The scene is unforgettable to many Balto fans: Balto has just fallen from the high, rocky cliff while trying to save the medicine that is desparetely needed for the townschildren. He seems to be defeated, as if all hope is lost. Suddenly he looks up to see a beautiful white lupine towering above him. The ivory creature howls, as if to aknowledge its own fellow wolf. The hybrid shifts his head away, as if to ignore the visitor. After the wolf disappears into the misty snow, Balto realizes what he must do and begins to howl back to his brethren. The White Wolf reappears like magic and the two begins to howl in an almost synchronized harmony. After the scene ends, it is the last that is seen of this mysterious lupine. However, Wolf Quest introduces Aniu, a character who shows a similarity to the original White Wolf. After watching both films many times, Balto fans have been wondering about this dillemma: Is it possible for these two wolves to be the exact same character?

First, let's start with the basic stats.

The White Wolf:
- The White Wolf was only shown during the scene that was mentioned in the introduction. Its gender is unknown, and pretty much any other major things about this character. What is known is the fact that thanks to this wolf, Balto was able to realize that Boris's words of wisdom were right all along. This wolf is shrouded in mystery (mainly because it can appear and disappear at will, and also because it recognized Balto as well). It is also thought that the White Wolf is just a spiritual image of Balto's wolf heritage that he seems to have abandoned.

Aniu:
- Aniu is a crucial part of the Wolf Quest plot, mainly because she can communicate to other wolves (and wolf hybrids) through their dreams. It is also thought that she (yes, Aniu is a she) appears in the form of a raven and make other magical creatures appear out of nowhere. Later in the last scene of Wolf Quest, it is revealed to Balto that Aniu was his mother. It is thought by fans that she may be dead, but this is unknown.

These new characters seem to have many similarities, mainly with the whole magic/mysterious aura that they both have. However, they also are equally different. They're both white wolves, but the White Wolf has a higher air to it and Aniu looks more like the size of a maximum-sized wolf. Aniu also is more grayish-colored than the White Wolf in the original. The eyes are also different (possibly due to the animation style difference of the two films). Also Aniu has a voice (other than a howl), while the White Wolf does not. After naming these similarities and differences, it seems that this question could be answered either way.

The answer is up to you: the fans. Everyone has their own opinion to this question, so it's my guess that it should be left as so and everyone can go with their own answer. Is it possible to ever find out the real answer to the 'White Wolf vs. Aniu' mystery? Only time will tell . . .

Stay tuned . . . .