Grave of the Fireflies is a powerful and emotional film that tells the story of two orphans who struggle to survive the final months of World War Two. Based on Akiyuki Nosaka’s 1967 novel and directed by legendary Japanese animator Isao Takahata, the movie is a tragedy about siblings who cope with loss during World War II. The film is not about unexpected deaths but about how being uncooperative and too prideful can be self-sabotaging.
The film is not for the faint of heart, as it shows the brutality of the victims of war, which is an important message. It is not for the faint of heart, and viewers should watch with emotional caution. The story is about two orphans and their desperate struggle to survive the war.
Grave of the Fireflies is a timeless anime classic that has won numerous awards, including the Blue Ribbon Award in 1989 and two others at the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival in 1994. It also won the Rights of the Child Award and the Animation Jury Award. Roger Ebert has praised the film for its profound themes, complex characters, and lasting impact.
Despite its emotional depth, Grave of the Fireflies is not for everyone, as it is not for the faint of heart. It is a devastating war film that has the power to make a grown man cry, sob, and weep. While the widest possible audience should see this film, it is not for the faint of heart.
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| What do you like from Grave of The Fireflies? | The very obvious thing that one would learn from Grave of the fireflies is that war is a bad idea, and the aftermath is ugly. But there are many … | quora.com |
| Have you watched Grave of the Fireflies? | It’s a movie that everyone should watch. An amazing yet heartbreaking experience through animation. It’s a movie that I haven’t forgotten and … | quora.com |
| Grave of the Fireflies Movie Review | This movie is very sad and would be too scary for kids. It shows the brutality of the victims of war, which is an important message, but they have to be old … | commonsensemedia.org |
📹 The True Story of Grave of the Fireflies
An extract from my video: “Are WW2 Anime Historically Accurate?” Watch below! Original Video: …
Is 'Grave Of The Fireflies' Still Relevant Today?
Roland Kelts from Japanamerica encapsulates the essence of "Grave of the Fireflies," describing it as a story filled with life’s complexities, shedding light on the failings of heroism in dire situations. This unique narrative defies typical Hollywood conventions and remains poignantly relevant today. Lim Beng Choo, a Japanese studies associate professor, emphasizes the film's significance, citing its enduring message about the importance of peace, empathy, and understanding in contemporary society.
Released in 1988 and directed by Isao Takahata, "Grave of the Fireflies" remains a cinematic marvel, captivating audiences even decades later. Critics initially cautioned that its tragic narrative might be too intense for repeated viewings, yet its emotional depth continues to resonate. As audiences engage with this animated historical war drama, they encounter a profound exploration of personal experiences and human shortcomings rather than a straightforward anti-war message.
Almost 40 years after its release, the film is hailed as one of the greatest animated works, showcasing Studio Ghibli's artistry and the dark moral universe crafted by Takahata. This enduringly heartbreaking tale reinforces its essential themes, reminding viewers of the urgent need for compassion in an increasingly complex world.
When Should I Watch Fireflies?
Fireflies, insects belonging to the beetle family, have a complex relationship with weather that extends beyond the summer solstice. Their larvae hibernate underground during winter, mature in spring, and emerge from late May to June, with timing influenced by regional climate. Warm areas, like Florida, may see fireflies as early as March or April. The Great Smoky Mountains is a renowned location for experiencing fireflies, particularly active from May to June, where they flash their lights prolifically during peak times, correlating with air and soil temperatures.
The emergence of fireflies is affected by various weather conditions such as temperature, rainfall, and drought, critically influencing their survival and flashing behaviors. Observations from viewers of the Ghibli film "Grave of the Fireflies" highlight the emotional impact of wartime experiences on civilians, reflecting real-life struggles, which contrasts with the fantastical elements often found in Studio Ghibli’s animations.
Late spring and early summer are prime periods for firefly sightings, depending on geographical location. Various firefly species flash at different times, usually appearing at night. To catch fireflies, one can use a net and flashlight, ensuring their safe release by providing proper care in a jar.
Fireflies create astonishing light displays on warm, humid nights, transforming fields into illuminated wonderlands, whereas cooler temperatures may delay their emergence. Advanced ticket purchases are often required for designated viewing areas, particularly in places that host special events to highlight these luminous insects. Ultimately, firefly light serves as both a mating signal and a defense mechanism, warning predators of their unpalatable taste.
Is Grave Of The Fireflies A Masterpiece?
"Grave of the Fireflies" is a poignant animated film that serves as a metaphor for World War Two, highlighting the devastating consequences of unchecked nationalism. Directed by Isao Takahata and based on Akiyuki Nosaka's semi-autobiographical short story, it explores the tragic plight of two siblings, Setsuko and Seita, amidst the horrors of war. The film delves into profound themes like loss, resilience, and innocence lost, ultimately offering crucial lessons on the human experience during tumultuous times.
Despite its initial moderate success in Japan, grossing ¥1. 7 billion at the box office and a further $516, 962 during its limited U. S. release, "Grave of the Fireflies" gained immense acclaim over the years. It has sold 400, 000 copies in Japan, resulting in significant revenue. As part of Studio Ghibli's catalog, it stands out for its unflinching depiction of wartime suffering, defying conventional genre classifications and often misinterpreted by audiences.
The emotional impact of this film is unprecedented, showcasing the devastating effects of war on individuals, particularly children. Takahata's masterful storytelling combined with stunning artistry reinforces its status as one of the greatest anime films ever made and a significant work in animated cinema.
Though it addresses the conflict between Japan and the United States, its broader commentary transcends national boundaries. Nearly 40 years after its release, "Grave of the Fireflies" remains a beautifully animated yet harrowing war drama, equally haunting and unforgettable. It stands as a testament to the unique power of animation to convey complex emotional narratives, making it a true masterpiece deserving of its place in cinematic history.
What'S The Saddest Movie Of All Time?
MOVIES THAT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL EMOTIONAL
- An Affair to Remember (1957)
- After Yang (2021)
- Coco (2017)
- Dead Poets Society (1989)
- The Elephant Man (1980)
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
- The Farewell (2019)
- A Hidden Life (2019)
These films are among the saddest, with the ability to evoke strong emotional responses from audiences. For instance, Schindler's List portrays the harrowing experiences of Jews during World War II through the eyes of Oskar Schindler, an industrialist who risks everything to save lives. Similarly, Grave of the Fireflies tells the tragic tale of siblings battling to survive in post-war Japan, capturing the devastating impact of war on innocent lives.
Audiences seeking a cathartic experience are drawn to these deeply affecting narratives, whether prompted by romance, history, or personal redemption. The emotional weight of films like Still Alice, which explores the challenges of early-onset Alzheimer's, cannot be overstated.
Other notable mentions include The Pursuit of Happyness, The Green Mile, and Brokeback Mountain, all of which highlight complex human emotions and powerful storytelling. As the landscape of cinema continues to evolve, these classics remain touchstones for those looking for a truly heartfelt and moving experience—showcasing how flickering images on a screen can forge profound connections with viewers and inspire tears from even the most steadfast.
What Is The Darkest Studio Ghibli Movie?
Grave of the Fireflies, directed by Isao Takahata, is recognized as one of the darkest and most poignant animated films ever made. Unlike the more upbeat Studio Ghibli films like Ponyo and My Neighbor Totoro, this film explores harrowing themes, highlighting the plight of two children struggling to survive in war-torn 1940s Japan. While many Ghibli films maintain a family-friendly tone, some, including Grave of the Fireflies, delve into heavier subjects, employing unsettling visuals that may not be suitable for younger audiences.
The film exemplifies the studio's ability to tackle complex ideas such as war, grief, and environmental destruction, often revealed through seemingly cheerful narratives. In addition to Grave of the Fireflies, other notably dark Ghibli films include Princess Mononoke, which features graphic violence, and Tales from Earthsea, which though dark, is often perceived as one of the weaker entries. Overall, many of Studio Ghibli's movies, available on platforms like Netflix and Max, possess underlying dark themes, making them profound and multifaceted viewing experiences for audiences.
Why Is Grave Of The Fireflies Hard To Watch?
Grave of the Fireflies is profoundly sad and likely too intense for children, as it starkly depicts the horrors faced by war victims. Its important anti-war message requires viewers to approach the material with maturity. This film stands apart from other Studio Ghibli favorites like Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle, touching viewers deeply with its heart-wrenching narrative. From the opening scene, viewers are aware of its tragic outcome, yet the film follows the characters’ struggles, making their small victories feel devastatingly poignant.
The film's slow pacing accentuates the grim honesty of war's realities, compelling viewers to confront its unflinching depiction of suffering. Despite being a celebrated classic from 1988, Grave of the Fireflies remains relevant, resonating powerfully with contemporary audiences. It is truly a masterclass in animated storytelling and stands as one of the greatest war films, evoking heavy emotions with its blend of magical and tragic moments.
Grave of the Fireflies, which is currently available on Hulu (US), is not easily forgotten; its haunting imagery stays with viewers long after viewing. The film's emotional weight and heartbreaking details make it a challenging watch. The scenes of the siblings’ struggle for survival leave a profound impact, illustrating both their grief and resilience. While it lacks graphic violence, the emotional depth and tragic circumstances can be overwhelming.
This film rightfully belongs in the Ghibli canon, as its timeless message about the effects of war is more vital than ever. However, a warning: it is extraordinarily sad and disturbing, making it essential viewing for those prepared for its emotional toll.
What Sickness Does Setsuko Have?
In the movie "Grave of the Fireflies," the harrowing journey of Seita and his younger sister Setsuko unfolds against the backdrop of World War II. As they struggle to survive after being orphaned, their situation becomes increasingly dire as food supplies dwindle and money runs out. Setsuko, initially healthy, soon begins to suffer from severe malnutrition, leading to her illness. Despite Seita’s desperate attempts to provide for her, including raiding their deceased mother's bank account, their resources are inadequate.
Setsuko's condition worsens further, and they seek medical help, but by the time they reach the doctor, she is already on the brink of death, hallucinating from starvation. The film artfully depicts her gradual decline, contrasting her vibrant spirit with her physical deterioration. The audience witnesses the heartbreaking transformation from a playful child to a severely emaciated state, with her ribs prominently showing, highlighting the devastating impact of hunger.
Seita, struggling with the loss of his mother and the harsh realities of their situation, must confront his failure to save Setsuko. Although he experiences fleeting moments of happiness with her, the looming threat of starvation ultimately leads to tragedy. Setsuko becomes increasingly frail, and despite Seita's efforts to procure food, he resorts to stealing and other desperate measures as her health declines.
The film's most tragic moment arrives when Setsuko succumbs to malnutrition. Her death serves as a powerful commentary on the consequences of war and the fragility of life during such tumultuous times. Viewers are left grappling with the emotional weight of her fate, questioning Seita's choices and the harsh realities faced by those left to navigate a world ravaged by conflict. "Grave of the Fireflies" remains a poignant reflection on loss, resilience, and the catastrophic effects of war.
Is Grave Of The Fireflies A Good Movie?
"Grave of the Fireflies" serves as a poignant introduction to Studio Ghibli's signature storytelling, known for its unexpected endings. This animated film is a heart-wrenching exploration of the struggles faced by two siblings during wartime. Predestined for sadness from the outset, the film captivates viewers with the siblings' small victories, which are rendered tragic by the pervasive despair surrounding them. Critic Ernest Rister's comparison to "Schindler's List" underscores its powerful emotional depth as "the most profoundly human animated film."
Currently available on Hulu (US), "Grave of the Fireflies" is an achingly beautiful anti-war film, particularly resonant for adults and older children. It sensitively portrays the plight of children left behind during conflict, adapting Akiyuki Nosaka's story through the visionary direction of Isao Takahata, co-founder of Studio Ghibli. The film's hand-drawn animation is exquisite, skillfully emphasizing the horrors of war without resorting to excess.
While known as one of the saddest anime films, it operates beyond mere sadness, stirring deep grief and reflection—an experience devoid of the typical Hollywood happy endings. Critics laud its ambitious scope and emotional impact, hailing it as a masterpiece of filmmaking despite its disturbing themes. "Grave of the Fireflies" carries significant educational value, delivering profound messages about war's brutality and human suffering.
However, its intense content is deemed unsuitable for young children; the film's grim reality can be overwhelmingly distressing, evoking strong emotional responses even from adult audiences. This film, while not universally accessible, stands as a monumental contribution to animated cinema, deserving of its place among the greatest.
📹 Therapist Reacts to GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES (Studio Ghibli)
How do you make meaning out of your life and find joy when things are not getting better? Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker …
【太平洋戦争：1941/12～1945/8】 1941/12/9真珠湾攻撃で日米開戦。 ﾙｰｽﾞﾍﾞﾙﾄは米国議会で「戦争を避ける 為に交渉してきたが🇯🇵は奇襲した」 と対日宣戦布告を演説。 支持演説をしたフィッシュ議員は、 ハル・ノートのことを知らず、後日 「ﾙｰｽﾞﾍﾞﾙﾄは国民を欺いた」と激怒。 ●1942年2月早速日系と日本人移民の 約12万人が強制収容されていった。 ●1944/9米英が原爆の日本投下を密約 ●1945/3東京大空襲【11.5万人死亡】 被災者310万人全民家25％85万戸焼失 外周爆撃で閉じ込め周内焦土化虐殺。 ※無差別空襲は8/15の終戦日まで続き 被災都市200以上、被災者970万人に 及んだ。内地全戸数の約2割にあたる 約223万戸が被災した。原爆被害者と 合わせて民間死者60万人以上と予測。 ●米軍は港湾封鎖による飢餓作戦実施 🇯🇵全国の港湾に機雷1万個以上投下 ●1945/4～和平仲介をソ連に依頼 和平提案をﾙｰｽﾞﾍﾞﾙﾄは無視。 ○1945/7原爆実験成功し、 米英で原爆の無通知使用を決定 ○1945/7ポツダム宣言 →国体護持が確認できず🇯🇵は無反応 ○1945/8広島長崎原爆投下:死者25万 😤無差別空襲,飢餓作戦,原爆投下と 😤🇺🇲は民間人への大虐殺を行った。 😤当時でも戦時国際法違反。 ●1946/5~1948/11極東国際軍事裁判 東京裁判は戦勝国の一方的報復裁判！ ①原告と裁判官が同じ戦勝国。 ②既存の法律でなく、戦勝国が戦中に 作り上げた法律(事後法)で裁いた。 ●1946/5:ﾏｯｶｰｻ-と前ﾌｰｳﾞｧｰ大統領会談 ﾌｰｳﾞｧｰは🇯🇵🇺🇲戦争はﾏｯﾄﾞﾏﾝ(ﾙｰｽﾞﾍﾞﾙﾄ) の欲望で始まった。ﾏｯｶｰｻ-は同意した。 ●1951/5米国上院軍事外交合同委員会 ﾏｯｶｰｻ-は「🇯🇵は自衛戦争をした」と 証言。更に次の証言もあった「🇺🇲 の過去100年で最大の過ちは、共産 主義者を🇨🇳で強大化させたこと」
What hits me is that the promotional poster of this movie has the siblings standing off a field surrounded by fireflies. But if you brighten it, you can see that those “fireflies” are actually firebombs being dropped from a plane behind them. Another metaphor to the movie. And since in Japan the fire “fireflies” and “drops of fire” are almost the same, it hits different.
The worst part of this movie is that it is based off a real person, Akiyuki Nosaka, who wrote the short story ‘Grave of the Fireflies’, of the same name as the movie. It was a semi-biography of his experiences in the war, while he didn’t die like Seita did, he actually passed in 2015, he felt such a strong guilt and regret in perusal his sisters and adoptive father die from the firebombing and malnutrition that he wished he had died as well and write Grace of the Fireflies as a partial apology to them. Reading about the relation between Seita and the author is interesting in itself.
They seemed to brush over something important: Seita is a child too. They say it was beautiful that he found joy in becoming a parent but I found it incredibly heartbreaking that a 14 year old boy had to grow up so quickly and take on the role of raising and providing for his younger sister, something which he fails to do because he made the foolish decision to take his sister away from the one place where they had some amount of protection. However, he’s a kid who’s been traumatized by war so I can’t blame him too much for what happened.
This film gutted me when I was younger. I had grown up being told “we won, Japan was the bad guy and we won.” And it wasn’t until this movie that I started considering the people that suffered. There isn’t just black and white in the world and we aren’t the heroes I thought we were. I carry this movie with me.
This movie shows how much we underestimate small children. The little sister wanted to take care of her brother as much as he wanted to take care of her. She was willing to give up food for him. find a doctor for him and just generally caring for him. Children of her age do have empathy. They do understand that sometimes we need help.
My mom was 12 years old when she survived the firebombing of Yokohama and Tokyo. She has vivid memories of running from her house, jumping over dead bodies, hiding around a tree as they were strafed by fighter planes and just being terrified. She remembered the horror of seeing those little fire balls that were dropped all over her neighborhood and if one landed on you it would burn you to death because they were made with a sticky oily substance that would cling to skin. She saw a burned man walking naked like a zombie calling for his wife. That stuck with her and she tells me about it all the time. That’s why they wore those heavy hoodies and made them wet if possible to protect themselves. After the firebombing raid, my mom and her family built a tiny shelter using whatever scraps they could find. Soon they were covered in snow as winter set in. But the worst part of it for her was the starvation. They had nothing to eat for months. She remembers going to the countryside and digging up potatoes from farmers fields when they weren’t looking. As the country started to pick up again my mom had to work from the time she was 14 because her grandparents who were raising her were too old. She’s 90 years old this year- she has always been cheerful no matter what happened- guess having seen the worst nothing phases her anymore. She is a food hoarder though. And she says if politicians want war then we should stick them on a deserted island and let them duke it out themselves! She cried a lot perusal this anime.
What makes “Grave of the Fireflies” such an important anti-war that the movie does not let you forget the fact that it’s children who suffer the most during. It’s children who have the highest death count, highest amount of civilian injuries, the highest amount of displacement from their homes, highest rate for malnutrition, starvation, and diseases! With both Seita and Setsuko being children, it’s non an anomaly, but a hard reality of so many children who were unfortunately caught in the middle of a war that was no fault of their own!
When my son was 4 years old, I used to watch a lot of the ghibli movies alone before I watch them with my son so I can translate them for him. I watched this one alone when he was at the daycare, and it ended around 2 pm, and I just sat there until 4 pm after it ended, I did not move. I did not show him, he is 14 now and I am gonna watch it with him soon. Its so important to watch. The reason I was just sitting there for 2 hours, was I remember being so hungry when I was little around 5. My family struggled a lot. My mom used to pick berries when we fell asleep in the winter, digging snow. Sometimes all we had were crowberries for lunch and thats all we ate for a day. Sometimes dry bread because they were saving it to last til payday. Sometimes they did not eat for days. Then years later after my dad and mom worked for years, my father was laid off, and I had to go through that. I was 16, my little brother and sister had to eat, I did not eat for 3 days at a time. I survived on strong coffee and bread with no toppings. I remember on my payday, I was so hungry when I bought food and had to bring 2 bags a short road to my house, I could barily hold the bags, I was so weak. They felt so heavy and every step I felt like falling. Just taking one step at a time. Reminding myself my family has to eat. I did not eat until everyone had their shares. I never stopped working ever since. I worked while studying. My son 14 and daughter 6 will never know what that hunger feels like. So hungry you are nauseated.
When you learn this is based on a autobiography written by someone who was a trainstation child it hits harder. Note: Trainstation children were homeless WW2 children who had nowhere to hide so they had to try and wait out the war in the trainstation, but were imprisoned or driven out because they were getting in the way of war efforts. Many of them were killed just to get them out of the way. Children were the BIGGEST victims of WW2 and that’s why this movie was made.
Not only is this based on real history, it’s based on true events that happened to the creator Akiyuki Nosaka himself. He wrote this story as an homage to his family who died, and Seita was a stand-in for him. He’s said that Seita was a better brother than him because he often wouldn’t share food with his own sister and was generally more selfish, and also the reason Seita died is because Nosaka believed he should’ve died with his own family back then. So yeah, depressing as hell
I’m Ukrainian and I just cannot cry about the war horrors anymore as much as I did at the start of the war, I am mostly just numb now and not feeling anything. But when Alan looked up and said “sometimes you’re just living your life and somebody else decides to invade your country” – I started crying. Thank you for the acknowledgement ❤
This movie is in a very select group for me. It sits alongside Schindler’s List as one of the very best movies I am NEVER. perusal. AGAIN. I knew this movie was going to destroy me emotionally going in to it. I picked a bright sunny day where I had nothing else going on, and even then after it was over I just wanted to crawl into bed and not leave it for a week. It’s a magnificent film and I’m sure if I did watch it again I’d get even more out of it…but oh man do I need to be in a place of emotional fortitude to do so.
One of the most tragic details I’ve heard about the movie is that the book it’s based on (which is an autobiography of the older brother, who survived irl) details how when his sister was starving she didn’t have any energy to chew, so he would chew on what little rice they had and then transfer it to her mouth, but he found himself swallowing each time because of his own hunger. And all these years he had to live with that guilt and the horrible thought that “I caused my sister to die”.
I’m a Japanese. I really want to say thank you for introducing this movie. This movie never blames against any country and any people, just focusing on what happened after occurring a war. I watched it at a primary school as a part of education. Of course, we all cried. I really appreciate you give me a chance to watch it again.
To have in the first few minutes the ending revealed really makes my heart shatter because I know what the film will be like. Also it’s during the Second World War which was already devastating for all countries involved. Two siblings surviving on their own after losing their mother in a bombing really makes you think about your own life and the blessings you have, especially as they gradually starve and Seita goes to great lengths to get food for his sister. Gotta respect Studio Ghibli
Grave Of The Fireflies is my number one “everyone should watch this movie once” movie. I don’t think I can ever watch it again, but I’m glad I did watch it. For similar anime films dealing with the sadness/horror of war that I feel everyone should watch once, I’d recommend Barefoot Gen and In This Corner Of The World. For Grave Of The Fireflies, it’s worth noting that the original author told this pseudo-biographical story because his younger sister died. Though he himself survived, in the story he had the main character boy die as well, largely due to his own survivor’s guilt.
After ghibli got popular in the west, that can of jelly candy appeared at grocery stores, especially asian food stores like hmart. It was years after I saw the movie, I saw the tin, and instantly the final scene played in my mind, and I couldnt stop myself from crying. It is one of those rare moments in media – in the art world at large, even, that hurts you, changes you deep in your soul, rips apart your heart and makes you feel something so raw and painful that you’ll never breathe the same way again.
I watched this movie with my kids and I was 42…. I cried so hard and I couldn’t hide that I was crying in front of them till my wife came and hug me and so my kids as well… After the movie finished it changed me so much I retired early and spend more time with my family and I also call my sisters and brother who live in other countries every weeks just to tell them that I love them…
“This feels a lot more real than the live action films.” I have the same sentiment. I remember I bought the DVD for this movie while I was still in secondary school. My mom was sick and couldn’t go to work one day, so before I went out for school that morning, I told her she can pop in the movie and watch it. Years later, she asked what was the title of the movie I bought. When I told her to specify the movie, she said, “It’s that live-action of those two children in the middle of war.” The movie felt so real to her, she remembered it as live-action.
As an international educator, I just got off a call with a young Palestinian man (university age) who lives in Gaza. He watched his entire family be killed before his eyes, save for his younger sister. He’s in the exact situation now as this film. Alone, in a war zone, trying desperately to care for his sister amidst bombings and shootings. American bombs dropped on Japan then, Israeli bombs (from the US) dropped now on Gaza. I watched this film for the first time last night, and as someone with a younger sibling with disabilities that I’ve often been the caretaker for, I was so overwhelmed by the beauty, simplicity, and difficult harshness of this film. Why do we keep burning each other alive all for power, resources, land, ideologies, money, or control? This film shows us the true humanity in us all – there are so many fireflies going to their graves all over the world now, Ukraine, Sudan, Gaza, Myanmar, Haiti, Afghanistan, just to touch the tip of the iceberg. I hope this film can inspire us all to end pointless wars and the futility of violence that devastates the hearts of children globally. Peace must prosper!
Dear cinema therapy, Odds of you reading this are very low, but I just want to show my appreciation for you guys nonetheless. I just had a mentally draining morning with my dad, perusal you guys being internet dads just having fun while helping people such as myself does more than you could possibly know. You and your whole team have made the world a slightly better place and I thank you for that. PS: upon the chance that you guys read this, please let Sophie know that she is now who I want to be when i grow up (no pressure) ❤
Back in highschool, I asked my world history teacher if I could share this movie with my sophomore class since we were finishing up our studies on WWII. Around the first half, a lot of my classmates would groan every time Setsuko started crying, and my teacher would yell, “y’all were like that, too!” When we got to the part where Setsuko died, they were the ones bawling… I always kinda found that funny.
I find it so powerful that while Seita and Setsuko’s parents were both direct casualties of the war, Seita and Setsuko die due to the aftermath. Seita and Setsuko should have survived. They were alive after the dust had settled and there wasn’t immediate threat to their lives. However due to their family (their horrible aunt) and those around them in their communities not caring about them, they starved. It stands that when we have kindness and compassion, and the means to help others, we should.
I always found it so poignant that the girl’s eulogy music is Home Sweet Home, a song adapted from an American Opera … by the culture of the people who took her family, and (indirectly) her life too, and then I found out this isn’t just any opera track… oh no, it’s the melody played in counterpart to “Over the Rainbow” in the final scene of The Wizard of Oz, when Dorothy tells her family, “there’s no place like home”. 😭 On a more light hearted note, that clip of Dr Evil/Disney – chef’s kiss.
I have ADHD and rewatching movies helps with emotional regulation. Sometimes, I just need to let myself feel sad, and movies like this one help with that. But as someone who’s lost track of how many times I’ve seen it, I completely understand why you don’t want to watch it ever again. It’s very much a single view film. But it’s so incredibly powerful, and beautiful. I’m so glad you got to experience it and I thank you for sharing your journey into it with us.
My twin sister and I rented this from the library at 10 years old knowing only that it was Studio Ghibli and therefore, probably fun. I still remember the emotions of perusal this on a crackling VHS in the basement on a summer day while our parents were at work. The movie ended and we both just sat there. Twenty years later, and I still remember those emotions. I never want to watch it again, but if you haven’t seen it, you should. You will never forget it.
I have a degree in International Relations and something Jonathan resonated with me. “We don’t have to do this to each other.” It stood out to me because when we talk about WWII we always talk about it in terms of us vs them when really the ENTIRE world shared trauma for this. We absolutely did not have to go this far and the recovery from it still isn’t done mentally and emotionally.
No matter how many times I see this, and show it to someone, I always lose it during the eulogy score. This is what I love about the people that created Studio Ghibli, their attention to detail is majestic even when its tragic, and their characters are so full of life (even the villains). Disney is a master at their craft, but they have never come close to matching the soul that is born into these Ghibli films.
My Japanese professor had us watch this in class when I was in college. I felt so much perusal the movie that I had to sit outside towards the end of it. He checked in with me after class and we talked about the war, and how you move on after such devastation. When the 3/11 disaster happened, I interviewed him for the school paper, and ended up talking about the same thing with him, except this time, I was the one comforting him. This movie brings all of those memories back….
This is a movie that I watched ONCE and I cannot revisit it, but it is devasting, beautiful, heartbreaking, and just so important. As someone who grew up on the “Good Fight, Good War” mentality this movie shook me to my core and opened an entirely new perspective. One that I have been studying ever since. Once we let go of the idea that war benefits anyone, the world will be better.
I had just finished perusal this movie 3 days ago and I have cried every day since 😭. All I can think about is how lonely and defeated Seita must’ve felt in his final moments, having to watch his dead mother’s body be dumped with the rest of the deceased, realise that his father had passed away and that was the reason he never replied to his letters, and then watch the only person he had left die, not even finishing the meal that he had bought with the last savings in his parents’ bank account. He was only 14 years old trying his absolute best to keep his 4 year old sister alive without any prior knowledge of how to raise a child, and ended up perusal her slowly die, the light of a firefly symbolising Setsuko as her spark vanished. I could never imagine what it would be like to experience something as devastating as what these kids had to go through, even now at times where I’m stuck or frustrated- all I want is a hug from my mother, and both children died without ever saying a proper goodbye.
A friend of mine’s grandfather worked for Nissan in Tennessee until retirement. He had a boss that moved from Japan to work at that plant sometime in the 80’s or 90’s. His boss one day came in nearly hysterical because he saw something outside. He took my buddy’s grandfather outside to show him and it was a small group fireflies. He was a child when the nukes dropped and hadn’t seen fireflies in nearly 50 years and was overcome with emotion at the beautiful sight. My friend’s grandfather ended up taking him to a spot he knew of that was known locally for the incredible amount of fireflies that would visit in the summer. It’s incredible the things we can take for granted that other people have been forcibly deprived of.
I watched this back in the early 2010s, and was left absolutely devastated by the end. I have a younger sister, and when it gets to the Seita finding Setsuko dead, accompanied by the song on the record player playing, I was absolutely sobbing and inconsolable. This film stayed with me for practically a week. I tried talking to my parents about it and describing it to them without emotionally falling apart, but I couldn’t do it. That was the first and only time I ever watched that film. It got to me that much.
Something I appreciate when perusal this is Jonathan acknowledging the tragedy of it all and not trying to find a “solution”. One of the hardest things as a therapist is to meet people who are in hopeless situations that will only get worse. I’ve met many people in my practice where things aren’t going to be better, such as the parents of children with terminal cancer. It’s easy to expect that a therapist will have the answers or solutions to your pain, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes there’s not a solution that will take away the pain. Sometimes you just need the right ear. Sometimes you just need to be reminded of something. But sometimes all you need is someone to guide you through the pain rather than away from it. We can feel powerless when the solution isn’t there, and when we feel like everything is outside of our control. But even if we cannot change an outcome, we can make choices around the outcome. We can make choices in the way we approach the pain.
I have seen this movie twice. the first time left me speachless and heartbroken maybe 8-10 years ago but the second time was even more heartbreaking. I was born and lived in Russia, so when the war in Ukraine started I was just devastated. I’m Jewish and a lot of my family members were killed during the WWII, my grandfather who went throught the whole war, kept saying how happy he was that his kids and grandkids won’t see the horrors of war, so when the country I was born in started the war and committed several war crimes: brutally killing civilians, including kids, etc. I re-watched this movie and couldn’t stop crying. And as someone mentioned it here, this is a true anti-war movie. I just wish more people in my country could see it and feel what I felt after perusal this movie, so they could stop supporting the war and see it as an acceptable tool. because there is no ends that could possibly justify war.
I watched this film two times. First alone and than because I wanted to show it to someone. The second time was even harder. The tears ran down my face so quickly. Now I can’t even tell someone about this film in any kind of detail without getting choked up. But it is simply a masterpiece. Devastating, but a masterpiece. And knowing that it’s based on a autobiographic book by an author ridden by severe survivors guilt doesnt make it easier. Thanks for talking about this film. I sometimes think that this movie should be a required watch at schools. It would give modern people an inkling of what previous generations had to get through. That would maybe lead to some perspective.
I remember my friend and I got the dvd from someone and we were so excited to watch the movie. We assumed it was going to be a typical ghibli film like the others we loved so much. So we decided on a Saturday morning to watch it. We prepared a nice breakfast with pancakes and other good stuff. We sat there sobbing all morning. Could hardly finish our meal. So heart breaking. This was and is still the reality for so many innocent children caught in the cross fire.. 💔
13:45 i absolutely BAWLED the first time i watched this movie, her simple innocence of “mama died and is in a grave so i’m putting the fireflies in a grave like mama” NO MY HEART JUST SHATTERED AGAIN 19:26 and again, after she lists all the food she’s craving, she tells him “i don’t want any of it, you can have it, don’t leave me alone”… she knows she doesn’t have long for the world and she doesn’t want her brother to leave her. oh my gosh. i cannot. my heart 💔
If you didn’t know, this movie is based on a book. The author wrote it because he was actually the child in the story. However, he could never forgive himself because he survived and his little sister didn’t. So, he created a story in which both died as that’s what he thought he deserved. Another interesting thing is that there are hints of this movie in Totoro; some even theorize that they happen in the same setting and that’s why the children in Totoro move to the country side, in a safer place. It has never been confirmed, but I think it is very interesting.
This movie holds a very special place in my heart because I remember I had the same exact type of candy drop that came in that type of tin when I was about 6 or 7. I watched this movie when I was quite young, but it still made me cry every single time I watched it. The way they tell the story and the deeper meaning it has behind everything that I only understand now because I’m older. Despite that, the movie is still so great and I’m happy that it’s not forgotten among the other movies that are just as amazing by Studio Ghibli. Great article and thank you guys for reviewing this movie.
This movie gutted me when I watched it as a teenager and I still cry when I rewatch it! ❤️ Also, at 15:30 when you see the fireflies staying a long time before a box: that’s the ashes from the communal grave, so their mother wasn’t buried and he’s transported that box everywhere they go. So he lied to his sister to spare her: their mother doesn’t doesn’t have a grave… 😢
Speaking of therapy: When Grave of the Fireflies was first shown in the U.S., the American distributor did not look at GotFF too deeply, noted that they were both animated movies, assumed they were both for children, and released it as the second movie in a double header with My Neighbor Totoro. I cannot /imagine/ the number of traumatized families after the second film.
I saw this movie about 8 years ago now. My family watched it all together, my dad being the only one of us who had seen it before. I was crying, full tears rolling down cheeks, at the end. More surprising, my dad, who does not usually cry at movies, was also crying. This movie is so sad and beautiful and important, and absolutely one I wouldn’t blame anyone for only being able to watch once.
I watched this movie for the first time about two years ago or so. I knew it had a reputation for being “the best movie you’ll never want to watch again,” but even knowing that I was not prepared for laid ahead. Not only did I cry, but for two weeks or so I could not stop thinking about it. I felt like I was genuinely grieving for Setsuko and Seita, and I was so angry at all that happened to them. I think one of the things that wrecked me the most was the fact that in the end, no one in the film mourns Setsuko and Seita. Seeing them suffer and die was horrible in itself, but I think the creative team who made this movie made a devastatingly brilliant decision in denying us a cathartic resolution of having someone stand over their graves and mourn them (be that person a father, their aunt or cousin, a distant relative that went searching for them, a neighbor who knew them, whoever). A scene like that would have given some emotional closure or bitter comfort, I think, because it would have shown us that someone remembers them and someone is grieving them just like we are. But we didn’t get that. These kids were forgotten. They suffered, they died, and they were forgotten, just like so many victims of war. No one was there to mourn them except for us, the viewers, and denying us that closure or catharsis of having a grieving character to project our emotional reactions to really emphasizes the senseless evil of war. Thank you so much for covering this and for your incredible analysis!
I remember during final exams, and we had about war, I convinced my teacher to show this movie during class. Anime is not really big where I’m from, so no one but me had seen it AND EVERYBODY STARTED TO CRY! My classmates and teachers, they had no idea what they agreed to, and just started sobbing and screaming during the end.
I watched it when I was a kid with my sister. I grew up in Japan, and my grandma is a war survivor. She is almost 100 and to this day she still remembers how horrible it was to experience war. I was literally traumatized after perusal this, I remember being scared at a normal airplane flying over me. My sister and I look at each other in fear and tried to hide. War is just so fucked up and can’t imagine what the people in other parts of the world going thru right now. Peace to everyone 🙏
Akiyuki Nosaka,the author of the original novel that this film is based on, wrote this story for his late little sister. Nosaka reflected himself on Seita as a better version of him that he thought he should had been. The Nosaka siblings were orphans just like them but he didn’t share his food with his sister cause he was only a child and starving . He believed that it led his little sister’s death earlier. He regretted and straggled rest of his life and wished that he could have taken care of her more like Seita.
i watched this movie for the first time during my 10th grade history class and had to physically refrain myself from looking at it towards the end because i didn’t want to start sobbing in front of my peers. i had never watched an animation before where such a small and innocent child died such a slow and devastating death. i especially didn’t expect it from a ghibli film. it’s such a tragic yet important movie
This is one of the few movies, I can only watch once and that’s it. The horrors of war, the innocent civilians who have no part in the causation and the results of it is just so heartbreaking. Seita and Setsuko feel like children you would know personally because there isn’t anything anime aesthetic about them. And each scene you always hope that there will be someone who will adopt them. But seeing the first few parts. You know there is no happy ending.
The first time I saw this movie, I thought it was going to be another delight like Spirited Away or Kiki’s Delivery Service. I couldn’t turn it off and I have been destroyed ever since. I have seen it once more, when I showed it to my friends in college after touring a museum exhibit on the fire bombing of Japanese civilians and cities. This story breaks my heart and I still can’t process the way it does so.
This originally debuted as a double feature with My Neighbor Totoro in 1988. GoTF ran first then MNT. It almost feels like these children were the precursor to Mei and Satsuki, they are the sacrifice to war, while Mei and Satsuki are the promise of peace. In peace, you could have the magic of Totoro, but in this story there is no magic for these kids, except their own love. When the Seita says their mother’s grave is watched over by a big Camphor tree, as are the girls in My Neighbor Totoro, the parallel gave me chills.
grave of the fireflies was the first anime movie i watched with my mom. she doesn’t really like perusal animated movies, she just likes live action more, but i made her watch it with me after i watched it alone because i really wanted her to see it. when we finished, both sobbing, she said that everyone should watch this movie at least once, because it is so important. i’m glad that you’ve done this episode, i was waiting for this. thank you!
I am a Japanese living in Japan. Japan learned a lot from its defeat. My grandfather was an English interpreter. Thanks to that, I was not summoned to the battlefield, so I was born now. My grandfather always told me this when he was alive. “America is not bad, human greed and war itself are bad.” Next month is the thirteenth anniversary of my grandfather’s death.
The Wind Rises is another Ghibli film that’s similar to Grave of Fireflies. Thematically, the only thing they really have in common is the setting, loose time period, and being more grounded and “realistic”. Where Grave of Fireflies is more about trying to push through hardship, and sometimes bad things happen outside of your control, The wind Rises is more hopeful. Its largely about the pursuit of your dreams and how even through struggles it can still be worth it. Its another underappreciated movie from the studio that I think the two of you would really enjoy.
Hayao Miyazaki may direct the most imaginative movies ever, but Isao Takahata captures the human experience to such painful degrees. He really only directed a few movies at Ghibli, Pom Poko about nature, My Neighbor’s the Yamada’s about Family, Grave of the Fireflies about siblings and Japan’s experience of WWII, Only Yesterday about the nature of growing up, and The Tale of Princess Kaguya being the most Japanese film he ever made, his magnum opus, which causes just as many tears but you’ll be able to rewatch it. Takahata may not have been imaginative in his environments, drawing upon Japan itself, but he was so able to express humanity and femininity in such beautiful ways. I only wish he could have made more films. <3
My Lola(grandma) was a kid in the Philippines when the Japanese Empire attacked. Though she would eventually have a family in Japan and live a nice life, it never left her; with the damages she took because of the war being linked to the disease that would take her life nearly 80 years later. I saw this movie months after her death and couldn’t stop crying for hours, for all the victims of war and invasion who died or lived with it. No one should have to endure such a tragedy. I forgot who I heard it from but, “No one wins a war”. (Also, if you like Studio Ghibli I heavily recommend any Satoshi Kon’s works. I’d love to see a CT episode on Perfect Blue, Tokyo Godfathers, or/and Paprika./g)
I am very proud of both of you. Sincerely, thank you. I’ll say it again: Grave of the Fireflies is my humanity test, where a person will show you exactly who they are simply be experiencing this film. We can be better; we should be better; we need to be better, and the only way to do it is together. I love you all, please take care of each other.
If i’m not mistaken, I believe Seita CHOSE to leave their aunt and care for Setsuko on his own. She didn’t kick them out and was actually sort of concerned for them but ultimately let them go. Seita is at the age where he wants to grow up, he idolizes his father who is a soldier and he wants to serve as “the protector” just like him. So when Seita felt like they couldn’t handle their aunt’s constant chastising and cold mistreatment, he decided to take his sister and leave, trading proper shelter and food for freedom and independence. What’s tragic about this is that there is the possibility that they could’ve survived if they just stayed with their aunt, and did whatever she told them to do so she’d chastise them less, but then they would’ve been unhappy and would’ve had to take in more of her abuse. The fact that he made the decision to be their sole caregiver makes this film all the more tragic since it adds to the guilt he most likely would have felt after his younger sister’s death – which also ties in with the true story this film was based on with the writer’s own guilt for not being able to take care of his sister.
my moms side is from hiroshima and my grandmother used to tell me stories of how her mother’s family suffered during WW2, she lost half of the people she once knew and felt guilty for not being able to do anything, my great grandfather ended up ending his own life from the guilt. watched this movie as a kid with my mother, man she was crying nonstop for the entire day
The movie reminds me a little about a German book that would translate as “Sadako want’s to life”. Sadako is a 4 year old girl who witnessed the bombing of Hiroshima together with her brother who is 10. They are not orphaned but the effect of the bombing is descriped and also the struggle after the war. Later on when she is 14 she dies of Leukemia. Her brother is the one who persuades his parents to ask american doctors to treat her but she dies anyway. Someone tells her the believe that if she succeeds to make 100 origamy cranes she will be cured but instead she goes to heaven. It is very touching too.
The scene of this movie that hits me the hardest is the one where the doctor (somewhat cheerfully?) tells Seita that all Setsuko needs is to get some food, and Seita exclaims, “Where are we supposed to get food?!” Just how desperate and despaired he is at being unable to get even the bare essentials to take care of his sister. He’s been trying so hard to keep himself together and that’s the first instance where this poor kid can actually express to someone else how afraid and sad and angry he is.
This is the number one film in my list of movies to NEVER watch again. I watched it for one of my general ed “History of Film” courses in my first year of college, and it was my first introduction to Studio Ghibli. This film left some students in my class sobbing, and it left me in an emotional state for over 24 hours. I have a friend whose younger sibling passed away a few years ago, and I always warn them about perusal this film. I legitimately think it could trigger their depression, so I’m wary of recommending it, even though they’re a big fan of other Studio Ghibli films.
When I traveled to Nagasaki a few years back, I visited the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum. It was horrible. As Europeans, we tend to be more focused on WWII crimes like concentration camps and people suffering here, and everything about Japan is taught more matter-of-factly. Whenever I see the Grave of the Fireflies, I vividly remember one of the pictures from the Nagasaki museum. It’s a young boy (around 8-10), standing straight, stiff, with a blank and almost shocked expression. He has a little boy strapped on his back, the same way Seita in the movie has his sister. The little boy looks like sleeping. Under the picture was a text that the boy is carrying his dead brother to a specific place so he can be cremated. I will never forget that. Never.
Saw this for the first time at the theaters about 5 or 6 years ago now. Most surreal movie experience of my life. I was 3rd row from the front and cried my eyes out. Credits hit and i figure i will wait and dry my eyes, stop crying, compose myself before leaving. A few minutes go by, dead quiet aside from the music in the credits. I get up, turn to leave, everyone still sat in their seats silently crying and holding eachother. So surreal. It’s a movie I will never watch again but I will never have to because I will never forget it. I break up everytime I think about it. Even cried typing this comment out while thinking about the movie. I can’t tell people about this movie because I start crying if i try. Top 10 movie list 100%, along with “A Silent Voice.”
The only time I watched this, I was a child younger than 10. I’m certain I intentionally shut away a lot of the memories of perusal it, but I distinctly remember crying. Over 20 years later I still don’t think I can watch it a second time. Still though, I think it’s incredibly important for people to see this even just once. I’m very glad you watched it, and thank you so much for this article.
the one and only time i watched this movie was with my younger brother, when i was 14 and he was 12. we had an extremely close relationship growing up. needless to say, we were uncontrollably sobbing by the time the credits rolled, clinging to each other and shaking. we were both imagining what it would be like in these characters’ shoes, and it was an unbearably painful and utterly terrifying thought. our parents were gobsmacked when we came running into their room that night crying like it was the end of the world.
Lots of Studio Ghibli films deal with war because Miyazaki was impacted by war himself. It’s why a lot of protagonist in his films don’t resort to violence right away like Ashitaka in Princess Mononoke and Nausicaa in Nausicaa of The Valley in the wind and characters like Porco Rosso who are very anti-war. So while this is a much grittier film it is very in line with the philosophy of the studio
Thank you very much for picking up this film. I was born and raised in Japan and have heard similar stories in person from my dad, grandmother and war survivors. They never said who was right or wrong, but would repeat that ‘war is bad’ and ‘it must not happen again’. Sadly, wars still go on that have taken innocent people’s lives. Every time breaks my heart.
The only movie that ever made me sob, not just tear up. Its hard to even talk about the film without intense feeling. It’s not my favorite animation, but it’s possibly the best or at least, the most meaningful. When people were dismissive of animation as being for kids, I’d recommend they watch this, or more like, dare them to.
Well, you guys finally broke me. Now I am crying!! Grave of the Fireflies is by far one of the saddest movies I have ever watched in my life. I would say that this movie is a must-watch, for anyone who wants to understand the true cost of war. Thank you Jonathan and Alan for talking about this hauntingly beautiful film.
In the midst of the horror happening in Palestine, Ukraine, Congo, Sudan, and all places of conflict across the world, this movie reminds us of the human cost of war. And still we see people willing to help their human and non-human relatives. We see elders planting sunflowers and children protecting olive trees. We see young folks holding their cats and grown ups feeding injured animals from their own sparse rations. We see people carrying each other, helping bury and recover the dead, finding ways to keep teaching and celebrating life moments . . . far from hate, I see humanity. #CeasefireNow #endApartheid
I used this movie to teach my middle school history class – to show that there are no absolute winners in any war. I used it to show that there are different sides to stories in history and that World War II brought devastation on all sides and not everyone in the war was single minded in wanting to dominate or conquer.
I watched this in the early 2000s with my siblings and cousins. We can’t remember another movie we watched that made us feel so terrible. Hearing the title just makes me feel the sadness all over again. After perusal it, a cousin had hit me on my shoulder and said, “Why did you make us watch this movie?”. She had tears streaming down her face.
if you ask me what movie changed my life when I saw it as a kid, it would be this movie. This movie made me cry buckets and made my heart hurt. my country, the Philippines, was occupied by Japan in the second world war. I grew up on my grandparents stories during world war 2. how they would hide in caves to escape the bombs, how they were constantly so hungry and terrified of being discovered by the japanese soldiers. but this movie made all their stories came to life for me and made me sympathize with the stark terror my grandparents really went through. since GoTF is from a japanese perspective it also taught me compassion and taught me the futility of all wars. it doesn’t matter what side you are on, in the end, it is the innocents who suffer. i wish humanity would all grow up and realize this and find peaceful ways to resolve conflict.
Thank you for this. I knew this episode would be really hard so I didn’t watch it when it was posted. Today I learned a friend of mine about my age (around 40) who has been fighting cancer and we knew wasn’t getting better, passed away this last Friday. perusal this was the first thing I thought of doing. I wanted to cry and hold space for my grief. So very appropriate
i once saw my mom perusal this, and thought it was a regular movie, i never knew that it was about war and death. i truly respect the fact that my mom watch this, no tears, when her side of the family as also fallen on hard times since she lived in colombia in the 1980s. truly this movie is great and i think it deseveres an award for the way the movie is. the beautiful reperesention of the japanese during world war ll.