promise that se never will talk again. She keeps her promise until she gets involved in a musical with other three classmates,among them the guy she likes,Koki Uchiyama. Naruse,always a lonely and quiet girl,shows an incredible emotion and strength while trying the musical goes well.

I think a lot of girls can identify with Naruse,and The Anthem of the Heart shows how even when you think you're alone,you can find real friends.

In my  opinion the womens and girls from animes films are strongest and more braves and independents than the Disney ones.

[rohan-sharma]

Wolf Children

This was an interesting anime to watch after these more action-related and violent themed ones that we previously watched and was a nice change of pace to say the least. The animation style, which I haven’t talked about for a while, was also notably different from the previous few anime in terms of its simplicity. The characters themselves, as I noticed right away, were quite simply drawn and looked like they had been sketched out into the frame and even moved slower compared to the background and dialogue. I thought this gave the anime a “scrapbook or sketchbook” story feel, for lack of a better word, as the characters popped from the background due to their unique animation just as characters tend to do when seen or drawn into these sketchbooks.

While the animation felt like a simple storytelling through drawings, the themes that the anime discussed were by no means simple in nature. The anime starts off much like the simplistic, fairy-tale story that it seems as Hana falls in love with and raises children with a wolf-man who is likely the last of his kind in the world. However, after his unfortunate death, Hana is left to fend for herself and take on the pressure of raising these now half wolf half human children on her own. This speaks to the real-world task and pressure that new parents face having to give their life up and change everything to provide a good upbringing for their children. I felt this especially speaks to single parents who take on extra pressure having to raise children by themselves and not knowing the best way to proceed or how to particularly approach certain situations in their upbringing but do their best regardless. We see this as Hana takes her children to the countryside to raise them in a better environment free of the negative influences and experiences that they would have in the outside world due to their half wolf nature. I would even say that this shielding of children from exposure to the outside world is also something that this anime wanted to address as this is a common thing that overprotective parents tend to do with their children, as Hana definitely is.

Overall, I thought that this was a unique anime that addressed an aspect of real life that we can all relate to in some way even though it might be exaggerated here.

[hitokiribattousaigozaruyo-blog]

4/20

I’m not really quite sure what to think of this movie. On one hand, i liked it, but on the other, I felt there were many things that didn’t quite add up. Did Hana have absolutely no friends or family to begin with? The way she just hops on with wolf man and sleeps with him right after he reveals himself was so sudden. Also, the way he stayed in his wolf form while they were in bed together was really weird... Then she’s pregnant and decides to move in with him, and next scene wolf man is randomly killed off screen... It all felt very rushed. I feel there was so much they could’ve shown with wolf man giving his whole background and such, but maybe they wanted a sudden, unexpected death? The rest of the movie seemed okay, but quite slow. Yuki and Ame turning out the opposite of how they acted as children was a nice touch of irony. Though the way they both end up leaving, and Hana is left all alone by herself with nothing but wolf man’s driver’s license to pray to every day was really depressing and not very satisfying. I feel this story was too ambitious for a movie, and would’ve been much better as a short anime in which they would’ve had more time to expand and explain everything. Possible futures of Ame failing to be a wolf due to his human blood, and Yuki failing to be a human due to her wolf blood would’ve been really interesting for the story since it could state that these two can’t be either and are stuck in the middle, which is very relatable to people who have parents that are from two different areas.

As for art, it was done really well, except for the river scene where the CGI was obvious and took me out of the movie. I really liked the scenes of the countryside and how all of the country people were very friendly and helped each other, which is very different from the city in which people mainly keep to themselves. It made me feel very nostalgic since I grew up in a small town when I was a kid. The many scenes of Japan were also done very well, and gave the movie quite the realistic feel even if the main story had supernatural elements.