Wolf Children

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Wolf Children

PG

Released Sep 27, 2013

1h 57m

Fantasy

Animation

Drama

Kids & Family

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Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

95%

Tomatometer

20 Reviews

92%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

College student Hana falls in love with a "wolf man" and together they have two half-human, half-wolf children, Ame and Yuki. The young family's happy but humble life comes to an abrupt end when the father is tragically killed during a hunt. After struggling to raise her children in the busy city, Hana boldly decides to move to a dilapidated house in the countryside, in hopes that her children may one day decide their own path to happiness -- whether "human" or "wolf."

Phil Hoad

Guardian

Swept up in potent nostalgia for early parenthood, childhood and the cradle of nature itself, this is a modern classic.

Rated: 5/5

Aug 12, 2025

Full Review

Charlotte O'Sullivan

London Evening Standard

The film works as the simplest of fairy tales, so scrumptious you'll want to devour it whole.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 25, 2013

Full Review

Chris Michael

Guardian

It's a fairytale in a real-life setting, photorealistically drawn in shifting light that rivals Monet or GTA5.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 24, 2013

Full Review

Rachel Wagner

rachelsreviews.net

Wolf Children is a beautiful story about the power of a Mother's love to save her children.

Rated: 9/10

Jun 7, 2020

Full Review

Ard Vijn

ScreenAnarchy

Judging from his last three films, I count Hosoda Mamoru as the true hope of quality anime in the future. Because he dared to make The Wolf Children a film which is, first and foremost, for the parents!

Rated: 5/5

Sep 23, 2019

Full Review

Sarah Ward

Trespass

With a bittersweet atmosphere and beautiful imagery - both of the detailed and delicate variety - Wolf Children proves a finessed, fantastical offering grounded in human emotion and experience.

Dec 4, 2018

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RC

Inspires good parenting.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/18/25

Full Review

D C W

A beautiful and emotional story about a single mother raising two children. It's so good. It'll wreck you a few times.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/14/25

Full Review

Emilio s

A beautiful and emotional story about motherhood

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/14/25

Full Review

Zachary

Great for family and memorable!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/10/25

Full Review

Hugo

solid movie. it made me cry

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/13/25

Full Review

Andrew

A really good and really sad story about a single parent who has the struggles of raising two kids who are also wolfs.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/13/25

Full Review

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Mamoru Hosoda

Director

Kumiko Asô

Mrs. Hotta

Megumi Hayashibara

Sohei's Mother

Aoi Miyazaki

Hana

Tadashi Nakamura

Hosokawa

Yukito Nishii

Ame

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Synopsis

College student Hana falls in love with a "wolf man" and together they have two half-human, half-wolf children, Ame and Yuki. The young family's happy but humble life comes to an abrupt end when the father is tragically killed during a hunt. After struggling to raise her children in the busy city, Hana boldly decides to move to a dilapidated house in the countryside, in hopes that her children may one day decide their own path to happiness -- whether "human" or "wolf."

Director: Mamoru Hosoda
Producer: Takuya Itô, Yuichiro Sato, Takafumi Watanabe
Screenwriter: Mamoru Hosoda, Satoko Okudera
Distributor: FUNimation Films
Production Co: Studio Chizu
Rating: PG (Some Violence|Language|Brief Sensuality)
Genre: Fantasy, Animation, Drama, Kids & Family
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 27, 2013, Limited
Rerelease Date (Theaters): May 11, 2025
Release Date (DVD): Nov 26, 2013
Runtime: 1h 57m

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