WOLF
CHILDREN AME AND YUKI: Another story that has no apparent goal, but this time,
it works
Wolf
Children Ame and Yuki is about Hana, a college student who falls in love with a
wolf-man. She gives birth to two wolf children, Ame and Yuki. They live quietly
in the corner of the city, as they try to conceal the existence of the wolf
children. But when the wolf-man suddenly dies while hunting, Hana decides to
move to a rural area where her children could roam free as wolves.
The
story takes about ten to twenty minutes to establish itself, which is somewhat
slow. There are scenes that could be removed completely to make the pace
better. But aside from the sloppy introduction, there really is no problem with
the pacing of the story.
Perhaps
the others would argue that even beyond the introduction there are unnecessary
sequences. But they’re not entirely correct. Some sequences that seem random
are not random at all. They only appear that way because the story of Wolf
Children Ame and Yuki has no apparent goal. Thus, the story has the tendency to
give the impression that some events are just happening on random.
I’ve
stated in my other reviews that I don’t like stories that don’t have an
apparent goal. They seem to have no clear direction, as if their story just
exists without a purpose. But because of Wolf Children Ame and Yuki, I
discovered that this is not always the case.
Even
though its story has no apparent goal, it still has a driving force that propels
it forward; and those are the questions: What
will she do, now that she has to raise the children alone? How will they live in the countryside? How
are they going to supply food for themselves? How are they going to cope with
society when the children finally reach the age of schooling? And these
questions are answered one by one through the seemingly random sequences the
others are talking about. That’s the reason why these sequences are not random
at all. They serve as answers to the questions the story imposes.
What
makes the story even more compelling is the minimal number of characters. All
of them are given enough focus to make room for character development. Not only
that, they are also well-made to begin with. They have their own philosophies
and personalities, and this, from time to time, leads to conflict between them.
The
best example of this clash of ideals is that of the wolf children. Yuki chooses
to be human, and Ame chooses to be wolf. What makes their argument more
compelling is the fact that neither of them is wrong; both of them are right in
their own ways.
This
dramatic story is also embedded with incredible musical soundtracks that make
the scenes even more emotional. The animation, even though its design is not
very detailed, has its own unique style. This adds to the distinct atmosphere
the film is portraying.
Overall,
Wolf Children Ame and Yuki is a film that could rival the best from Studio Ghibli.
Its themes of familial love and belongingness to society are enough to trigger
emotional responses to the viewers. Another thing that makes the story more
relatable is the fact that it doesn’t transcend drastically from modern life.
Its fantastic elements could pass as elements from magical realism and not
wholly from fantasy itself. I recommend this film to those who are trying to
find their place on this world, whether from within, from society, or from
both.
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