C&C - Wolf's Rain - "Fallen Wolves" [5/22]

[The Landstander]

You know what commercial I love? The one for Six Flags with the old man on the bus, and then he gets off the bus and starts dancing crazily.

Heh.

[Rikou]

I like that commercial, too.

Almost as much as I liked this episode.

[Solitude1]

My love for Wolf's rain continues to grow. The music in the beginning of the episode was beautiful. Gotta be Yoko right? :D

As much as the other pack in this new town were *******s, I feel sorry for them. That was just too sad. Especially the death of the old wolf. So sad...:(

Vol 1 of this dvd can't come soon enough for me. And the soundtrack.:cool:

[Delthayre]

"Fallen Wolves" was probably the first episode that really pleased me. The pacing is still imperfect, but most of what was presented here felt effective. The quality of the animation and art certainly helped emphasize the destitution and misery of the wolves and their life. Tsume was even mildly likeable by the end of the episode and it's blaringly obvious that his personality is essentially a protective facade, one I hope is broken down carefully and gradually, if it all.

Well, it was a bit inconsequential to any overall story, but perhaps relevant to character, the episode felt strong overall **** out of *****

[Botman]

Score one for the friggin' humans! :D

I've never been a fan of the wolf characters, so I couldn't help but feel a wave of sick pleasure when I saw the old wolves dragging that cart along.

Seeing those high and mighty, "we're better than them", canines getting taken down a notch almost made up for the fact that this episode didn't feature my favorite, shotgun-toting, drunken, homicidal sherrif.

[Chad Bonin]

Given the choice between Wolf's Rain... or Best of Christopher Walken on SNL...

Curse you, SNL! I was gonna give Rain more chance since SNL's in rerun mode, but... it's WALKEN.

[Mog]

Given the choice between Wolf's Rain... or Best of Christopher Walken on SNL...

Curse you, SNL! I was gonna give Rain more chance since SNL's in rerun mode, but... it's WALKEN.
You had a choice. Wolf's Rain.....or Cham-pagne.

I chose Wolf's Rain, and I liked it. A quick change from the action episodes, and it was pretty nice. I felt really bad for the old man, but Kiba kinda overreacted.

[Mr. Pedro]

This is the first episode that kept my interest the whole time.

The animation and art has been the real star of the series so far. The enviorments are just so barren and bleak. Interesting to see the pack get chastised by the other wolves for their dreams of paradise. The old wolf digging his own grave struck me as odd, but the more I think about it, the more sense it makes. A pretty good outlook on one's imminent death if you ask me.

Grade:B

[Sublime420]

There were action episodes?

I must say the shows not to bad so far. Though the best would probably still be the wolf animation. SPECTACULICIOUS!!!
I wish the episodes were a little more self contained though, like most BONES shows are, you know? More singular events, less "witch hunter robin" standing around scenes, though some makes it appreciative, too much makes it just kind of slow and filler where development should be.

I think if I had the dvd or fansub, or it was on every weeknight, it wouldn't matter so much, but it takes a lot of patience and memory to be able to enjoy a once a week show with such a dependence on story arcing to as good extent as deserved.
errrr, something.
yEs;)

[Chad Bonin]

There were action episodes?I was about to ask such a question.

[Mog]

It was hidden amongst all the wandering and angst, but there has been some action. Maybe not an entire episode, but one can't be too picky.

[CaptainRed]

Last week's episode was kinda dull. It was designed to elaborate/build on Tsume's character... and he is perhaps the most dull and superficial of the main characters. Other than that, nothing much happened. Toboe was there to be a tool in Tsume's growth, and ditto on the other two. The gumshoe and his ex-wife provided the few moments of genuine interest I got out of the episode.


Oh, and Sampo... is it too late to beg you for larger versions of a couple of last week's screencaps? :¬}

*honks hugs and whatever else*
Cappy "I really hope this isn't another Tsume episode this week" Red

[RAINMAN]

Why do I get this feeling it won`t be until ep 13 when they find what they are looking for?

[Tapout]

Given the choice between Wolf's Rain... or Best of Christopher Walken on SNL...

Curse you, SNL! I was gonna give Rain more chance since SNL's in rerun mode, but... it's WALKEN.
You know, they do replay it three hours later. Even if you're not gonna be up (lightweight :) ), you do have a VCR and/or Tivo don't you?

This episode was pretty good. Not a whole lot of action, but not a lot of WHR-style boredom either.

[Perfect Cell]

The whole old wolf thing was too sad... Maybe its just me but i dont like things this sad in my anime :p

[PickHut]

The song playing at the beginning when the four were running in the snow was really good. One of the biggest highlights of the show so far for me is the music, it does a great job of conveying certain moments in the show. The episode was good, the four end up in a city with a gang of wolves who work for humans for food. That one scene in the graveyard, when the old wolf pops out of his hole and the expressions on Tsume, Toboe and the other one was pretty funny. Speaking of which, we haven't seen the one with the brown hair, yellow jacket (keep forgetting his name) do much in any of the episodes, except for tagging along with the others and complain about/eat food. Hopefully he'll do more in later episodes. I was a bit disappointed that the human cast members didn't appear in this episode, I was hoping to find out what was going on with the blond woman and his ex husband.

Anyway, I give Fallen Wolves an A-

[True Noir]

Wow... what an episode. It was so sad and moving. Especially when the old wolf died and when Kiba got beat up by that pack of dogs. I have to agree with Kiba. Living like that isn't living. The music was pretty good too.

Overall I liked this episode and I give it an "A"

[lostrune]

1. Geez, listening to the English dialogue with that English BGM... it was distracting in the beginning when both were loud. :rolleyes: :sweat:

2a. Heh, I asked a couple of weeks ago why there were no female wolves, and lo and behold, they were suprised to see one too. :D

2b. I wonder how the human illusion works when she's in heat? :o :anime:

3. No blood at all on a shredded-up Kiba? Gotta be an edit there. :shrug:


The old wolf digging his own grave struck me as odd, but the more I think about it, the more sense it makes. A pretty good outlook on one's imminent death if you ask me.

And Tsume's response? "I think you should dig faster, old man!" :D


You know, they do replay it three hours later. Even if you're not gonna be up (lightweight :) ), you do have a VCR and/or Tivo don't you?

And ASA replays too. So he should be able to record one way or the other. :)

[Chad Bonin]

My tape... um... blame William for making me watch Gargoyles (Sure, that is only half the tape... and I watched it after SNL...)

[Deadly Messiah]

It was a good episode, but I still haven't made up my mind yet. Thankfully the Limited Edition WR DVD isn't coming out until the first Tues in July (well probably that Sat at GameStop), so I still have another month to decide on it.

[Mystic Shadow]

Good episode. The best part was when the old man died and we got to see the pissed off look on Kiba's face. It was awsome to see the rage in his eyes. I have to say the art and animation in this series is some of the best I've seen lately. I was very pleased with this one.
A

[Tienshin]

Pretty good episode, and I am with everyone who mentioned the music featured being excellent.

I wasn't sure where the episode was headed with the wolves in the town, but the twist at the end, thematically, illustrated a stark difference between the boys idealism and the reality of life faced by the towns pack. And Kiba the uber protagonist of the group was especially powerless in this episode, getting beat down for running his trap, faced with the prospect that his ultimate destination is a legend, unable to help "Gramps", etc. I can't help but hope his character gained a bit of perspective. That whiny desperate faith in "Paradise" is grating my nerves.

[True Noir]

2a. Heh, I asked a couple of weeks ago why there were no female wolves, and lo and behold, they were suprised to see one too.
I was really surprised to see a female wolf too. I liked the female wolf. I thought she was pretty cool.

[Kesh]

Very nicely done, throughout. We got to see the reason why more wolves aren't in search of Paradise, and what happens when they give up hope. The scene in the train station was very moving for me. It also gave the wolves a reason to stick together. Now, they either have to go back to the original city... or all go into the tunnel towards Paradise together.

[Sanwich]

Well, this was an interesting episode - more wolves, and they've found the entrance to paradise... Or have they? Don't ask me, I've never seen this show before. ;) Anyway, despite the lack of main human characters (I didn't even notice until the episode was over), this was still nice. Opened up a whole new perspective too - that not all humans are oblivious to the wolves' existance.

[Anime Guy]

"Fallen Wolves" was a good episode. The music in the beginning of the ep. was nice. Seeing that old wolf die while pulling the cargo was just sad. Cool that he had the same VA as Gordon Rosewater, though. So there's an entrance to paradise. I bet the wolves will follow it in the next episode.

[fearlessleader7]

I really liked this episode. It didn't feel slow at all; it was just fast enough. I'll give it an A+

[Sampo]

http://home.hawaii.rr.com/wizardgrey/images/Wolfs%20Rain/SM1.jpg

Kiba and his pack stumble across a city where Wolves and Humans live together in peace... If you call slave labor a way of life :(

Not a bad episode. It was depressing hearing that old wolf dig his own grave because he knew he was going to die. Also the group really seems divided about continuing the hunt for the lunar flowers after meeting this pack of wolves.


...
Oh, and Sampo... is it too late to beg you for larger versions of a couple of last week's screencaps? :¬}
...

*As Sampo reads CaptainRed's post, he already clicked on the Recycle Bin Icon*
Ooops :D Just kidding, sure either post which ones you want here or PM me. I can send you a larger version.

Screen caps from Sat's episode b found here. (http://home.hawaii.rr.com/wizardgrey/Wolfs%20Rain.htm)

[JetMaster5]

Definately a nice episode. Now the series is starting to get better.

[herbkir]

I found it sad to see how the wolf pack of the "whistle stop" city had given up its pride and submitted to "work like dogs" in order to eat. Their world must be depleted of anything else to eat that would be within hunting range. It struck me that resources for humans in that city were just as scarce as resources for wolves, so they formed an uneasy relationship of sorts so both humans and wolves can continue to eat. As mentioned above, it was an interesting shift to encounter humans who knew full well what wolves are and how to make use of them. The wolves of the city knew they'd prostituted themselves in order to eat, which is why they seemed so defensive.

So now Tsube, Kiba and pack must decide whether the tunnel really leads to Paradise. I wonder what further role the female wolf (we finally got to meet one) will play in whether they take it. All in all, an extremely absorbing episode. This show is getting better and better as the story unfolds. (^_*)

[delariean]

The song at the beginning of the ep is called Strangers....sung by Raj Ramayya
And Yes! Its on the soundtrack that is out now.......or will be in the LE box set.....

Raj Ramayya is also the one who sung Ask DNA in the opening to the Cowboy Bebop movie

[Michael]

the epsiode was pretty good! I like seeing that there are way more wolves thought

[WingZombie38]

Another great episode! Never thought I would be liking Wolf's Rain as much as I am, despite loving wolves. My only general complaint, so far is, that they haven't been in wolf form as much as I'd like.

AS everyone's said the song in the begining was cool. It was sad to see how these wolves played into the society of that town. It was not a life worth living when you had to resort to that. I don't understand how the wolves wouldn't just have found actual jobs in their human forms. Poor gramps.
:( I am amzed he could hear as well as he did though.



*Continues to become obsessed with Tsume* :evil:

[PaQ]

This series has hypnotized me. I am a fan.

Another solid episode, I loved the look of the beginning with the girl looking out the window of the train and seeing the pack run against the snow. So they end up following Kiba's nose which smells lunar flowers and come up on this run down city in the ocean.

It was interesting to see that old pack of wolves, which had a female and see the hostile treatment towards the young pack. The conversation in the graveyard with gramps was cool, and then with Cole(sp?) showing up with food and Tsume & Kiba leaving.. Then what they discovered what the wolves were doing at the station, it was so sad, they were basically poorly kept laborers, almost reduced to slave like status, and seeing Gramps collapse and die was just sad. I seriously thought when Kiba went berserk there that he was going to be captured and forced to be a laborer.

This was an interesting episode, and helped all the characters develop for the better as they continue their pursuit of paradise.

I give "Fallen Wolves" a B+

[raykremer]

This is one of the better episodes of WR. Considering that the main plot, once it starts back up, is so slow moving, it's kind of nice to have a bit of filler that starts and concludes in two episodes.

And of course we're supposed to condemn how the wolves of that city live, even though it's far more practical than what Kiba and his tag-alongs are doing.

[Beat]

Yeah, but is it worth it?

If this showed weekly, it would be a huge hit. Now, it's a show with flashes of brilliance that's moving too slow for it's own good.

[Tienshin]

Yeah, but is it worth it?

If this showed weekly, it would be a huge hit. Now, it's a show with flashes of brilliance that's moving too slow for it's own good.

Irrelevant, as this thread is not the place to debate that topic.

[Master Moron]

Well, despite me having missed the first 3 weeks of this show, I'm actually starting to enjoy this. Though, that old man was ****ing disgusting. Clip your God damn ear hairs you scrub! You all think he died of working too hard? Yeah right, do you know how many freakin infections you'd get if you had foot long ear hair? He probably got crabs in his ear hair and they crawled into his brain and ate his brain. I'm sorry, but I was pretty happy when that old fart died at the end. Anyone who has foot long ear hair deserves to die. As long as this show keeps on killing people with despicable grooming habits I'll keep on watching.

But, that guy who looks like a girl still disturbs me...and is the guy with white hair supposed to be gay? I mean, what the hell is with that outfit?

[Wolfie~Giri]

The whole old wolf thing was too sad... Maybe its just me but i dont like things this sad in my anime :p
It definitly made me feel better when Kiba went after them..Even though he had no idea how desperate they were for food:( ..It had to be one of the most emotional episodes I ever saw next to when that girl kid died id Blue Gender ..snivel:( .. Anime sure knows how to get your emotional sences going it really effected me and I'm sure others too:rolleyes: ..

Wolfs Reign still remains the best on my list (especialy that cool ending song that makes me cry a little even if the episode wasn't sad)

Wolves..they'll always be my favorite animal. And those 4.. Tsume,Hegai,Kiba,and Toboe, those guys are thee best wolves:cool: ..

[jared]

i still havn't seen it yet :( i really need to.

[CaptainRed]

Gonna watch the episode again... I want to confirm my opinion before I throw it up here.

Is the leader of the other pack voiced by the guy that did Vicious?

The old wolf digging his own grave struck me as odd, but the more I think about it, the more sense it makes. A pretty good outlook on one's imminent death if you ask me.

Technically, he should not have been digging alone. He had a pack, and the pack should have shared in the responsibility. The pack leader putting his arm on the old wolf's shoulders should stand as proof that Gramps is not out of favor with the pack.

Look at why the old wolf was digging his own grave -- he had nothing better to do. There was nothing he was aspiring for in life, nothing he needed nor wanted to do.

Have you ever read Langston Hughes'"Dream Deferred" (http://www.cswnet.com/~menamc/langston.htm)? It's short, and so far it seems to apply nicely to the wolves in this series. For Gramps, the dream of paradise dried up. For the leader of the pack(and perhaps the rest of it), the dream festered like a sore. For Kiba, it sugared over... though it's debatable whether the dream has been deferred for him yet, as he still seeks it.(technically, it could also be argued that it sugared over for Gramps too)

Anyway, I disagree with you on that last point. What Gramps did was surrender to his fate. I'm more of a Dylan Thomas man on the subject myself: "Do not go gentle into that good night/ Rage, rage against the dying of the light (http://www.geocities.com/classicpoetry/dtdonotgogentle.html)." With so much to see, so much to do, and so much to be, why spend your time in surrender? Why not go and do and be right through that end? Or, from a more mercenary standpoint, what did Gramps stand to gain from digging his own grave? What did he stand to gain from doing something else?

I wish the episodes were a little more self contained though, like most BONES shows are, you know? More singular events, less "witch hunter robin" standing around scenes, though some makes it appreciative, too much makes it just kind of slow and filler where development should be.

I think one of the big problems with this show is that the first real dillema presented to the main characters was what seems to be the dillema of the series: finding paradise. As a motivation, it almost seemed to be a crisis... which is a problem. When a crisis finds no fast resolution either way, it makes the story seem like it's dragging. Witch Hunter Robin more or less lacked crisis altogether. Wolf's Rain played its main one too early. Another crisis left hanging right now is the fate of Cheza. At the end of the second episode/beginning of the third, she was kidnapped... and has almost been totally forgotten by now.

The problem with what are being used for crises in individual episodes at this point, is that they don't seem to mean anything to the characters. None of them fear the imminent loss of anything in losing.(mortal danger only counts as something important at stake when there is something that the character wants that the loss of his life would prevent)

\I don't understand how the wolves wouldn't just have found actual jobs in their human forms.

It didn't look like there were many other jobs to be had in that town. Furthermore, what would they have gotten through other jobs? Money. They can get food with money, but it complicates the chain.

These wolves had given up on their dream and purpose in life -- they were all like Gramps, waiting for the grave. Though tough and degrading, the job they had in the episode was the quickest, easiest way to get food. A rock rolling down a hill chooses the path of least resistance, but a rock with something driving it can exert the effort to climb the hill.

And of course we're supposed to condemn how the wolves of that city live, even though it's far more practical than what Kiba and his tag-alongs are doing.

Practicality is no way to run a life. What is practical, is fulfilling one's needs with the least amount of effort possible. Well, stealing from someone else often requires less effort than making or earning the item(s) yourself.

But which wolf pack would you rather be in? One that survives, or one that keeps its dreams real, and chases them against all odds?

Goals and dreams are important. They give us direction, something to hope for, and something to work at. Without them, what are we but ships without sails?


Rewatched the episode(actually, I did so before I started the responses) I think a city coffee shop might actually be Hige's paradise, just as being with his Granny is Toboe's. We don't know much about Tsume, and even less about Kiba... so I'm more hesitant to venture guesses about them at this point.

That's something I'd like -- some character for Kiba. Right now he's just a broken record... and getting somewhat annoying.


I'm sticking with the show... though I'm starting to think it might be another Kikaider; lots of potential, none of it capitalized. Still, it has a different look and feel... and I have hope.

*honks hugs and whatever else*
Cappy Red

[Dark Soul]

Emotional episode. What do you suspect its created from Cowboy Bebop. I mean I sniveled at the last episode of Bebop. Lets hope the next episode brings more action
Yes I would have to agree that wolves are my favorite animals because I love dogs.

[Sampo]

...

Rewatched the episode(actually, I did so before I started the responses) I think a city coffee shop might actually be Hige's paradise, just as being with his Granny is Toboe's. We don't know much about Tsume, and even less about Kiba... so I'm more hesitant to venture guesses about them at this point.

That's something I'd like -- some character for Kiba. Right now he's just a broken record... and getting somewhat annoying.
...

Hmm, actually Hige's paradise might be something less specific than a coffee shop. He seemed quite content when that female wolf brought him food. Looks like he just wants a place with lots of food and a lady friend to keep some company :D

I agree with Toboe's paradise. I also have zero clue what kind of paradise Tsume is looking for, if he really cares about such a place. I feel that Tsume is just along for the ride and to tell Kiba "I TOLD YOU SO!" if they can't find paradise.

Heck yeah! Kiba sounds like a broken record. I am amazed Hige or Toboe still follow this guy. Kiba doesn't know what paradise is or what lunar flowers look like. I agree with Tsume's assessment of him, Kiba is "full of crap".

Still looking forward for the next episode though.

[raykremer]

I think one of the big problems with this show is that the first real dillema presented to the main characters was what seems to be the dillema of the series: finding paradise. As a motivation, it almost seemed to be a crisis... which is a problem. When a crisis finds no fast resolution either way, it makes the story seem like it's dragging. You pretty much pegged that one. Boy, does it drag.

Another crisis left hanging right now is the fate of Cheza. At the end of the second episode/beginning of the third, she was kidnapped... and has almost been totally forgotten by now. Actually (light to medium spoiler)
they really spend most of the series chasing Cheza rather than Paradise itself. The point of which is that Cheza is the key to paradise, which does become rather more clear later on. But yes, at the moment Kiba is more on his "we're looking for Paradise" thing than on Cheza, even though he seemed to recognize her significance back in the city.

But which wolf pack would you rather be in? One that survives, or one that keeps its dreams real, and chases them against all odds? I'm reminded of the old Ben Kenobi line, "Who is the more foolish, the fool, or the fool who follows him?" Kiba's Paradise starts out sounding like something between myth and delusion, and it doesn't get much better throughout the series. (This is what I thought while I was seeing the series for the first time, too.) As for the other three, they seem to be following him more because they don't have anything better to do and because the city from the first couple episodes was no longer safe than out of any real belief in Kiba's Paradise or any strong desire to find it. Especially Tsume.