User reviews

SUMMARY -- Many, many, many years ago the Earth was ruled by wolves. Today they are just mythical beings, existing only in fairytales. But that's what people think. Wolves have adapted themselves to live among the mortals by taking human form, but they are faster, stronger and more flexible than any human. In those ancient times mankind has prospered to its highest peek. But something happened (and nobody's quite sure what it was) and civilization has collapsed. Now, a tyrant rules every city. People are miserable. The legend says that wolves will come back and bring Paradise to Earth...

MY OPINION -- Wolf's Rain is a 21 or 22 episode (depending of a web site) fairytale, about a pack of wolves searching for Paradise. Animation is superb like in most of latest Anime series (e.g. Hellsing or Cowboy Bebop). It's fluid, clear, and the drawing is very colorful. Characters may be a little clichéd but that's usual for Anime. Wolf's Rain looks like Mad Max vs. Cowboy Bebop (created by Keiko Nobumoto). The problem with Wolf's Rain is that you have to have some elementary knowledge about Japanese mythology and fairytales. For if you don't the enjoyment won't be complete. Music is excellent. Something like 80's pop-rock. Main character names are given by their traits (Kiba = Fang, Tsume = Claw, Hige = Whiskers, Toboe Howling). There is no dubbed version yet, but if there is I advise you to look the original Japanese language ver. with English subtitles. Acting is good since the actors are veterans from such Anime as Akira, FLCL, Sakura Wars, X, Cowboy Bebop etc. Story is continuing from episode to episode so it means you have to see them all (except maybe ep. 15-18 which are recap, so you can skip them) to fully understand what's going on. Story is interesting, animation is excellent, acting is very good and production is of highest grade. What more a man could want?

VERDICT -- Wolf's Rain is one of the best Anime series in the last couple of years (since Cowboy Bebop and Hellsing that is). It has something for every generation. Sometimes it may be confusing, non-consequent or slow but you'll forget all of that with the beginning of the next episode. In the sea of new age animated series for kids there aren't many titles that can praise about intelligent, interesting and action packed story/script, or with good acting as a matter of fact. Most of today's TV shows are there to make you stay by your couch absorbing dumb information that mean squat! This Anime will glue you to a couch but from a very different reason. I really enjoyed Wolf's Rain and I sincerely hope that you will too...

It's not that I did not want to reward this movie with a straight forward 10. It's just out of a principle of mine that I don't give away '10-s' because I believe that a movie or series which you thought of being the best, can be surpassed by something which you just didn't happen to know yet. Or a movie which simply has not yet been made. But Wolf's Rain really gave me the feeling to release my self of that believe.

Honestly, Wolf's Rain is one of the greatest tales ever been told. In all of the 30 episodes in which it is contained, it proofed to be an overwhelming experience. This begins at the very first episode and brings the viewer to a dramatic and beautiful climactic end.

One other absolutely great anime-series has to be Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. This anime is able to bring you to the point of thinking about: intelligence, the questions: what is a human and what's not and where are the boundaries? And what's the near future like and will science-fiction turn to every-day technology. (They already have a professor in cybernetics at the University of Reading, you know.) Wolf's Rain however is all about the goals that we have to set in our lives to keep us going and all the feelings and emotions which lie on this road towards these goals. The human and emotional approach of Wolf's Rain is easier to understand for most people then the far more rational approach of the Ghost in the Shell-series. But in my point of view these two are part of the same amazing coin because these anime-series truly know how to amaze the viewer.

Anyway Wolf's Rain is a perfect example of the grand potential of the anime-genre. I'm not a person who likes to cry a lot, but I'm not ashamed to say that I had to shed a tear while watching the last parts of the series. This series will make it very clear that the power of animation is to be able to maximize the expression of every element of the story. After seeing this anime, it became one of the reasons why I am an anime-fan. Try it out let it be a great expansion of your anime-collection or let it be a superb way to get acquainted with the anime-genre.

This series is absolutely beautiful! It attempts to blend cultures and legends of many countries (North America, Russia, Japan) and does so in a way that is believable. It flows nicely until the end (except for the four OVAs which are really just flashbacks of the previous episodes) and is one of the saddest, yet somehow comforting endings of any series I've ever seen. The characters are easy to relate to, and their relationships are wonderfully portrayed by both the Japanese and English voice actors. The most touching relationship in this series is that between Kiba, the alpha wolf who desperately searches for Paradise, and Cheza, the Flower Maiden who can lead him there. It is so sweet that I found myself thinking 'aww' several times while watching. Although some may be disappointed with the conclusion, I think it's one of the better ways to end a series (much better than the manga did, by the way) and leaves the viewer thinking about philosophy, religion, and spirituality. An imaginative, creative, and all around great series that everyone (especially wolf lovers like me!) should take the time to watch. If you just want to hear the story, skip the four OVAs (I believe they are the last four on the first volume). You're really not going to miss much if you cut those out.

Wolf's Rain follows the incredible journey of a pack of wolves who are desperately searching for Paradise, despite the crumbling world around them and the threat of extinction that haunts them. We viewers follow the emotional journey as they find Cheza, a flower maiden who is key to their dream, and awkwardly root for the destruction of humanity and salvation of the wolves. Check for incredible plot.

Next is music--Done by Yoko Kanno, THE composer of the century, there's no way that you can watch this series and not be moved by the incredible soundtrack. It fits the series to a T--and, might I add that the songs range from Latin to French to Maaya Sakamoto singing English. So no worries there.

The voice acting is one of the best that I have ever seen in anime, and trust me, I've seen A LOT. The voices are nearly perfect and fit like puzzle pieces with the tone and plot.

So now for my direct opinions. Wolf's Rain is one of the best things I have ever seen. After every episode I found myself searching for a paradise of my own and a purpose as great as the wolves'. It is an addicting series that is beautifully done--the artwork is amazing and the animation has virtually no flaws. It flows and flows, and leaves you stunned at the end. A good stunned though. An inspired stunned. Which leaves me to my last note--if you're looking for an anime where you can predict the ending, this one ain't it. If you're looking for one that will leave you with a changed perspective of everything, take the leap and watch it.

I can guarantee that there will be something you like and remember forever.

Where do I start? There are so many great things about Wolf's Rain. From the opening strains of the opening theme song, "Stray", to the very last chords of "Gravity" in episode 30, Wolf's Rain is an experience unlike any other. The animation is superb, the characters well developed, the story chock full of action, adventure and has a mythology all its own that captivates from the moment you enter into it. You don't have to like anime or even animation for that matter, to get into Wolf's Rain. The shots are the most cinematic I've ever seen in an animated series and the music conducted and arranged by Yoko Kanno is beautiful and timeless. Also, the story leaves a lot of things open for the viewer to interpret, and delves much deeper into issues of meaning, life and nature than any anime that I've ever seen. It incorporates so much from different genres and cultures, that everyone can find something to like in this series. So, for a great experience, check out Wolf's Rain!

When my brother first explained the storyline of Wolf's Rain, the first thought that came to mind was "Typical Werid Anime Storyline". After watching the first few episodes, you really really grow accustom to the characters, scene and the overall feel you get from the situations. Id like to start off with commenting on the plain out engulfing soundtrack, its underscribable the styles of music used, but it just works perfectly with the situations.

The series is also "short", only 30 episodes makes for a nicely sized series, not so long that you get sick of watching it, but not to short to the point you feel cheated. I will say that when the series was over, I felt like..... "What do I do now?" it was just that great.

Try the series out, really pay attention, and I promise if you like very richly told stories that this one more than delivers.

4 human/hybrid wolves (Tsume, Toboe, Kiba and Hige) leave the city in search of find a place called paradise. A places where wolves can run free but they don't know if it exists or not.

The anime had a very beautiful art style, with an amazing plot which would make you go "wow" with character which you would want to remember forever. As a small note the anime has 4 recap episode from episode 15-19 you can bin those episodes if you want to unless if you want to be reminded of what has happened so far. Alongside 4 OVA'S which wraps up the ending to the series, with the actual series (episodes 1-14, 20-25) having 22 episodes all together that will lead to 30 episodes. Just a little guide if you are going to watch the series.

Also, screw the dub hater the dub for this series is amazing all of the voice actors put a lot of emotion in their roles, i can't stress this enough. If you see in troll comments that have negativity towards the dub unless if they are very well explain bin them.

If you want to have a really good anime which takes you on a breath taking adventure I highly recomand this.

You know, anime has made a huge step in past ten years, showing people more than films nowadays. This style of plotting reveals more secrets of our society and brings people the torrent of emotions. I was quite skeptical about this anime since it had no advertisement, it was not so popular and no one ever knew about it. Sort of mystery, I thought, until I realized form the first series that it was more than just a regular anime. It was a story revealing people how they are pitiful and pathetic. You know, post-apocalyptic story always makes you feel sad since your imagination brings you the dead world where people still live, and they live just to die in the end. When I read the plot at the back of DVD of Wolf's Rain I laughed at the logic of a story that "wolves are in a search of a Paradise". However, the first thought that was developed in my mind was "Why were they searching?" And the story tells about their adventures in this quest. You know, Paradise is closed for the souls of people when the day the world ends will come, but still, in theory, if there were some survivors, what would they live for? Death would not allow them to rest in peace at that moment, and there goes the loss of hope. Wolf's Rain is a "rainy" story that will eventually bring tears to your face. At least I had tears at the end of a story. That moment when you realize what the meaning of this anime was, what author was hoping to tell us - it certainly brings tears. In my opinion, this anime has the best OST that fits in every situation or scene in a story. It is the art of music that makes anime seem more emotional and full of joy. I strongly recommend you to watch this even if my review is not enough to convince you. You will understand everything when you'll try by yourself.

There has been many great anime show's out there like, "Naruto", "Cowboy Bebop", "Dragon Ball Z", and "One Piece". But back when Adult Swim use to show a lot of anime, there was, "Wolf's Rain".

A Post-Apocalyptic tale about a group of Wolves trying to search for a place called, Paradise.

What make's this show really great is the animation, the story, and the character's. The soundtrack was also great. From the opening song, Stray, to the ending credits song, Gravity. The music capture's the dark and moody setting of the show.

I do have one small problem with this show. It's the four recap episode's. They were really boring.

Overall, "Wolf's Rain", is a sad and amazing anime show that is definitely worth watching if you're an anime fan or a Wolf lover.

I haven't seen the whole series as I only have the first disc. Its interesting and entertaining with a nice plot. I probably wouldn't recommend it or watch more, but its ok.

Thanks to it's charming characters Wolf's Rain can keep one involved enough to make it trough the interesting but badly told story, that just never wants to get started leaving you on the edge of your seat (in a bad way) all along the series. On the other hand Wolf's Rain rather frequently lets you down, probably topped by the 4 - I repeat, four - unforgivable flashback filler episodes (that you might just as well skip) right in the middle of the whole thing, at the one and only point, where it really looks like things could finally lift off. The artistic concept is okay, but the animation is minimum effort, to the point where everything looks just like a colored manga. I espetially found the drawing time saving repeating shots obtrusive.

All together, despite it's likable characters and the interesting story, as much as I tried to like it, Wolf's Rain simply drags ass and as it never really reaches any climax, I'd say, it's rather a waste of time than anything else.

We've all seen better than that.

4/10

I originally found this series on Adult Swim last summer, midway through the series, while scanning through the channels for something to watch on late-night television. I had never seriously watched anime before, and found myself fascinated with this series, especially with the characters. Not all people will find them so interesting, as some have pointed out, but if they appeal to you at all they will grow on you by the end of the series.

As for the flaws, they mostly are with character depth. Each character really has one main feeling, as you could probably guess from watching any episode. The conflicts, twists, and connections between characters make up for this, though, and while you could probably guess a number of the twists, they still have a great impact.

Take in mind, though, that this comes from someone who is obsessed with the series. After seeing one episode, I fell hopelessly in love with it, though not for anime in general, as some might.

Animation here is much better than typical anime, with many talents from Cowboy Bebop, and the overall feel of it is that you don't really mind the shortcuts taken in animation, as they don't really distract you from enjoying the show.

If you want to sample the show before seeing a good amount of it, see at least the first five episodes (or DVD 1) before giving up, as it takes a short amount of time for the series to get into full gear. But once in full gear, you'll love it.

30 episodes, with 4 recap episodes, probably the worst part of the show. Hence, don't buy DVD 4 if you end up wanting to own the series, unless you're a compulsive anime freak who must have all of the disks for the art/whatever. Even then, the episodes (15-18) really don't mean anything, and probably were a chance for the animators to have a vacation off in the tropics. But definitely watch episodes 27-30 if you watch the rest of the series. These are the most abstract of the series, and are very well done.

Overall: 10 out of 10.

One of my favorite movies growing up was Balto, mostly because I liked wolves growing up. As I got older I was introduced to this anime, and decided I'd give it a shot and all I can really say is, definitely, worth my time. Wolf's Rain is a beautifully crafted story, telling of these wolves who are desperate to find Paradise. Along the way they have many adventures leading up to finding it, really grow as a pack and on a personal level, and really look at the torn world around them and really make you ask the question: does the dream really end once you reach your goal? I enjoyed watching every minute of it, the animation- I can't even describe it, I've never seen wolves more beautifully drawn until I watched this anime. The music, amazing. One moment it is relaxing with beautiful piano music and the next extremely gripping as you get to the more intense scenes. The thoughts of these wolves, their lessons on survival and what it means to have a family and a dream, everything about this anime makes it deserve to be one of the top ten in my book. I can't really complain about the anime at all aside from a small dip in the middle which was honestly kinda boring, buuut it comes back with a bigger bang so it kind of makes up for it.

All in all, Wolf's Rain is one of Bones Must-Watch if you are an action/adventure anime fan.

Just finished watching episode 27-30 (which were delayed and only released on DVD for some reason, I think a conflict with the network airing in Japan). The original 26 episodes aired on TV though.

The ending reminded me of the RahXephon one, and probably not without coincidence, since Bones (the studio making the anime) did both series.

It is a sad and dark tale about a pack of wolves trying to survive in a hostile world, on their way to a place they call "Paradise" which apparently is a better place than their present.

Recommended if you like serious, melancholic and a bit thought-provoking series.

8 out of 10

Wolf's Rain is just the best anime ever! There's no argument! It touches many different grounds and thus establishes itself as one of the most philosophical animes of all time. It urges us, the viewers, to ask ourselves the most fundamental questions, for example, why do we live? Throughout the anime, we witness how the main characters (Kiba, Hige, Tsume and Toboe) and even the supporting characters, grow up and change and experience different feelings which at the end of the series serve to illustrate how each and everyone of us interpret life and beyond that... One of the most important and interesting part of the story is obviously Episodes 19 and 20, where Kiba meets Myu in the Eternal Garden. Though it's an illusion, it shows the veritable feelings of Kiba towards his friends and Cheza and why he wants to find the "Rakuen". With a background of Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Wolf's Rain shows how Society is, with discrimination, Capitalism, aspirations and how human beings are, love, hatred, confusion, trust, loyalty and the animal instincts in all of us. Therefore, I can only conclude this review by stating once more, the most obvious fact, Wolf's Rain is the beat anime of all time!

I have to say that I struggled to get through this anime. It can be extremely hard to understand and follow, however by the last 6 episodes everything begins to come together. The last episodes will stick with you probably the rest of your life. Somehow the score, writing and visuals just step up from a 6 to a 12/10 masterpiece in the last 3 episodes. Please watch this show and stick it out till the end, I promise it's worth it.

this anime don't even get me started, this was my entrance into the anime world. interesting plot line very enjoyable characters from many different backgrounds, the characters grow so much throughout the whole series and love them more each episode. what a hidden treasure this show is. if your skeptical about watching the series i'd say go for it! it was one of the best decisions i have ever made. its a very well produced anime and the style is pleasing to the eye. if you do watch this i hope you enjoyed it as much as i have.

This is one of those series that gets made only once. It's a perfect depiction of the human condition and the soul. Especially the soul. Unforgettable series.

"There is no such place as Paradise. Even if you search to the ends of the Earth, there's nothing at all. No matter how far you walk, it's just the same road, it just goes on and on. But in spite of that...Why am I so driven to find it?"