MY FINAL BLOG POST: Wolf Children

     So I saw this movie the other day and decided to make it the subject of my last blog. Why? Well probably because it struck me as something pretty special. When you think of anime, there are probably three broad iconic images you think of first: spiky-haired action heroes, overly cutesy and/or sexualized girls, or Studio Ghibli films; this film is none of those things.
     In my opinion, anime has really started to stagnate in recent years. With each passing television season, there just seems to be more and more of the same old action or romantic comedy nonsense rolling out from anime studios, but this film is legit. It avoids all of the "tried and true" formulaic elements like the ones I mentioned above and delivers one of the most honest stories I've seen in a while, and it WASN'T made by Miyazaki. Wolf Children is the simple story of a mother raising her kids, with one small twist. They are, as the title implies, wolf children. The plot follows thirteen years of the mother's life from when she first meets her husband, who is actually a wolf spirit, to when her two children are about 11 and 10 years old. The theme in the film as you might expect is about the hardships of single-parenthood, and raising children through all the iconic stages of life. This movie does an excellent job tackling said topic in a mature way that is also fairly child appropriate (some parents may have issues with a few scenes, but I certainly wouldn't). It does not skip out on the sad moments, but neither does it dwell on them, or over-exaggerate them either. The characters all feel very real, even the side characters have their own endearing personalities and are relate-able in their own way. Also this movie does an exceptional job in making the children likeable, and not horribly annoying like so many anime tend to do.

     As far as the art style goes, it IS a big budget Japanese film. You definitely shouldn't expect any boundary-pushing art styles here, but given the subject matter, a realistic art style suites it better anyway, the quality of the art is fantastic, especially the stunning backdrops used in the film.  
     If you don't care for movies without insane car chases and wall-to-wall action, this movie is definitely not for you, but if you're looking for a story that hits a bit closer to home, look no further.