Wolf Children (2012)

After her werewolf lover unexpectedly dies in an accident while hunting for food for their children, a young woman must find ways to raise the werewolf son and daughter that she had with him while keeping their trait hidden from society.

Director:

Mamoru Hosoda

Writers:

Mamoru Hosoda (story), Mamoru Hosoda (screenplay)

Stars:

Aoi Miyazaki, Takao Ohsawa, Haru Kuroki

19 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Aoi Miyazaki	...	Hana (voice)
Takao Ohsawa	...	Wolf Man (voice) (as Takao Osawa in English language version)
Haru Kuroki	...	Yuki (voice)
Yukito Nishii	...	Ame (voice)
Momoka Ôno	...	Young Yuki (voice) (as Momoka Ohno)
Amon Kabe	...	Young Ame (voice)
Takuma Hiraoka	...	Sohei (voice)
Megumi Hayashibara	...	Sohei's Mother (voice)
Tadashi Nakamura	...	Hosokawa (voice)
Tamio Ohki	...	Yamaoka (voice) (as Tamio Ohki in English language version)
Tomie Kataoka	...	Mrs. Nirasaki (voice)
Hajime Inoue	...	Tendo (voice)
Shôta Sometani	...	Mr. Tanabe (voice)
Taichi Masu	...	Radio Announcer (voice)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Melinda Wood Allen	...	Auntie Hotta (voice)

Storyline

After her werewolf lover unexpectedly dies in an accident while hunting for food for their children, a young woman must find ways to raise the werewolf son and daughter that she had with him while keeping their trait hidden from society.

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Plot Keywords:

single mother | werewolf | children | wilderness | mother son relationship | 

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Taglines:

Love wildly

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Genres:

Animation | Drama | Family | Fantasy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic elements, some violence, brief sensuality and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

21 July 2012 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Wolf Children

Company Credits

Production Co:

Nippon Television Network (NTV), Studio Chizu, Madhouse

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Hana's organiser, when moving house, looks like a Hobonichi. A very popular Japanese planner made by the creator of Mother for the SNES.

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Quotes

Ame: Why is the wolf always the bad guy?

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Connections

Referenced in AniMat's Crazy Cartoon Cast: Big Bird's Big Break (2018)

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Soundtracks

Okaa-san no Uta
Music and Arrangement by Masakatsu Takagi
Lyrics by Mamoru Hosoda
Performed by Ann Sally

User Reviews

If you didn't believe in Mamoru Hosuda after Summer Wars . . .

You will after seeing the beautiful animation, and emotional purity of this film. This is a somber look at the struggles of a single mother completely out of her element, and fighting for each and every inch of ground in unfamiliar territory. While the comparison to Hayao Miyazaki is both inevitable, and present, Hosuda has established a unique style of story-telling that will help distinguish him from other animators, and hopefully bring him some much needed attention from international audiences. Never one to shy away from tear-jerking, Hosuda spins a somber tale of an unconventional family with unique challenges, and yet still makes it nearly universally relatable. While this film is technically in the fantasy genre, it is easily recommendable to fans of all film styles and all ages, with only some slight warnings for tasteful, completely non-sexual nudity.