Name – Wolf Children (Okami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki)
Genres – Drama, Romance, Slice Of Life, Supernatural
Theme – Coming Of Age, Family, Wolves
Director – Mamoru Hosoda
Rating – 8.2/10 (IMDB)

Summary – 19 years old College student Hana meets a student who is a werewolf. They fall in love & Hana gives birth to two children named Ame (Rain) & Yuki (Snow). They start living quietly in the city and tries to hide their true identity. But certain unpleasant changes in life forces Hana to move to a rural town, far from their previous city life.

My thoughts – Wolf Children is one of the most heartwarming & inspiring movie ever!! Another masterpiece from Mamoru Hosoda with beautiful artwork, soothing music, wonderful characters and heart touching story. It is a story about life and coming of age that will make you shed few tears.

Hana’s struggle as a mother was one of the most important & touching parts of the story. Isolated from the society, Hana decides to raise Ame & Yuki in a good manner but she is faced with numerous challenges. But the way she eventually manages to take care of her little children & protect them all by herself will make you understand the love & dedication a mother can have. At times she was on the verge of breaking down but she put all her hesitations aside and eventually motherhood won over.

While watching the movie you’ll fall in love with the innocence of Ame & Yuki. They were soo lively and adorable!! Watching them growing up and struggling with their life decisions will set heaviness in your heart. And as their mother, Hana’s struggle to watch her children taking different paths in their lives was very emotional as well. And I think that’s the beauty of the film, you will feel connected to the characters, and their struggle & dilemma will feel quite similar to your own. Moreover, the supernatural theme added more depth to the story.

Surviving on her own and raising Ame & Yuki was hard enough for Hana. She had to make lots of sacrifices for this purpose. But she was content with her life; alone but satisfied. She was smiling till the end. I guess her love for her children and their father was the source of such enormous strength & devotion. And that’s what I absolutely LOVED about her. She was an inspiration to me.

“I was given this name in the hope that I’d grow up to be someone whose smile never went out. He told me to keep smiling through tough or painful times, even if I had to force myself to do it, because I’d probably be able to get through them if I did.” – Hana

And just look at the Art & Animation!! The natural beauty and the realistic view, so soothing for the eyes.

Final thought – A must watch movie for everyone. It will inspire you in many ways and refresh your mind to an extent. Kinda slow paced, so if you’re more into action/comedy it might bore you a little. However watching something different every now and then is not a bad idea after-all.

Positive – Beautifully executed story
– Good character development
– Heart touching moments
– Amazing art & animation.

Negative – Slow paced

My ratings - 

Story - 9/10
 Character - 9.5/10
 Enjoyment - 9/10
 Art & Animation - 9/10
 OST - 8.5/10

Overall - 9/10