I can honestly say that it is one of my top three favorite anime, next to Phantom and Zetsuen no Tempest.
I have never cried so much during an anime before. Not even Evangelion. I cried through the last three episodes and then some. It was so heartbreaking to see them get so far only to fail.
And I won't give away any more than that.
Basically the world is ending. But humans stand no chance at all. The only ones who can access the next world to come are wolves. The main character is a white, lone wolf named Kiba. He is joined by Hige, Tsume, and Toboe. Eventually they meet Cheza, a being created from a Lunar Flower, who is the one who can guide them to Paradise (the next world). Along the way, they are hunted down by the Nobles who also want to get to Paradise, Quent the wolf hunter and his dog Blue, Cher who is a researcher that studied Cheza, and Hubb: Cher's ex who mostly just wants to find Cher, but ends up following the wolves to Paradise anyway.
I do have to point out the wonderful soundtrack. It's not gripping or super emotional, but it fits the scenes well. Surprisingly, most of the sung lyrics are English... yes, even the Japanese one.
I absolutely love the subbed! I always go subbed these days. But from the segments I saw in dubbed, it sounds like they made a really, really good one. I only heard the wolves, Cheza, Cher, some soldiers, and Darcia (a noble) talk, so I'm not sure how the rest of the cast sounded. Kudos to them for their great dubbing actors! They kept the emotion accurate to the original! (unlike many dubs I've heard *cough* Bleach *cough* Baccano *cough*)
What struck me as interesting about this show is how animal-like they make the wolves. At first it was odd, because you see these humans like... licking each other's injuries... but then you remember "Oh right... wolves. Gotcha." But after a few episodes of that, and I got so used to it.
Also, Cheza is so much like a plant. Like, really like a plant. Hmm.
I say this because typically in shows where they do stuff like this (having human robots or animal shifters and stuff), they always assign such human characteristics to the things. We do that naturally with our pets as pet owners, so writers wind up doing that with the animals or robots or whatever that they write about.
But this writer never did that. They just said, "They are wolves. That is it." And that was it. They walked and talked and ate and played and interacted like wolves.
I think it was really episode 3(or was it four) that kind of sealed the deal for me.
Toboe: I'm hungry.
*sees a rotting deer corpse*
Toboe: HEY! FOOD! *runs over and digs in*
Me: o.O ... but... but.... oh right, wolves. -.-
I give this anime a 100/100 for it's amazing character development, gripping action, beautiful imagery, animal accuracies in portrayal, the incredible plot development, and one of the best anime endings ever! Even though it was sad, it was happy. Bittersweet.
Alright, because I'm in a sad mood, I shall show yall nice/funny pictures of the characters!
Cheza! The Lunar Flower Maiden. Yes, she is a plant. Her eyes creeped me out at first, but she's so sweet and pretty once you start getting to know her.
Hige! His name means "whiskers". He's like the... sort-of comedian of the group. None of the characters really have stereotypes. He's always hungry and stuff.
Later he develops into a really strong character who struggles with being dependable while trying to redeem himself for his actions.
Hige meets Kiba in Episode 1! Just kind of pokes fun at him.
Sniffing is serious business, Hige!
Kiba. Kiba means "fang". This is... how he typically looks. He really needs to stop fighting so much.
He's the angst, more brooding type. He doesn't talk much, and he has trouble connecting with others since he lived his life as a loner.
Serious Kiba is serious.
Kiba: the quintessential mountain climber. Just look at him exert himself beyond measure as he ascends that super steep mountainside!
Kiba.
Don't mess with him.
Toboe! It means "howl". Curious and cute little kid! ^^ Oh, he's so adorable! I wanna hug him SOOOOO bad!
Cranky Toboe.
Even cranky, he's still cute.
Eh, that's what happens when you eat shrooms.
Toboe!
Tsume.
Means claw.
I really don't need any more pictures of him. This is how he always looks.
Alright, here is Hubb!
Here is Cher. (probably looking at Hubb)
Here is Quent.
Looking at the guy who took his vodka from him.
This picture is of him getting his vodka back.
It was removed for disturbing, violent content.
This is Blue.
Looking at a squirrel or something...
And then she got in the shrooms too. Bad Blue.
Kiba and Tsume first meet.
Can't you just FEEEL that friendship~
Funny how Tsume means "claw" and in human form he is always seen with his wicked knife.
This sums up Tsume and Toboe in a nutshell.
Tsume and Hige in a nutshell.
(I really don't know what happened here um... they found out Tsume is really a woman...)
I KID! I KID! *don't hurt me tsume~*
Hubb travelling with Quent.
Whee.
So, you're called the Hmong people eh?
Wear feathers and deerskin, live in teepees, hunt buffalo...
Seem legit.
Pretty much.
Ok. I saw the following picture and I COULD NOT resist!
That, or Toboe is still on shrooms.
In all honesty though, this series really has no funny moments, except the odd comment thrown here and there in the earlier episodes when all is 'ok'. The walrus battle was actually kind of sad. Hige suffers a lot, both mentally, physically, and emotionally. (well, they all do really). Tsume acts tough, but he's actually very lonely. Kiba faces nothing but oppositiona nd dead ends while he tries pursuing a Paradise he doesn't even know exists. Toboe just wants to be loved and accepted. Cher and Hubb are an adorable pair who never really get any time together before they're brutally torn apart. Quent is such a tortured soul without any reprieve. Blue is under-appreciated. Cheza is used and abused wherever she goes with absolutely no say about anything.
It is amazing though to watch these characters come from such pitiful beginnings, to endure some horrific things, and then come out stronger and better than before.
Only to have their dreams and hopes dashed to peices.
So give Wolf's Rain a try. No, actually, go watch it NOW! Unless you're in the middle of Phantom of course. Wolf's Rain is only 30 episodes, each are roughly 25 minutes long. So go watch it. And bring some kleenex along.
"They say there's no such place... as Paradise. Even if you search to the ends of the Earth, there's nothing there. No matter how far you walk, it's always the same road. It just goes on and on. But, in spite of that... Why am I so driven to find it? A voice calls to me... It says, "Search for Paradise."
~ Kiba
Peace off minions!
Let us meet in Paradise!
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