WOLF CHILDREN Press Notes

Source: NTV, Nippon Connection Official Site: ookamikodomo.jp (Japan), funimation.com/wolf-children (US) Additional Material: FUNimation, GKids Mamoru Hosoda is one of the top animation directors in the world today.

In THE GIRL WHO LEAPT THROUGH TIME (??????? Toki o Kakeru Shojo, 2006), he portrayed the coming of age of a female high school student with a supernatural power to leap through time. In SUMMER WARS (???????, Samaa Uozu, 2009), he used on his own experiences with his in-laws to depict the bond between a big extended family and a high school student who lives both in cyberspace and the real world. Hosoda`s long-awaited third film WOLF CHILDREN (???????????, Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki) was released in 2012. Its theme is "parent and child," the next step beyond the "coming of age" and "marriage" themes of his two previous films. The film reveals the meeting of the main character Hana and a "wolf man"... their love, marriage, childbirth, and child-rearing... the 13 years of their "wolf children`s" growth and development into independent individuals... WOLF CHILDREN is an epic about a mother and her children. WOLF CHILDREN is being distributed in North America by FUNimation Entertainment. STORY 19-year-old college student Hana notices a mysterious older man auditing one of her classes, and before long, the two begin dating. When she falls in love with him, he confesses that he is a descendant of an ancient tribe of wolfmen, who have the ability to alternate between human and wolf form. Hana does not bat an eye, and the two begin a lengthy romance.

Their love is consummated, and Hana gives birth to two babies. The older child, a girl, born on a wintery day is named Yuki for “snow,” and the younger child, a boy, born on a rainy day is named Ame for “rain.” These two small children exhibit the same furry tendencies as their father. To hide the fact that Yuki and Ame are “wolf children,” the family lives discreetly in a quiet corner of the city. Their life is simple but filled with joy. But one day, everything shatters. Their father, the “wolf man,” passes away. The tragedy leaves Hana alone to care, as best she can, for her two kids who behave more like pets than people. To live peacefully and happily with her two children, Hana makes a decision. She will take her children and move away from the crowded city to a small town in the countryside surrounded by nature. As young Yuki and Ame grow older, they must grapple with what they want to be: civilized human beings or the wild animals within. DIRECTOR: MAMORU HOSODA Mamoru Hosoda was born in Toyama prefecture, on September 19th, 1967. He joined Toei Animation in 1991. After working for several years as an animator, he shifted his career and started directing. In 2003, he directed the short SUPERFLAT MONOGRAM (moving images for Louis Vuitton). He joined MADHOUSE in 2006, and directed his first animation film THE GIRL WHO LEAPT THROUGH TIME, which received many awards, including the 30th Japan Academy Prize - Animation of the Year and 2008 International Animated Film Festival of Annecy - Feature Films: Special Distinction. In 2010, he directed SUMMER WARS which is a huge success around the world. In 2011 he launched his own studio, the Studio Chizu to create his new movie WOLF CHILDREN.

CREDITS Japanese Theatrical Release July 21st, 2012 Running time 117 min Screen Size 1:1.85

Cast Hanna: Aoi Miyazaki Ookami: Takao Osawa Ame: Amon Kabe Yuki: Momoka Oono M. Nirasaki: Bunta Sugawara Staff Director / Screenplay / Original Story: Mamoru Hosoda Screenplay: Satoko Okudera Character Design: Yoshiyuki Sadamoto Animation Director: Takaaki Yamashita Art Director: Hiroshi Ohno CG: Ryo Horibe Costumes Design: Daisuke Iga Colors: Osamu Mikasa Art Background: Anri Jojo Illustrations: Chie Morimoto Production: NTV, STUDIO CHIZU, MADHOUSE, KADOKAWA SHOTEN CO., LTD, VAP, D.N. dreampartners, YTV, TOHO, dentsu / STV?MMT?SDT?CTV?HTV?FBS Distributor: Toho International Sales: NTV © 2012 “WOLF CHILDREN” Film Partners