The end of the world was never going to be a cheerful affair. One way or another, this is where the journey ends for the four wolves and the humans who they’ve met along the way: there are secrets revealed, allegiances tested and blood spilt. As much as I’ve enjoyed following this colourful cast of characters I knew that some time it had to end, and what an ending it is.

Following the battle at Jaguara’s stronghold Blue is separated from the rest of the wolves as she looks for Quent. Meanwhile Hubb and Cher press on with no destination but begin to realise how much they need each other’s company; they are eventually reunited with the wolves as they all make the final leg of the journey to Rakuen.

Deep down I knew that this wouldn’t end happily for everyone but the conclusion to Wolf’s Rain is more dramatic and heart-rending than I anticipated. The end of volume 6 (the original TV ending) promised much but explained little but here we are presented with the eventual endpoint of the characters’ respective journeys, both literal and emotional. I won’t give too much away here but there is more than one who meets an abrupt and untimely end: the faces we’ve become so familiar with and become so attached to begin to meet their ends in increasingly tragic ways.

Perhaps surprisingly it is Darcia who creates the greatest hurdle of all — quite how he survived this far could have done with some elaboration but it is a revelation when his ultimate plan is made clear. Along the way both wolf and human question their motives for their search for paradise, as well as looking back on their lives as the end of it all looms. Most questions the viewer may have concerning their pasts are answered in this volume, highlighting some interesting philosophical and personal issues along the way.

Perhaps with it being an OAV, the visuals in this volume are among the best of the entire series and Ms Kanno has pulled out all the stops in terms of music as well. The final moments of the journey takes place in an unforgiving, bleak landscape that really does feel like the end of it all: rounded off with a powerful and action-packed finale with the wolves’ savagery and dignity shown to full effect. Not for the squeamish perhaps but provides a suitably heart-rending conclusion that matches the show’s ambition.

I was particularly impressed that a nagging feeling of mine was cast aside by the end: the plight of the wolves was sometimes outshone by that of the human characters, who came across as more interesting and engaging at times. In this volume they are thrown together for the final moments of their journey and as a result the seemingly tenuous relationships that link them all are in plain sight and highlight both the personal and more general, wide-reaching themes.

In Summary

If you were expecting drama, tragedy, beauty and an exhilarating, violent showdown at the end of the series this concluding volume will no doubt leave you more than satisfied. Most of the important questions are answered and the storyline manages to avoid the standard clichés in delivering a thought-provoking conclusion that brings the characters and their intertwining destinies together.

Final thoughts

By and large this series has been outstanding and consistently one of my favourite UK DVD releases in recent months. The only real criticism is that of the four filler episodes partway through that derailed the story at a critical point — for the most part however it combined folklore, science fiction, conflict and drama with visuals and music that justify the reputations of the creators. Hard-hitting and violent yet tender and beautiful at the same time, Wolf’s Rain is a series unlike any other