Wolf's Rain

Publisher
Bandai
Director
Tensai Okamura
Production
Bandai, BONES, Fuji TV
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Series
Running time
30 episodes
Year
2003

Wolf's Rain Volume 5

By Joseph (Joe) Wood
10th Mar 06

Looking at the fifth volume of Wolf’s Rain in my hands before I put the disc in to watch it I prayed that it would make up for the upsetting previous volume. Making my initial feelings about this series, that it could turn out to be a big hit, a reality…

Volume five of Wolf’s Rain contains five episodes…the first two however ever are another set of review episodes! Episode seventeen follows Hige’s recollection of events, how he met Kiba and the others, when the wolves encountered Cheza and also Blue. Episode 18 sees Hubb re-tell his search for his ex-wife Cher, and his journey with Quint, in fact this episode shows the final moments of the episode before the review episodes began. So it’s all fresh in our minds what has just taken place when we rejoin the story.

Having barely escaped from Darcia’s keep alive, Tsume, Toboe and Hige search for Kiba. They come across a tribe of Indians who believe that humans are descants from wolves and help in the search. Kiba meanwhile wakes in a place where his desire to be free is met, and here he encounters a beautiful girl who begs him to stay in “paradise”. Kiba is forced to make a decision between returning to his friends or staying where he is. Meanwhile Jaguara’s troops transport Cheza, Cher, Hubb and Blue to Jaguar’s keep, but when they begin to fight they attempt to escape Jaguara’s clutches.

Now four review episodes in a row are too many…and that’s all on that subject, after all more than enough was said on this matter in the review for the previous volume. The remaining episodes don’t really add much more in terms of plot, at the end of the last episode on this disc, things still pretty much stand in the same position that they were before the review episodes began. There is a fair amount of characterization though, we begin to see more of Kiba’s nature, something that hasn’t been dwelled on too much in previous volumes. Toboe’s love for humans and past is also dealt upon briefly and it’s difficult not to feel for the young wolf, when seeing his emotions expressed so openly.

Again visually the show is impressive and the music is fantastic. I just can’t seem to shake the feeling that the series has a great deal to offer in the next few volumes, despite that fact that this, and the previous, volume and this one have been disappointing. It’s difficult to tell where the series is going what with so many points having not been addressed yet, such as why Jagura seems to be such an important figure to the story (yet having barely seen or heard anything about her).

The series all hinges on it’s next couple of volumes, so far there has been a lot of promise with the but not much deliverance.

R2 DVD Notes

Features: English/French/Japanese Audio Tracks, English/French/Polish/Dutch Subtitles, Trailers, Leaflet , Production Sketches.

Release information: Publisher: Beez Released: March 13th 2006 Classification: 12 Running Time: 125mins

Notes: There isn't really much in the way of extras on this disc. Shame as it could really use some to make up for the review episodes.

-- Joseph (Joe) Wood 10th Mar 06

Wolf's Rain Images