The story of Wolf Children involves three acts; the first being the events leading to the children's birth, the second being the family moving to the country and the final act being the maturing of the children. That doesn't mean the film is disjointed, instead it's the opposite. The acts flow into each other, even with time skips through the use of very clever transitions. By doing this, Wolf Children feels like a journey the viewer embarks on with the characters.
Another clever method of storytelling is used during the first act of the film. Most of the talking is done by the narrator. The characters themselves barely utter a word. This method allows you as a viewer to spend more time learning who the characters are so when the final two acts come along you are completely invested in the film. It also let's the story be told in scenes where it would be hard for a conversation to take place (mother talking to a baby for example).
For a movie about children that can turn into wolves, it is surprisingly down to Earth. The hardships the family goes through are ones that a regular family may face, for example, having trouble integrating at school or searching for the best environment to raise children. However the ability to turn into wolves adds strain to these problems. It's not an ability that helps them, instead it's a curse that they must hide from the public to avoid persecution. Yet the mother, Hana, wonders; should they be raised as children or would they be better off being wolves? This is really the core of the film. There's no easy answer but it is relatable to the problems people face in real life; how does one raise a child while respecting their wishes to be themselves?
The art direction is wonderful. Most images of the scenery could be used as wallpapers. Ame and Yuki are drawn in such a way that they encompass traits from both of their parents, even when in wolf form. Every shot is detailed and filled with purpose. It is a movie where the art can be admired.
The soundtrack is also great. There are multiple pieces that are incredibly emotive. This is probably one of the main reasons that many people love to say they ended up crying during this film. The soundtrack really brings out the emotions of each scene, from heartbreak to triumph. The voice acting is impressive, especially for Yuki as a toddler. Her laugh is contagious and reminds me of my cousins when they were toddlers.
The characters themselves are very believable and easy to empathise with. As babies Ame and Yuki have clear, unique personalities and as they grow they develop with each passing year. Hana on the other hand is perhaps the best mother to ever exist, which could almost be seen as a bit of a cheating way to get the audience to invest themselves in the story. These three characters are fleshed out well, but none more than the other. They each have their own story which intertwines with the others. The supporting characters don't have much screen time at all, but they are still developed enough to be unique, especially Souhei and Nirasaki.
Wolf Children is a film that I would recommend anyone of any age to watch. There is only one flaw I could mention which would be the ending where I feel Hana isn't given enough respect as a character after she had been built up the whole movie as the mother I'm sure everyone wishes they had. This moment could take the viewer out of the film as it did for me. But outside of that, it's a great movie that is worth watching many times simply due to how enjoyable it is.
