Wolf Children

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Wolf Children

PG,

2013,

1h 57m,

Fantasy/

Anime/

Drama/

Kids & Family

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Watchlist

95%

21 Reviews

Tomatometer

92%

2,500+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

95%

Tomatometer

21 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."

Critics Consensus

Wolf Children is a singularly lyrical anime that blends naturalistic details and nostalgic sentiment to craft a beautifully complex exploration of the joys and trials of parenthood.

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Phil Hoad

Guardian

Aug 12, 2025

5/5

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

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Charlotte O'Sullivan

London Evening Standard

Oct 25, 2013

4/5

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

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Chris Michael

Guardian

Oct 24, 2013

4/5

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

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Thomas Caffrey

Film Ireland Magazine

Nov 14, 2025

It is a uniquely naturalistic anime film and ends on a satisfying compromise, rich with emotional complexity.

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Rachel Wagner

rachelsreviews.net

Jun 7, 2020

9/10

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

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Ard Vijn

ScreenAnarchy

Sep 23, 2019

5/5

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!

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Mar 28, 2019

I usually donï¿ 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2(TM)t like too many of ghibli movies. But I thoroughly enjoyed this one

Anakin L

Mar 13, 2019

A better love story than Twilight.

Harry L

Jan 7, 2019

So emotional, the script is so solid and very good contructed... wow

Jan 3, 2019

A modern masterpiece, absolutely soul-crushing to watch when you're a parent. It really knows how to take all the pains and fears of raising a family and thrusts them on you in such a gritty in a real way that you can't help but fall in love with it.

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Abraham G

Dec 2, 2018

Freaking love this movie absolutely recommend it

Rey P

Dec 2, 2018

A tale about motherhood and the hardships of letting your children go to become their own persons, impressively told through the magical and surreal lives of a family of werewolves and their human mother.

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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, Anime, 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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