Happy Mother’s Day! Why not celebrate with a film? There are plenty of memorable movies about moms, but in my opinion, none of them paints as complete a picture as Mamoru Hosoda’s Wolf Children.
We experience all of the joys and sorrows of parenthood as our protagonist struggles to raise her young son and daughter following the tragic death of her husband, from her pride as they grow up and discover themselves… to her pain and heartache as they gradually develop interests that don’t include her.
Sure, in this case, her kids are werewolves, and a major part of their maturation process involves deciding whether they want to live as humans or embrace their animal instincts, but her desire to guide them along their chosen paths (as well as her reluctance to let them go once they no longer require that guidance) transcends these fairytale trappings. It’s a powerful allegory, well worth watching even if you’re not usually a fan of anime.
[Originally written Mother's Day, May 13, 2018.]
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