Arashi no Yoru ni (2005). Play online

Summary

Arashi no Yoru ni on the DS pulls its story from the beloved Japanese picture‑book series that won the 26th Kōdansha Literature Culture Award and the 42nd Sankei Children’s Literature Culture Award. The games let players meet the series’ iconic animal cast — Gabu the brave wolf, Mei the curious goat, and their eccentric friends — all of whom starred in a 2005 anime film that topped the box office for weeks and even earned a Japan Academy nomination.

I appreciate how the handheld title leans on the books’ educational legacy; the series was even printed in school textbooks, giving the game a wholesome, familiar feel for kids who grew up with the stories. For anyone curious about a Japanese kids' franchise that successfully leapt from picture books to film and now to a portable adventure, the DS version offers a cute glimpse into that world.

Storyline

A goat named Mei seeks shelter from a storm and meets a wolf named Gabu in a barn, though they cannot see or smell each other. They form a secret friendship, agreeing to recognize each other later with the password “one stormy night.” When their respective flocks discover the bond, they pressure the pair to spy on each other, prompting Mei and Gabu to flee toward an “emerald forest.”

The pack leader Giro, who despises goats, hunts them. Exhausted on a snowy mountain, Mei offers himself as food, but Gabu refuses. An avalanche separates them; Mei later finds Gabu, who has lost all memory of their past. Gabu taunts Mei, who rebukes him for forgetting, and Mei laments their meeting.

Gabu’s memories flash back, and he realizes who Mei is. Overjoyed, Mei pretends he always knew Gabu, and the two reunite under the rising moon, vowing their friendship will endure.