In "Wolf's Rain," Toboe is the youngest of the wolf pack, so he is immature in both his human and wolf forms. Because of his youth, the character has made some poor decisions, including the accidental killing of a human companion. Toboe is more affectionate with humans than the other wolves in the series.
Red wolves are a subspecies of the more common gray wolves found in North America. Once prominent throughout the southern United States, the species became endangered and had to be bred in captivity during the 1970s and 1980s. Some red wolves have been reintroduced into the wild, but most red wolves now live in zoos. One of the threats to the red wolves is their interbreeding with coyotes, which hurts the stock of red wolves in the wild.
The "Wolf's Rain" television show focuses on the story of Kiba, a wolf who lives in a city in the distant future. Kiba, who can also take human form, is searching for the Lunar Flowers, which will also lead him to paradise. Since Kiba is a wolf, he follows the scent of the Lunar Flowers. Kiba meets three other wolves -- Tsume, Hige and Toboe -- on his journey, and they join him in search of the Lunar Flowers.
Red wolves get their name from the color of their fur, which ranges from orange-red to a darker brown. Red wolves often have some black in their fur, including on their tails. The red wolf is identifiable compared to other large canines because of its large ears and long legs. Red wolves are medium-sized -- smaller than gray wolves but larger than coyotes.