Wolf's Rain Kiba

Kiba ("Fang") is a white wolf who follows his instincts towards Paradise. When he was young, his pack and family were slaughtered when the forest where he lived was burned to the ground by Jaguara's troops. He was then raised by a shaman who told him that he had a purpose, explaining why the forest had sheltered him from the flames. The shaman told him that he would have a great journey ahead of him, and that journey was to find Paradise. Kiba begins his quest for Paradise in the hope that there he will find "a future".

Wolf's Rain Kiba

It is revealed later in the series that he is in fact the chosen one who is destined to find and open Paradise. Kiba tends to be impulsive and thinks with his heart rather than his head. He tends to be distrustful toward humans, and in the early episodes his pride as a wolf makes him reluctant to disguise himself as a human, but that changes when he meets Hige, who tells him that his pride won't count for much when he's dead. He's also utterly devoted to Cheza and constantly risks his life to protect her and steal her back from the nobles. After Earth's regeneration, Kiba is seen at a city in his human form.

His voice actor Mamoru Miyano felt Kiba was a "wolf of few words" and that his quiet nature made it hard to know what he might be thinking. Though Kiba is rarely bothered by events, Miyano did not think this was an indication that he was strong, rather he felt Kiba was attempting to hide his insecurities. In depicting the character, Miyano found it most difficult to voice the initial scene of the first episode, in which Kiba lies dying and in voice over saying there is no Paradise and that there is nothing at the end. He was so nervous about shooting the first scene, he had trouble getting the lines and voicing correct, eventually freezing up completely before he was able to calm down and complete the scene.

Wolf's Rain Kiba

Wolf's Rain Kiba

Wolf's Rain Tsume

Tsume ("Claw") is a grey wolf with a white scar on his chest and is the second wolf introduced in the series. At first he was living in Freeze City where he leads a "pack" of human thieves. He clashes with Kiba over the latter's claims that Tsume has lost his pride as a wolf for living with humans as he does. Later, he connects with Toboe, a young wolf who also lives in the city. Though Tsume claims he has no need for friends and that he wants nothing to do with other wolves, he comes to Toboe's aid twice and shares a meal with him. Though he doesn't believe Kiba's stories about Paradise, he decides to leave the city with him to search for the place under the excuse that he is tired of the city.

Tsume is depicted as a "a stereotypical angry anime loner" and an "emotionally distant hottie" who is confident, and at times arrogant, but keeps himself distant from his allies. Though he and Kiba continue to come into regular conflict, Tsume eventually comes to believe in their goal and becomes a loyal pack member. It is eventually revealed before moving to Freeze City, he had lived in another location with a large pack of wolves. Jaguara's wolf hunting troops attacked the pack, killing most of his family and friends. As Tsume attempted to flee from the battle, he was cast out by his pack and the alpha male attacked him, leaving Tsume with a large X-shaped scar across his chest. Tsume eventually traveled to Freeze City where his self-loathing over his actions caused him to refuse to befriend others.

Wolf's Rain Tsume

Of all of the pack, he is closest to Toboe, whom he refers to as "runt." After the young wolf is killed by Darcia, Tsume cries over his body. Tsume is the last of the pack to remain standing with Kiba in the final battle with Darcia. He is killed after Darcia rips open his side and legs. Before dying, he whispers to Kiba that "we shall meet again.... in paradise." At the end of the series, Tsume is seen in his human form riding a motorcycle in a city.

Wolf's Rain Tsume

Voice actor Kenta Miyake felt Tsume was all about appearances and notes that Tsume always speaks in a harsh manner such as talking down to Kiba casually dismissing Toboe, and seems to ignore Hige all together. However, he also felt that despite Tsume's seemingly tough nature, that he was the most naive of the pack and the most timid. Miyake felt as if he was Tsume's father, "kindly watching over him" and he used those feelings to guide the way he depicted the character.

Wolf's Rain Tsume

Wolf's Rain Tsume

Wolf's Rain Cheza

The Flower Maiden (Hana no Shōjo), a girl who was artificially created from a lunar flower by the noble Darcia the First using the lost art of alchemy. She was in a state of suspended animation in a scientific research lab, and was awoken by the presence of Kiba.

Wolf's Rain Cheza

She shares a special bond with the wolves, especially Kiba, and is the key to finding Paradise. It is said by Darcia the Third that she is blind. This appears to be borne out by a scene in which she almost walks over the edge of a cliff but regains her footing apparently by touch. Her eyes are bright red.

Wolf's Rain Cheza

Wolf's Rain Cheza

Wolf's Rain

Wolf's Rain (Urufuzu Rein) is an anime series created by writer and story editor Keiko Nobumoto and produced by BONES Studio. The series was directed by Tensai Okamura and featured character designs by Toshihiro Kawamoto with a soundtrack produced and arranged by Yoko Kanno. It focuses on the journey of four lone wolves who cross paths while following the scent of the Lunar Flowers. They form a pack and decide to seek out the Flower Maiden in order to open the way to Paradise. Along the way, they must avoid a fanatical wolf hunter and the nobles who wish to use the Flower Maiden to create their own Paradise.

Wolf's Rain spans twenty-six television episodes and four original video animation (OVA) episodes, with each episode running approximately twenty-four minutes. The series was originally broadcast in Japan on Fuji TV and the anime CS television network, Animax. The complete thirty episode series is licensed for Region 1 release by Bandai Entertainment, in Region 2 (Europe) by Beez Entertainment and in Region 4 by Madman Entertainment. The series was adapted into a short two-volume manga series written by Keiko Nobumoto and illustrated by Toshitsugu Iida. The manga, which was released while the series was airing, is a retelling of the story rather than a straight adaptation. It was originally serialized in Magazine Z and has been released in North America by Viz Media.

Wolf's Rain

The anime series was well received in Japan, being the third ranked anime series in its time slot while airing on Fuji TV. The Bandai Entertainment English language release sold well in North America. It helped Bandai gain the 2004 Anime Company of the Year award from industry news company ICv2 in the ICv2 Retailers Guide to Anime/Manga. The manga adaptation was selected as one of their top ten anime products of 2005 and sold well in North America. Reviewers of the series gave it high marks for characterization, visual presentation, and its soundtrack, while disparaging the existence of four recapitulation episodes in the middle of the series. The manga adaptation also sold well in North America and received good reviews, though reviewers felt its short length resulted in a rushed plot and neglected supporting characters.

Wolf's Rain

Wolf's Rain