Arashi no Yoru ni

Oh hey look! A great movie that's not coming from that well known handful of producers who know what they're doing!

Truly, for something that is clearly a children's film, it is quite capable of drawing a heartthrob from basically anyone watching it. While not exactly action oriented, you'd be surprised at the scenes the movie dares to throw at its young viewers.

Well-done mix of a traditional and CGI animation.

Another strong point would be its characters, since we can find a surprisingly sad backstory or two. The relationship between Mei and Gabu is amazing for the reason it has good firm grounds to turn into the ... most valuable friendship, even with their differences as species.

An adventure with strong slice of life tone, which is for obvious reasons hard as fuck to pull off properly. It may not be action packed, a comedy gold, a fanservice mine, or an epic fantasy and thank Lord it isn't trying to be, because that made it just right.

Arashi no Yuru Ni. Please do not watch this unless you realize straight away that this is a Japanese Disney movie. The art, the message, the entire feel of this "anime" is that of a Disney cartoon, but in a good way.

Story: the moral of this story is "don't judge a book by it's cover" or something to that effect. Learning how to get along, no matter who you are is deeply conveyed in this. It's nicely done. The goat and wolf meet each other at night, they can't see each other but they end up having a really nice ... talk and agree to meet the next day. When they meet the next day the one thing that was going through my head was "HE'S GOING TO EAT THE SHEEP!" but that didn't happen. Their freindship ends up deepening quite a bit and the rest of the anime follows their experiences. Prepare yourself to see all the morals that Disney movies have in them. It's done...subtly...but not as well as I've seen in other films. But it is a kid's movie so that's really to be expected.

Art: There were times that I really liked the art, and there were times I was going "meh" But overall it had a really nice feel. But again I was really, really getting the Disney vibe from it, which threw me off a lot because I was hoping for anime...not a cartoon. But Disney has always had very....colourful pictures and Arashi is like that too.

Sound: It's a kids movie....so the score wasn't epic or depressing. It was sort of generic to enhance the feeling of the movie. Sad music played when something was sad, exciting music was played when something was exciting. Whatever the filmmakers wanted you to feel was the music they chose to play.

Character: The characters are predictable, stereotypical, but nonetheless they are quite cute. Don't except to be floored by any of them, because you won't be. Again, it's a kid's movie so they don't throw in anyone who doesn't fit the mold of the kid's movie characters.

Enjoyment: Honestly I outgrew this movie 8-9 years ago. Mind you I wouldn't know what anime was, i thought that Pokemon was a cartoon. The fact that I outgrew this really did affect how much I enjoyed it, which is...unfortunate. But like, I don't go out to see stuff like Chicken Little or Veggie Tales (which....I did see) when I want to see a movie. So it's a little unfortunate that I've outgrown this.

If you have a kid and you want to introduce anime to them, then this movie is totally for you. There are some big kids out there too, and this will be fine for them. Just because I've outgrown this and think that it's a Disney movie masquerading as an anime doesn't mean that people won't enjoy it, it just means that I didn't like it as much as I could have.

Arashi no Yoru ni is a tale of friendship between a goat and a wolf. The anime won Japan Academy Award in 2005. Although it appears like a kids’ stuff, it touches mature themes and faces the fundamental flaw in the main heroes’ friendship, namely, the fact that one is predator and the other prey.

The plot is simple and straightforward. In a stormy night Gobu (wolf) and Mei (goat) find shelter in a barn. They cannot see or smell each other. They pass time in talking and become friends. They decide to meet another time, and soon find out the unfortunate truth. Yet they decide ... to continue their friendship. They develop such a strong bond that when facing starvation, Gobu refuses to eat his friend.

At first glance the anime looks like for kids: the plot is like a fairy tale. There is nothing special about it. Initially you may think it resembles Western cartoons catered to children. But Arashi no Yoru ni begs to differ. In a Disney or Pixar animation predator and prey are best buddies. Those studios intentionally avoid touching the ugly reality of the relationship between the hunted and the hunter. We ignore that being a predator is the nature of many animals. The beauty of Arashi lies in its facing reality, addressing the problem of human/wolf/lamb nature, and by doing so it successfully introduces a philosophical question to an ordinary story about a lamb and a wolf.

Arashi is dealing with an existential question. Gobu can eat Mei. It's in his nature, he is a wolf. But instead he chooses friendship, but without a change in his nature. He continues to kill and eat other preys. At nights he goes for hunt and Mei knows it. Here Arashi radically differs from Disney movies. In Disney, wolves, sharks, lions may become innocuous vegetarians. Nature is Disney’s plaything to make money. But in Arashi no Yoru ni, nature does not change that easily. It keeps its cruelty.

I think the most dramatic scene of the movie is when Gobu questions his own existence: he asks why he was born a wolf. The unlikely friends know their nature and they run away from what they are. Gobu and Mei leave their relatives - wolves and sheep. Despite their strong bond, nature is always there. When Gobu loses his memory and undergoes a temporary amnesia, he reverts back to his wolf nature. He does not recognize Mei and tries to eat him. The story ends when they arrive at a new land, where there's no hunter or prey. It is as if they die and nature cackles.

Arashi no Yoru ni was originally a children's story written by Kimura Yuichi. It won several rewards and was turned into a series of books, an anime film and a TV series. Let's take a look at the film from Group TAC. You might wonder why I'm looking at a kid's movie. Well, I don't review this type of anime often since most of my requests are geared towards adults or older teenagers and I just feel like doing it for a change of pace. Besides, I needed something short to review before Monster.

The story is pretty basic. What, you wanted more from a kid's ... movie? On a stormy night a goat named Mei takes shelter in an abandoned... house... shed... barn... porno theatre? It's not really clear since the screen is really dark. The important thing is that, while he's there a wolf, Gabu, walks in. Naturally, Gabu smells Mei and gobbles him up and so our story ends within ten minutes. Okay, that's not what happens. They both have the sniffles so they can't smell each other. They each assume that they're the same species and talk. They become fast friends and agree to meet the next day when the skies are clear. So, they meet at the barn, did you really think it was a porno theatre?, and Gabu instantly gobbles Mei up. Okay, that doesn't happen. They realise that they're different species, but decide to be secret friends anyway because friendship is important to both of them. Unfortunately for them, the other goats/wolves find out and that's when things get interesting. I won't go further into the plot, as to not spoil anything but things really do get interesting. It's a pretty simple story about friendship and adversity, but it's surprisingly well told. The conflicts are actually nuanced Yeah, it's cutesy but it has a good amount of depth for what it is and it is a pretty fun film. Okay, so I like cutesy stuff, sue me. Honestly, the only real issue with the film's plot is the side story about Mei's mom being killed by wolves. They show it at the very start and mention it once. After that it doesn't go anywhere. There's no payoff and no conflict resulting from it. It's odd to see a scene that should have a lot of weight end up being completely irrelevant.

A lot of what makes the film work is the interaction between Mei and Gabu. They're both interesting characters and they have great interactions. Even the side characters have verisimilitude and they do bring up legitimate concerns. They aren't vilified even though they end up in antagonistic roles, except maybe for Giro. Still, there's a lot of character subtlety especially for a kid's movie. Seriously, these characters get more developed in an hour and forty minutes than the entire cast of Gantz gets in twenty six episodes and that was made for adults. Extremely immature adults who just want to see violence and nudity, but still adults.

The art in this is beautifully done. The nature scenes are really detailed with vibrant landscapes. The animals are stylized, but they're really nicely drawn too. It's not quite as good as Studio Ghibli's usual work, but it comes pretty close.

The voice acting is good. Both Narimiya Hiroki and Nakamura Shidou do well in their roles. As do Takeuchi Riki and everyone else really. The music is kind of bland, actually. It's not bad, but it's pretty typical.

The yuri factor is a 1/10. There are some female characters, but their interaction is minimal. Besides, it's a film about a wolf making friends with a goat. You shouldn't expect romance. It would just be silly.

What's the final word? Well, Arashi no Yoru ni does have a lot of positives. The artwork is beautiful, the characters are well done, the story, though simple, is well told and the voice acting is really good. There are a few negatives. There are some pointless scenes and the music is kind of dull, but it's a surprisingly good movie. It doesn't really matter whether you're an adult or a child, it's a fun film. My final rating is an 8/10. If you've got a couple hours, check it out. Next week, the Monster review will finally go up. You can hold your breath if you'd like, but I refuse to take responsibility for any adverse effects you suffer as a result.

The story begins with a group of wolves attacking a small goat named Mei, fortunately the goats mother was able to save her child... and in the process bite off one of the wolves ears. But in the end she was unable to save herself.

The story continues on Mei now older being caught in stormy weather and forced to take shelter in an old barn... but he is not alone when he finds out there is another figure also taking shelter in the barn. Unable to see each others face they talk to each other to pass the time. Finding out they ... are alot of alike they become instant friends and plan on meeting each other the next day.... but what happens when you find out your best friend is also the most dangerous to your kind... A WOLF!

Follow Mei and Gabu as they strengthen their friendship no matter what, and while no one else understands... One stormy night is sure to warm your hearts and bring a smile to your face as you see this duo of unlikely friends face disappointment from their families and dangerous conditions...

An anime for any person who loves friends helping each other even when everyone else doesn't agree

I suppose if I were to compare Stormy Night to a movie, it would be Disney's The Fox and the Hound. Both films focus on two animals who become close friends with one another despite both supposed to be natural enemies to one another and the pathos to both involving the animals in question coming to grips with the roles that both their societies have aligned to them, Stormy Night's case being Mei the goat being prey for the predator, Gabu the wolf.

For a two-hour movie, Stormy Night has enough time to delve into both Mei and Gabu's characters, as well as explore their developments. ... In spite of both having different natural roles as animals, the two establish a bond with one another and relate to their differing circumstances with Gabu being an outcast among his pack and Mei feeling a void in his life after losing his mother to a wolf pack attack years earlier. The film does a great job striking a balance between light-hearted and serious moments as Gabu and Mei's bond develops and eventually have to deal with both their kind opposing the friendship between the two. While the interactions between the two can usually get a bit sappy, the movie still devotes enough focus and development to Gabu and Mei to make their bond feel legitimate to the audience and works to a more pleasant ending for their bond compared to Fox and the Hound's more bittersweet ending.

Visually, it looked like Stormy Night employed a mix of watercolor-style visuals and CG animation that give the film a beautiful look in regards to scenic shots and the designs of all its animal characters. The character designs, in particular, stick out as they looked more Western-style in the drawing of characters since the animals lacked some of the conventional design elements of many anime titles and help strike a contrast to the nature of the wolf and goat characters seen throughout the film. Animation is consistently fluid throughout the movie as all the animals moved about naturally and I didn't notice any major issues with animation beyond some occasions of CG-rendered animated sequences sticking out like a sore thumb from the regular animation.

Overall, I was quite entertained with watching Stormy Night throughout its run thanks to the moral it was pushing, the convincing bond developed between Mei and Gabu, and the rather beautiful animation. While having parallels to The Fox and the Hound, I wouldn't necessarily consider it a knock against Stormy Night as the film can still stand on its own merits for what it can offer to its audience being an underlooked gem. I would strongly recommend checking the film out at least once.

As pretty much everything on this page says, the story is pretty much a story of friendship between a sheep and a wolf. Before you decide to leave this anime without any intention to watch it, consider this... (aka my opinion):

Note: This is probably for people who like VERY long reviews.

Story: 8/10

To be honest, having watched it, I find it a somewhat odd but clever movie. As an older person watching it, I find myself thinking of the philosophical implications of the relationship sometimes yet if I was a child, this would simply be a cute cartoon about the trials and tribulations of star-crossed... friends, ... I suppose. The pacing is what makes me feel odd however. Sometimes, it's feels a little too slow and at others, much too rushed. The timescale of their friendship have also been relatively warped as understandably, the movie can't possibly cram in so much material in less than 2 hours but it does somewhat rely on imagination at times. However, it has a tendency to focus on the emotion rather than a practicality for structuring (still there, just odd and not really a bad thing most of the time).

Art: 8/10

The art is rather simple and the lines are usually not so solid. While it stereotypes the characters somewhat (sheep are gentle and wolves are ferocious), it isn't particularly a bad thing as it reinforces the value of Mei and Gabu's friendship. I don't particularly mind CG effects and I wouldn't for this either if it wasn't for the physics. The huge rock that comes falling down had weird physics and made it slightly jarring to watch. Overall though, the art gave a rather mellow feel and Mei is really cute.

Sound: 7/10

It's not bad per se. It just sometimes doesn't give me (personally) the right sort of feeling. In some scenes where I might have preferred something with a little more suspense, it's gives whimsical music. Actually, there is quite an element of opinion with the music. It does fit, just not in the way I'd expect it to. As a result, I felt slightly spoiled by the music itself. However, I like that they used all classical instruments. It kept the naturalness of the movie and made you feel content. The voice acting is well done. Sometimes though, the background noise was rather more overwhelming than it should have been. Probably should've messed around with the volume mixer or something.

Character: 8/10

The main characters are pretty much perfect. Why they do specific actions can be made sense of especially when the movie will sometimes delve briefly into their past. Even though they are best friends, they have kept true to their basic nature although Gabu doesn't eat goats anymore but there is (not on a practical level,) a compromise from Mei, who accepts Gabu for who he is and I find this relationship really sweet. The side characters don't really get much screen time let alone development. Although they are at the simplest levels, just tools to move the plot, they are given believable emotions. Honestly though, it's not that hard.

Enjoyment: 9/10

I liked the intense focus on the relationship and the way it is like a fairy tale. I loved the really sweet moments and the characters.. I would've liked to see more from the actual process of the development in the movie though. There were also some really touching scenes which I loved being swept along with.

Overall: 9/10

All the elements added together mix into a wonderful movie. Having watched the TV series prior, some scenes were not much of a surprise. It's slightly weird to have a male version of Mei after watching a female version for 26 episodes but that one... is sweeter than this (candy floss?). The result in the anime version is that everyone gets more screen time and they are made more loveable; even the antagonists (or the stubborn old men). I still feel that the movie was better though, the focus on the characters' development was better even though it's assumed they spent less time together. Although it's probably simply easier for the movie that the characters are more clear cut, I prefer it for its realism. The timescale does make the TV series characters much more physically capable. There are pro and cons to both but I'll say this: the TV series is a lot lot more of a children's anime than the movie. It's probably not good to judge this with that, they have a completely different agenda to each other as the anime focuses on the development itself (without all the aspects that the movie explores).

Is friendship between a wolf and a goat accepted?

It was a stormy night, when Mei hidden in a small warehouse, and met Gabu, the wolf. They were planning a "date" for the next day with each other, and then they realised who, or what is the other animal.They became very close friends even they family didn't accepted their relationship. Weeks later, they ran away together, believing that there's a place where they can be true friends, just the two of them, together, forever.

This movie was the most heart-touching anime I have ever seen, all about friendship, perfidy, love, sorrow and insistence.

Here is my review of this anime in 2022!

Story (9)
The story is about the friendship between a wolf and a goat which they never should befriend because of the food chain. They can be a friend because they have the same fear which is fear of thunder. It becomes interesting when they have to get information from each other but they don't want to betray their friendship over their kind.

Art (8)
The art for this anime is awesome, especially for 3D and that smoothness for anime in 2005.

Sound (8)
All the sounds that they used are really good and adjusted to the animation.
...
Character (8)
The main character is very memorable since there are not a lot of supporting roles.

Enjoyment (8)
It's enjoyable to watch this movie in 2022.

Overall (8)
Recommended to those who like slice-of-life anime but the animal version with a little bit of action and different of story that we usually know.

I have been looking for this anime for a very long time, well to be honest it was in a k drama called "Master's Sun" that talk about it but i seriously didn't know the name of the book or anime name all that i know was the sheep and wolf was friends. I seriously just found it although this movie is old I love everything about it. In all honesty this was perfect it's a 10 out of 10 because everything was awesomely done and made.This is seriously a golden anime film😚😊🙂🤗. This movie was way too good to watch, the friendship between ... the sheep and wolf was very beautiful. I give my respect to the creators,animation crews and the author because this was by far an epic movie to watch, like hats off to you guys it was an epic piece that you guys created.