Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki is about Hana raising her two children that are part human and part wolf. In the beginning it shows her courtship with their father who was part wolf as well. That part ends with his death. After that Hana goes through many trials trying to raise her children in a world that would not understand them.
Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki goes too far at several points in the movie. The first one is where they right after showing that the man Hana is interested is a wolf while he is in that form they have sex. Right after introducing him as a wolf was not the time to show them having relations while he is in that form. It kind of goes against the mood of most of the movie. Also surprised me that Hana would be fine with him being a wolf for reproduction, but gets freaked out when he hunts as a wolf for her. That should not be the freakier part. Then later after Hana has the kids and is alone to show how tired she is the show says exactly how long she has to breast feed. That was not necessary. It is weird to have a movie have a tasteful quiet section where they do not feel the need to tell the viewers everything and then try to balance that out by telling everything.
Oh yeah babe I have been hiding from you this whole time that I can become a wolf.
How do you feel about this? If you are fine with it then you would do me while I am a wolf.
Sound is used to great effect in Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki. It is used the best during the part where Hana finds out that father of her children is dead. Things go from light music that is very quiet with no background sound to suddenly hearing the pouring rain. It was like she just woke up from a dream and is now in the real world. It made the moment feel much more shocking than it should have.
Hana struggles as a mother about how to raise her children. She even tries to ask a normal wolf about what she needs to do to help her children become adult wolves. Eventually her struggles become her children’s struggles to decide what they want to be. Her daughter Yuki decides to be human and her son Ame decides to be a wolf. Their decisions are mostly driven by their experiences and personality. Yuki is social and wants to be around others and normal so the obvious choice is to be human. Ame is withdrawn and gets bullied so he wants to leave society to be on his own as a wolf. Neither of her children can understand the others decision so they see their own path as the only one which drives a wedge between them.
The ending to Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki is so incredibly sad. Hana fights for her children for most of the movie and then while they are both still young they leave her. She did do a good job raising them and helping them decide what they wanted to do with their lives, but what mom wants to lose her children so early? The end where Hana just accepts it feels forced and sad.
