Anime director Mamoru Hosoda has revealed that he wrote the original plot for Wolf Children in approximately three hours at a Starbucks in Kichijoji, Tokyo.
Hosoda shared the interesting behind-the-scenes detail during the Osaka opening of the exhibition Mamoru Hosoda: The Beginning / Exhibition, which celebrates the 20th anniversary of his film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.
A newly added exhibit at the Osaka venue features the original plot he wrote when he first conceived the story of Wolf Children.
Speaking about the document, Hosoda revealed:
“I wrote this plot all at once in about three hours at a Starbucks in Kichijoji.”
The original document was approximately seven A4 pages long. Hosoda also explained that, despite being written in such a short period, the plot was already remarkably close to the story that eventually became the finished film.
He clarified that the quick writing process came only after a much longer period of thinking and struggling with the story. After considering numerous ideas, everything suddenly came together, allowing him to write the initial plot in one continuous session.
The filmmaker hopes visitors will enjoy seeing the original document and get a glimpse into how an animated film can take shape from an initial idea.
Mamoru Hosoda: The Beginning Exhibition Opens in Osaka
The Mamoru Hosoda: The Beginning / Exhibition opened at Grand Front Osaka on October 28, 2026, and will run until January 4, 2027.
The exhibition celebrates the 20th anniversary of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and features original materials, storyboards, artwork, and production documents from Hosoda’s career.
The Osaka exhibition also includes displays dedicated to Summer Wars, Wolf Children, and Hosoda’s earlier creative works.
Hosoda’s original seven-page Wolf Children plot is among the newly introduced exhibits. Bookmark Otaku Mantra for more anime news and updates!
About Wolf Children
Wolf Children is a 2012 Japanese animated film directed by Mamoru Hosoda and produced by Studio Chizu. The story follows Hana, a young woman who raises her two children, Yuki and Ame, after the death of their father, who was a werewolf. The film explores motherhood, family, identity, and the choices children make as they grow up.
