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Wolf's Rain #1
Wolf's Rain, Vol. 1
Four Wolves on the Road to Paradise
Humans thought the wolves died off two centuries ago in this bleak post-apocalyptic wasteland. But some survivors lurk among the humans by mentally cloaking their animal bodies. One white wolf, Kiba, scours the land for the scent of the Lunar Flower that will lead them all to Paradise...
Humans thought the wolves died off two centuries ago in this bleak post-apocalyptic wasteland. But some survivors lurk among the humans by mentally cloaking their animal bodies. One white wolf, Kiba, scours the land for the scent of the Lunar Flower that will lead them all to Paradise...
184 pages, Paperback
First published November 5, 2003
About the author
BONES
41 books40 followersBONES is primarily an animation studio which has also written (under the studio name) manga tie-ins for their movies and games.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
November 5, 2008
I really want to write this to Tsume:
Dear Tsume,
I like your character. But I heavily dislike your look. Your clothes are awful. Thank you.
Dear Tsume,
I like your character. But I heavily dislike your look. Your clothes are awful. Thank you.
November 10, 2015
Hey guys:DI am here to write the review on Wolf's Rain,one of the anime and manga legends in my opinion.I read the first volume -finally- and I have lots of things to tell you.
First of all,I have to admit that at first I was surprised how much the manga looks like the anime but as the story unfolded,for a strange reason,I realized that I didn't like it THAT much as the anime.Then,I changed my mind COMPLETELY and I realized that I liked the fact that it wasn't as complicated as the anime was.
The anime had so many characters and as a proud Otaku,I was struggling to learn all the names.The manga had its own awesome things and involved characters that don't appear in the anime -it happensXD- but yeah,I LOVED the manga.
My problem now is that I am confused.As I'm gonna pick up the next volume,which is the last one,I am afraid that I don't know how I want it to end.I'm like NO PLEASE DON'T END LIKE THE ANIME DID -not gonna give spoilers,I don't wanna break your heart- but then I am like YEAH BUT THE ANIME WAS LEGENDARY FOR SUCH AN ENDING.Huh I am so confused,somebody help me!
Anyways,I give this a 5 out of 5 stars 'cause I love the anime AND the manga.I highly recommend it but with a WARNING,you may commit suicide due to the ending
First of all,I have to admit that at first I was surprised how much the manga looks like the anime but as the story unfolded,for a strange reason,I realized that I didn't like it THAT much as the anime.Then,I changed my mind COMPLETELY and I realized that I liked the fact that it wasn't as complicated as the anime was.
The anime had so many characters and as a proud Otaku,I was struggling to learn all the names.The manga had its own awesome things and involved characters that don't appear in the anime -it happensXD- but yeah,I LOVED the manga.
My problem now is that I am confused.As I'm gonna pick up the next volume,which is the last one,I am afraid that I don't know how I want it to end.I'm like NO PLEASE DON'T END LIKE THE ANIME DID -not gonna give spoilers,I don't wanna break your heart- but then I am like YEAH BUT THE ANIME WAS LEGENDARY FOR SUCH AN ENDING.Huh I am so confused,somebody help me!
Anyways,I give this a 5 out of 5 stars 'cause I love the anime AND the manga.I highly recommend it but with a WARNING,you may commit suicide due to the ending
January 30, 2022
This isn't a bad series by any means, it just happens to be a not-so-good adaptation of an anime. Most series that start off as anime don't translate well when they're adapted as a manga, Code Geass, Samurai Champloo and Cowboy Bebop are great examples of this. The reverse is also true. Most manga doesn't translate well to anime unless they're backed by massive budgets and happy workers.
The story is interesting and the anime is very cool, but the manga doesn't do the story justice at all in my opinion. It cuts out crucial scenes, character development and world building which is already complex and hard to follow as it is.
***
Here's the official synopsis for anyone interested: Humans thought the wolves died off two centuries ago in this bleak post-apocalyptic wasteland. But some survivors lurk among the humans by mentally cloaking their animal bodies. One white wolf, Kiba, scours the land for the scent of the Lunar Flower that will lead them all to Paradise.
The story is interesting and the anime is very cool, but the manga doesn't do the story justice at all in my opinion. It cuts out crucial scenes, character development and world building which is already complex and hard to follow as it is.
***
Here's the official synopsis for anyone interested: Humans thought the wolves died off two centuries ago in this bleak post-apocalyptic wasteland. But some survivors lurk among the humans by mentally cloaking their animal bodies. One white wolf, Kiba, scours the land for the scent of the Lunar Flower that will lead them all to Paradise.
August 4, 2011
The short manga version of BONES' Wolf's Rain is an impressive graphic novel. It takes some of the most complex characterization and condenses it into two volumes. The first volume, however, gets stuck on set-up, and the story isn't very compelling yet. You get whiffs of the amazing story to follow once the wolves get on their journey, but until then all you see are angsty loners meeting up for the first time.
Paradoxically, this first manga is, of course, essential to reading the second book ... and with it being a two volume series, this is great to just pick up and tear through.
If you are looking for the anime here, you won't find it. The story is completely different (similar to FLCL and its own two-manga adaptation), but that gives a reason for the fans of the show to pick up the manga, I find. Naturally, as a fan of both, I highly recommend giving the anime a watch after reading the manga (or vice versa, as the case may be).
Paradoxically, this first manga is, of course, essential to reading the second book ... and with it being a two volume series, this is great to just pick up and tear through.
If you are looking for the anime here, you won't find it. The story is completely different (similar to FLCL and its own two-manga adaptation), but that gives a reason for the fans of the show to pick up the manga, I find. Naturally, as a fan of both, I highly recommend giving the anime a watch after reading the manga (or vice versa, as the case may be).
April 28, 2020
Not much of a manga reader, but this was one of my husband's favorites when he was a kid, so I wanted to give it a go. It didn't do much for me as an adult, but I do think I would have liked it as a kid. A bunch of anthropomorphized animals on a journey seeking some sort of paradise was a weirdly fertile narrative structure for me as a kid and I think I would have really loved these over-dramatic and Very Serious wolves on a quest.
But they really lost me with the Lunar Flower girl thing. Not really sure where she fits in and also not super interested? I do kinda wish we coulda just had some grumpy shape-shifters on a post-apocalypse quest, but hey, what do I know? I'm really not the best audience for this.
But they really lost me with the Lunar Flower girl thing. Not really sure where she fits in and also not super interested? I do kinda wish we coulda just had some grumpy shape-shifters on a post-apocalypse quest, but hey, what do I know? I'm really not the best audience for this.
September 26, 2017
A journey in search of a paradise that doesn't even exist? How pathetic.
In a barren, suggestively post-apocalyptic landscape, street gangs scrounge for food, robbing supply trucks to stay alive.
Wolves, (that's with a capital W) animal-human shifters that once walked the land, were thought to have gone extinct two-hundred years ago.
Until, that is, a lone grey wolf is spotted and shot by a man with a dog that, he claims, can sniff out Wolves' blood.
The scientists monitoring the 'lunar flower', (don't be a Humperdinck, we'll get there!) who confiscated the injured wolf, think the old man is a crazy drunk.
And then...
Rescued by a friendly comrade in lupineism and easily smuggled out of the underground bunker, the grey wolf, Kiba, seems to be a magnet for fellow Wolves, as before day's end, he, his rescuer Hige, gruff, human-masquerading gangleader Tsume, and resident kiddo-in-distress Toboe have all formed a pack, of sorts.
As for why Kiba was drawn to the city in his wolf-form in the first place...
"It's heading towards the scent of the lunar flower."
The lunar flower, not a blossom but a strange, comatose girl suspended in the Core, the heart of the city, has the scent of 'paradise', a safe haven (Kiba thinks) for Wolves.
But the pack is immediately under fire, as the lunar flower is kidnapped after awaking at their presence, and a terrifying, alien figure in black absconds with her.
In their journey across a frozen wasteland, the newly-formed pack is met with enemies both human and environmental, and, in the end, the lunar flower could be nothing but a myth.
OUTSIDERS GO HOME.
Huh.
Well that was fun.
It's an emo story; "People don't like us because we're different. " *bang toss*, but it was written well. The pace of the action was good, and the scenes where nothing really happened were
gently entertaining.
I liked all the characters, and they all had a part and personalities that didn't rely on tropes.
I especially like Toboe. I must protect the cute!
Art specs
So.
We have a cast full of gorgeous boys who look like, in order; a background character from JoJo's, a Jim Hawking clone, a Digimon character sheet knockoff, and a Yu-Gi-Oh! OC the likes of which Fanfiction.Net has never seen.
In all seriousness, Wolf's Rain vol. 1 is an extremely visually pleasing manga, especially if you're an anime fan.
I actually didn't know this was ani-manga (a graphic novel based on an animated series, when it's usually the reverse) when I bought it, but the artist who adapted it for manga, Toshitsuga Iida, did a great job.
I can vaguely remember watching Wolf's Rain when it ran on Toonami back in the early 2000's, but I remember nothing about the show itself. Toonami ran nightly back then and I was always more into InuYasha (leave me alone, I was five! I abandoned the series at thirteen like a normal person).
Might be something to revisit after I read the second volume of the manga.
Overall, Wolf's Rain is an entertaining manga with great characters. Delightful break from what I was reading.
Definitely recommended for the Toonami Faithful.
In a barren, suggestively post-apocalyptic landscape, street gangs scrounge for food, robbing supply trucks to stay alive.
Wolves, (that's with a capital W) animal-human shifters that once walked the land, were thought to have gone extinct two-hundred years ago.
Until, that is, a lone grey wolf is spotted and shot by a man with a dog that, he claims, can sniff out Wolves' blood.
The scientists monitoring the 'lunar flower', (don't be a Humperdinck, we'll get there!) who confiscated the injured wolf, think the old man is a crazy drunk.
And then...
Rescued by a friendly comrade in lupineism and easily smuggled out of the underground bunker, the grey wolf, Kiba, seems to be a magnet for fellow Wolves, as before day's end, he, his rescuer Hige, gruff, human-masquerading gangleader Tsume, and resident kiddo-in-distress Toboe have all formed a pack, of sorts.
As for why Kiba was drawn to the city in his wolf-form in the first place...
"It's heading towards the scent of the lunar flower."
The lunar flower, not a blossom but a strange, comatose girl suspended in the Core, the heart of the city, has the scent of 'paradise', a safe haven (Kiba thinks) for Wolves.
But the pack is immediately under fire, as the lunar flower is kidnapped after awaking at their presence, and a terrifying, alien figure in black absconds with her.
In their journey across a frozen wasteland, the newly-formed pack is met with enemies both human and environmental, and, in the end, the lunar flower could be nothing but a myth.
OUTSIDERS GO HOME.
Huh.
Well that was fun.
It's an emo story; "People don't like us because we're different. " *bang toss*, but it was written well. The pace of the action was good, and the scenes where nothing really happened were
gently entertaining.
I liked all the characters, and they all had a part and personalities that didn't rely on tropes.
I especially like Toboe. I must protect the cute!
Art specs
So.
We have a cast full of gorgeous boys who look like, in order; a background character from JoJo's, a Jim Hawking clone, a Digimon character sheet knockoff, and a Yu-Gi-Oh! OC the likes of which Fanfiction.Net has never seen.
In all seriousness, Wolf's Rain vol. 1 is an extremely visually pleasing manga, especially if you're an anime fan.
I actually didn't know this was ani-manga (a graphic novel based on an animated series, when it's usually the reverse) when I bought it, but the artist who adapted it for manga, Toshitsuga Iida, did a great job.
I can vaguely remember watching Wolf's Rain when it ran on Toonami back in the early 2000's, but I remember nothing about the show itself. Toonami ran nightly back then and I was always more into InuYasha (leave me alone, I was five! I abandoned the series at thirteen like a normal person).
Might be something to revisit after I read the second volume of the manga.
Overall, Wolf's Rain is an entertaining manga with great characters. Delightful break from what I was reading.
Definitely recommended for the Toonami Faithful.
October 30, 2018
Wolf's Rain je jedno z nejkrásnějších a nejsmutnějších anime, které jsem kdy viděla. A manga je stejně nádherná. Polština mi tu až takové problémy nedělala a četlo se to celkem v pohodě. Jen nemůžu překousnout ta přeložená jména hlavních hrdinů - z chudáka Tsumeho je Pazúr :( Doporučuju!
4/5*
4/5*
March 18, 2021
⭐️3,5 stars⭐️
It was about time I pop up my Anime cherry as I'm not really a manga fan and never thought about reading or watching one. The fact that I was in the mood for some werewolf time and was too lazy to pick up a book made Wolf's Rain, Vol. 1 a good choice. And let me tell you guys that this was a hell of an enjoyable ride.
It was about time I pop up my Anime cherry as I'm not really a manga fan and never thought about reading or watching one. The fact that I was in the mood for some werewolf time and was too lazy to pick up a book made Wolf's Rain, Vol. 1 a good choice. And let me tell you guys that this was a hell of an enjoyable ride.
February 17, 2018
All time furry manga favourite!
July 26, 2018
Kind of odd that this entire story is being condensed into only two volumes. It moves quickly, but we do get a sense of everyone's personalities and goals. Kind of a shame it's so rushed though.
February 20, 2021
i liked it, but the story is confusing and complex. idk.
November 8, 2017
Kami yang sesaat terpisah....bertemu kembali di sini
Yang ada dalam pikiran kami, mereka jauh dari apa yang disebut teman
Tapi meski langit jatuh sekalipun....
Meski dewa kehilangan jejak kakinya....
Bila itu bisa memberi suatu kepercayaan
Akan ada sesuatu yang sama yang menunggu di ujung sana
Dari jejak kaki yang kami langkahkan.
(volume 1-2 tamat)
Cerita empat ekor manusia serigala (lebih tepatnya, serigala manusia) yang melakukan perjalanan menuju 'rakuen' dengan ditemani gadis bunga yang sebenarnya nggak mirip bunga, om-om kurang kerjaan yang hobi nembak-nembakin serigala, dan mas-mas bertopeng dengan Rencana Besar & Masa Lalu Kelam.
Oke, bohong kalau saya bilang saya 100% paham plot komik ini. Sepanjang baca, banyak pertanyaan sejenis: ini siapa, dari mana, dan mau ke mana? Ini kenapa bisa terjadi?? Ini ending maksudnya apa??? Begitulah seterusnya, terutama di volume kedua saat pergerakan plot dan karakternya terasa begitu semrawut.
Namun, saya juga bohong kalau bilang Wolf's Rain tidak meninggalkan kesan mendalam.
Gambar dan desain karakternya terlihat elok, sementara sajak monolog yang seringkali muncul menghadirkan nuansa sendu dan filosofis. Ada keindahan dalam perjalanan para tokoh serigala di sini, meski dengan latar dunia yang abstrak dan pace yang terlalu cepat. Walau mungkin tidak jadi satu kesatuan yang sempurna, ada kepingan-kepingan momen yang terasa 'menggigit'; adegan Cheza yang 'turun dari langit' menemui para serigala dalam wujud manusia, sub-plot Toboe dan Tia, dan berbagai momen visual lainnya yang sangat apik ditampilkan oleh Toshitsugu Iida.
Mungkin karena ini komik 2 volume yang diadaptasi dari anime sepanjang 30 episode, terasa ada banyak 'pemadatan' dan tokoh-tokoh yang kurang tergali. Bagaimanapun, selepas baca endingnya pun, saya tidak merasa menyesal sudah membeli komik ini (dan saya jelas akan berusaha cari animenya untuk ditonton). Sepertinya, saya sudah terpesona dengan konsep rakuen di Wolf's Rain, pencarian surga/rumah/tempat tujuan yang entah benar-benar ada atau tidak. Suatu kenangan akan tempat yang telah hilang, perjalanan tiada akhir, dan suara yang memanggil untuk pulang....
Yang ada dalam pikiran kami, mereka jauh dari apa yang disebut teman
Tapi meski langit jatuh sekalipun....
Meski dewa kehilangan jejak kakinya....
Bila itu bisa memberi suatu kepercayaan
Akan ada sesuatu yang sama yang menunggu di ujung sana
Dari jejak kaki yang kami langkahkan.
(volume 1-2 tamat)
Cerita empat ekor manusia serigala (lebih tepatnya, serigala manusia) yang melakukan perjalanan menuju 'rakuen' dengan ditemani gadis bunga yang sebenarnya nggak mirip bunga, om-om kurang kerjaan yang hobi nembak-nembakin serigala, dan mas-mas bertopeng dengan Rencana Besar & Masa Lalu Kelam.
Oke, bohong kalau saya bilang saya 100% paham plot komik ini. Sepanjang baca, banyak pertanyaan sejenis: ini siapa, dari mana, dan mau ke mana? Ini kenapa bisa terjadi?? Ini ending maksudnya apa??? Begitulah seterusnya, terutama di volume kedua saat pergerakan plot dan karakternya terasa begitu semrawut.
Namun, saya juga bohong kalau bilang Wolf's Rain tidak meninggalkan kesan mendalam.
Gambar dan desain karakternya terlihat elok, sementara sajak monolog yang seringkali muncul menghadirkan nuansa sendu dan filosofis. Ada keindahan dalam perjalanan para tokoh serigala di sini, meski dengan latar dunia yang abstrak dan pace yang terlalu cepat. Walau mungkin tidak jadi satu kesatuan yang sempurna, ada kepingan-kepingan momen yang terasa 'menggigit'; adegan Cheza yang 'turun dari langit' menemui para serigala dalam wujud manusia, sub-plot Toboe dan Tia, dan berbagai momen visual lainnya yang sangat apik ditampilkan oleh Toshitsugu Iida.
Mungkin karena ini komik 2 volume yang diadaptasi dari anime sepanjang 30 episode, terasa ada banyak 'pemadatan' dan tokoh-tokoh yang kurang tergali. Bagaimanapun, selepas baca endingnya pun, saya tidak merasa menyesal sudah membeli komik ini (dan saya jelas akan berusaha cari animenya untuk ditonton). Sepertinya, saya sudah terpesona dengan konsep rakuen di Wolf's Rain, pencarian surga/rumah/tempat tujuan yang entah benar-benar ada atau tidak. Suatu kenangan akan tempat yang telah hilang, perjalanan tiada akhir, dan suara yang memanggil untuk pulang....
October 30, 2023
I'm confused.
The pacing is so off, and apart from some particular unique looking characters (mostly because of their clothes), every other character (especially the non-wolves) looks the same. The POV also switches back and forth with no transitions whatsoever.
It's not necessarily bad, I'm just confused.
I guess the authors expected only those, who watched the anime, to read this? 'Cause it feels like a bonus story to the anime, rather than the anime retold in manga form.
-29.10.23
The pacing is so off, and apart from some particular unique looking characters (mostly because of their clothes), every other character (especially the non-wolves) looks the same. The POV also switches back and forth with no transitions whatsoever.
It's not necessarily bad, I'm just confused.
I guess the authors expected only those, who watched the anime, to read this? 'Cause it feels like a bonus story to the anime, rather than the anime retold in manga form.
-29.10.23
May 9, 2022
Was always obsessed with the anime so of course I’m in love with this
September 26, 2023
The show is so much better
November 1, 2023
About time I read this, watched the anime when it first premiered—years and years ago lol
May 30, 2012
Stuff I Read – Wolf’s Rain Vol 1
After a lot of the manga I have been reading lately (Chi’s Sweet Home, Neko Ramen, and Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service), it’s a little odd to come to a manga that is much more, for lack of a better work, typically manga. Not to say it is unpleasant or unoriginal, but it keeps a bit more toward the more traditional manga action format. I mean, it is interesting in that it is an intriguing world and the wolves are neat and such, but it acts more like a manga. The main characters are all mysterious and obviously supposed to be cool. The villains are equally mysterious and drawn to be villainous. It’s not that these aspects of the manga fail or fall short, it’s just that they are common with a lot of other manga. This is more obviously something that was made to appeal to the greater manga and anime consuming public. The characters just seem a bit…flatter than normal (and no, that is not just because they are all guys). They just lack most of the vibrancy of some of the characters from more odd manga. They are a bit more cliché as characters.
But the manga starts out promisingly enough. It starts with a load of questions and odd characters and concepts. Apparently wolves have been thought dead for four hundred years, and have powers to change form and jump really high and heal fast and things like that. A number of wolves (four, to be precise) have been drawn to a city looking for something called the Lunar Flower, which seems to be some strange girl that is being held in a research facility. No real clue what for or what is up with the research facility, but the wolves are doing their own things and eventually find each other and team up and are pursued by the military or something like that. There is also a weird, drunk man who can sense them that is chasing them and seems to have a vendetta against them. Then the girl is stolen by a very odd looking man who is a noble (whatever that means) who takes her away in an airship. The wolves follow her, arrive in a xenophobic village that tries to kill them, then the noble shows up and starts blowing shit up before getting attacked by something and the girl falls from his ship and the volume ends with the wolves about to meet her. I think.
Really, the story here is pretty hard to follow. I’m hoping that they just wanted to start out that way and they will slowly reveal what the hell is going on. I mean, I understand that. I’ve run enough campaigns like that to know that it can work but can get really confusing for everyone involved. And that is the case here. Not too much in this volume makes a lot of sense. Things happen and so far I can’t figure out what the significance is for most of it. I know that the wolves are looking for a place called Paradise. I know that there is the loner wolf, the easy-going wolf, the inexperienced and naïve wolf, and the determined wolf. The group dynamic isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but it works well. And I guess that just about sums up the series as a whole. I like it. I like wolves. And this is a wolf manga. But it is exactly what I would expect from a wolf manga. So far there have been no real surprises or deviations from norm. Perhaps that will change as the manga continues, but for now it’s just sort of meh.
And at the end of the day I tend to want something more, something weird and quirky and fun. I want my manga to challenge something, to say something, or to do something new. This manga might be trying to say something, but within this one volume it doesn’t really do that. It just sets the stage and confuses the hell out of me. It does it in an effective way. The volume is mechanically sound, but I’m waiting for something more to really get into it. So far, this volume gets a 6.75/10.
After a lot of the manga I have been reading lately (Chi’s Sweet Home, Neko Ramen, and Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service), it’s a little odd to come to a manga that is much more, for lack of a better work, typically manga. Not to say it is unpleasant or unoriginal, but it keeps a bit more toward the more traditional manga action format. I mean, it is interesting in that it is an intriguing world and the wolves are neat and such, but it acts more like a manga. The main characters are all mysterious and obviously supposed to be cool. The villains are equally mysterious and drawn to be villainous. It’s not that these aspects of the manga fail or fall short, it’s just that they are common with a lot of other manga. This is more obviously something that was made to appeal to the greater manga and anime consuming public. The characters just seem a bit…flatter than normal (and no, that is not just because they are all guys). They just lack most of the vibrancy of some of the characters from more odd manga. They are a bit more cliché as characters.
But the manga starts out promisingly enough. It starts with a load of questions and odd characters and concepts. Apparently wolves have been thought dead for four hundred years, and have powers to change form and jump really high and heal fast and things like that. A number of wolves (four, to be precise) have been drawn to a city looking for something called the Lunar Flower, which seems to be some strange girl that is being held in a research facility. No real clue what for or what is up with the research facility, but the wolves are doing their own things and eventually find each other and team up and are pursued by the military or something like that. There is also a weird, drunk man who can sense them that is chasing them and seems to have a vendetta against them. Then the girl is stolen by a very odd looking man who is a noble (whatever that means) who takes her away in an airship. The wolves follow her, arrive in a xenophobic village that tries to kill them, then the noble shows up and starts blowing shit up before getting attacked by something and the girl falls from his ship and the volume ends with the wolves about to meet her. I think.
Really, the story here is pretty hard to follow. I’m hoping that they just wanted to start out that way and they will slowly reveal what the hell is going on. I mean, I understand that. I’ve run enough campaigns like that to know that it can work but can get really confusing for everyone involved. And that is the case here. Not too much in this volume makes a lot of sense. Things happen and so far I can’t figure out what the significance is for most of it. I know that the wolves are looking for a place called Paradise. I know that there is the loner wolf, the easy-going wolf, the inexperienced and naïve wolf, and the determined wolf. The group dynamic isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but it works well. And I guess that just about sums up the series as a whole. I like it. I like wolves. And this is a wolf manga. But it is exactly what I would expect from a wolf manga. So far there have been no real surprises or deviations from norm. Perhaps that will change as the manga continues, but for now it’s just sort of meh.
And at the end of the day I tend to want something more, something weird and quirky and fun. I want my manga to challenge something, to say something, or to do something new. This manga might be trying to say something, but within this one volume it doesn’t really do that. It just sets the stage and confuses the hell out of me. It does it in an effective way. The volume is mechanically sound, but I’m waiting for something more to really get into it. So far, this volume gets a 6.75/10.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2018
[REVIEW FOR THE SERIES...]
Wolf's Rain (Vol. 1 & 2)
Anyone who loves manga (and/or manwha, manhua) surely has that special piece of work, the one that first sparked their interest in it, lurking in the back of their minds. It's there, inspiring one to seek out other series, to catch up on newer animes. I've read a good many mangas, enjoyed quite a few series, but there was a beginning...
For me, it was Wolf's Rain. I remember seeing the artwork, the dazzling images that seemed to make the pages breathe. Even in black and white, it captivated me, everything about it really. I remember the emotions it conjured from me. I still adore this manga; art style, storyline, and all characters included. There is something hauntingly nostalgic about these books, though I can't quite pin it. Perhaps it's the concept of Paradise always being out of reach or the grim cruelty of reality that gives this manga a grittier edge. At the same time, there an undeniable softness to it, making it more tragic than it is brutal. For me, it was my "first love" in the genre, or so to speak. It was the one that started it all. To this day I have such an intense love and appreciation for Japanese comics and animation (to say the very least of culture, history, and tradition). This series, although far too short, was really such a unique read. I highly recommend it.
"Everyone's gonna die. It's a natural part of life. But if life has no purpose you're dead already."
-Kiba
Wolf's Rain takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, where four "wolves" who survive by cloaking their true forms in order to remain hidden, find each other coincidentally and eventually unite with one common purpose, to find Paradise. In this world, more a wasteland than anything else, wolves have been extinct for a number of centuries and Paradise is but a legend to them. Kiba, the white wolf; a strong noble character, who is also a loner soon meets Toboe, Hige, and Tsume. The four, after getting past initial differences, soon become allies to follow the scent of Cheza, also know as the Lunar Flower. There is one problem though and that is Darcia, the villain that ever threatens the survival of the pack. Darcia captures the lovely yet frail Cheza, where he is presumably preforming tests on her and attempting to open Paradise for himself. In order to rescue Cheza, the wolves must go up against the menacing grim-faced, Darcia. Action, drama, and adventure ensues, though again, I warn you... the series is short... two books short.
Anyways, give it a shot if you haven't, especially if you love manga, and if a post-apocalyptic/dystopian, highly artistic story about lone wolves sounds to be right up your alley. It really is a strange, lush, and creative manga, and in my opinion well worth the read.
[OFFICIAL RATING: 5 STARS]
September 26, 2008
A white wolf named Kiba who can turn himself into a human is trying to find a place called paradise. He met a few friends in a city named Toboe, Hige, and Tsume who are also wolves and can transform into humans. Kiba saw a flower maiden named Cheza who could lead him to paradise, but she is captured by a noble named Darcia. Kiba and his friends traveled out of the city to find Cheza and paradise.
The theme of this manga is don't give up on what you are looking for and keep going, then you will find that very thing.
This book reminds me of a show called Ginga Densetsu Weed aka GDW. The similarities are that they are canines, travel from place to place, saving someone important from an evil being, and something to do with paradise. The differences about Wolf's Rain and Ginga Densetsu Weed are that the dogs from GDW can't transform into humans and the wolves from WR can. The dogs fight an evil dog and the wolves fight a human who turned himself into a wolf.
I really like because the story was good, the drawings of the characters and environments were great. I love wolves and this is the first manga that has wolves.
The theme of this manga is don't give up on what you are looking for and keep going, then you will find that very thing.
This book reminds me of a show called Ginga Densetsu Weed aka GDW. The similarities are that they are canines, travel from place to place, saving someone important from an evil being, and something to do with paradise. The differences about Wolf's Rain and Ginga Densetsu Weed are that the dogs from GDW can't transform into humans and the wolves from WR can. The dogs fight an evil dog and the wolves fight a human who turned himself into a wolf.
I really like because the story was good, the drawings of the characters and environments were great. I love wolves and this is the first manga that has wolves.
September 19, 2015
I thought Wolf's Rain was a little weird. The story seemed interesting enough, but I also felt like I was missing something. It, apparently, is an anime, and the manga is based on it. I wonder if that's why I have these feelings of missing something. You definitely have to take the world as it is, because you don't really get the how's or why's- it just is. I really like the the story, and the art is okay. It was a little blurry, particularly at the beginning, and I'm not sure if the copy I have is just weird, or if, for whatever reason, that part is just blurry. It is kind of entertaining, and the characters did seem to have an interesting relationship, but I don't think I'm invested in the story or characters enough to read the second volume. As a story, why they were trying to find paradise didn't make a lot of sense to me, which is a little disappointing because I thought the story itself was a really interesting idea.
My Rating: 2 stars. It was okay for me. I thought the artwork was fine, and while the overall idea was really interesting, I found it a little confusing.
My Rating: 2 stars. It was okay for me. I thought the artwork was fine, and while the overall idea was really interesting, I found it a little confusing.
June 4, 2016
*SPOILER FREE REVIEW*
This manga adaption of the anime series Wolf’s Rain by the renowned and innovated studio BONES is something I would only recommend to fans of the original anime. If you’d like to own a portable and well drawn version of the anime you’ll enjoy this manga. However, if you’ve never seen the Wolf’s Rain anime, I’d advise watching that first before reading the manga. As this adaptation is only two volumes it’s understandable that there is a lot of character development that was left out. I was a bit disappointed that the back story of my favorite character; Toboe, was omitted from this manga adaptation. I’m still very glad that I purchased and read this manga adaptation because I really enjoyed the artwork, especially the few color illustration pages.
I’ll certainly be writing more on how much the Wolf’s Rain series means to me when I start up a blog soon, follow my reviews here for updates on that.
+ JMJ +
This manga adaption of the anime series Wolf’s Rain by the renowned and innovated studio BONES is something I would only recommend to fans of the original anime. If you’d like to own a portable and well drawn version of the anime you’ll enjoy this manga. However, if you’ve never seen the Wolf’s Rain anime, I’d advise watching that first before reading the manga. As this adaptation is only two volumes it’s understandable that there is a lot of character development that was left out. I was a bit disappointed that the back story of my favorite character; Toboe, was omitted from this manga adaptation. I’m still very glad that I purchased and read this manga adaptation because I really enjoyed the artwork, especially the few color illustration pages.
I’ll certainly be writing more on how much the Wolf’s Rain series means to me when I start up a blog soon, follow my reviews here for updates on that.
+ JMJ +
November 21, 2020
It's been way too long since I watched the anime for this, and finding and reading this volume of the manga has made me sad-nostalgic for the anime. Not levels of human drainpipe sobbing kind of sad the way the anime just was a constant assault on the heart, but still sad. I really need to rewatch the series, and how!
For the curious, Wolf's Rain is a fairly beloved cult classic in anime circles, and I am here to tell you that yes, it is highly emotional and yes, I recommend you watch it. I don't think this manga is necessarily a bad sampler to start with if you're wanting to test the water before just plunging right in, but understand that this will not give you the full scope and depth of the story. You have got to watch the anime to understand. And trust me, it's worth it.
For the curious, Wolf's Rain is a fairly beloved cult classic in anime circles, and I am here to tell you that yes, it is highly emotional and yes, I recommend you watch it. I don't think this manga is necessarily a bad sampler to start with if you're wanting to test the water before just plunging right in, but understand that this will not give you the full scope and depth of the story. You have got to watch the anime to understand. And trust me, it's worth it.
January 17, 2016
This is the first manga that I ever read, given to me by a friend in early high school. I remember finding it fantastic. I guess after years of reading experience, I've realized - in retrospect - that this manga isn't really that good. Unless it's just me discarding the incredible fantasy of the whole story - nothing really has a "how" or "why" aspect to it. The reader is meant to take all the strange aspects of this world as they are - so some magical wolves can turn into people and there's a bad guy with peacock hair and a blind girl who is actually a flower and who can guide the wolves to paradise. Uh, what?
But it's hard to say I didn't like the manga. The art is okay - certainly not the best - and it's sort of entertaining. Plus I liked the cliffhanger (I'm a sucker for those if they're good). I always thought Darcia was kind of sexy. Guess I'll read the second one.
But it's hard to say I didn't like the manga. The art is okay - certainly not the best - and it's sort of entertaining. Plus I liked the cliffhanger (I'm a sucker for those if they're good). I always thought Darcia was kind of sexy. Guess I'll read the second one.
January 12, 2018
Wolf's Rain is about 4 teenagers who are around 15 years old. They can turn into wolves and they had to find paradise without being caught from humans because wolves haven't existent for a long time already, they have face challenges, keep Cheza the flower maid safe and meet another teen of their kind. Kiba is the main character and the one who started this mission of finding paradise for them and their kind, when Kiba turns into a wolf, he was white fur, very sharp teeth and have golden eyes. He is the leader and the one who orders the rest of the gang what to do, and no matter what he tries to protect especially Cheza from the humans and from their rival Darcia. My opinion of this manga is that the drawings and the details are amazing and the story line is amazing the plot the action, the author did a good job I really felt like I was part of the story
January 17, 2017
Wolf's Rain is an incredibly complex anime to be boiled down into a two-manga adaptation, but this one works surprisingly well. The first part of the story gets stuck in its teenage angst phase for a bit too long, but once you get past that and see the characters on their journey, the story really picks up.
This adaptation reminds me a lot of the FLCL adaptation where the same themes and characters are shuffled into a completely new story. As such, this is a great companion piece to the show, and worth checking out either before or after watching the show.
This adaptation reminds me a lot of the FLCL adaptation where the same themes and characters are shuffled into a completely new story. As such, this is a great companion piece to the show, and worth checking out either before or after watching the show.
December 17, 2010
This book I liked because in this book there is tons of action. In this book there are humans but they can turn into wolves. These wolves/humans are looking for a city that has paradise for wolves that where people can accept wolves instead of hate them. The humans are trying to kill the wolves because there wolves got instinct 200 years ago are then there wasnt any of them. But now there are five of them leftand they are trying to find paradise where people can accept them.
April 28, 2011
I've read in other reviews that the anime for Wolf's Rain is better than the 2-volume manga, and I suspect that's correct. It seemed like too much of a story to fit into just 2 volumes, and thus everything felt under-developed, a little confusing, and disconnected. I feel like I could have really liked the main characters and gotten into their struggles/quest, but I wasn't really given anything to "sink my teeth into" (all puns aside) with this short manga adaptation. :(
February 23, 2015
wolf's rain felt like a more natural flowing anime with fine spiritual/religious undertones. They end on a rather high note making the reader feel like it wasnt a total waste of time but theyd totes wanna read the next one.
would recommend for: dudes that like wolves, religion, 90s style anime designs and road trip/journey
its pretty good, i can see alot of kids loving the hell outta this aswell as adults
would recommend for: dudes that like wolves, religion, 90s style anime designs and road trip/journey
its pretty good, i can see alot of kids loving the hell outta this aswell as adults
June 14, 2021
I'd imagine the 20+ episode anime is a whole lot better, considering they had to jam that much story into just two volumes of manga. It takes place in an interesting dystopian world where wolves are all but extinct (mostly), and this could make for some really interesting backstory. Events felt rushed and the world building was basically nonexistent, but overall, I liked where the story was headed.
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