Arashi no yoru ni

This movie is something of a real rarity at the time of this review being made. There really hasn't been a movie like this that can capture the hearts of those who watch it so easily and yet almost 5 years after release it still hasn't been seen by most of the world officially outside of Asia.

But when the time comes where the movie will be officially available worldwide, I'm certain this will be a new children's classic for generation to generation. You may think I'm over-exaggerating these words to get more people to see it, but I couldn't be more honest even if I tried.

"Arashi No Yuru Ni", or "One Stormy Night", is by far and beyond the best non-franchise, non-Ghibli anime movie you could possibly see. Released in 2005 and based on the phenomenally successful Japanese children's book of the same name, the story is about a goat and a wolf who accidentally met each other in a barn during a heavy thunderstorm. It was too dark for them to see each other at the time and they couldn't even smell each other to know what creature they are because they started suffering pretty bad colds. The next day, they decide to meet each other and from then on, after knowing what they are and accepting who they are, they end up having to make unbelievable sacrifices in order to remain friends.

There is way, way more to this story but the story is so well weaved- together and so intelligently-written that it would be cruel to say anything more about it to those who haven't seen it. Nothing of the story feels lacking in anything but at the same time nothing seems like it's going for too much. The entire plot evolves naturally, but is such an incredible story that you very easily emote to the main characters as if they are living, breathing creatures and that whatever happens, you'll be on the edge of your seat hoping for the best for both Gabu (the wolf) and Mei (the goat).

The animation is beautiful, it's similar to that of "The Snowman" in that it captures storybook art so well but coupled with such a great story it really immerses you into the world of the movie quite well. At the same time, it's an art style that'll appeal to everybody. Nothing is absolute cliché-anime but it's also not terrifyingly-realistic neither. Music is beautiful as well, definitely mirrors the beauty of the movie really well but also compliments the most emotional of scenes without being too over-the-top.

Some of the lines are overly-simplistic and repetitive in some certain scenes, but it really doesn't get in the way of the enjoyment of this movie too much and it's only a very minor complaint.

This really is the perfect animated movie for families to watch. And it's one of the very rare movies I've seen recently that legitimately almost made me cry and I can safely say that if no one who sees this movie and emotes with the characters so much cries in the last few scenes, I pity them.

Any opportunity you can, please check this out. You really won't regret it!

• Eric.

9/10

'Arashi no yoru ni' is a beautifully rendered animated film. It's a modern fable about wolf and a goat who overcome their natural enmity and become the best of friends.

On a stormy night, (the English translation of the title) Mei, a goat, and Gabu, a wolf, seek temporary shelter in the same barn. The inside of the barn is too dark for them to see each other. Mei thinks Gabu is a goat and, conversely, Gabu thinks Mei is a wolf. They strike up a friendly conversation and find they have very much in common. They agree to meet for lunch the next day at the same place. When they do meet in the light of day, the truth of the matter becomes mutually apparent. Instead of letting their instincts take over, they have a laugh about the mistake and agree to go to lunch together anyway.

As animation goes, this is a top-notch production. The backgrounds are colorful and detailed. More remarkable, the moving foregrounds are also detailed and rendered with subtle shades. As a story goes, it is a better than average presentation of the "your enemy isn't so bad if you get to know him" theme. There is a slight problem with the scenario, however.

Whenever the two meet, they tend to show great interest in each other. It's an attempt, within the short time constraints of the film, to depict how a strong friendship can develop between traditional enemies. From a child's-eye view, the connection between the two can be seen at face value--the two become good friends. From the perspective of a more jaundiced adult, the friendship seemed to me to have an unintended layer of sexuality. For me, it got in the way of the story.

Nonetheless, this is an excellent effort well worth watching. Presently, it is available on DVD in Japan without English subtitles. Keep your eye out for a US release of a film entitled something like, "On a Stormy Night." I give this film a 7.

"One Stormy Night" is one of my favorite anime movies. At first, this could look as a rip-off of "The Fox and the Hound" (Also a good movie) being a story of how two natural enemies became friends, but this movie manages not only to be different, but also to be good as well, telling a beautiful and heartwarming story, with very likable characters. The animation is beautiful, all the movements are very fluid, and the backgrounds have the level of detail of one movie from Studio Ghibli. I know that friendship is one of the main themes of many Japanese animations, but not many are so tender as this movie. "One Stormy Night" have many emotional and dramatic parts, but combines this with humor and optimism, something that made this movie very enjoyable. I recommend this movie to all the animation fans, not only the anime fans. It is a funny and well made animated tale that deserves more appreciation.

This, now, is by far, my favourite movie.

I originally found it on TvTropes looking for a gay romance, hopefully in the Anime category. This seemed to fit, although whether it is a romance or a friendship is somewhat ambiguous. However, considering that "The moon is beautiful, isn't it?" signifies love in Japanese literature, combines with the amount Mei and Gabu talk about the moon, and all of the giggling and blushing when they meet, I do not think considering it a romance is far fetched at all. Anyway, I decided to watch it, expecting it to be good. Surprisingly, it was on YouTube, which was a nice benefit itself!

This movie was not just good though, but probably my favourite movie of all time! I usually don't cry during movies, but this one caused me to cry approximately four times. The emotional cycle is crazy! This film is amazing, and heart breaking, and heart warming, and just plain beautiful! The animation is beautiful too; character design is great, the landscapes are beautiful, and especially when the lightening scares Mei and Gabu, it is very expressive.

This was such a good movie, that I just had to write a long review on it, as I just couldn't get the sheer quality out of my head! That's how good this movie was in my opinion! If you haven't watched it, please do! I have not seen a better film in my entire life, and have barely even seen any comparable ones! This film, quite simply, is amazing!

This film is very good and makes our hearts calm. This film is a very rare film and people rarely make this series of films. This film is very good to watch with your family.