One Stormy Night

Name: Arashi no Yoru ni, simple but beautiful.
Item: One Stormy Night
Rating: 90
Author: Huguin

a review by Huguin

Huguin

2 years ago·May 20, 2024

/ 100

STORY

The movie begins with the tragic death of the protagonist's mother, Mei, a goat. We are introduced to the film's world, a simple world of animals and their food chain. There are many films with the same setting/theme, so it's not hard to be familiar with it.

As the title of the movie suggests, the main event, and where everything changes, is when the two protagonists, Gabu (a wolf) and Mei, are caught off guard by a storm and end up hiding in a barn, unaware of each other's identities. Because of this, they become friends and agree to meet the next day. And so begins the story of an interspecies friendship, a "forbidden" friendship, as the norm is for the wolf to eat the goat.

Here, I'll start discussing parts later in the movie, so there will be spoilers.

Spoiler, click to viewclick to hide

Being a children's movie, I didn't expect much depth on the theme of "forbidden friendship," but this pre-announced tragedy was treated seriously, and at no point does the movie force the friendship beyond the food chain. This is constantly questioned! "How will this work?" is a very fair question for their situation, and the answer given to us, in short, is: "We don't know." And I find that incredible. It's not a fairy tale where everything will work out, but it's also not a tragedy without positive points. This movie takes itself seriously, and that's one of the most important aspects of the anime.

When the inevitable encounter between the wolves and the goats happens, Gabu saves Mei, but a question remains, a nagging doubt: will this friendship work this way? With Gabu saving only his friend and the other goats potentially dying? Is Mei okay with that?

Nothing is certain, and that's why it's so good. Following this forbidden friendship is very intriguing. And that's another point to be praised. The friendship between the two is very cute, very beautiful, and very heartwarming. I feel light watching the two together; it's lovely. I was rooting for these two while questioning how it would end.

THE FORBIDDEN FRIENDSHIP

As I mentioned earlier, their friendship is one of the highest points of the anime, and it brings a lot of emotion to the viewer. I can summarize the anime in a few words, and they would be: interesting, cute, and beautiful.

Despite a simple story, its journey is the complex part, and although the ending wasn't that great (to my personal taste), it has a nice conclusion.

I recommend this movie to anyone with nothing to do on a lazy afternoon, and especially to sensitive people like me!

Watch and enjoy!