Wolf's Rain

Written on 28/03/26

It's been almost 2 months since I started watching this one episode per day and I honestly don't remember exactly how I discovered it but it was most likely through checking what other anime Yoko Kanno has worked on now that I think about it. I don't really have any preface other than mentioning that the files I torrented came with a cool folder icon.
On from that though, I just finished this a couple minutes ago and the ending kinda left me awe and made me wanna type SOMETHING, so I'm doing this.
Wolf's rain is a bit of a mixed bag. I found it intruiging because I haven't seen an anime with this particular vibe and the main cast being wolves sounded cool I guess. The world being set in the declining aftermath of some kind of fallout or apocalypse was cool too. That aspect is never really elaborated upon said but it provides some decent food for thought so I don't really mind. It also gives the show it's somewhat bleak and dreary aesthetic as seen with how most places have this worn out look to them and by the last few episodes everything is just a desolate snowy wasteland with this ethereal looking sky.

The characters are decent. I grew pretty attached to them in spite of them not being all too compelling. Tsume is probably my favourite since I'm a sucker for tough guy characters who soften up a bit. I don't think he's up there with Fakir but I was fond of him well enough. I think Blue is cool, I like her design a lot. Toboe is nice kid and what happens to him killllllls me but it was a suitable outcome. Especially since he in particular managed to reach out to Quent. even if everything had gone to shit by then. Also fond of Hubb for just being a guy caught up in all the stuff going on and sticking around till his end despite everything.
The plot was alright in the beginning but became a drag in the middle, even ignoring the recap episodes. it picks up around episode 20 but even then some of the stuff that happens there feels a bit rushed or underbaked. In general, everything after the beginning feels a little messy which I assume has something to do with BTS production issues if having 4 recap episodes wasn't enough of a tell.
However despite it all the extra episodes of the OVA were amazing. Made me cry multiple times and the ending itself was pretty good. I suppose I interpret it as the world being recycled into a paradise but being tainted by Darcia's remaining eye which isn't strictly bad depending on how you look at it. A place without any conflict or struggle would be static, similar to the dream that Kiba experienced in the desert, and would result in a meaningless existence.
The music was done by Yoko Kanno an as expected is really really good, that can go without saying. I loved the ending song, those F#min chords at the beginning adds some kind of weight to the end of episodes. The opening is good and hearing it right at the end of the last scene gave me goosebumps.
I don't have much to say about the animation other than that the show looks consistently good throughout and that it's nice seeing sakuga involving wolves I suppose.
That's about all I got on Wolf's Rain for now. I found it to be just okay for the most part but the last stretch gave it a boost to 7/10 I'd say. In my heart of hearts tho I'd probably include this in my top 15 even if just for how much I liked the the last part.