Dhruv Sharma
From a distance, the story of ‘Wolf’s Rain’ seems to very minimalistic with some slightly unconventional fantasy troupes. But pretty much like ‘Neon Genesis Evangelion‘ and ‘Serial Experiments Lain‘, ‘Wolf’s Rain’ has deeper themes that are more like subliminal messages buried deep in its overarching story. What truly stands out about its story is its outward beauty and emotional resonance that slowly grows on you with each episode. And though the series still seems to be a little underrated because of its religious themes and wolf characters, it’s great to see how it takes a refreshingly new approach towards the fantasy genre instead of coming off as one of those typical Isekai gaming anime.
Coming from Studio Bones, which is also known for producing anime like ‘Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood‘ and ‘My Hero Academia‘, ‘Wolf’s Rain’ has some promising visuals with a memorable soundtracks. Yoko Kanno’s involvement with the anime is enough to convey that at least one soundtrack will stick with you long after the show is over.
The biggest problem with ‘Wolf Rain’, though, is its 4-episode recap episodes that are placed right in the middle of the series. These episodes offer nothing and just forcefully drag you through the same story again. But you can always skip through these as they don’t really add any new information. As controversial as its ending maybe, overall, ‘Wolf’s Rain’ is very different from most usual anime shows and will not be appealing to everyone. But what I can promise you is that its art quality that breeds a whole new kind of fantasy, will certainly get your attention and might even grow on you with time. Definitely a highly recommended anime to anyone who is looking for something new that is both slightly thought-provoking and extremely entertaining.
Wolf’s Rain Season 2 Release Date: When will it premiere?
‘Wolf’s Rain’ season 1 premiered on January 7, 2003 and with a total of 26 episodes, came to an end on July 29, 2003. This was then followed by a 4-episode OVA sequel which aired from January 23, 2004 to February 25, 2004. ‘Wolfs Rain’ was an instant hit amongst sci-fi fantasy lovers and is still remembered for its stunning visuals and soundtracks.
Being an original story that is not confined to the boundaries of a source material, many fans expected it to have a new season. Unfortunately, it has been more than a decade now and Studio Bones hasn’t really said a word about it. Also, though a little confusing, the end of ‘Wolf’s Rain’ was quite conclusive. As much as we would love to watch a whole new season of this amazing show, it seems like we’ll have to accept that there won’t be one. Even then, if get any confirmed news regarding ‘Wolf’s Rain’ season 2 release date or maybe even a reboot, we’ll surely update it here in this section. Till then, you should certainly check out the shows on our list of similar fantasy anime.
Wolf’s Rain English Dub:
The English Dub of ‘Wolf’s Rain’ is available on Funimation.
Wolf’s Rain Plot:
‘Wolf’s Rain’ is set in a utopian world where the remaining humans rely on an old legend with their last lot bits of hope. The legend says that a gateway to paradise will open up on the day the world ends. But adding to this, the legend also says that only wolves carry the key to this hidden paradise. It is believed that wolves are now extinct but no one really knows that they still exist amongst the humans by merely disguising themselves.
Meanwhile, a lone wolf named Kiba is drawn to the wonderful fragrance of the Lunar Flowers. As he begins to follow this scent, he meets three other wolves who are drawn to the same. Together, all of them set out on a journey to find the flowers that hold the key to liberate their world. But little do they know that there are other sinister forces out there who will do anything to misuse the power of the flowers. The wolves must race against time and somehow reach these flowers before any evil forces are able to lay their hands on them.
Wolf’s Rain Characters:
Cheza
Cheza is unlike any other humans on the planet as she was artificially created from a Lunar Flower. She awakens from her deep suspended state of animation after she smells wolf blood spilled from a fight between Tsume and Kiba. She is later taken away by the wolves and soon develops a special bond with them. She discovers that apart from being the key to Paradise, she also has the ability to heal the wolves. This is when the wolves form packs to protect her with all of their strength.
Hige
Hige is a wolf who disguises himself as a human to survive in human communities. Compared to the other wolves, he easily learns how to function properly in human society. He has a strong sense of smell and is also quite the ladies’ man who’s always looking for a nice new girl. His name translates to “Beard” in Japanese. In his human appearance, Hige is a good looking guy with short brown hair and hazel eyes. He also sports a dog collar around his throat which is later revealed to be a transmitter. Many of his traits suggest that he is a Himalayan wolf.
Kiba
Kiba is pretty much the leader of the wolf pack who is drawn towards paradise after being able to smell the Lunar flower. He has had a very rough past where his pack and his entire family was slaughtered by Jagara’s troops. There were all killed by a brutal fire and he was then raised by a native who explained it told him that he has a deep purpose in life. It was this native who planted the idea of finding paradise and since then, Kiba has been trying to look for it. Kiba hates humans and is never able to trust them again after the events of his childhood. He takes his human form only when it’s necessary. In Japanese, his name translates to “Fang”.
Toboe
Toboe is the youngest member of the pack who was raised by an elderly woman. After her death, Toboe was left shattered and unlike others in the pack, he has always shared a special bond with humans. Toboe always looks up to Tsume as a leader and even when the group decides to split up, he always chooses to follow him. His hearing abilities are far more superior than anyone else in the clan. Because of his relatively peaceful past, he seems to be the most innocent one in the group.
Tsume
Tsume is a tough wolf who depends on nobody. He was once a part of a pack but later all of his friends were killed in a brutal attack by the Jagara troop. During this attack, instead of fighting back, he chose to flee away from his group. Because of this, he was later disowned by his own clan and the leader even gave him a huge X-shaped scar on his chest. Since then, he has been full of shame and has never tried to associate himself with other packs. After Kiba, he seems to be the strongest fighter in the group and is also quite intelligent.
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