We have seen so many amazing movies and TV shows from the
astounding director Mamoru Hosoda. In the past he has directed the movie “One
Piece: Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island (2005), The Girl Who Leapt Through
Time (2006), and Summer Wars (2009). One of his more recent masterpieces is
“Wolf Children” which was released in 2012. Just looking at a poster of the
movie or it’s cover can give you a good idea about what this movie has in
store, but the impact it leaves after watching it is so much greater.
The movie
follows a young nineteen-year-old girl in college named Hana who has a small
apartment and a part time job. She meets a young man who sneaks into her
classes for lectures. Gradually, she falls in love with him and he reveals to
her his true identity as a wolf man and the last of his kind. Not discouraged
by that fact they start a life together and a family. They have a daughter
named Yuki and a younger son named Ame. The rest of the movie follows Hana as
she becomes a single mother and needs to care for her young wolf children.
Single mothers are often viewed as
strong, independent and hard workers. This in every way describes Hana. She is
unable to tell anyone that her children are half wolf, so other than the
company of her young pups, she leads a lonely life almost treating it as a
guessing game because she has no idea how to raise them as wolves.
When I watched this movie it
brought about all sorts of emotions. You watch the two wolf children, Yuki and
Ame, grow up and face an assortment of challenges you might face growing up like
trying to make friends and do well in school. Watching that reminded me of the
emotions I went through on my first day of school and meeting dozens of new
faces. Then the two have the challenge no one else their age will face,
learning to live with their secret identity of being a half wolf along with
making the choice of which identity they choose when they get older, being a
wolf or being human. All their mother can do it support them and offer the guidance
she can along the way.
Hana does all she can and is the
picture of a strong-hearted woman who always smiles, even when life gets rough.
Watching this movie, your heart goes out to Hana and your rooting her on every
step of the way. This is such an amazing heartfelt film that captivates its’
viewers as you enter the lives of an unusual but unique family.
That's all for today!
Seleção out!
-Takizawa