Wolf Children redefined my love of anime. Mamoru Hosoda is an incredible director, and from the first beat, I was hooked. His storytelling is so effortlessly human, his pacing so precise, that every scene is captivating. The art blooms with quiet beauty, the music swells with emotion, and together they paint a masterpiece as moving as any live-action counterpart. It’s an incredible piece of cinema—animated or otherwise.

While in Tokyo during her second year of college, Hana met a man unlike any she had ever known before—beautiful, enigmatic, kind, and carrying a secret that would change her life forever. He was a wolf man, the last of his kind. Instead of running, Hana fell head over heels in love with him, and before long, two children were born: Yuki, named for the winter snow, and Ame, named for the rain that fell on the day he was born.

Their happiness, however, was short-lived. Not long after Ame’s birth, tragedy struck, and the wolf man was killed while hunting for food.

Left alone to raise children who could shift between human and wolf at will, Hana faced challenges far beyond anything she could have imagined—and with no one left to guide her. So she packed up their lives and moved to a crumbling house in the countryside, far from the prying eyes and dangerous traps of the city.

At its heart, Wolf Children is a coming-of-age story—not just for the children, but for their mother as well.

Released in the summer of 2012, Wolf Children roared into theaters, earning $55 million at the box office. On its opening weekend in Japan, it claimed the number two spot nationwide—outpacing Disney/Pixar’s Brave in its debut.

I first discovered the film on a trip to Amoeba Music in Hollywood and loved it so much that I rushed out to get all the Mamoru Hosoda titles released at the time. Now, thanks to GKIDS, I get to relive the magic of the film again with the release of a brand-new limited edition Steelbook.

Following in the footsteps of the previously released Steelbook editions of BELLE and Summer Wars, Wolf Childrenarrives in a design that is simple yet stunning—featuring the original promotional artwork of Hana cradling Yuki and Ame in an open field, bathed in soft sunlight. It’s a perfect distillation of the film’s heart: a story of love, resilience, and the unshakable bond between a mother and her two children before fate leads all three of them down very different paths.

Clocking in at one hour and fifty-seven minutes, the film is presented in both a crystal-clear 1080p Blu-ray edition and a breathtaking 4K UHD transfer. Audio options include an English language track (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1) as well as the original Japanese (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1).

Bonus features round out the package, offering fans a deeper look into the film’s creation:

  • Making-of Featurette
  • Stage Greetings
  • Director’s Cut Trailers
  • Teasers & Theatrical Trailers

With an MPAA PG rating, parental guidance is suggested for moments of heart-wrenching sadness and themes that may be a bit complex for younger viewers. But make no mistake—this is not just another animated family feature; it’s one of the most beautiful ever crafted.

You can order the limited edition steelbook through Amazon with other editions also available on the official GKids store.  

The next release from the Mamoru Hosoda will be The Girl Who Leapt Through Time on 23 September. 

There will be more anime reviews soon so… 

Stay Tuned!