User Reviews

This is one of the best anime series I've ever seen. Wolf's Rain is a grim tale set in a dystopic future. There are wolves that become humans. The animation is beautiful, the characters are realistic and believable. The plot and background is sad.. I felt for each of those wolves. In places it was extremely grim and violent. There was a background setting in cities where people live in poverty and lose friends. Some of it was depressing.

*Spoilers*

The story of Wolf's Rain centers around four wolves searching for paradise. The opening theme is perfect for this premise as it conveys the tone of the show. The characters are all unique and like able, but the premise of the show is what makes people want to watch. We want to know and we hope that they find paradise in the end. The characters drop everything in search for an ideal and continue to push on even when hardship falls on them. The wolves are inspiring and the show has a romantic tone that appeals to me personally and obviously to many others. The reason I did not give this a show a ten is the story is kind of convoluted at times, has four filler recap episodes, and I didn't like a certain character that they meet later in the series. I have a love-hate relationship with this anime, but mostly love. It is kind of frustrating to want to see the ending so bad but be continuously denied it as the show presses on. This could be a flaw in pacing or could have just been intentional. Either way I would recommend this to any anime fan.

It does do everything it intended (*spoilers* throughout - this is more of an analysis of the aftermath)... it uses grey colours, but it's about a dystopia... it's about bleakness... there's ice caps all over, it's the end of the world. It's a kill-or-be-killed world... if there were any cheerful characters it would seem odd (this makes it more poignant, I think). I'd say that makes it an appropriate vehicle for both the visuals and characterizations.

For anyone who thinks Kiba's expressions are bland, or binary... what would one expect, if he was the sole survivor of his clan? The only white wolf... should he be cheery? All he could do is obsess about the flower, as that was his idea of peace. Tsume also knew the realities of Freeze City... he spouted some angry lines, but it was the most heartfelt apology to Toboe in the end. He was genuine and poetical when he felt like it... Hige was a traitor, so he had to deflect attention from that through some humour... and Toboe was practically the heart of the group... not very useful practically, but when he nursed the hunter back to life, that was touching, I thought... Quent, besides his coming to terms with wolves and that wonderful moment when he realized who Blue the human was, also served as the 'dirty human', in Darcia's mind (and sure, Darcia was mad, but he was bent on accessing this pinnacle of evolution, so much that he receded to being a wolf... he had just lost his beloved that he hoped to revive, his sole reason for going to Paradise... such irony). Also, the anime's ending is depressing, but that is a moot point, because the story necessitated it, otherwise the 'seed' of the new world couldn't have been planted... creation through destruction.

For those who think Cheza had barely any role, or was solely submissive... she was the mythical maiden of flowery beauty, or some such... she was advanced technology, but she still served a pivotal role in the series. She was dragged around only because each Noble thought they could open Paradise to themselves... it might be surreal, but I felt like I could follow the mythical undercurrent well... it wasn't even as oblique as Evangelion, I thought.

The characters' motivation were based on instincts... that's supposedly what most canines use... and sure enough, it doesn't make much logical sense to chase a technological flower, but that's how they were 'programmed' (perhaps not in the same sense as Cheza).

Then there are the scientist and her detective ex who still dearly loves her... it was such an ascent of hope, that led to such a sharp decline... the ending seemed merely preordained (a reference to its mystical side, which allows the watcher to understand that it's a classical end-of-the-world scenario... which the Indians understood as well... and, though that intermission may have seemed random, it may be based on real-life mythology which centres around nature).

Every episode had a mixture of myth, mysticism, conflicts, political intrigue, artistic expression, along with other themes... I've noticed how much effort the creators put into it... not to mention Yoko Kanno's beautifully matching music.

"Wolf's Rain" is one of the most beautiful and inspiring anime shows that I've ever saw. I'm not a big fan of anime, but I loved this show. The animation, the characters, the story, and the music (The great music made by Yokko Kanno, who also made the score for very good animated shows as "Cowboy Bebop" and "Escaflowne") all was perfect.

The story, despite being somewhat strange, it is captivating and wonderful since the very first moment. "Wolf's Rain" it is one of those anime shows that you could see thousands of times, and always have the same magic and charm.

And about the last episodes...I know that many reviewers disliked the ending, but, personally, I thought that it was a perfect ending for a show like this, the kind of ending that is sad and emotional, but fulfilling and hopeful at the same time.

"Wolf's Rain" is a great anime show, and I highly recommend it to anyone.

This anime is the most wonderful thing I have ever seen. It's perfect in every way.

Wolf's Rain is a story about four wolves who are searching for Paradise. They meet a Flower Maiden named Cheza, and she is their guide to Paradise. Along the way they meet Blue, a half wolf, Yaiden, her "father" and an old drunk, Hubb and Cher, ex's that fall in love all over again because of the wolves.

The story is touching and heartwarming, but it is very very sad. You fall in love with the wolves, Kiba, Tsume, Hige, Toboe and Blue, and I even grew attached to Hubb, Cher and Yaiden! I don't usually like human characters, but each and every one of Nobumoto's characters was lovable in their own way.

I highly recommend this show to everyone! Show everyone you know: parents, friends, teachers... because never again will you find a show as magnificent as this one!

Following the success of Cowboy Bebop and Rah-Xephon, BONES created this 30-part anime about four wolves on their search for Rakuen (Paradise) . . . And it's terrific! Both the Japanese and English cast is great, making the characters come alive, but the animation itself seems to be an homage to "old-school" animes like Lupin the 3rd and Case Closed.

The soundtrack is great, as well. Yoko Kano (who also composed for Cowboy Bebop and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) works her magic in this show, blending melodic tunes with enchanting lyrics and rock melodies with singers such as Steve Conte, Maaya Sakamoto, and Ilaria Graziano.

The characters, although mostly that of the canine variety, are very believable and, at times, quite lovable. You can feel Quent's grief, Toboe's happiness, and Kiba's determination to find Rakuen (Paradise).

As for the plot . . . either it takes place on a futuristic Earth or a different planet altogether (the creators don't really go in-depth about that). Anyways, a wolf wanders into Freeze City and eventually, over the course of the first three episodes, pairs-up with three other wolves to find Paradise.

My only problem with it is the ending, where the creators took the easy way out and killed-off all of the characters, seemingly following in the steps of Cowboy Bebop (where they killed-off the main character, Spike).

But I digress: Wolf's Rain contains one of, if not, the best storyline in anime history, and it has given me something that I could watch over-and-over-again. 10 out of 10.

I've just viewing finished Wolf's Rain. In the following personal reaction, I will try to avoid giving away too much and will speak in generalities, but it might still be better to see the series first if you want to avoid any possible spoilers.

One study of this anime series by Susan J. Napier tends to focus on a nihilistic approach. She sees this anime as dramatising a fruitless attempt to engage with a complex and essentially meaningless world through the form of a fairy tale. The human condition {conveyed by the metaphor of the wolf character avatar} has as its reward only the heroism of the struggle. She notes that the heroism shown is principally developed through masculinity and thus represents only a partial answer which must ultimately fail. Yet she doesn't show that the incorporation of a feminine anime principle would change anything.

Despite the brilliance of Napier's analysis, I don't agree with her at all. I think she minimises or ignores the final vital sequence at the very end of the final episode. The fairy tale has at its core Tolkien's concept of the "eucatastrophe" i.e. the denial of a final defeat. In Wolf's Rain this concept is developed through the quest for Paradise which can be defined as cyclic regeneration, a sweeping away of the dross and debris of failed attempts to control Nature and the acceptance of a rebirth. To me the end of the series was a deep affirmation of growth, cleansing, and the certainty that "Though lovers be lost, Love is not". Thus, I feel that the final message which Napier feels is negative is in reality positive and proof that a new beginning is possible; Life and Love and Beauty will always spring from the sacrifices of those who have faith in those qualities. The search for Paradise is, therefore, a great quest across the wheel of Time and Life; each successive search brings the goal closer.

Wolf's Rain is a sensitive yet dynamic attempt to engage with spirituality which I think rivals that of Ghost in the Shell. The sensitive use of colour with its dark and sombre hues reinforces the very serious message of this remarkable anime. In addition there is an evocative and beautiful soundtrack combined with an excellent English Dub. I would highly recommend this wonderful series.

One last point. The plot diverges significantly in some respects from the excellent Manga which is quite a bit more upbeat!