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Grave of the Fireflies




  • 026 4  What a tremendous achievment . It is rare for a film with this kind of scope to be politically and nationally nuetral , just showing what it was like to live and die in a horrific time as World War 2 . No finger pointing saying that it was the American's or the Allies ' fault . No blame on their native homeland of Japan . Just the chance to watch and even feel the senslessness of war , poverty , inhospitality , and the worst result of any war , just or unjust , death . And one of the most amazing aspects of this film is that it is a cartoon ! But after watching for only five or ten minutes you don't remember that its a cartoon , you are immersed in the real world , surrounded by people just trying to survive , even though the animation struck me as being very Hanna Barbarous . To truly convey the sense of immenent tragedy and hopelessness throughout the entire film they have the opening scene showing Seita ( one of the main characters ) die and his spirit reunite with that of his sister's , Setsuko , whereupon we watch the rest of the film as Seita remembers the events unfold around them . Right away we know that whatever they go through , whatever good or bad happens to them , Tragedy is lurking somewhere , waiting to strike . Personally , from then on , almost every scene was heartbreaking , but none more so than watching the slow degeneration of his sister's body trom malnutrion , but thankfully not her spirit . This is not to say they were all harsh . There were a few scenes that were just centered around the joy of being alive , but even then there was always something to remind us of what was going on around them . I was as happy as they were getting to watch them run down the beach and into the ocean , or seeing them chase fireflies outside of thier aunt's house , but the best time for me was their first night alone in the cave , and to help his sister to not be afraid , Seita helps Setesko catch a bunch of fireflies to light up their darkened abode . Seeing the wonder and enjoyment on her face was almost enough to bring me to tears after all the previous emotional despair . And it was then extra sad to see them wake up in the morning to dead fireflies and then taking the time to dig them a grave . Very touching . This young girl , while visibly suffering , was generally more prone to have fun and let her attention be diverted . You can see this come to its fufillment when Seita gives her a bite of the watermelon , and she uses her last words to say that it tastes good . No complaints about the pain she is obviously dealing with . No crying out to her brother that she doesn't want to die . Just a simple way of saying thank you to her brother . In this same scene we also see how much Sieta truly cares for Setsuko . After giving her the bite of watermelon , he generously sets a piece on her chest , and the rest within easy reach . Instead of breaking his fast with her , Seita selflessly rushes outside to start the rice cooking , more for her than for himself . In his rush to meet her needs he doesn't even realize that she has said her goodbye to him , and she dies while he is in the act of helping her in the only way he knows how . Another heart rending scene is after she dies and we see a rememberance of how she played and tried to help take care of their small live-in cave . Seeing all that innocence shown so purely in the face of a child in the midst of war moved me to tears and made me thankful to be a father of a similar aged little girl . This is a movie that truly stays with you and changes how you look at things . Normally after watching a movie I will read , write , or socialize with my wife of friends for awhile . Not so after this one . I went to bed deeply impressed by what I had seen . I awoke the next day thinking about it . I had one of the most mellencholy days that I have ever worked because I was in a constant remeberance of it , trying to soak up all the lessons in it , as I knew I would not watch it again for a long while . It was almost twenty hours later that I finally picked up a book again , a long time for me . And even now it is still right there , beneath the surface of my normal thoughts . Just writing this review brings back vivid scenes . One last thought about the movie . As other reviews have said , it was upsetting to see the way their aunt treated them . She basically drove them out of the house in all ways short of actually telling them to leave . But one cannot really blame her for her actions . Sure she was being selfish . But she was also living in fear . It really was taxing her family's resources having them there . There wasn't much to go around.In these kind of circumstances most people will try to hold onto everything , becuase you might not survive if you have to share your meager things with others . She shared with animosity and disaproval of their every action because she had no ideathat giving out of Love and a desire to help your fellow human will bring you more back in return . My final words are watch this . Even if it is hard for tuo to see , or brings up things you thought were past , watch it anyhow . You will be better off for it . Personally I would not recomend letting children view this though . Let them retain their innocence while they have it . War , pain , and death are not pretty sights , but even less so for our young ones .
    • 001 4  I generally don't cry at movies . I love any movie that can move me enough to shed a tear or two . Grave Of the Fireflies is not one of those movies . In those movies even though I'm sad the final scenes leave me with a residual hope that while some tragic event has just occured the charecters involved will grow and live better . Grave of the Fireflies doesn't do this . There is no hope or possiabilty of things getting better . This is Life at it's cruelest . Life that will never get better . This movie doesn't move you , it shatters you . Seita And Setsuko ( the boy and His little sister ) aren't Heros and their abusive aunt isn't the villian . Neither for that matter is either side of the war protrayed as good or bad in these movie . This is just a story of people being people . some kind , some indiffrent and some compleatly harsh . Seita makes mistakes that many children in his position would . Although fifteen years old this film is still very beatiful . The images it portrays are quiet and subdued yet elegent . The final scene is something that shall forever be burned into my brain . It's touching and heartwrenching finality should break most people . Well I love Grave of the Fireflies . I Love it for it's unflinching look at war and life , It's graceful bueaty as it portrays a young girl playing amidst Fireflies , and for what it does to me at the end . Why must fireflies die so young ?
    • 002 4  Grave of the Fireflies ( Hotaru no haka ) is one of the most powerful anti-war films I have ever seen , which means that it has no competition when it comes to emotional impact in terms of animated films . The death of Bambi's mother was a traumatic shock , but nothing like the sense of despair and grief that overwhelms you by the end of this film . The film begins with the spirit of a young boy showing us his death in a train station , after which we follow the fireflies into the past to see his story . At the beginning of the original movie of Brian's Song we were told : All true stories end in death . This is a true story . So is Grave of the Fireflies because I have no problem granting the legitimacy of truth to fiction . In the last months of World War II an American fire bomb raid destroys the port city of Kobe , where almost all of the buildings are made of wood . Seita ( Tsutomu Tatsumi / J . Robert Spencer ) is a 14 - year old boy who survives along with his 4 - year old sister Setsuko ( Ayano Shiraishi / Rhoda Chrosite ) . They were separated from their mother during the raid , which spares them from her fate . Their father is a navy officer serving in the Imperial Navy at sea , and the two kids go off to live with an aunt . With both his school and the war factory where we worked gone , Seita does not know what to do . So he tries to take care of his sister . But his aunt constantly berates him and after trading his mother's kimonos for rice that she stingly shares with the children , Seita decides to take Setsuko and live in a couple of caves dug for bomb shelters . For a while their live remains idyllic , but then there is nothing left to trade for food , and no food to be bought for money . Seita has to steal food to survive while Setsuko is getting weaker and weaker from hunger . This film is based on the semi-autobiographical novel written by Akiyuki Nosaka , which won the Naoli Prize , the Japanese equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize for Literature . Like Seita , he survived the fire bombing with a younger sister , who died in his care . Obviously the story stems from a sense of guilty and I believe telling this story was confessional rather than cathartic for Nosaka . Writer-director Isao Takahata turns this tragedy into what can only be described as a poetic experience , achieving a cinematic lyricism that could never have been accomplished in a live-action film ( e.g . , the way the fireflies have a counterpoint in the pieces of ash that drift on the wind after the fire bombings ) . There is a quietness to this film , a sense of contemplation that emphasizes important and small moments alike , and makes scenes linger as the heart-rending story plays out to its fatal conclusion . The voice work by both of the young girls playing Setsuko is extremely effective ; I have a slight preference for that done by Ayano Shiriashi simply because it is much more naturalistic than what you usually find in anime depicting children . Graves of the Fireflies is an unforgettable film , one which will reduce most viewers to tears if not outright sobbing . Watching it is a painful experience , but then a film depicting the horrors of war and showing what happens to young children is supposed to have that effect . Viewing it a second time makes the experience even more intense ( you probably will not catch what Setsuko's last words are the first time through , but be prepared for what it will do to you when you watch the film again ) . You will never , ever forget this film and you should be very , very careful about showing it to younger children , because it will change forever what they think about animated films . It will do that for you as well .
    • 004 4  This review is from : Grave of the Fireflies ( DVD ) For those who insist that cartoons of all forms , and particularly anime , are for children , I present you with Grave of the Fireflies . This amazingly well-done anime has some of the most touching , most depressing scenes I've ever seen on a screen , regardless of format . This film is set in Japan near the end of World War 2 . Seita and Setsuko live in Kobe with their mother , whom they adore . When the air raid sirens sound , Seita and Setsuko run ahead to the bomb shelter , leaving their mother ( who has a heart condition and cannot run ) to follow . Seita is obviously not happy with this situation , but the early teen youth cannot carry both his toddler sister and his mother , so he agrees , sure his mother will join them at the shelter . From here begins the long , sad tale of the losses that Seita and Setsuko suffer through together . This is very much the story of a young man forced into the role of provider , protector , and nurturer years ahead of time , and of his little sister who adores him . Seita struggles to provide for himself and for Setsuko , and refuses to surrender himself to despair , regardless of the obstacles he is presented . I feel that this movie is all the more heart-wrenching for the way that the hurt and the pain and the fear are interspersed with the moments of joy and lightheartedness . For much of the movie , it is almost possible to believe that Seita and Setsuko will come out of this together . Of course , since the movie opens with Seita dying , alone , you know that your hope is misplaced , but you want them to survive . The love they share , and the joy they take from one another make you root for them . The characters in Grave of the Fireflies are remarkably well acted . Seita , standing strong , doing whatever is necessary to take care of his little sister . Setsuko is the perfect toddler . Happy one moment , crying the next , unsure of why anything is happening , but sure that Seita can fix everything . The childrens ' aunt , a cold , sarcastic , bitter woman , taking every opportunity to ensure the children , especially Seita , is aware of how much they impose upon her and her patriotic family . In addition to the quality of the story and the caliber of the actors , the beauty of the artwork is just incredible . The facial expressions , the landscapes , the atmosphere . It's all wonderful , drawing you into the story . I found myself checking to see if the prone form of Setsuko was breathing as she lie ill , then realizing that wait , this is animation . This provocative , compelling tragedy is based upon a true story . The original author , Nosaka Akiyuki , wrote a novel based upon his real-life experiences at the end of the war in Japan . This story was then turned into a manga ( Japanese comic book ) , and the story became very popular and well-known . Trivia buffs might be interested in knowing exactly how this movie made it to the screen . A director by the name of Hayao Miyazaki was working on a project named My Neighbor Totoro but the production company was worried that nobody would be interested in the tale of two little kids and a monster living in rural Japan . Therefore , they decided to make a movie they felt would draw viewers based upon the familiarity of the tale and for the educational value of the story , and make it a double-feature with My Neighbor Totoro , billing and packaging the two movies together . Those who are familiar with both movies find the concept of packaging or viewing the cheery , light-hearted romp that is Totoro with such somber , depressing fare as Grave of the Fireflies mind-boggling , but the tactic seemed to work , though Totoro has become far more popular and well-known of the two movies . I cannot recommend this movie enough . It is a poignant story of the love shared by a pair of siblings in the worst possible conditions . And you'll never look at fruit drops the same way again .
    • 005 4  For those who insist that cartoons of all forms , and particularly anime , are for children , I present you with Grave of the Fireflies . This amazingly well-done anime has some of the most touching , most depressing scenes I've ever seen on a screen , regardless of format . This film is set in Japan near the end of World War 2 . Seita and Setsuko live in Kobe with their mother , whom they adore . When the air raid sirens sound , Seita and Setsuko run ahead to the bomb shelter , leaving their mother ( who has a heart condition and cannot run ) to follow . Seita is obviously not happy with this situation , but the early teen youth cannot carry both his toddler sister and his mother , so he agrees , sure his mother will join them at the shelter . From here begins the long , sad tale of the losses that Seita and Setsuko suffer through together . This is very much the story of a young man forced into the role of provider , protector , and nurturer years ahead of time , and of his little sister who adores him . Seita struggles to provide for himself and for Setsuko , and refuses to surrender himself to despair , regardless of the obstacles he is presented . I feel that this movie is all the more heart-wrenching for the way that the hurt and the pain and the fear are interspersed with the moments of joy and lightheartedness . For much of the movie , it is almost possible to believe that Seita and Setsuko will come out of this together . Of course , since the movie opens with Seita dying , alone , you know that your hope is misplaced , but you want them to survive . The love they share , and the joy they take from one another make you root for them . The characters in Grave of the Fireflies are remarkably well acted . Seita , standing strong , doing whatever is necessary to take care of his little sister . Setsuko is the perfect toddler . Happy one moment , crying the next , unsure of why anything is happening , but sure that Seita can fix everything . The childrens ' aunt , a cold , sarcastic , bitter woman , taking every opportunity to ensure the children , especially Seita , is aware of how much they impose upon her and her patriotic family . In addition to the quality of the story and the caliber of the actors , the beauty of the artwork is just incredible . The facial expressions , the landscapes , the atmosphere . It's all wonderful , drawing you into the story . I found myself checking to see if the prone form of Setsuko was breathing as she lie ill , then realizing that wait , this is animation . This provocative , compelling tragedy is based upon a true story . The original author , Nosaka Akiyuki , wrote a novel based upon his real-life experiences at the end of the war in Japan . This story was then turned into a manga ( Japanese comic book ) , and the story became very popular and well-known . Trivia buffs might be interested in knowing exactly how this movie made it to the screen . A director by the name of Hayao Miyazaki was working on a project named My Neighbor Totoro but the production company was worried that nobody would be interested in the tale of two little kids and a monster living in rural Japan . Therefore , they decided to make a movie they felt would draw viewers based upon the familiarity of the tale and for the educational value of the story , and make it a double-feature with My Neighbor Totoro , billing and packaging the two movies together . Those who are familiar with both movies find the concept of packaging or viewing the cheery , light-hearted romp that is Totoro with such somber , depressing fare as Grave of the Fireflies mind-boggling , but the tactic seemed to work , though Totoro has become far more popular and well-known of the two movies . I cannot recommend this movie enough . It is a poignant story of the love shared by a pair of siblings in the worst possible conditions . And you'll never look at fruit drops the same way again .
    • 008 4  Towards the end of this excellent and unparalleled anti-war and very human movie , right when the Japanese declared their defeat , Galli-Curci's rendition of the standard Home Sweet Home came on , and all the hitherto untapped well of emotions in me ( and others who've seen it ) broke lose . The scratchy sound of the LP , Galli-Curci's quavering and sorrow-filled voice ( I rushed out and buy the CD ) , and the harrowing feeling in the face of the young protagonist's courage and the unfeeling violence around him all combined to create a truly unique moment that turns art into life itself . Like some of the other reviewers , I rarely if ever cry during a film , but this film did it , it makes me cry everytime I watch it : the music , the animation , the storyline are very powerful . It's hard to describe the emotional impact it has on me and on everyone I've recommended it to ( and I've recommended it to everyone I care about ) . I once showed it to three of my nieces ( ages 10 - 13 ) on their visit and three years later , they were still talking about it and asking to see it again and again : such is the impact of this once-in-a-lifetime film . It's very organic , not preachy at all , yet its anti-war message is so clear , and it zeroes in on the human in all of us instead of trying to manipulate emotions from the outside . All in all , one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen . Watch it with someone you love , be it your brother or sister or parents or children or boyfriend , girlfriend , spouse . It's very harrowing yet uplifting at the same time ; watching it is an experience to be savored and shared with a loved one for a long time to come .
    • 009 4  This is one of the most beautiful , touching but also most painful films I have ever seen . While this film may bring actual pains to your heart , I highly recommend this great masterpiece . You feel pains because you are a human . This beautiful animated film gives you a totally exceptional film experience and insights into human natures . If you love anybody , your partner , family members or friends , you will realize how important they are to you after watching this film . If you are a father or a mother , you will feel you need to hold your children in your arms . It is a war movie . But it does not play cheap politics of putting blames on enemy or appeal to nationalistic romanticism . The movie is set in air raid struck Kobe in wartime Japan . But Americans have almost no face here . The film subtly but definitly depicts a society that failed to save lives of its youngest members . A society where everybody was desperate for their survival , adults forgot their roles and children were left unprotected . As a Japanese , I doubt if any Japanese viewer will have any specific emotion toward Americans after this film . This film only makes us face ourselves . I saw strength and courage in Seita , a older brother . Also I could see weakness and irresponsibility in him too . I saw childlike innocense in Setsuko , his little sister . In cold adults , I could find fear and selfishness . These characters are so human and I can identify all the elements like these in myself too . Everybody is so believable and real and this makes you wonder what you would do in their places . Again , this is a very sad but beautiful and touching movie . Animation is breathtaking , characters are very human and story is powerful . I think ( I hope ) that everybody can appreciate this work in his or her own way . My parents told me that my grand mother watched this film and cried for hours in her room later . She may have projected images of her own Seita and Setsuko , neighbors and friends in this film . Now that she passed away long time ago , I could only wish that I should have talked with her about this movie .
    • 012 4  If you haven't seen this movie yet , you may want to be cautious about reading the reviews here because some of them contain spoilers which may ruin the experience . I also highly recommend watching the film in Japanese with subtitles so that all the nuances of the original voice-overs are preserved ; it also provides a more authentic feel . Grave of the Fireflies ( Japanese title Hotaru No Haka ) is a haunting and tragic tale of a teenage boy , Seita , and his five-year-old sister , Setsuko , who are orphaned during World War II . After living with their aunt , who becomes verbally abusive , they decide to seek shelter in a nearby cave and struggle to survive on what little they have . The movie is a semi-autobiography , based on the book by Akiyuki Nosaka . I first saw this movie when I was 15 , and remember being deeply overwhelmed with grief . To say that Grave of the Fireflies is moving would be a complete understatement , devastating and heart breaking are more appropriate descriptions . It has some haunting scenes that will remain with me for the rest of my life , the scene showing their mother in bloody bandages being just one of them . It also includes some beautifully touching scenes that are equally unforgettable . Unlike some viewers , I don't see this as only an anti-war film . I see it as a movie about the love between a brother and sister . While watching the movie , notice all the little things each of them do for each other . In one particularly poignant scene , Setsuko is sobbing gently after being told that they can't visit their mother yet ( Seita had lied to Setsuko about their mother being dead to protect her ) . Although devastated himself , he tries to cheer her up by swinging on a bar and says , watch me . In another disturbing scene , a weak and malnourished Setsuko kindly offers Seita food she made for him using dirt . Seita looks in horror , and realizes just how sad their situation has become . We also see in this movie how the very little things , like the pretty glow of a firefly can bring such joy . I think the reason this film has touched so many viewers is that , thanks to the realistic animation , Seita , and in particular Setsuko , are so easy to relate to . Setsuko could easily be your younger sister , daughter , niece , or friend . When we find out that they're orphaned , we can't help but feel sorry for them . From then on , we can easily identify with them and feel all the pain and desperation they go through . As a side note , the viewers ( and probably the aunt ) know that his father , a navy officer , is most likely dead after he fails to reply to Seita's letter . Seita , being just a child , cannot bring himself to believe or even think that his father is dead as well . He is in a constant state of denial until the very end , when he is told that there are no survivors in the fleet . The overwhelming tone of this movie is loneliness : Seita and Setsuko are two children with nothing but each other . And ultimately , this movie is about how the innocence of these two children was lost . Grave of the Fireflies belongs in a category all by itself when it comes to emotional impact . It will have you thinking about it for days , even years later . And that's when you know when you've seen a truly great film . * * WARNING : SPOILER BELOW . DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE MOVIE * * The following is an excerpt from an interview with Akiyuki Nosaka ( the writer of the original book ) in 1987 . I found it to be interesting , so I've included it in my review . My sister's death is an exact match with the novel . It was one week after the end of the war . At the countryside of Fukui prefecture where I was , it was the day the restrictions on lighting were removed . It must have been the 22nd . It was evening , and I was picking up my sister's bones . I was coming home in a daze when I saw the village lit up . There was nothing like my surprise then . My sister died in my side of the world , and the light was coming back in the other . Honestly speaking , there was also relief that she died and my burden was gone . No one would wake me up in the night like she did with her crying , and I wouldn't have to wander around with a child on my back any more . I'm very sorry to say this about my sister , but I did have those feelings too . That's why I haven't gone back to my novel ( Grave of the Fireflies , published in 1967 ) to re-read it , since I hate that . It's so hypocritical . It must be absolutely true that Seita must have thought of his sister as a burden too . He must have thought that he could have escaped better if it weren't for her . There are many things that I just couldn't get myself to write into the story . During composition , the older brother got increasingly transformed into a better human being . I was trying to compensate for everything I couldn't do myself . I always thought I wanted to perform these generous acts in my head , but I couldn't do so . I always thought I wouldn't eat and would give the food to my little sister , but when I actually had the piece of food in my hand , I was hungry after all , so I'd eat it . And there was nothing like the deliciousness of eating in a situation like that . And the pain that followed was just as big . I'd think there is no one more hopeless in the world than me . I didn't put anything about this in the novel . Excerpt from the English translation published in Animerica Vol . 2 , No . 11 , 1994 .
    • 013 4  Maybe , in U.S.A even the name of Hayao Miyazaki will be known here and there . He made many movies till now , Spirited Away , Totoro etc . But the best work that I was moved very much is this movie , Grave of the Fireflies . In Japan , though this movie have been taken high evaluation from all Japanese , is not known more than other Miyazaki's works like Spirited Away . Maybe the same thing will be said in U.S.A . It is very regretable . For instance , this movie was roadshowed with Neighbor Totoro . Main movie was Totoro , and Grave was sab movie . If the watchers are children , their favorite work may be Totoro , but in the point of letting us think about more deep things , peace , love , tenderness , the strong bond between brothers or our happiness that can eat many foods , this movie will be more high splendid movie than Totoro . When I watch this movie , I feel that I am getting many things than the age of this movie , especially foods , but in the other hands , I thought that I was losing many things , tenderness for others etc for letting me fllow in daily benefit , money . Ceatainly they had many trouble on surface aspect , but in the mental points , I am inferior to them because they had the strong family bond like never broken even if they were in the severe condition . This movie is true story on Akiyuki Nosaka's same title novel book . In the movie , the shelter cave where Nosaki and his sister lived actually was re-showed . Nosaka was very surprised to the animation re-creation power . I was eight years old when I watched the movie first time . At that time , I felt why they went out from their aunt's house and dared to live in shelter cave , should live in the house even if they flattered to the aunt . But as I have grown , the thinking changed little by little . Though the selection might not be clever , they wished to live by themselves and be free . If there may be opinions that children should not watch the movie . But though I watched the work in my child age , there was never the bad influence , to the contrary even now the movie have strong impact for me on good meaning . Because this movie is on true story , we should not turn our eyes away from the movie . If we gaze to true things , peace will be made too . I do not dare to talk about which countries should have the war responsibility . The most expecting thing is that people over the world can feel the non sence of war by watching the sorrow movie . If war broke on the point of the benefit of countries , we should stop war by feeling the sympathy to sacrifices for absurd wars . Thank you for reading poor English to last scentence .
    • 016 4  I just finished this movie and I've come online to share my views about it . The majority of people here seem to have come away with the same feeling as me , namely inexplicable anguish at the fragility of life in war . This is a brilliant movie . One that ( for mine and most people's part , ) transcends time and differences in culture . It is a must-see eye-opener that should make you feel pain at how horrific war can be and make you feel glad that you live in a place where such things aren't going on . Because really , for me , the fact that I am fortunate enough to eat well and sleep in a sheltered place are really , some of the only uplifting thoughts I can take away after seeing this movie . If that deters you from watching it , then you may well be best advised to steer clear . For other people , I think , as well as opening your mind , that you may also find some beauty and inspiration in the heroic actions of the protagonist . For that is what he is , in every sense . His unfading smile and resolve to literally carry his younger sister on his back , years ahead of his time , make him a hero in my book . Some people here have questioned his capacity as a man in ultimately failing to keep her or himself alive . I advise them to either watch the movie again ( more carefully ? ) or to read up a little bit about the situation in Japan at that time ( if the movie doesn't paint the picture cleary enough ! ) . A good book to start with might be : Embracing Defeat by the brilliant professor of history at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , John Dower . As to the Korean reviewer here who made the unbelievable comments : I cannot feel sympathy with the Japanese during that era , this film tries to glorify and sympathize [ with ] the sentiments of the Japanese during the war and even It literally makes me sick for me to feel sorry the Japanese , considering the horrors they caused and perpetuated for people , I would have to say to that person , I sympathise with what your family went through at the hand of the Japanese in World War II , but if you can come away from watching this movie and still be unable to open your heart and feel sympathy for the characters portrayed , then I have to say : you are part of the problem . This movie doesn't glorify the Japanese political standpoint during the war at all . It is about two children for goodness ' sake . Innocent people suffering because of a war they are too young to understand or take any part in .
    • 020 4  I'm a Japanese woman in my early forties . I first watched the film when it was first released in the cinema , and several times since during the subsequent years ; I've always been moved , but not to the point of bawling . That's perhaps because I'm of the generation with parents telling me their firsthand experiences of this period , of hunger and death and desolation ; so , although this story is deeply poignant , I was not surprised or shocked by it ( when I first read Barefoot Gen in my early teens , then I was shocked ) . But upon learning by chance how highly this film was reviewed here , I decided to watch it again . Was moved again . And after wiping my eyes and blowing my nose , I turned off the DVD and got up to make dinner . You must understand , this is the time in Japan when the rice crop of the year is harvested , and reaches individual homes . This is the one and best time in the year for great rice . And in my kitchen , there was an unopened big bag of freshly-harvested rice , waiting for me . I opened it , saw the bright , milky white pulses , almost glowing luminescently . And I started to cry . Sob . Bawl . A bag of rice made me bawl . That's what this film does to you .
    • 025 4  The few people who have a negative perception of this movie base their dislike on the conflict between the boy and his aunt . One person said that much of the city was untouched , and that others could have helped them . But with war , it is always shelter that is easy to rebuild , and food that is hard . Another mentioned that the boy could have apologized to the aunt , and that he could have worked . Again , this person has a delusional perception of the economics of war . You have to realize that the food he brought his aunt was utterly priceless at the time . Really , I was expecting him to get mugged for it . She even makes reference that , . . . You can't get this for ANYTHING . And even if the boy had been able to find a job ( unlikely at best ) , he would have been lucky to earn enough to buy one loaf of bread a week . The third , and most insultingly stupid complaint about I've heard about the film was that its director made no reference to Japanese agression . You can study history all you like , and you can lend whichever hues please you most to certain politcal positions , but the only heroes and villains of war are those who make decisions . After them , all others are either soldiers or victims . That is what this movie is trying to say . The characters could just as easily have been German , British , French , Russian . . . you get the point . I hope .
    • 030 4  Embarrassed to say I've never heard of this movie until recently , even though I've seen most of Studio Ghibli's work by now . ( I attribute this to the fact that it was released simultaneously with Totoro , kind of like how Forrest Gump completely overshadowed Shawshank Redemption at the box office and Oscar Awards . ) I just saw this movie for the first time tonight . Although my heart is torn to shreds right now , I can't explain how glad I am to have seen it . I visited Amazon to check how other people responded to this movie and am glad to find that there are 374 reviews . On top of this , I believe I haven't seen a single 3 - star rating across the board . It's almost all 5 - stars peppered with occasional 1 - stars . Any movie that creates this kind of strong reaction proves how thought-provoking , emotional and powerful it is . You might love it or even hate it , but you can't ignore it . I find it interesting that some reviewers gave 1 - star because they were frustrated by questionable decisions made by Seita throughout the movie . I think that was one of the director's point and it made the movie even stronger . A 14 - year-old boy probably can't always make the best decision and he inevitably ends up being another victim of the War . Which is tragic , and tragedy is the point . Aside from many of the positive comments by other reviewers which I largely agree with , one aspect of the movie that struck me was that I felt like I was watching a movie through a point of view of someone who was really there . ( I wasn't surprised to find out Takahata is a survivor , himself . ) I believe I've never seen a war-themed movie that portrayed , very believably , how surreal it is to be right in the middle of a major war . Mr . Takahata's portrayal of fire-bomb attacks at the beginning of the movie - - how it starts off rather harmlessly with bombs rolling off the roofs of neighborhood houses - - was absolutely brilliant . I also appreciate the fact that I was listening to civilians ' little remarks , which illustrated their frustrations , helplessness and apathy , instead of listening to screaming people running around aimlessly like they do in most movies during battle scenes . A beautifully haunting gut-wrenching movie - - a work of art . I hope more people will see it . By the way , I found it sad that some reviewers thought this movie wrongly portrayed the Japanese , who were the aggressors of the War , as victims - - that Seita and Setsuko didn't deserve any pity . All I have to say about that is if you don't have the compassion to feel the pain for others , you don't deserve the compassion you're seeking from others .
    • 033 4  I had heard of this anime for many years , but it was only a few years ago that I finally brought myself around to seeing this deeply moving and sad anime . I am not a big anime fan , and most of the ones I do purchase are for my two young daughters . There are only a handful that I have seen which I truly enjoy . Therefore , it came as a big surprise to me when I finally viewed Grave Of The Fireflies . This is not only a terrific anime , but one which you will soon not forget after viewing it . It takes quite a film in order for me to feel that sense of deep sadness that I felt after viewing this film . A truly sad and poignant anime . This film does what so many motion picture dramas fail to do in trying to convey a sense of tragedy and sadness . This is one of the reasons I was so surprised at how sad I felt after viewing it . I own this DVD , and I highly , highly recommend it to everyone . I know that there are many out there who do not like anime films , but this one is completely different . If you do not wish to buy this anime , then when you have the time , I recommend that you at least rent the film from one of your local video stores . There have been outstanding reviews of this anime , therefore I will not repeat what has already been so eloquently written by so many other reviewers . But I will write that this anime is very powerful ! ! ! Up until I saw this anime ; no other anime had ever moved or touched me as this one did , and continues to do so . The folly of war ; which is always endured upon the innocents that suffer , is truly a universal and tragic condition of the human race . This anime will be timeless , and eternal . It does what so many films fail to show : Mainly that there are consequences to mankind's actions , and that the ' enemy ' is human and suffers too . I have seen countless documentaries on the bombings of Japan , China , Burma , eastern Europe , Germany , Vietnam , Cambodia , everywhere in fact - - since I was young , and especially when I served in the U.S . Air Force . I have always thought about those on the receiving end of these bombings . Bombs do not discriminate in their carnage . I liked everything about this anime , because it does not cop-out with a happy ending , but gives the viewer the very essence and nature of war : Carnage and death . A truly sad , sad , anime . It belongs right up there with the great anti-war films of all time . [ Stars : 5 plus infinity ]
    • 034 4  This is like no other animation you will have seen before . Firstly for it's has masterly and stunningly beautiful animation and artistic quality which , while a signature feature of the studio Ghibli of Japan , is so outstanding it could draw you in to the film in a spellbinding manner in it's own right . That said it is undoubtedly the moving and tender story here that is the the pull , a tale of the struggle to survive the ravages of war . It is based upon the autobiographical work of the Japanese Author Akiyuki Nosaka . Written as an intended apology to the little sister he lost at the end of WW2 . The principal characters are Seito ans Setsuko , a teenage boy and his young sister who are sent to live with a distant Aunt following the death of their Mother in an air raid on Kobe . Their Father is away at war in Japenese Navy . Their Aunt is not merely a distant relative but distant emotionally , a complaining , cold and intolerant woman and ultimately Seito has to make a decision about how the two children can survive the war , either with bodily sustinance and cruel humanity or chancing their luck in order to maintian a environment of humanity in which he knows his sister will best flourish , a legacy to his lost or absent parents . The two move into an unused air raid shelter , besides a stream and amidst an abundance of nature ; on the outskirts of town . All at first , is rich and freeing to the spirits of the children . Both gain a renewed sense of strength from the beauty that surrounds them , they use fireflies to light their dark shelter by night but the agony of the death each morning of hundreds of these enchanting creatures does not escape their notice and both seem acutely aware of their own lives running in parrallel . Little Setsuko ritually buries the creatures each day in grateful and polite homage , perhaps also hopng in doing so she and her Brother will spared a simlair fate . Will they survive in unending joy or will the impact of war and scant food and trading power force them to face a similair fate to the beautifully free but short lived creatures ? The story is so grippuing and moving , it speaks of the will to keep alive all that is beautiful as well as mundane and ordinary about the human experience and it starkly examines the futility and impact of war . The loss , the change in humanity and reason and the focus on the importance of the small but nurturing elements of life . Truly stunning and enriching .
    • 037 4  Being there already almost 140 reviews for this movie , there's nothing new I can say except what's been said . Despite this fact , Grave of the Fireflies is one of those rare movies I must show gratitude and appreciation towards . No other movie ( except for David Lynch's The Straight Story , which I also recommend ) has exemplified the importance of love for other people through a powerfully sad story . If I explained any of the specifics to what I'm saying , it will give away spoilers - - that wouldn't matter anyway , the true importance and redemption of Grave Of The Fireflies lies in it's mood and characters ' struggles , and those will leave most viewers a changed person . One of the greatest movies ever made . Not only do I respect the art of film greatly more than I used to , but I also hold precious my loved ones even more . For those of you reading these reviews but have yet to see this movie , I have 3 bits of advice : 1 ) It is anime - - do not hold prejudice against this movie because of it . This is one of the most emotionally-gripping movies I've seen , and it's rare that I cry because of a movie , let alone from start to finish with this movie . 2 ) It is drama - - but it is real , and visceral . It is NOT the crappy , low-budget melodrama you'd see on some womens ' channel ( Timmy has cancer and his mother's in jail and he wants to see Babe Ruth hit a home run or else Lassie will die of a tumor ! ) . NO ! Grave of the Fireflies is what drama was meant to be , I cannot find a negative thing about this movie [ except that it made me cry out loud in a room full of people , quite embarassing if you ask me ] . It is well written and emotional , and in true Japanese style it uses subtle , quiet , and subdued moments to speak the loudest moods . and most importantly , 3 ) PREPARE YOURSELF . Before you watch this movie , get a comedy video ( Monty Python or whatever ) on your coffeetable to pop in after you clear your tear ducts when this movie is over . Grave of the Fireflies will stay with you , it will hang on your shoulders and you will remember it the next morning and throughout the next several weeks . So get something happy or whimsical prepared to watch immediately afterwards to help get out of the depression that Grave of the Fireflies is guaranteed to put you in . Experience this film .
    • 038 4  What an awesome movie ! My father in his late sixties cried like a baby as watching this movie on TV . Of course he was ashamed but just couldn't help it . It recalled him to his old memory . In 1945 , He was thirteen , almost Seita's age , and lived in the easten part of Tokyo where are annihilated by the greatest fire caused by air raids . Over a hundred thousands people were killed on March 10 , 1945 ( well-known as ' ' Tokyo Air raid ) and on the horrible day , he lost his 7 year old brother and a couple of school friends . 56 years have passed now but he is still reluctant to go near his hometown because he hates to see Sumida River , where was once overwhelmed by heaps of burnt bodies . Wars affect innocents . No exceptions . The grave of the fireflies is not just a movie but great experience for all of us .
    • 039 4  Ok , I'll admit it - I sobbed inconsolably for nearly an hour after this film ended and I'm definitely not the type to cry when I see a movie ( or anything else for that matter ) . I have to agree 100% with all the other reviewers who wrote of how this film moved them . This film dealt with so many complex issues and feelings , yet the animation portrayed each situation in exactly the right way , and no live - action film could have done better at showing raw emotions . The story has been recapped by other reviewers , so I won't rehash whats already been said , but another poignant scene to me came at the end that vividly pointed out the difference in wartime experiences between the common Japanese citizens and the elite , who sent their families to mountain hideaways to escape the US bombs . Regardless of how you feel about World War 2 , this film will have you sympathize with the plight of these two young children and you'll be completely taken in by their story . Their grit , determination and desire to try to live as normal life as possible during those times is a testament of their will and makes the ending even more tragic . The scenes haunted me for days after I saw it , and has altered the way I see World War 2 and all war for that matter . This is such an important film that should be seen by everyone . We very rarely even give a second thought to the innocents involved in war and this film puts their experience in our hearts and minds .
    • 042 4  The last time I saw this anime was back in 2001 . Its been two years , and until now I was afraid to revisit this film . As someone pointed out before , this isn't a movie that you'll want to watch everyday . The depressing reality of the two main characters ' , young children , fates will make you feel terrible . During the course of the movie , Setsuko and Seita have a few moments of hapiness which never really seem that bright since you already learn of their demise at the beginning of the film . This is something which I didn't expect out of Studio Ghibli ; heck , I didn't even see the traditional blue Totoro logo at the start of the film ! Either way , there's always a lingering bit of negativity throughout this movie , but then again , whenever war occurs , there will always be death to follow . This new DVD release of Grave of the Firelies has 2 discs ; one with the film and some bonus features , and the other with more bonus features and storyboarded scenes that didn't make it into the final cut of the movie . Of most interest here would probably be the COMPLETE storyboards and the Roger Ebert segment on disc 1 . Ebert also brings to light some good reasons why this film probably wouldn't be better if it were live action . Plus , there's an interesting interview with the Director of Grave of the Fireflies , as he comments on how Hayao Miyazaki encouraged him while he made this movie . Well , if you've never seen this film before this would be a good DVD to pick up . ( The 98 ' DVD release is poorer ; much less features and its an un-anamorphic un-remastered widescreen ) And if you have seen this , then it might be a good idea to get this DVD and show all your friends and family . I'm pretty sure that it will touch their hearts like it did mine .
    • 043 4  Hey all . Today I'm going to share with you the magic , so to speak , of Isao Takahata's wonderful Grave of the Fireflies . This movie is , in short , a wrenchingly accurate WWII story about a big brother and a little sister just trying to make their own way in the world . These kids were abandoned by their mother's sister - - their AUNT ! - - and were just trying to survive . I've read reviews that say Seita ( the older brother ) was being selfish with the food he stole , and on purpose - - I don't find that to be true at all . He's doing whatever he thinks is best for himself and Setsuko , even if that means taking a huge mouthful of rice without letting her have any first ( she wasn't with him , and she did get rice later , so that one was sort of okay ) . Throughout the movie , Seita spends his time playing with Setsuko and keeping her mind off their dead mother and , later , how much pain she , Setsuko , is in from malnutrition . These kids never did anything wrong for sport - - it's a matter of what they could and couldn't do in order to survive . Now I want to tell you some of the parts that really got to me , in both good ways and bad : First off , I knew Setsuko wasn't going to make it , so it hurt in a way I can't explain when I began to think of her as my favorite character . Secondly , back when Seita saw his mother ( or what was left of her ) after the bomb affected her , I almost started crying - - and this was early in the movie . I mean , I would lose my mind if I saw MY mother like that . I couldn't and still can't imagine how horrible it must be to see a loved one in that poor state when what you remember is a living , breathing , shining person . I really love my mom , so that was a sore spot for me . Third , when the kids ' mother had died and the aunt was going to sell the kimonos she left behind , and Setsuko figured out what was going on - - those heart-shredding sobs . . . I'm welling up just thinking about that now . On the good side , I love when Seita is playing with Setsuko , going along with whatever little game she has going on , tickling her , giving her what candy they were able to ration , and especially the part in the tub where he makes a ball out of the washcloth and puls it down slowly , only to release it so it splashes in the entranced Setsuko's face . ( I love how Seita looks so huge and Setsuko so tiny . . . ) Another Setsuko memory is when she dies , and there are all those flashbacks of the highlights of her tiny little life , and how there is a woman singing Home Sweet Home , the one that goes , there's no-o place like home , but in Japanese . . . That song is especially moving to me for some reason , so when I watched this movie a second time around ( last month , actually ) and realized that that's what the song was , I got a huge lump in my throat . Gah , I'm getting teary-eyed now , and I should probably quit yakking and go to sleep . The point of this review : WATCH THIS MOVIE ! You will need a hanky . You will need several BOXES of hankies . But I can't deny I love even that aspect of it . Say , do any of you know why fireflies die so soon ? Thanks , guys . Elissachan has spoken .
    • 044 4  Besides what all , including myself , write about the powerful message and meaning of this film , it should also be made clear that this is a great film - - period . Not just a great anime , or a great work of Asian cinema or Japanese cinema . This is a film which anyone who loves fine movie-making will be glad to not have missed and is worthy of anyone's very elite collection if they have one . My review would not change if this were a film using live actors , though it would take an entire cast and crew with superhuman filmmaking abilities to even remotely match the power of this film . Frankly , this could not be done with live actors ; you would need every single person working on the film to have suffered war themselves , as non-combatants , in order to capture the genuine anguish expressed by the characters here . The faces of the characters are clearly those of the principle animator , conveying an experience in a way that is not embellished or dramatized for an attempt at greater effect . There are times when you will look into the eyes of these anime characters and see the intensity of emotion and experience that you would only expect could be seen in the eyes of a refugee of ethnic cleansing or , in the case of Japan , children who were surrounded by the decimation of everything that was good and secure about their lives prior to war - - and yet are still children with normal curiousities , needs , and instincts . Having lived in Japan for nearly a decade myself , and talked to many who were children during and at the end of the war , I can say that there's no dissimilarity between the personal stories I've heard and those of the characters in the film . And since it is rare for an American to have the experience or patience to sit and listen to someone who has had such an experience , I recommend this film most highly to serve the purpose . No one who sees this film and understands that it is not a dramatization or embelleshment should fail to get the message - - that this is not about special , Japanese children , but about all children displaced by war , and that it is as true of kids in Yugoslavia or Somalia or Iraq today as it was of Japan back then .
    • 051 4  I first saw this movie when I was about 11 years old . It stayed in my mind as being the saddest movie I had ever seen . A few years ago , I bought the DVD remembering this was a very good movie and watched it with my husband . I cried probably harder than I did when I was a child . Other reviewers have given the plot overview , so I won't go into that . Grave of the Fireflies is , indeed , an elegant film that transcends genre . This isn't a mere anime film . Let's remember that anime is an industry in Japan , so there are anime that covers all sorts of topics . Here in the US , however , cartoons are strictly for children . This , however , is a war drama - - probably the most memorable , heart-warming , and gut-wrenching war movie I've ever seen . What I loved about this film is it's simplicity and purity . The star of the show is the story and the characters , not the flashy animation or the history behind the war . In too many other war movies , the focal point of the show isn't the characters , it's the war . In this film , however , the two children are definitely the main characters . Unlike many American animated films , the animation itself isn't the main attraction , either . The art is beautifully simplistic and elegant . It shares the same style as Princess Mononoke , Kiki's Delivery Service , Castle in the Sky , and Spirited Away ( these films all shared the same director as Grave ) . I've seen all these films , and I still think that GotF is the best out of all of them . I cry at movies , I'll admit , but movies lose their emotional impact after the first time . There's only so many times you can get misty-eyed over what you've already seen before , but Grave of the Fireflies defies this rule , not just for myself , but for many people . In an interview on the bonus disc , Ebert admits to being moved nearly to tears watching this film . Even though it's been well over a decade since I first watched it , this film never fails to move me to tears . What's so amazing about this film is that the heartbreak isn't intentional . It just portrays what happens when two children pay the price for war , so the plot itself is the mechanism that fuels the emotions - - there's no need for gimmicks . With some films , you get the feeling that the only reason certain bits were added was because the filmmakers wanted to tug at your heartstrings intentionally . Perhaps what makes this film so poignant is that it's just going about its story and not purposefully trying to be sad . This is a very honest , simplistic , elegant film that makes a huge emotional impact on its viewers . It's easily not just the best anime film I've ever seen , but one of the best movies , period , I've ever had the pleasure of watching .
    • 056 4  Studio Ghibli finally is getting its exposure it deserves in the States after winning the Best Animated Feature Oscar for Spirited Away , then the release of Castle in the Sky and Kiki's Delivery Service , all notable films by Hayao Miyazaki . What is not known to American audiences is the presence of another amazing director , Isao Takahata . His works tend to be more Japanese than Miyazaki's , and a bit more realistic with less fantasy qualities to them - probably the reason his works are not as known as Miyazaki's . Fortunately , Grave of the Fireflies is available to American audience by both VHS and DVD . Grave of the Fireflies will make its viewers that an animation can really touch the audience in a special way . The tragedy the two orphans go through in a war-torn Japan is powerful enough to bring tears to the grown-ups . What makes the story even more moving is the beautiful setting the film takes place , as if asking do those kids really belong in this tragedy . I believe it is one of the best works by Takahata , and had received honors from many animation festivals across the world . I find the story may be a bit too heavy for children - more suitable to older kids and adults , due to the gravity of the situation ; this film has no gratuitous violence or even a hint of nudity whatsoever . If you are open to animations that are not necessarily from Walt Disney , I recommend that you must see this film . The experience it brings is not equaled , in my opinion , by any other animations ever released .
    • 058 4  How do I describe this movie ? Non-uplifting ( downlifting isn't a word ) . It was the saddest movie I've ever seen . But I'm happy I watched it . The few bits of joy in the movie , I would ruin by thinking about how Setsuko's looking forward to seeing her mother when she'll never see her again . I enjoy drawing comics . I can't right now . I enjoy writing stories . Before I saw the movie I was writing one . Now I can't continue it . Maybe tomorrow . Maybe in a few days . Maybe even later tonight . But not now . Now I'm not even sure if I want to watch Who's Line is it Anyway right now . I don't think I could handle having my spirit go up right now . It's an amazing movie . The ending is not uplifting at all ; in fact it represents the saddest part of the movie . But it's something you need to see . Never think anime's all fighting , robots and schoolgirls . Take Hayao Miyazaki , though non-based on the real world , his movies are a pleasant surprise . This movie is sad . Don't show your eight-year-old . Just don't expect a good feeling out of the outcome . It's an indescribable feeling . Just blankness . I'm not up to writing this . But I feel I have to write a review before this feeling leaves me , or it won't be true . I can't say I enjoyed watching it . I don't really want to say it like this , because my feelings right now are anything but happy , but I'm happy I watched it . Basically , don't expect anything . Don't expect happy . But sad isn't the only word to describe it . There are others , that don't exist , to describe this movie . Watch it and you too will have this feeling . I'm not up for signing my name in this review , so I'll leave it at this .
    • 060 4  When I was a young kid , Japanese animes were always on Tv . They were in series of course and not only children but grown ups also enjoyed it and after every episode we couldnt wait for the next week . Marco , candy , heidi , vikings , maya the bee , pinnochio , flying goose and countless others took us to the dream world . They were nothing like the super cyber Akira and the rest . They were very well designed and stories were brilliantly written . Most of these animes however were sad or had sad moments which were basicly about wars , deaths , losses and separation . But mostly ( not all of them ) ending was optimistic and happy . In Japan unlike the west , animes are not only made for kids . I personally believe that grown ups especially youth adores them and they watch it on big screen . Grave of fireflies is an example of pre Akira period anime.Yes it is a sad anime because firstly it is an anti war movie . Secondly you exactly know whats coming from the very early screens of the film . It is based on the last days of Japanese empire in ww2 when Japan was under bombardment of US planes . Our hero is a little kid who tries to help his little sister and survive in those days of hardship . Fire bombs rain on the city , food is very less , and accomodation is burnt and families are all shattered.His mother dies during a raid and high rank officer father never replies back from his ship of the imperial navy . He remembers the pre war days and days of happiness and pride when they were together and how nation was strong.these are presented in wise falshbacks throughout the film . War time is presented with its all cold reality . Families are shattered , people are changed and become selfish , basic needs of life is hard to find.He buys , borrows and steals food for his little sister and for himself even dangering his life during air raids.When he brings his sister to the doctor , doctor says she needs nourishment not medicines . He shouts back where is the nourishment ? As I mentioned , the flashbacks really work well , especially pouring huge rivers of emotion to the viewer when loved ones die . Director uses all the advantages af an anime and makes them as dramatic as it can be . People are represented as fireflies who drop and die so quickly and so young.They light the area that surround themselves for a while and after go off . Like a group of fireflies , they are put in mass graves together.During the film we never see anything from the front and battlefields . We only see the bombardments and the damage done to the civilians . Director shows here that home front is also no better than the frontlines and death is hiding in every corner , dressed in many ugly costumes . Director's way of painting this movie as an anti war film also make us to think about other nations who suffered even greater pains during the war . Mothers , children , hunger , illness and death are all international issues of war and director manages to capture the conceptof an non pretentious anti war film very well . Actually Grave of fire flies with its all cold reality and human warmth , succeeds where most of the anti war movies fail . Maybe because of anime's freedom and limitations , maybe not . It is a very sad move so better prepare yourself before the film If you are calling yourself a hardened person ( If you are going to watch it with a group ) . Otherwise make sure to prepare some tissues . War does not kill only soldiers but also many fireflies . Fireflies like us and our families .
    • 061 4  Just kids trying to survive in a war-torn era . . . and failed . I won't even begin to tell how my own psyche was deeply disturbed when the movie ended . ( Still does , yes , still does . ) To call this an anti-war movie might be off its original mark . I'd rather call it a personal point of view , from the point of the ones who suffers the worst during any war : the children . For those who felt nothing , or disgusted , or even slept through the movie , it probably means that the society around you has lost its compassion and there is a high probability that you live alone , rarely talk to the neighbours , wake up at six and go to work at nine and lunch at twelve and back to home at seven . For someone NOT to cry watching this , truly you have lost your soul to the cold society . I did not read any reviews beforehand save for the one that's on the box , and I was slightly surprised when the movie started with a voice announcing that he died , and showing the main character's corpse . Normally this would turn off any viewer , but what comes after intrigues me , and ultimately , crushed what remained inside me that I claimed to be compassion - and later rebuilt another . This movie is not sweet , it is not happy . Even when the brother and sister go around gathering fireflies to light their bomb shelter , it was not sweet . It was saddening ; nowadays when you have no other lighting option you'd just go around a store and grab some candles and pay for it . These young souls had to gather fireflies , which in my personal experience are hard to catch . And isn't it just like what they are experiencing ? Something that they needed the most but it is so hard to catch or achieve , and when they did , it only lasted for a while . And as for those who criticise the brother's unwillingness to beg / plead to his aunt , the Japanese mindset ( sorry if this makes me sound ignorant ) is educated in such a way that pride comes first , need comes second . That should explain it . What's more , these are children taught not to do any self-degrading things on themselves . This is not a war movie , nor it is an anti-war movie , or even an anti-America protest in its subtlest form . This is a story well-told , a story that will grab you and won't let go , ever . In war , during and after , nothing means anymore . Not even those who claimed to be the heroes , the uplifter of Justice . When everything around you is blood and mire , only survival matters . And this story is about two little souls who tried to rise against it and failed . In the end , doesn't the title explain everything , readers ? Fireflies are beautiful things , they shine in the dark ; But when they die nobody knows where their graves are , Nor do they care .
    • 069 4  Opening Shot : September 21 , 1945 . That was the night that I died . Victim to starvation and loss a young boy sits listless in a train station , proped up against a pillar . During the day he is passed by unassuming bystanders ; The Americans will be coming any day know . He slumps to his side . It's night . Another one . A train station janitor kneels down and shakes Seita's limp body . A tin can clanks to the floor . What is this stuff ? he asks another janitor . Never mind that , just dump it , he replies as he walks past . The janitor stands up and walks over to another body . This one's a goner to . You can see it in their eyes . He throws the tin can into a field , it's charred contents spill out . Smiling , a young girl ( Setusuko ) surronded by red fireflies rises from the field . She can see the dead boy dead boy ( Seita ) from where's she's standing . She is about to run to him , but is refrained by Seita who , also surronded by red , lovingly holds her back . I bought this DVD not knowing what to expect . Hearing many , good things about it I decided to buy it . I had to drive from store to store for about 3 hours looking for this DVD . I finally found it and watched it that same day ; I can say it was well worth the drive . Isao Takahata is known throughout Japan as Hayao Miyazaki's - Princess Mononoke , Spirited Away - contemporary . After watching this movie I could see why . Poetic Directography is what I coin this movie . Most directors require that shots move the story along ; if they don't do this they are usually cut from the final version . Takahata uses pillow shots to emphasize certain moments throughout the movie . These pillow shots do nothing for the story ; they simply cut away from the movie allowing the viewer to think about what has just happened . Takahata also uses shots that show the characters in their true demeanor , when there stripped down to their essence . That's what makes this movie so powerful and moving . Takahata builds the characters , Seita and Setsuko , to the point where they are as real as your brother and sister ; making their stuggle for survival yours . This is not an anti-American film , or in contrast an anti-war propaganda either . It simply shows the lives of two people , brother and sister , who don't live through the war ; their hardships , struggles and deaths . If anything this movie should prove that living under the type of circumstances that Seita and Setsuko did ends in death . It leaves us with the questions why must the innocent die ? and how can we prevent it ? Questions Mr . Takahata has left up to us to answer .
    • 076 4  Watch this , and don't think for a second that this is not a true story . I lived in this region for 10 years and know far too well that this tragic , heart-wrenching story was lived out by thousands of children during and after the war . I personally know people who managed to survive this awful period , eating the grass in front of their homes when there was nothing else . I knew all of this was true , but it took an anime movie to bring the tears to my eyes - 2 years later I get choked up just thinking about it as I write this review . . . I don't particulary like the anime genre but this director is a rare talent that has succeded in portraying all that is most tragic in war - the suffering of innocents . There is no politics , no backdrop to the war that frames the story - just the struggle of one young boy who faces the incomprehensible , and bravely carries on if only for the sake of his younger sister . There are many , many such tragedies all over the world , in the past and unfolding as we speak . This movie serves to remind us all of that sad fact , and anyone who is not moved to tears by this gripping depiction is sorely lacking in humanity . On a final note , I highly recommend seeing the original Japanese version Hotaru no Haka ( Grave of the Fireflies ) with English subtitles . It's just not the same dubbed into English . . .
    • 077 4  Based on an autobiographical novel by Akiyuki Nosaka , Studio Ghibli delivers a riveting story of World War II . The movie tells the story of two orphaned children who have to stand on their own after losing their parents during the war . Where to begin ? Being a movie from Studio Ghibli the quality in animation is guaranteed , what makes this movie so compelling is the drama and the tragic turn of events in the lives of these two kids . The movie opens with the family running from a raid in their town , planes are passing by bombing and shooting at people . From there , the lives of these kids change dramatically , the situation of the war is not the only thing they have to deal with but relatives that help them more for obligation than wanting to do it , the indifference of the people of the town and the difficulty of getting something as basic as water and food during war times . The main characters are well defined from the very beginning and the two siblings will make you cry a couple of times during the movie , the story is well adapted from the book and it perfectly demonstrates its point . You get to see how gradually their innocence is lost due the circumstances they had to live in , they have to suffer some horrible tests in moments that can be defined only as heartbreaking . The movie has hardly any music at all , but the more dramatic moments of the film are accompanied by a score that could not have fit better ( sadly , the music writer doesn't get his credit on the American version of the DVD ) The extras offered in this edition might not be many , but the movie itself is a perfect excuse for buying this DVD . The only extras worth mentioning are the storyboards for the entire film included here . The sound mixing is pretty decent , you can watch the movie dubbed in English or in Japanese with subtitles in English ; audio options are 5.1 Dolby digital stereo for both languages . Next to Miyazaki's films , this movie is a must for film collectors , anime at its best .
    • 078 4  Hands down . Powerful . My desert island movie even with nothing to play it on , just in case aliens with DVD players arrive to save me . In my book , no movie ever made comes close to the brilliance that is this movie . Your life is not complete until you've seen it .
    • 079 4  This is a movie that is based on actual events that transpired in Japan after the Second World War . The characters are fictional , but there are many invisible casualties , children lost and forgotten , that lie behind these characters . The visual emphasis of the fireflies represents the many bright lights that glow for only a short time before they wither away into extinction . I saw this movie on VHS in 1993 . I was drunk at the time and found it difficult to avoid breaking down during the closing sequences . I failed terribly at it . Much the same , when Speilberg accepted the Oscar for Schindler's List , he made a quick statement that we should keep telling this story ( the holocaust ) and do our best to keep it from ever happening again . The same goes for Grave of the Fireflies . See this movie , and see what you can do to place it in modern context . The two children in this movie could just as easily be orphaned refugees in Afganistan or Iraq . It's something to think about when you pay your taxes .
    • 081 4  This is only the second movie in my entire life I have ever watched that reduced me to crying . I have read the many reviews and I understand some of the people's views about the main character being spineless and not doing anything for his sister when the opportunity is right there . I also see how the little girl can get on some people's nerves , due to her spoiled attitude . But I wonder if those critics have ever really looked at children their age . And I mean , REALLY looked at them collectively . Children , like the little girl , are attention seekers at that age and do not understand that they cannot get everything they want . They haven't been taught to be reserved yet . The same goes for the teenage boy . Children his age are still at a loss for what to do on many aspects of life . Teenagers are prone to believe that they are always right . The same goes for the boy in the movie , he only takes actions on what he believes is right , and it is obvious that his interactions with some people and his aunt has built in him a strong distrust of adults . Thus , the little girl , not understanding their precarious situation , due to her innocent nature , asks for things that naturally come to her like food . And because her brother feels sorry for the situation he has put them in , and because he loves his sister , he tries his best to give her what she wants . He doesn't understand at that point , that she could get sick . And when she does , he doesn't want to take her to an adult because his aunt has already traumatized his impressionable mind . So he does what he believes is right and tries his best to save his sister on his own . Where , in this amazing movie about a boy struggling to overcome his youth and his immature instincts , is a spineless boy who won't find help for his sister ? Where , in this amazing movie with a young untainted girl still learning about life , is there a spoiled brat ? I have to disagree on many levels with the critics , because viewing this movie broke my heart as I watched the children struggle with their youth and do only what they knew how to do . Granted , some children are amazing and can overcome immaturity under intense situations , yet many cannot . This movie is a good example of what children will come up with when they feel the entire world is against them . This movie is not about a war . It never has been . It is about how people survive after a disaster . And in this case , this movie is about two average children , who only have faith in each other .
    • 082 4  This is one of my two favorite animated films , along with My Neighbor Totoro . But whereas I recommend Totoro to everyone - and have given away several copies of it - I don't usually recommend this film to anyone , because it is so sad . I do tell many people about it ~ but warn them to get their therapist's o.k . before watching it ! ( And even then , they should stop by the store for a few extra boxes of tissues ! ) I agree with others that this film transcends nationalities and politics . It should be mandatory viewing by all people who wage war . And by everyone who votes for for people who wage war . ( But not by young ones - it isn't a cartoon - parents should see it first , before having their children watch it . )
    • 084 4  I had read reviews and searched many places for a good Anime . After watching Princess Mononoke , I decided to try grave of the fireflies . Now , I expected this movie to be overrated after having so many reviews and an average of five stars . I didn't believe this movie would make me cry . No movie has ever made me cry . I couldn't believe it . I put in this movie , and right away I just felt a sense of depression . My eyes were hot and teary the whole movie . I didn't want to keep watching because it only got worse . ( for the charecters I mean , not the movie ) But I just felt I couldn't stop . I needed to know what was going to happen . At the end of the movie , I ended up crying , crying like I have never cried before . After the movie , I cried and I felt like a different person . I went to bed , and couldn't sleep because I couldn't stop thinking of this movie . Wow . This movie was extremely powerful . I now don't think it gets enough credit that it deserves . Everyone should watch this movie . But I don't think this movie is for younger children - - it's more for older teens and adults . That way , people will fully understand the message . If you haven't seen this movie , see it . You won't be dissapointed , but you may be a different person .
    • 085 4  I watched it the second time one night last week since the first time years ago . I remembered it was a sad , sad story ( I probably was on the verge of crying while watching it back then ) but had no idea what new impact I would feel watching it the second time round . I found myself crying like a hurt person throughout most of the film . I couldn't explain it to myself , much less my wife ( when I told her about the experience the next day ) . There were parts of the show where I cried so whole-heartedly and so hard my heart hurt literally ( e.g . seeing the worsening rashes on Setsuko's back ; how she slipped away from life's suffering - but not before thanking her brother for the little bit of water melon he brought her for the last time ) . I can't stop my eyes from swelling with tears even as I'm typing this . I was a carefree student years ago when I watched it the first time but now I'm a working father with a 16 months old daughter . Circumstances have changed . I have grown . Something stirred in me while watching the film that I can't pinpoint . Perhaps I see my baby daughter in Setsuko and resonate with her innocence and suffering . Perhaps I see myself in Seita for the frustration and helplessness in not being a fantastic brother to my own sister . This film opens the door to an emotional depth that I have yet to come to terms with . It may open the door for you too .
    • 086 4  What can be said when superlatives fail ? When I found out about this film , I knew it might just be something special ; having watched it , I can testify to that severe understatement . Everything was perfect , from the beautiful animation to the haunting score to the heart-breaking story . Critics have pointed out individual moments of great beauty - I say the film is one timeless instant of great beauty . Despite its brilliance , I can imagine the ignorance of many people who watch this and it annoys me . Despite condemning no-one ( except those who , white or coloured , initiate a war ) , who wants to watch a WW2 movie telling the story as seen by Japanese eyes , or German or any other country who was considered as either an aggressor or who weren't American and hence didn't really take part ? Yes , it's true about the horrors that took place in POW camps and Japanese planes did bomb Pearl Harbour , but this film isn't about the people who did that . This film is about those who suffered the consequences of their government declaring war , so the old saying they started it is the most ignorant , bigotted thing anyone can say . It didn't condemn anyone but I hear comments like this and I might just - for example , look at what America's reponse was : split atom , new way of bringing mass death that transcends generations , tested twice on Japan . Well , how beautiful , how noble , how many clean consciences , and the west can testify to the pure righteousness of the act simply because Japan started it . Now I'll step off my soapbox since it's debatable how many will actually listen , and onto the film itself . Buy the subtitled original ; I haven't heard the dub but nothing can displace the sheer power of the Japanese actors . Also , I am not reviewing the DVD , I am reviewing the film - my version is imported and has squeaky clean picture and sound . This CPM version is a lot easier on the wallet and boasts more extras , but the technical and viewer reviews wrt the quality are slightly off-putting . After all , this film is one to cherish forever and you want the perfect copy , don't you ? I'll finish by saying I've never shed proper tears for a film , but this one got them . There are moments of happiness , but even these bear undercurrents of tragedy and grief , all because of that first scene . Emotions are inspired which build quietly but inevitably until the final poignant moments , then the heart just breaks . The cries of those without voices indeed ring the loudest . One of the greatest films in any genre , anywhere , and it will haunt me forever . - Why do fireflies have to die so soon ? -
    • 092 4  After watching this work of art I was speechless the rest of the night . The emotions that it engenders and methods it employs are so perfectly fitting that I can't , at this moment , think of a better animated movie that I've ever seen . Don't get me wrong . . . this isn't a happy movie by any means , much different than say Spirited Away . Also , this is no war movie in the traditional sense . None of the characters are soldiers but rather civilians , children , caught in the midst of a war-ravaged country who cannot ( or just will not ) spend the time and resources help them . They must fend for themselves . All in all this is an extremely emotional experience and is worth buying , even if it is to watch it but once .
    • 096 4  The beautifle story of a brother and his younger sister.The story takes place during Japan in WW2 . It's really amazing to watch and see the two of them in their live adventure.I thought that the Aunt didn't really understand Seita and nore that I think she ever tried to.It's amazing to see the resbonsiblty he takes for his younger sister Setsuko . If he was my son I know that I would be proud of how much he loved Setsuko and tried his best to provied for her . I love all the scenes with the Fireflies and with the gentel music that swarms the scene . Despite the dark nature of the movie.There is a purity and warmness that I think most viewers will beable to undertand .
    • 102 4  I need not go into artistic / technical and contextual details of Grave of the Fireflies , as other reviewers have done ample and admirable jobs describing the film . What the story of Seita and Setsuko represents is the plight of countless many children who are abandoned , forgotten , and eventually run over by the machines of politics and war that the adults operate . Very unfortunately , the story of Seita and Setsuko did not end in 1945 . Their story has been and is being repeated every day , up to today . All it takes is a look at any country where there is an armed conflict going on . It seems that , any time a story of this nature comes up , especially arising out of a so-called aggressor nation , some adults cannot resist whatever it is that drives the need to explain and ultimately justify the punishment that the victim ( s ) receives . Such people basically follow the same line : Their country / leaders were bad , and therefore this punishment is justified . That's indeed an adult's logic . That may make sense to the grown-ups . But I ask : what does this adult's logic of punishing the bad have to do with children ? What do they have to do with their country , their leaders , who are so-called the evil , the aggressors ? The problem with this logic is that the children are not their country . They are not Japan , or whatever the country . They are not the leaders , politicians , nor generals . They are ultimately not even Japanese , American , or what-have-you , for nationalities as such are really an adult's creation , the grown-up's reality , just a concept . The children are not any of those concepts or definitions but themselves , who desire nothing else but to live and to be happy . And in so desiring , they threaten no one . How could we adults justify , then , harming them just because we perceive their country and leaders to be threatening ? Are we not mixing something up here ? Aren't we missing something big , and a result , hurting the innocent ? Seita and Setsuko are everywhere in the world , and every day , being run over by the adults ' cold logic of justifying punishments , the idea that it is acceptable to run over the innocent in an effort to get the bad guys . In other words , collateral damages . As such , Seita and Setsuko are in Iraq . They are in Afghanistan . In Sudan . In Russia . In Bosnia . In Northern Ireland . In Sierra Leone . Even in the U.S . They are everywhere . At the very end of Grave of the Fireflies , Seita looks directly at the audience for a second . Sitting on a bench with Setsuko at his side , his eyes look this way at us . He then looks away , followed by the next and final shot of this moving film , in which we see the brother and sister sitting on a bench on a hill overlooking today's downtown Kobe . I take Seita's glance as a pleading to us not only not to forget about them , but also not to be forgetful about the children just like they who are suffering today , in this very moment . Seita and Setsuko are on the bench looking over the modern-day Kobe because they represent today's Seitas and Setsukos who suffer . We are not gone . We who suffer are still here , in today's world . Could anyone , any adult , hear our voice , and do something for us ? I consider Grave of the Fireflies to be one of the most powerful indictments of war of all time , presented in this or any medium .
    • 105 4  This review is from : Grave of the Fireflies ( 2 - Disc Collector's Edition ) ( DVD ) A wise soul I know said of this anime : if it had been made in America , or anywhere in the west , the makers would have found some way to make the ending hopeful , whereas this is only hopeful the way a tragedy is : No ! No ! No ! Then I remembered Clint Eastwood's Letters From Iwo Jima , the movie about the battle of Iwo Jima made from the Japanese point of view ( and entirely in Japanese ) . BUT : there is ONE SOLDIER , of whom everyone grows especially fond - - the young guy with the wife at home who's given birth to his baby in his absence - - and you think Oh , I wish he'd survive . . . fat chance ! But . . . he does ! ( I think I detect the director's influence here ! ) One other thing : The boy finds out about the unconditional surrender of Japan as he's waiting in line to cash in his father's bank account - - but he doesn't hear one word about the a-bombs . Then i realized : almost all of Japan probably didn't know about the a-bombs yet - - i mean , WE didn't even know what they were ( and Hiroshima looked very much like Tokyo after the saturation bombing ) . The news probably spread slowly . . . like the radiation sickness . Government censorship was incredibly effective , too . The review by the Tokyo lady , who said she had cried over her full bag of beautiful rice after seeing the movie is nearly as moving as the movie itself .
    • 106 4  A wise soul I know said of this anime : if it had been made in America , or anywhere in the west , the makers would have found some way to make the ending hopeful , whereas this is only hopeful the way a tragedy is : No ! No ! No ! Then I remembered Clint Eastwood's Letters From Iwo Jima , the movie about the battle of Iwo Jima made from the Japanese point of view ( and entirely in Japanese ) . BUT : there is ONE SOLDIER , of whom everyone grows especially fond - - the young guy with the wife at home who's given birth to his baby in his absence - - and you think Oh , I wish he'd survive . . . fat chance ! But . . . he does ! ( I think I detect the director's influence here ! ) One other thing : The boy finds out about the unconditional surrender of Japan as he's waiting in line to cash in his father's bank account - - but he doesn't hear one word about the a-bombs . Then i realized : almost all of Japan probably didn't know about the a-bombs yet - - i mean , WE didn't even know what they were ( and Hiroshima looked very much like Tokyo after the saturation bombing ) . The news probably spread slowly . . . like the radiation sickness . Government censorship was incredibly effective , too . The review by the Tokyo lady , who said she had cried over her full bag of beautiful rice after seeing the movie is nearly as moving as the movie itself .
    • 109 4  This movie was so compelling , so geniune . A beautiful tragedy . The story is amazing and it gives a perspective people in the States don't really think about - What it was like over there during the war . We didn't have to live with the constant fear of an air raid . I never in my life cried during a movie , yet an animation moved me so much that I couldn't hold them back . After I finished the movie , I sat on the floor sobbing and thought That was a great movie
    • 116 4  This review is from : Grave of the Fireflies ( DVD ) This is one of the best movies I have ever seen . That said I am going to disagree with every other review I have read on Amazon.com . All stories come down to one basic plot , i.e . the protagonist has a problem , using his or her resources , the protagonist either does or does not solve the problem . In this story the protagonist is put into a terrible situation because of a war . His problem is survival , and he fails . If you want to understand this film you need to carefully consider what resources the protagonist had available and why he failed to survive when many other people did survive . It is way too easy to just blame it all on the situation , feel sorry for the people who died , and not understantd that we all make choices , and we all have to live with the consequences of our decisions . This story has no heros or villains . They are ordinary people trying to survive in extrordiary circumstances . I believe the director of this film had something very important to tell us about ourselves , and most reviewers missed the point . We could be placed in similar circumstances at any time , and we need to think about how we would react . If a major disaster occurs will we be prepared ? Can help our familys , friends and neighbors ? Will we seek out and help each other or will we try to go it alone and fail ?
    • 117 4  This is one of the best movies I have ever seen . That said I am going to disagree with every other review I have read on Amazon.com . All stories come down to one basic plot , i.e . the protagonist has a problem , using his or her resources , the protagonist either does or does not solve the problem . In this story the protagonist is put into a terrible situation because of a war . His problem is survival , and he fails . If you want to understand this film you need to carefully consider what resources the protagonist had available and why he failed to survive when many other people did survive . It is way too easy to just blame it all on the situation , feel sorry for the people who died , and not understantd that we all make choices , and we all have to live with the consequences of our decisions . This story has no heros or villains . They are ordinary people trying to survive in extrordiary circumstances . I believe the director of this film had something very important to tell us about ourselves , and most reviewers missed the point . We could be placed in similar circumstances at any time , and we need to think about how we would react . If a major disaster occurs will we be prepared ? Can help our familys , friends and neighbors ? Will we seek out and help each other or will we try to go it alone and fail ?
    • 121 4  This is the best animated movie I have ever seen , yet I will not watch it again . I am a huge fan of Hayao Miyazaki's art ( also known for Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away ) . The story was so heart wrenching and well told that I felt myself drawn into the movie completely . After the movie was finished I was sobbing for hours and my husband had a hard time calming me down . I found myself thinking about this movie for days after I had seen it . I have cried durring movies before , but I felt I actually mourned while watching this one . I feel it is almost essential for people to watch movies like this in a society that totally glorifies war . Movies like this , Shindler's List , Saving Private Ryan , The Pianist , Life is beautiful , really wake you up and make you see the underbelly of war and its effects . Though profound , I will not watch this again . It's not the type of movie one would want to watch over and over
    • 122 4  The narrative of Grave of the Fireflies is simple but the messages behind the anime are plentiful and profound . Based a semi-autobiographical novel by Akiyuki Nosaka - Hotaru no Haka centers around two children Seita and his 5 - year-old sister Setsuka . Rendered homeless by the fire bombing in Kobe and practically orphaned - - their father is serving in the Japanese navy , while conversely , their mother is a killed in the bombings . For the better part of the movie an aunt takes care of both of them - for a price . Seita gets the sense and then it is overtly displayed that both he and Setsuka are not really welcome . Seita endeavors to hit hills , to a cave which they make home . Seita scrambles for food - using anything he can find and then eventually deteriorates to stealing . The opening of the film is Seita dead in a subway station , and so we can deduce Setsuko's fate ; we get the details by fallowing his flashbacks . Grave of the Fireflies is many things - primarily the tone would be one of sadness . It is a deeply emotional experience . Having said that , it really sets the tone for the story . Right of the bat , one gets the sense of catharsis , as if the writer of the story is trying to assuage his guilt . Loosely based , as previously mentioned , on Akiyuki Nosaka's war experience ( wherein he loses his sister ) we are certain to be touched by film's more serious themes - in more ways than one . One gets the sense that the movie is designed to elicit sympathy - hopefully for the universal condition of the toll that war extracts . If I was not moved by it I could not count myself among the humane . As much as it serves to remind us of the suffering in Japan , let this not also blind us to the suffering caused all around Asia - both to and by the Japanese . There is no doubt that the film is profoundly human . Yes , on another level it is a story of survival . Director Isao Takahata ( and Akiyuki Nosaka , of course ) compel us to meditate on the suffering in war , the futility of war , and that the most innocent are the ones who suffer most . Cognizant that these are the musings of Akiyuki Nosaka - I am less able to focus on the bigger questions . I am not taking anything away from Grave of the Fireflies - both in terms of the depth and the quality of the animation . I love the meditative tone and even fell for the scene that took place one evening when the children capture the fireflies and use them to light the cave . If my memory serves me right , this is the same scene that Setsuka asks Seita about death . On the very next day , Seita finds Setsuka burying the dead fireflies and images of the dead mother flash quickly . Let us not fall into a sense of selective amnesia by choosing to remember one but in so doing tacitly forgetting the others . One could argue that by focusing on the suffering in Japan , the filmmakers are part and parcel of a discourse of victimhood . In war everyone is a victim . Miguel Llora
    • 127 4  It is almost an insult to say that this is one of the best of anime . It's anime , but it's among the best movies ever . It is also one of the most moving , without being a blatant tear-jerker . It is also , . . . well , a lot . And no , I won't say much about the plot , so you'll have to live through it on your own . I don't know any movie that makes the horror of war look more real . Yes , you expect horror out in the trenches . Back home , there are the nerve-wracking air raid sirens that could split the night at any time . The real horrors , though , are the broken families and people , the starvation , and collapse of social structure . Honest , loving people turn into looters , because there's no other way to put food in front of their children . There are bright points in the movie , that somehow never dim . Seita is a young boy forced way too early into being parent and provider for his little sister . He does it , though , with a dedication that doesn't crumple under any of the burdens piled on him . Setsuko is his sister , maybe four , and she does her part , too . She is happy with the heart-breakingly little that her big brother can give her , and does what she can in the tasks of their life . And , with a child's innocent acceptance that the world is as it should be , she learns about death . There is no happy ending . But this movie is about the real effects of war , far beyond the battlefield , and there is nothing happy in that . / / wiredweird
    • 130 4  This review is from : Grave of the Fireflies ( DVD ) This was a moving commentary on the citizens involved in war . I believe this is meant for older children or adults . It is very emotional for a young child .
    • 132 4  * If the Japanese musical style of Enka were an anime feature film , this would definitely be it ! A school boy orphaned as a result of war time air raids on his country battles against all the odds in order to care for and comfort his sick and dying little sister . Both the story and the artwork are hauntingly beautiful , lovingly tender and inspiring , but are also emotionally moving and heartbreaking . Perhaps the saddest and most disturbingly realistic aspect of this film is the fact that there are no real Bad Guys we can conveniently point an accusing finger at : Everyone , to some greater or lesser degree , is culpable just as much as they are simultaneously victims of their unfortunate circumstances , and nearly everyone is guilty of making selfish and irrational decisions in the heat of emotions which tend to fare badly for themselves and / or others around them and / or those in their charge . This entire movie ( based in part on a true life story ) is totally transfixing , making the viewer see all of that is sweet and wonderful even as it drags the viewer along the path from one sad tragedy to another . My only complaint ( apart from the DVD not having a menu option for Japanese Language ' Ending Credits ' ) is that I personally felt that at least some time should have been spent following Seita's character after the death of his sister Setsuko , to give us a little insight as to some of the situations he had to face and endure which led up to his eventual and unfortunate end - - ( I'd be interested in knowing if I may be alone in this opinion ) . Anyway , Hotaru no Haka is indeed a very rare and precious gem among anime features - - and one where a healthy supply of facial tissue is absolutely manditory and should be kept very close at hand whenever planning on watching this movie . * * *
    • 135 4  So this review feels appropriate beings that just yesterday I added a new friend ( I'm talking about you J.D . ) who has actually been a friend of mine for a while and who , oddly enough , is the reason I saw this movie in the first place . If you had asked me a year ago if I ever thought I'd consider an animated film that best of anything I probably would have laughed . I was under the narrow-minded impression that animated films were nothing more than cartoons and really served no purpose but to entertain your children and , if you were lucky , the parent while they were forced to endure something ` less ' than a film . I was such an idiot . Thankfully , in a rather rough and condescending manner , my friend told me that and since then I've opened my eyes to the world of the animated film ( not the cartoon ) . I saw ` Hotaru no Haka ' a few months ago and I still cannot shake the experience . Beings that I've been recently revisiting the year that was 1988 for my personal awards I forced myself to watch this film again , last night , and it further cemented to me that this is not just the greatest animated film of all time , but it is one of the best ` films ' regardless of genre or classification . I'll get to the ` forced ' part in a second . So , Isao Takahata's tragic film centers around young Seita and his sister Setsuko . Practically left as orphans in war torn Japan , Seita quickly learns that he has to do everything he can to preserve his life and the life of his young sister . After their mother is killed in a bombing they move in with their Aunt , who quickly makes known that she finds these two new mouths nothing more than a burden . Seita then decides to take his sister and move to a small abandoned shelter , but when their resources run out ( and they do very quickly ) he realizes that there is not much he or anyone else can do to stop the inevitable from happening . Yes , I ` forced ' myself to watch this a second time . If ` The Lion King ' or ` Bambi ' makes you tear up then this film is going to make you weep . I think having children or being close to children is also going to factor in here , and maybe that's why this film is so hard for me to get through ( I'm tearing up just writing this review ) , but children or no children there is no denying that ` Hotaru no Haka ' is as tragic and haunting as they come . There are no sing-along songs here ; no slapstick humor of cute fuzzy animals to serve as buffers for the ` hard ' stuff . This film is as realistic and heartbreaking as they come , so don't be fooled by its ` animated ' shell . The brutal honesty that comes in every frame can be very hard to stomach at times . This film is so honest that even the scenes depicting the two siblings frolicking about are laced with an obvious sadness because we know that happy endings are not coming here . This film turns me into mush . For anyone who needs some convincing that animated films are just as powerful as live action ones , I strongly recommend you see this movie . I am forever grateful to J.D . for opening this avenue of cinema to me , and I only hope that I can open this up to you . You just might want to watch this early enough in the day so that you can watch someone a little more light hearted before bed . And give your kids an extra long hug goodnight .
    • 137 4  Where Memento succeeded in stunning me totally and is my favourite movie , Grave of the Fireflies totally succeeded in making me feel depressed for three whole days and is a very close 2nd on my favourites list . Everyone I know who has seen this movie has been moved totally by this movie . From Roger Ebert himself to Casey Mines of Movie Review Planet , this movie has been deemed seamless . Ebert gave it a 4 / 4 , and Mines gave it a 10 / 10 . Why does this movie work ? The plot is quite simple-and yet perfect . ( or as close to perfect as possible . ) I'll try to explain this . In its simplicity , it moves you . It does not have to go through plot twist after plot twist like Memento to stun you . No , rather it uses this simple plot and quietly , and with the utmost patience reduces you to tears . While it is simple just by itself , this plot can also be seen as a very complicated one . One could see it as an examination of human nature and the will to survive . In many precious moments , we see human instinct bared out for all to see . Something we usually find simple , suddenly becomes a whole lot more meaningful in the context of the movie . We can see from this example that a movie does not have to go to great lengths to be perfect . Stunning and beautiful animation add to this movie . With golden-brown hues used throughout much of the movie , the cinematography enhances the experience by that much more . The animation actually enhances this movie . Like others have said , this movie could not have been done as well if it was not animated . The animation helps you capture those precious moments , and the expressions the characters use . The feelings show on their faces so well , love , anger , sadness , longing , pain . . . they are all there . A very quiet movie . This silence that is consistent throughout the whole movie also makes this more an experience , and not just a movie . The silence gives it that gritty reality that many movies search for - - and yet , it is this , an animated movie that succeeds in creating that atmosphere . This silence helps get rid of the characters facades and masks away so that what we see is the raw and true emotions in their eyes . And it moves slowly but surely . Like the boy and his sister struggling to survive , this movie slowly , bit by bit , strips away their dignity , until they are reduced to living like animals . And yet , they still manage to retain their sense of beauty and their struggle to survive . Even when things are bad , they can still see the beauty of life.They somehow are able to keep a tiny scrap of a tiny scrap of their original dignity , essence , and personality . They are together ; that is all that matters , this keeps them alive everyday ; this is their main struggle . Without one another , the will to survive would be gone . And so , this is what this movie is about . Keeping that tiny scrap of dignity , no matter how bad things seem , and no matter if you know the odds are against you . The beauty of life and the sense that life is always worth living is what drove them to try and survive .
    • 139 4  First of all , before watching this movie , keep in mind : this is about what happened to the Japanese after we bombed the Japanese . The film is not for entertainment at all , this is to tell the tale of what occured , if nothing at all , this is a lesson for all of us , what war on both sides of the fight can bring about , as a reminder . This story , unlike some of the movies released about the second world war , has no redemption or humor . The tragic events that unfolded in Japan while America dropped the bombs , tore the Japanese countryside apart , as seen in this film . When fourteen year old Seita and four year old Setsuko's mother is killed by a bomb that left hundreds upon hundreds homeless and familyless , they are sent to live with their prideful aunt . As the story progresses , Seita face insults and harsh judgement for staying home and taking care of his motherless sister while their father is at war . From many arguements , to being on their own outside the village of their aunt , Seita and Setsuko face abuse , starvation and disease . To the very end , the two fend for themselves and strive to survive . This movie was based on a novel called Grave of the fireflies and the personal account of the director . It is very real , even as an anime . The music , the sibling relationship and the spirit of the two children is unforgetable . This movie will break the heart and spirit of anyone who likes to watch war films , this is certainly one of the best . And it tops all the Oscar winning war films in my book . A true Masterpiece !
    • 141 4  I usually don't like anti war movies . There are either too political biased against the US military Or too much in favor of total pacifism , which is a evil in it self . Never less I would rank this movie right up there with All Quiet On The Western Front as one the best anti war movies ever made Japan set out on war of conquest and genocide and their children paid the price of their folly .
    • 144 4  Despite the fact that it stars two children whose eyes are as big as saucers , Grave of the Fireflies is no children's anime . It recounts the sad story of two children during World War II bombing raids by American forces ( they're never named as that , but it's understood ) . Not much can be said that hasn't been said in the other 500 + reviews on this site - - this is one of the saddest movies you will ever see . To think that it was coupled with the happy-go-lucky My Neighbor Totoro in Japanese cinemas , as a double feature , is just jaw-dropping . Despite its nature , this is film as high art - - one of the best things to come out of Ghibli Studios for sure . It's probably my top WWII film of all time , animated or not . Its pillow scenes are like watermarks on canvas ; its dramatic scenes truly unnerving . In a world where parents are concerned about violent anime broadcast over the airways , THIS is the only film I'd actually be concerned about should a child watch it . There is no hope , no redemption , and no let up on the amount of cruelty it deals its characters ( and viewers ) . This is life at its cruelest . It's so very psychologically traumatizing that the DVD now just sits on my shelf - more a reminder to not watch it than anything . It's hard to recommend something so devastating , but I whole-heartedly recommend this to anyone who thinks animation's boundaries lie inside of the live-action market .
    • 146 4  Animated movies are generally made for children , whether they by action-based , comedy or romantic . Rarely do we get to see an animated movie that is so real and painful , down to Earth filled with truth . ` Grave of the Fireflies ' succeeds in drawing a more mature audience to watching animated ( anime ) movies rather than the young ones . The story mainly revolves around two children , Seita and his younger sister Setsuko ; how they become homeless during World War II , how they feel dejected from their only living relations , to how they survive and stick with one another . The way in which the story is told is marvelous . Gradually , we see the two main characters succumb to the harshness of life , and trying to carry on . The animation for this movie is , without a doubt , wonderful . To move the audience by showing them this animated film proves that the people behind this masterpiece did an excellent job . The people who did the English translation for the characters also did a good job . Furthermore , this movie really makes us think about our own life , how perfect it is compared to the characters in this film , and how we should appreciate it more often . That is probably the most valuable moral that hit me while I was watching this movie . Besides , it is based on a true story of Akiyuki Nosaka , when he lost his own sister during the war , and blamed himself for it . Therefore , this movie mainly made me appreciate life for all the good qualities , even though the movie portrayed a very painful version of it . This movie has no happy beginning , and no happy ending , with a lot of ups and downs in between . Yet , in the end , it will move you and make you ponder on it . Go watch it today , but be prepared to get very emotional .
    • 148 4  Hotaru no haka ( Grave of the fireflies ) is the most powerful and real film I've ever seen . Every time I see it , Setsuko's laughter and her smiling face just suddenly appear in front of me at least for a few days . As a Japanese ( well I'm 22 ) , it would never be an exaggeration even if I say I grew up with the film . Since the first time I saw it when I was 7 , the film has constantly influenced me in a possitive way . Some reviewers might say the film is not appropriate for small children , but I beleive that children who are old enough to go to an elementary school can handle what is described in the film . I know it is depressing . But still , it is life-affirming and will teach children what it is like to survive . I have to say one thing to people who haven't seen it . Please see it in the original language with English subtitiles . Since the story takes place in Kobe ( near Osaka ) , the Kansai dialect contributes greatly in adding a good taste to the characters . I'm sure that you can enjoy their dialect even if you don't understand Japanese . As I grew up with the film ( it's already a classic for Japanese ) , I didn't realize how great it was until recently . Now that I reappreciate its worth , I can say confidently that Grave of the Fireflies is the best film that Japan ever made .
    • 150 4  Grave of the Fireflies ' s strength lies in its deeply personal view of war . Unlike many other war movies of the past half century , it is not politically motivated , nor does it show the horrors of battle first-hand . It is simply the story of a young boy in rural Japan , who out of undying love for his little sister does everything in his power to protect her . No matter what you've heard about this film ( I had been told the ending before I had even seen it ) , nothing will prepare you for the emotional impact it has . After repeated viewings , I still cry when Setsuko tries to give Seita her rice balls made out of mud , Setsuko's funeral , and the very end . Like most other anime movies , it is far superior in its subtitled form , although the scenes with no dialogue ( the opening , memories of Setsuko , and the very end ) are the most powerful . The film has a lovely soundtrack which compliments the scenes with perfect mood . The art direction is beautiful ( done by the acclaimed artist of Princess Mononoke and other Hayao Miyazaki films ) . Possibly the best anime of all time , and far more powerful than anything Hollywood could pull off , this film will move you to tears many times over .
    • 152 4  But seriously , possibly the most depressing anime ever made . I've only seen low reviews for those who can't see past the fact the Japan was our enemy during the war . Would it have made any difference if the setting was an allie's country and not an enemy's . Don't be thus misguided , this movie is anything but anti-american propaganda . Never was an american shown , and the atrocities that the protagonist endures were due to conditions engendered by war and inordinate pride . It's a protrayal of an abject existence of members of the public and not about the military motivation behind the war . A powerful movie evoking strong emotions like few movies can . p.s . One last bit of ranting , I've seen many people reviewed this as definitely not for kids and such due to it's intense nature . Since when is stong feelings of compassion and sympathy detrimental to children's normal development . Highly recommended movie .
    • 154 4  There's nothing I can say about this brilliant film that hasn't been said already . But hear this : Even if you HATE anime ( with superfluous capital letters ) , watch this film . Its genre is irrelevant . It's a masterpiece . That is all .
    • 156 4  A film that transcends the genre of animation . As a teacher , I've shown it often in classes of American students studying in Japan . Just one correction to the Amazon review - - the firebombing depicted in the movie is not of Tokyo , but of the city of Kobe . The author of the original story ( Akiyuki NOSAKA ) experienced this as a child . His own sister died of hunger in the last months of the war .
    • 157 4  I watched Grave of the Fireflies again today . It was incredibly moving . Most people would say that it's sad and depressing , but I say that it's simply , moving . It moves the spirit like no other anime ( or animated for that matter ) can . The movie tells the somewhat autobiographical story of a boy and his younger sister , two Japanese children during world war II . SPOILER The boy's mother dies during a bombing , and in an indescribably moving scene , he swings on a gymnastics bar in their back yard trying to cheer up his crying younger sister , Watch me , I'm good at this ! He says . To no avail . His sister doesn't even look at him . Trying to hide his own sorrow , perhaps he's even trying to cheer himself up . By the end of the movie , they do die , but it's not a depressing end in my opinion . By earthly standards it could be considered depressing , but by spiritual standards , I find it more uplifting than anything . They conquer death by becoming spirits who observe their world with happiness , and still show compassion for one another , Setsuko , it's time to go to bed , The boy says with a smile , sitting on a park bench , holding his younger sister . They don't care that they're dead . They conquered death . They conquered all of that hatred and killing that destroyed them . I can't help but cry by the end of the movie . I'm not sad though , i cry from the beauty of it . From the beauty of the human spirit . The spirit I believe given by God that reflects His image . I feel not sad , but humbled to witness such love , kindness and optimism shown by human beings . I feel like I'm almost not worthy . Why do I have to be such a crappy person compared to these people ? I want to become better and show this love and kindness to others . I learned a term for this a few semester ago , called catharsis . It was used to describe Greek tragedy plays , and the purging of self that occurs after watching them . I guess what I've learned is that movies are more than just entertainment . They can contain messages , that , although sad to many people , display some of the most important things in life . Movies are an artform , and this movie is art .
    • 159 4  Grave of the Fireflies ( Hotaru no haka ) is one of the most powerful anti-war films I have ever seen , which means that it has no competition when it comes to emotional impact in terms of animated films . The death of Bambi's mother was a traumatic shock , but nothing like the sense of despair and grief that overwhelms you by the end of this film . The film begins with the spirit of a young boy showing us his death in a train station , after which we follow the fireflies into the past to see his story . At the beginning of the original movie of Brian's Song we were told : All true stories end in death . This is a true story . So is Grave of the Fireflies because I have no problem granting the legitimacy of truth to fiction . In the last months of World War II an American fire bomb raid destroys the port city of Kobe , where almost all of the buildings are made of wood . Seita ( Tsutomu Tatsumi / J . Robert Spencer ) is a 14 - year old boy who survives along with his 4 - year old sister Setsuko ( Ayano Shiraishi / Rhoda Chrosite ) . They were separated from their mother during the raid , which spares them from her fate . Their father is a navy officer serving in the Imperial Navy at sea , and the two kids go off to live with an aunt . With both his school and the war factory where we worked gone , Seita does not know what to do . So he tries to take care of his sister . But his aunt constantly berates him and after trading his mother's kimonos for race , Seita decides to take Setsuko and live in a couple of caves dug for bomb shelters . For a while their live remains idyllic , but then there is nothing left to trade for food , and no food to be bought for money . Seita has to steal food to survive and Setsuko is getting weaker and weaker from hunger . This film is based on the semi-autobiographical novel written by Akiyuki Nosaka , which won the Naoli Prize , the Japanese equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize for Literature . Like Seita , he survived the fire bombing with a younger sister , who died in his care . Obviously the story stems from a sense of guilty and I have to think the story was confessional rather than cathartic for Nosaka . Writer-director Isao Takahata turns this tragedy into what can only be described as a poetic experience , achieving a cinematic lyricism that could never have been accomplished in a live-action film ( e.g . , the way the fireflies have a counterpoint in the pieces of ash that drift on the wind after the fire bombings ) . There is a quietness to this film , a sense of contemplation that emphasizes important and small moments alike , and makes scenes linger as the heart-rending story plays out to its fatal conclusion . The voice work by both of the young girls playing Setsuko is extremely effective ; I have a slight preference for that done by Ayano Shiriashi simply because it is much more naturalistic than what you usually find in anime depicting children . Graves of the Fireflies is an unforgettable film , one which will reduce most viewers to tears if not outright sobbing . Watching it is a painful experience , but then a film depicting the horrors of war and showing what happens to young children is supposed to have that effect . Viewing it a second time makes the experience even more intense ( you probably will not catch what Setsuko's last words are the first time through , but be prepared for what it will do to you when you watch the film again ) . You will never , ever forget this film and you should be very , very careful about showing it to younger children , because it will change forever what they think about animated films . It will do that for you as well .
    • 160 4  I just saw it last night and was deeply moved . I didn't cry watching it , but for some reason have found myself crying today as I think about the film . I won't reiterate what's been said previously by many of the reviewers - - except to say this movie will move you profoundly . I've found having children changes your perspective on everything . As a father of a beautiful , wonderful 5 year-old boy , I pray for all the children out there who are subjected to similar experiences because we adults can't get it right .

  • 040 4  Truly one of Studio Ghibli's greatest crowning achievements , GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES is a brilliant masterpiece fully deserving of a place in any of the best movies ever made . Not just an astonishingly great ( and , at the risk of coming off as cliché , perfect ) work of art , this is a moving , thought-provoking , and ultimately heartbreaking tale about the loss of innocence and the tragedies of war . Based on an autobiography by Akiyuki Nosaka , the film , set during the bombing of Japan in - - of all times - - World War II , centers on Seita , a loving , headstrong Navy soldier's son and his innocent little sister , Setsuko . Their fatal struggle for survival begins right at the start , when both are bombed out of house and home by American B - 29s . Mom is seriously wounded and found wrapped in bandages at a hospital , where she dies shortly after . The children move to Nishinomiya to stay with their aunt . Auntie , a cold , bitter , self-serving woman , has no patience with Seita or Setsuko , especially when they would rather chase after fireflies at moonlight , play by the beach , or lounge around the house instead of helping out . After butting heads with Auntie long enough , the children decide to run away , setting up home in an abandoned cave by the lake . Both try by all means to live off of vegetables or whatever food they can afford to trade and / or steal , to no avail . . . . The outcome of the story is actually showcased at the opening of the movie , where we see a ghostly specter of Seita watching a more malnourished version of himself die a painful , lonely death at a train station . Indeed , as we see how these events came to pass , we find ourselves rooting for Seita and Setsuko to find a way to stay alive , but alas , it is not to be , given Seita's stubborn pride . The overall tone of the movie is of a very tragic nature - - even such lighthearted moments as the aforementioned sequences involving Seita and Setsuko playing around the house or gathering fireflies as lights for their cave are all tainted with a touch of sadness , for we know that these brief scenes of happiness will not last . Who is to blame for the plight of these children ? The movie never addresses this question to the audience , nor does it really care to . It would be easy for director Isao Takahata to make this an anti-American movie , but he does better than that . Instead , he aptly conveys that war can spell serious - - and deadly - - consequences for victims . He also eschews casting any character as a hero or villain , and instead makes this a very human story , with no clear-cut good or bad characters . The aunt , for example , is not evil ; she is merely an angry , desperate woman who is only struggling to survive just as much as Seita and Setsuko are . Atrocious as her treatment of the children is , we somehow never see her as a true baddie , but a very flawed , multi-faceted human being . Normally one would think of this kind of story as suitable for live-action , but GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES proves that it can be told through the art of animation as well . This is no mindless showcase of gorgeous visuals - - although the artistic merits of the movie are , as with Ghibli productions , sumptuous and at times breathtaking - - but a display of real characters struggling with very tangible emotions . And the most amazing accomplishment about this movie is how much we grow to care for Seita and Setsuko - - their inseparable bond of love and companionship is the heart and soul behind the movie . There are long stretches of silence on the soundtrack , with music used very sparingly , yet the movie is all the more powerful for it . The most effective moment is where we hear a scratchy rendition of Home , Sweet Home over a montage of Setsuko playing by the shelter . It's a simplistic , sweet , yet very saddening moment that not only works in the context of the movie , but on its own as well . While Disney has released most of Studio Ghibli's other works in the United States , GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES is currently available as a 2 - Disk Collector's Set from New York based Anime publisher Central Park Media . Presented in an all-new anamorphic transfer , the video quality was apparently remastered , with very pleasing results . Where this set excels , though , is in the amount of extras . In addition to documentaries about the bombing of Japan and the production , we get interviews with Isao Takahata , Akiyuki Nosaka , and even longtime film critic Roger Ebert . Even if you don't read critical reviews , you should check out what he has to say about GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES . His words may surprise you . I don't normally say this in my reviews , but I would definitely recommend watching this movie in its native language of Japanese for a truly powerful and memorable experience . That's not to imply , however , that the English dub is inferior ; on the contrary . It is , in fact , surprisingly good , with an effective lead in J . Robert Spencer and noteworthy cameo appearances by Anime voiceover actors Veronica Taylor , Crispin Freeman , and Dan Green . Rhoda Chrosite's Setsuko is the one voice that doesn't fare so well ; she sounds more like an adult pretending to be a young girl , and comes across as strained during most scenes ( save for when she is sick from diarrhea ) . Still , for those who can't read subtitles , the dub is more than adequate ( although not as high-profile as others that I've heard ) . Even in a genre as multi-faceted as Japanese Anime , there are few films that literally everyone really MUST see . GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES is one such movie .
    • 018 4  This review is from : Grave of the Fireflies ( DVD ) When I saw that film critic Roger Ebert had said that this animated story ( 88 minutes long ) about a brother and sister in Japan in the last , fiery year of World War II . . . belongs on any list of the greatest war films ever made , I was curious but also skeptical . I subsequently checked it out from the library , and , after seeing it , I ordered my own copy from Amazon to see it again and to share it with friends . I am a combat veteran ( Vietnam ) , and I tend to shy away from war movies because of my squeamishness and their masochistic , false bravado . GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES is different . Although a fictionalized account of particular civilians caught in a particular war , it tells the truth of the caught-between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place scenario of all civilians caught in all wars . Although it is not a jovial story , it transcends war's inherent sadness with glimpses of the dignity and selflessness of most ( though not all ) of war's innocent victims . Anyone who has difficulty loving one's enemy ( and / or has difficulty loving one's allies - - - warts , wrinkles , and all ) would benefit from seeing this film . It is more poetic than preachy . Humankind is the victor .
    • 019 4  When I saw that film critic Roger Ebert had said that this animated story ( 88 minutes long ) about a brother and sister in Japan in the last , fiery year of World War II . . . belongs on any list of the greatest war films ever made , I was curious but also skeptical . I subsequently checked it out from the library , and , after seeing it , I ordered my own copy from Amazon to see it again and to share it with friends . I am a combat veteran ( Vietnam ) , and I tend to shy away from war movies because of my squeamishness and their masochistic , false bravado . GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES is different . Although a fictionalized account of particular civilians caught in a particular war , it tells the truth of the caught-between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place scenario of all civilians caught in all wars . Although it is not a jovial story , it transcends war's inherent sadness with glimpses of the dignity and selflessness of most ( though not all ) of war's innocent victims . Anyone who has difficulty loving one's enemy ( and / or has difficulty loving one's allies - - - warts , wrinkles , and all ) would benefit from seeing this film . It is more poetic than preachy . Humankind is the victor .
    • 049 4  I had no idea what to expect to see in this film , the first time I saw it . I only heard that it is considered by many people as the best Anime ever . After watching it I COMPLETELY agree ! When it comes to shedding tears while watching films , I could count the number of those films on one hand . Before watching this film , Saving Private Ryan was the movie that brought me the most to tears . This film changed things ! I must say that the first time I finished seeing the film , I felt a lot of saddness and was at the brink of shedding tears . I then felt compelled to read other people's reviews and thoughts of this film . I noticed that most people felt the same emotions I did after / while watching the film . The more I thought about the film while reading the reviews the sadder I got and tears started coming down . I was then compelled to see the first few minutes again ( right after finishing seeing the film for the first time and reading reviews ) . I only got to the part when you see the 2 ghosts of the kids appear for the first time , picking up the candy box , smiling to each other and hearing the opening music . At that point not did tears come down , I was actually CRYING ! I haven't cried in over 10 years ( I'm 25 ) ! Now that's what I call a POWERFUL FILM ! Seeing the film for the first time is highly recommended . Seeing it for the secong time is a MUST ! I agree with some reviewers and think this film is for adults only . The story portrayed in this film is truely a young child's worst nightmare ( at least in my opinion ) . I would give this film more than a 5 / 5 , more like 10 / 5 . If you have a heart , you'll probably shed a few tears at least . Think about while deciding with who you want to see the film with or prefer watching it alone .
    • 066 4  This remarkable Japanese animated film has been compared to the likes of SCHINDLER'S LIST , although it is probably more apt to compare it to the great 1952 live-action French film THE FORBIDDEN GAMES , which is also a war-time tragedy involving a small girl and her older male companion . Both FORBIDDEN GAMES and GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES use the same approach to convey an anti-war message : rather than depicting the violent atrocities of war ( GRAVE is only rated PG ) , they depict the wounded souls of children as a result of war . Both films use the theme of a little girl forming a bond with little animals as sort of an anchor for the plot . Both films also show , in no uncertain terms , the adults ' lack of understanding towards the children's emotional crisis , thus making their predicaments all the more tragic . But GRAVE stands out , as Roger Ebert points out in his interview segment on the 2 - disc DVD , because it is an animated film . A film like GRAVE repudiates the conventional belief that a cartoon cannot convey the same emotional impact as a live-action film . In fact , says Ebert , it is precisely the fact that it is DRAWN that a cartoon can often impact the viewers in ways a live-action film can't . The new 2 - disc DVD set from Central Park Media ( which also made the 1 - disc DVD version in 1998 ) has an improved picture quality compared to the overly brown and yellow transfer of the old DVD . It looks cleaner and less grainy than the old transfer . Colors look much better ; sand on a beach actually looks like sand instead of mustard . And flesh tones are more realistic . But what I find lacking is sharpness . The picture still looks a bit too soft for my liking . The supplement has a segment on the video transfer process , and it shows a technician applying edge enhancement to the print to increase its sharpness . Obviously , it didn't quite help . The source material being used for the transfer was probably not very pristine to begin with . The new transfer also looks a bit darker than the old one , dangerously obscuring some details in darker scenes ( and there are quite a few dark scenes in the film ) . The new print , however , shows more picture on the left and right sides of the screen . The supplements are excellent . Roger Ebert has been a champion for the film's cause , and in his 12 - minute interview segment , his enthusiasm for the film is contagious and his insights regarding the animated film genre enlightening . There is a 18 - minute interview of the film's director , Isao Takahata , who recounts the process of making the film ( an actual five-year-old girl was hired to dub the voice of Setsuko , for instance ) . There is a 6 - minute making-of segment which includes an interview of Akiyuki Nosaka , the author of the novel on which the film was based . The novel was , in turn , based on the author's own experience during the war . In a 12 - minute interview segment , two historians give compelling accounts on the historical settings pertaining to the film . To gain more historical perspectives , don't miss the section in the supplements that compares photographs of actual locations to the scenes in the film that depict them . The most generous supplement inclusions are the film's complete screenplay and storyboards . The screenplay , in English , is accessible via DVD-ROM , in both PC and Mac versions . It is apparently not a shooting script ( one that was written before a film was made ) , but a transcript of the finished film ( written AFTER the film was made as a record ) . Therefore , it matches the film exactly , and it doesn't contain any deleted scenes or altered dialogs that often make for fascinating reading . Still , it is worthwhile for those who study screenwriting and those who , like me , are fascinated by how the written word is interpreted by the visual image . The storyboards are viewable by selecting an alternate angle on your DVD player , so you can switch back and forth between the film and the drawings . All the storyboards are pencil drawings ; some are sketchy , and some elaborate . The designs in these storyboards are quite close to those in the finished film , indicating these are probably final , fully conceptualized drawings . I would have very much liked to see abandoned designs as well ( such as the ones on the FANTASIA or SNOW WHITE DVDs , or the BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Work-in-progress version DVD ) . That would have answered one of my questions : why does the little girl look a bit tomboyish ? The supplement section also has extra storyboards of deleted scenes . Rounding out the extras are about 60 color stills ( mostly cel reproductions , a few character designs and concept arts ) , trailers from other anime DVD releases , the original Japanese theatrical trailer for GRAVE . The new DVD is for region 1 only , while the old DVD is all-region . The English and Japanese stereo tracks and the English subtitles are identical in content and quality on both DVDs .
    • 087 4  This review is from : Grave of the Fireflies ( 2 - Disc Collector's Edition ) ( DVD ) GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES is very sad . Note that I say that the movie is sad , not depressing . A great film critic told me that great films aren't depressing . Only terrible movies are . He is right . Great films can make you cry , but why should that make them depressing ? That means the movie hits you on an emotional level , which is what the greatest movies do . I'm convinced now that the best animaters in the world aren't from Disney . They're from Japan , like Hayao Miyazaki ( the greatest living animater in the world ) and Isao Takahata , a colleague of Miyazaki's who made this one . This film is so emotionally powerful that it actually succeeded in fulfilling another requirement I have about great movies . It makes me forget I'm watching the movie and make me feel as if I actually am INSIDE the film , experiencing what the characters are feeling . The movie is happening to me . If that last line sounds like a cliche to you , okay . So what ? Great movies do that to you , and GRAVE OF THE FIRELFIES did it to me . The story is simple . Two Japanese siblings , a 14 year old boy and a 4 year old girl lose their parents in WWII , and it isn't long before they are completely on their own . They end up relying only on themselves to stay alive . The film was adapted from a highly acclaimed book in Japan , which I've been told is based on the real WWII experiences of its author . Like the greatest animated films I've seen this one is filled with images of complete originality and power . The only one I will mention in this review is a shot of a bunch of fireflies surrounding the children . It's a scene of indescribable beauty . But what happens after that turns it into a scene of unbelievable sadness . By the end of the film tears were in my eyes , something I usually don't do while watching a movie . If a film tells me it's based on a true story , that doesn't always get my attention . Isao Takahata wisely does not let audiences know this at any point in the movie , but what really made this film hit me emotionally is that it happens to two innocent Japanese children . They're the victims of our American military forces . And let us remember that we just bombed the country of Iraq . What if there are right now two Iraqi children , brother and sister , who are victims of the bombings we have done ? What if they too have to fend for themselves just to stay alive ? Perhaps with this highly likely scenario playing out for real , this film is perfect viewing for 2003 , fifteen years after its original release GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES ties with SPIRITED AWAY and PRINCESS MONONOKE as the greatest animated film ever made . I would like to explain this in my review but to do so would use up my word limit . They are also films on my list of the greatest films I've ever seen . note : I plan to write an essay explaining my three film tie .
    • 094 4  Was this actually made in 1988 ? ! It's understandable for one to mistake GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES as contemporary ' anime ' ( Sailor Moon , Gundam , etc . ) with a quick glance at the cover . Nothing , absolutely nothing , could be farther from the truth . Normally , the medium deals with fantastic or non-realistic issues and stories . GOTF is a sobering story of two young Japanese children whose lives are shook to its foundations when 20th Century warfare impedes whatever hapiness and comfort they might've known . It's evident right from the start that it's not going to be a happy ending which lets the viewer focus on the journey to that black conclusion . Seita , a fifteen year old patriot , is forced very early on to grow up quick and take care of his very young sister Setsuko when a series of unfortunate events claim their parents . Ever present is the backdrop of the enemy ( never mentioned who it is ) and the constant barrage of air raids and bombs . In the forefront is Seita's drive to maturation and desperation for survival for him and Setsuko . While the story is straightforward and compelling , it is the attention to detail that really set the movie apart . For an animated feature , the ' acting ' is leagues better than most live-action movies being spewed out of Hollywood lately . In addition , if you listen to the Japanese language track , the voice acting is flawless . Visually , there is much to see and you may come to appreciate a lot of little subtleties that would've been too easy for the creators to dismiss as unnecessary . The DVD is a two-disc set . The first is the main feature complete with the standard menu options . The second disc is a generous choice ( compared to the usual content of anime releases ) of interviews and discussions on the matter of the film . A class package through and through . It's important not to find blame or any political agenda . It would be missing the point . The motivation of this movie to me is the harsh realities endured by blameless civilians when armies go to war . It is not a feel-good film but a must-see by all means . Five stars easily .
    • 128 4  I never thought in my lifetime that a Japanese anime film would reduce me to tears . Well it has happened . I finally got around to watching Tsutomu Tatsumi's GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES after months of languishing on my queue list on my online dvd rental service . This haunting animated film proves that not all anime needs to be based in fantasy . This bleak story was inspired by the autobiographical novel of the same title by Akiyuki Nosaka who had lost his sister to malnutrition during World War II . In GRAVES OF THE FIREFLIES , the main characters of the film is Seita , the older brother , and Setsuko , the younger sister . It is World War II . Japan is subjected to the frequent air raids by the west . Seita and Setsuko loses their mother to the bombs while their father is in the navy and has not been heard from in awhile . After losing their mother , Seita and Setsuko moves in with their aunt . Their aunt is anything but kind and loving . She views the children as nothing more than financial burdens on her household . She admonishes Seita for not contributing to the househould finances as well as to the country every opportunity she gets . One day , Seita had enough of his aunt's insults , and takes Setsuko to an abandoned bomb shelter . Seita's selfish pride would eventually prove to be his undoing and would lead to tragedy in the end of the film . I loved this film . I was so moved by the imagery and the writing . In a lot of animated films , when someone gets hurt , you don't see the wounds the individual received from his or her attacker but in this film you do , namely with Seita and Setsuko's mother . Their mother was completely unrecognizable in her bandages but you could see the serious wounds by the blood and her facial expression . While the aunt may not have been an angel herself , Seita wasn't exactly perfect himself either . He was selfish by not appreciating the roof and food his aunt provided albeit relunctantly . It never occured to him that he should try to contribute to his aunt's household income given the circumestances that she had two extra mouths to feed . Unfortunately his selfish pride would lead to his downfall when he decides that he and Setsuko would be better off away from his aunt . GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES is definitely not a kiddie film for young audiences to see . The story and images are bleak and occasionally graphic . The realism in the storyline was so real and authentic , I was moved to tears especially towards the end of the film . This film gave me a good glimpse of life in Japan during WWII . GRAVES OF THE FIREFLIES is a rare gem in animated films and films in general where I am brought to tears . This is an instant classic with me .

  • 046 4  First of all , I have to say that I am no fan of the anime genre . I absolutely HATE anime , but I was forced to watch this movie by my college roommate . Now , I am thankful she forced me to do so , because this movie was abolutley wonderful . I watched it over and over again , each time crying . I never knew anime could be so good ! My only impression of anime was cheesy , crude drawings of naked people and giant robots and mouths that never move when they talked . The animation in this movie was wonderful ! Almost as good as American cartoons . . . even better than some . I loved the plot of this movie , although there wasn't much of one . . . it was mainly about life in Japan during WWII and the affects it has on the innocent ones . It follows the story of a brother and sister's tragic journey . To all of you out there who gave this movie one star because you didn't like the brother because he was lazy . . . then you absolutely missed the point of this movie . I too did not like the older brother . . . but then I realized that he was still a child himself and was not ready to be thrown into the real world of life and death , like everyone else . He did what he could to protect his beloved sister . . . she was his all in all . He was not accustomed to the harsh reality . . . and ultimately paid the price for not being able to adjust to the real world . By this , the director has made the character more realistic , even though it might anger you that the boy could have done more to survive or even swallowed his pride and apologize to his aunt for his selfishness . For a movie to evoke such anger in you , it has to be good . Just remember when you watch this movie , that boy is also a victim . . . not only of the war but of his own self and immaturity . I kinda felt sorry for him , but angry at the same time . We all make our own opinions , but if you hate this movie because of the boy . . . then you lose the whole meaning of this movie .
    • 015 4  it makes you think about children of the WWII . No way to describe . Just need to watch .
    • 048 4  This movie never ceases to amaze me . Grave of the Fireflies is the story of a young boy named Seita and his little sister Setsuko as they go through life post WWII . I cry every time I watch it . I mean , watching a little sick girl tell her big brother that she will take care him and he can have her share of food . . . only a heartless [ person ] would find that funny . I recommend this movie to anyone who likes anime , history , drama , or something that will tug at your heartstrings . Heck , I recommend it to every living thing ! Go watch it and when your done go order some fruit drops off ebay and hug a stuffed animal , you'll need to .
    • 120 4  This movie is sad and extremely moving . It is based on the lives of a brother and his young kid sister and the events they have to endure during WWII . I've never cried for any movie except this for this one . I remember watching this movie with my brother until 2am and I head to my room and he head to his for bed . We saw each other in the morning at 7am . We confirmed that either of us slept that night , constantly thinking of the sad tale ( even the ending credits's images displayed sad events that took place ) . I did not watch this movie for at least a year later because the thought of it made me sad . As time passed , I was able to rewatch the movie with the appreciation it deserves but with less heartache . My cousin watched the movie on a visit one night and I noticed the look he had the next morning . I asked how did he slept . He answered not much , kept thinking about the movie . There are many great movies , but none this powerful . I do not know any other movie that makes one reflect as much as one will after watching it . You will always remember this movie after watching it in its entirety . The story is based on true events even though the characters are fictional . If you ever thought your life is sad , watch this movie and count your blessings . No matter how bad you think you have it , it is nothing compared to the lives these kids had to endure . Watch this movie and be thankful for all that you got . On a different note , you can now watch any sad movie that exist in the present or in the future for you have built up your tolerence level of sad movies to the max . I have yet to see a more sad and moving tale . It is a tough challenge for any movie to take on . This is storytelling at its best . Do not watch this movie with kids under 12 ! They are not ready for it .
    • 151 4  Wow , when I saw this when browsing through Amazon , the pic / cover of the DVD , memories just all poured into me ! Many people have something that they can never forget and this is something I can never forget , the memory of 2 children isolated and ignored by others in WWII . I watched this movie on VHS when I was in Gr 3 / 4 and this IS the movie that haunted my mind for a long time . It is such a beautifully made movie and even if I was very young at the time , every second of the film kept me captivated , hopeful , yet sad all the way . I can definitely say that you will honestly love the characters very much . It was also the first movie I cried in . Everybody should watch this movie because it gives a different perspective to what war is like . This movie is more relevant to us now , since our world is in such chaos . War isn't just about seeking revenge , being greedy or power . It is the exact opposite of that , as we see in this film . The war where the country is faught will ruin its people and it is shocking at the after effects of the war that this film shows us . This movie relates to a lot of us , because many of us have siblings or family we love very much and hopefully this film will be watched by many people for them to realise that war rots people . This film is an absolute classic and should not be missed !

  • 050 4  War kills children . Grave of the Fireflies illustrates how it happens . Every person with the power to wage war should see this film . Bombs don't discriminate . But those who drop them can and do . In fact , most wars are waged against civilians . In recent history , civilians were absolute targets in overall campaigns of terror , from Vietnam to Iraq . Grave of the Fireflies tells the story of Seita and Setsuko , brother and sister , ages 14 and 4 . Caught in the middle of a firebombing campaign in Kobe , Japan near the end of the war , Seita and Setsuko attempt living after the deaths of their parents and the destruction of their city . The pain and cruelty endured by these noble children is heart rending . Even to their deaths from malnutrition , Seita and Setsuko maintain thier dignity as human beings . Their brother / sister interaction is a precious reminder of the bonds between siblings . I allowed my nine year old son to see the film . It was a calcuated risk , becasue some of the scenes and issues are quite raw . In the end , I'm glad he saw the film . He knows that war means much more than slapping a magnetic ribbon on the car that reads Support Our Troops . Someone's on the receiving end of the bombs and bullets . Often times , it's children . That's an important fact to be aware of , especially because in the wars being waged in Iraq and Afghanistan , the US doesn't even count dead civilians in the death toll . President Bush should see it , as well as every other leader waging wars of aggression on civilians .
    • 126 4  Of course if you are a hormonal teenage boy or 45 year old anime sex and violence addict you'll hate this movie . There are no swears , big boobs or sex scenes . You wont find any giant robots , transformers or galactic battleships . This film is not for children or the immature . This movie is about the love of a brother and sister ripped from there lives by war and indifference . This movie says so much about human nature - - both good and bad . What is so amazing is about 5 minutes into this film you forget you are watching anime . The characters become so real . If you think your life is terrible this film will change your perspective . There is always someone else suffering worse than you are . If you truly love quality than this is a fantastic film . Ignore the poor reviews and grab the tissues . This film doesn't have a happy ending , yet in a sense it does . You decide .

  • 097 4  I have viewed Grave of the Fireflies five times on DVD since purchasing it a month ago . It is a seemless classic . I have searched and searched for any flaw I could find in this film and I couldn't find a single one . From every frame of animation and every work spoken , Grave of the Fireflies is a masterwork . Animation ( 5 stars ) Voice acting in Japanese ( 5 stars ) musical score ( 5 stars ) well I could go on but you get the point . You feel like you are in the movie while watching certian scenes as the film is very patient in its pacing . It forces the viewer to get a feel for every scene and the emotion although it never seemed forced . The flashback scenes were some of the most beautiful pieces ever seen on film and the score only enhanced that . There are some silent moments too , it's not a constant barrage of music but only when needed . This is a very smart film that if anything , tricks the viewer into paying attention and ultamatly caring deeply about the characters to the point where their tragity feels like your own . The most tragic thing that can happen is if viewers deside to over look this masterfull film .
    • 007 4  I watched this movie ten years ago when I was in college . I had forgotten how truly remarkable a film it is . There is something about the music , the animation style , and especially the story and characters that touch the deepest parts of the heart . I was mesmerized by how much it made me feel for both Seita and his sister , Setsuko . Yes , the movie is set in war-time Japan , but this is more a story of a brother's love for his sister and of childhood lost in human suffering . I would find it hard to compare a movie ( animated or otherwise ) that would compare to the depth of this film . You have to watch this with subtitles to really capture the breadth and depth of this movie . Setsuko's innocence is only communicated well through the original Japanese dialogue . The animation is nothing to sneeze at either . The attention to detail is remarkable - - watch the ants , flys , and of course the fireflies . This movie is one that everyone should watch . Amid all the garbage that you see these days coming out of Hollywood , this is a gem that will do something to you once you have seen it .
    • 011 4  I think this was one of the saddest war movies I have ever seen . I think everyone should see it , if , for nothing else but to get a another perspective on war .
    • 021 4  The movie itself criticizes neither America nor Japan that actually plunged these kids into such suffering . It never blames anyone ( including us the viewers ) who couldn't help those War orphans . There is neither violence ( as we usually expect in the war movies ) nor even the war itself ( as we usually expect in the war movies ) in this animation . What we see is the beautifully animated poetic drama of human sacrifices of a 14 year-old boy , Seita , and his 4 - year little sister , Setsuko . Nonetheless , it is an overwhelmingly powerful Anti-war movie that we ever had , beyond comparison with those heroic ones . One hour after viewing the movie , we will find out ourselves holding somewhat different ideas about the War and about the lives that were involved in such a tragic period . Beyond Anti-War , viewers might even experience some kind of anger toward something . . . I would like to mention that the story is based on the actual experience of the author of the original book , Nosaka Akiyuki , himself . I realize that writers are sometimes so brave to depict their own painful memories .
    • 073 4  When I got Grave of the Fireflies , I knew it would be sad . However , I had no idea what a brilliant and moving film I was in for . It is hard to find words to describe the feeling you get after watching this movie . All I can say is that I didn't just cry - I bawled . And it takes a lot for me to shed a tear during a movie . I don't know why Grave of the Fireflies is labeled as a children's movie . Some scenes , especially when the mother dies , are extremely graphic . Also , the overall theme is much too heavy for younger viewers . This is by no means a feel-good movie , but that doesn't mean you shouldn't watch it . It is a masterpiece , a work of art , and a powerful message . I highly recommend it to those who want something beyond action or fairy-tale endings in their movie viewing experience . Grave of the Fireflies deserves 10 stars .
    • 089 4  I had been avoiding this film up until recently as I am a father of two young children . Didn't think I could stand the pain . Last week I finally bit the bullet and let myself be washed over by the beauty and sorrow of this film . The film is beautifully illustrated and at times sublimely grotesque and realistic . The story is simple but so heart breaking . To follow two children who suffer slowly to die due to events totally out of their control . They symbolize the many who suffer the same fate day after day in warring lands . It is therefore such tragedy that tired old men who have never come face to face with the horrors of war get to play cowboys and indians every day . Would they have the same fervor if their own children have to suffer like Seita and Sasako ? Would they be willing to mobilize their troups if the troops were their own flesh and blood ? This film may not be able to change enough people into pacifists but I know I find myself hugging my children just a little more often and harder since watching this movie .
    • 098 4  I have never before witnessed a film so powerfully moving and utterly earth shattering . This film twisted my insides and obliterated whatever machismo was dwelling in my normally rough exterior . I count myself among the fortunate and unfortunate for having seen such a film . It burned things into my mind that will haunt me forever . Yet it inspired me to never allow such a thing to happen to my children . . . . . . whatever the cost . I recommened it . But , with a strong word of caution . This film is capable of many things . Not the least of which is cutting the tether you have between you and your ignorance of life and it's true meaning . Your cell phone , your mortgage payment . . . . your tripple latte with low fat milk , your PDA , promotion . . . . . . None of that will matter after watching this . Only holding your loved ones tight . It is the most sobering and devastating visual depiction ever put to film in my opinion . Anime or otherwise .
    • 107 4  I , like the reader before me , do not cry or really show any emotion when when watching a film . However , this film really was very powerful and caught me off guard . It has an excellent story and the animation is beautiful . I really felt absorbed into it , and could relate to the characters . Being an older brother I felt particularly drawn to the main character Seita who tries desperately to survive and care for his sister . I sincerely advise all people to forget the opinion that anime movies are not serious or are silly and give this movie a chance . I don't think any American animation studio currently can produce a film like this . This is a classic that should have won an academy award if it were better known .
    • 110 4  A masterpiece . I don't know what to say , but this is the best an anime has to offer . The artwork of this anime is superb , the use of watercolor like scenery of the background is just beautiful . In terms of sound , not much variety was available , however , the clever use of moments of silence adds to the climax of the sad moods of music . The story was simple , however , very realistic that it reaches to the core of war and the human condition . A different emphasis of war is provided here , focusing on individuals , which in the end , created a fully moving story . Characters , as with the story , is realistic . Relationships and bonds are fully developed , making the story much more touching in the end . Overall , this is a very enjoyable animation . A must watch and a must collect .
    • 112 4  This is one of the most intelligent , honest movies I have ever seen . Instead of going the typical carebear disney route , Grave of the Fireflies is a movie that tells the truth about the war and the countless men , women and children that are suffering and dying of starvation , holocaust and plain destruction . Unlike other movies ( i.e Hellboy , Chronicles of Riddick ) , this movie actually has a purpose among us . Trust me , I've seen some horrible stuff , but this is the first movie that actually made me begin to pout . I actually found that I was almost in tears while reading other's reviews and remembering how much Seito and Setsuko suffered . I highly recommend this movie to all of you , as well as Hayao Miyazaki's films .
    • 131 4  This was a moving commentary on the citizens involved in war . I believe this is meant for older children or adults . It is very emotional for a young child .
    • 133 4  live action or animated . Powerful , gripping , touching , real . Beautiful . I wish more people knew about this one .
    • 149 4  We've watched this movie in class multiple times to look at the downside of war . Innocent people are killed . This is a story about two young Japanese children , one is three , one is a teenager . Their mother is killed in an air raid and they go to live with a relative . She is unfair to them and didn't nourish them correctly . They begin to live in an abondoned shelter . The 3 year old becomes malnourished . I'm not going to give away the whole story however . This is a movie that needs to be watched . It's very touching and a great movie to make you think about what happens to civilians that live in our enemy countries . I would recommend it to anyone .

  • 108 4  I saw the Grave of the Fireflies two weeks ago , and I can't describe all the emotions that invaded my heart , my mind and my spirit . . . . this is the story of a brother ( Seita , 14 year's old ) and his sister ( the most beautiful and brave girl that I could have ever seen . . . Setsuko , 4 years old ) . . . . . they will have to live the horror of war at it's own , alone , without a mother or a father . . . the story is so moving . . . the scenes that twisted my heart and broke it in pieces are the ones where you can see how happy and depressive can someone be . . . what a mix of feelings . . . how can children suffer so much and be happy at the same time ! ! ! ? . . . . at the end of the movie , I was not able to contain the tears . . . Seita will do all possible to keep her sister happy and satisfied , but there are times where the reality slashed his back and he feels hopeless in a circumstance where the lack of compassion and love are the most cruel show in desperate times . I am sure that you will enjoy this story , and I am almost certain that you will not be able to classify this wonderful masterpiece as an anime , or movie . . . it will be THE STORY OF SEITA AND SETSUKO , the story that will be engraved in your hearts for a long time . . . you will never forget it . Is a devastating and wonderful story at the same time . . . see it for yourself . . .

    • 125 4  Grave of the Fireflies is a film I've heard of for years and never gotten around to seeing . As one of the most well-respected early anime classics - - of course , I expected great things . I knew vaguely what the picture was about and knew that its tone strove for realism as opposed to fantasy . But what I didn't really comprehend is that it would be such a mature story geared toward adult audiences . The sophistication , complicated subject matter , and sorrow contained within Grave of the Fireflies made it one of the more surprisingly moving films I've seen in quite a while . The story is simplistic . Set in war-torn Japan near the end of the World War II , two kids must deal with the unexpected death of their mother in a bombing attack . With no one to care for them and their home destroyed , they attempt to live independently . Naturally , there are many obstacles to overcome - - and the horrors of war are depicted with surprising candor . I had not expected the film to be so forthright in its depiction of such a serious subject matter . What really distinguishes Grave is that it becomes a powerful story of love and commitment . As the brother embraces the responsibility of caring for his much younger sister , we see him take the reins of adulthood - - it is a coming-of-age by necessity . The relationship between the siblings is amazingly realistic and thoughtful . And even though the film is animated , it is perhaps one of the most stirring stories of familial loyalty that you can see . The plot unfolds in a heartbreaking way - - with moments of such tenderness , such love , and such inevitability . The film never condescends to its characters or its audience . Not a cheerful or easy film , Grave easily transcends most animated endeavors . I'd rate the film at 4 1 / 2 stars - - but the film reduced my companion to tears . For an anime film to elicit genuine and earned emotions , I'm rounding up instead of down . One note on the technical animation - - keep in mind that the film was made in 1988 , it's not going to be a glossy or polished Pixar film . Instead it's appropriate for its timeframe - - but more importantly , the film is a powerful and relevant meditation on war and family . KGHarris , 11 / 06 .
      • 006 4  With nearly 300 reviews in the queue , I'm not sure anyone will ever read this . . . . BUT , if you do , then know that this movie can't be recommended enough . If you've read any other comments , then you know that this is a depressing film . Oh yeah . I actually read the script about a year before I ordered the movie . And I broke into tears reading the script ! ! We're talking powerful stuff . Now , we've all seen war movies and gory movies and we read the newspapers with the horrors of our modern life , so you'd think this would be nothing . I think the brilliance of this movie is that by presenting it in anime form it disarms the mind , and allows us to really become the characters . Since they aren't real , we transpose ourselves into their roles , and their roles are heartbreaking . Alone , and betrayed by adults both familial and strange : adults who ought to know better . But this is real life . We know it . We know that this is how adults turn on others , and how they turn on the weak , and become selfish . The children symbolize the weakness and helplessness of man in a modern and indifferent world . In a sense , we are all children , and we are all abandoned . If you have a heart , if you have intellect and a mind willing to listen and see , then you will not fail to be touched by this movie . Now , I will say that this is not necessarily an anti-war movie . I mean , on the other hand , is anyone really pro-war ? This movie tries to merely speak some truth . War is a reality , and in some cases a sad necessity , but in my view the real point of the story is to show how thin , how very thin , is the veneer of civilisation .
      • 014 4  I cried . This was the first movie I've ever cried over . Yes , I am female and presently I am 16 years old and a junior in High School . Anyway , this film is very moving . It's about a boy , Seita , who seems to be no older than 14 , who is forced to raise his little sister , Setsuko ( about 4 ) , after the tragic death of his mother in an air raid during World War II . After being rejected by their distant aunt and their father being away in the Japanees navy , the two move into an abandoned bomb shelter . It's about all the hardships they face , and how something as simple as a box of fruit drops can make some of the pains of war go away for both of them . It is a very moving story , I think it beautifully expresses some of the many hardships that the Japanees people went through , after their government started a war that they failed win . It is a well writen story , with amazing characters . You'll never feel the same about war after you've seen this movie . It's funny to think how much two little kids really do need their parents and how strong the love between a brother and sister really can be . If you have any questions about this movie , mail me , or just buy it . It is definetly worth buying . I think everyone should atleast view this movie once .
      • 032 4  I have been a fan of anime for the last 6 years or so and I have never seen an anime film quite like this one . It is one of the sadest and most moving things that I have ever seen . The story takes place close to the end of WW II , and we see the suffering expeienced by Japanese citizens through the eyes of Seita and his little sister Setsuko . Seita and Setsuko's mther gets badly burned in a fire bombing attack , and soon after dies from her wounds . Seita and Setsuko are forced to move in with an aunt who is less than happy having two more mouths to feed . She constantly reminds Seita that he is just a freeloader and doing nothing for the war effort . Seita and his sister eventually leave the aunt's home and try to survive on their own in a bomb shelter . Things start to go really bd from there . This is a beautiful movie with some of the most beautiful animation that I have ever seen . It shows the cruelty of war , and that children in such trying times still try to enjoy themselves . Parents please watch this film with your children , it is a view of WW2 that many americans never see . please watch it .
      • 036 4  Fifty years before the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake devastated parts of the city of Kobe , Japan , the Kansai region's main port city had experienced a similar level of destruction - at the hands of men . Kobe was where Gen . Curtis LeMay's Army Air Force B - 29 squadrons began their Japanese firebombing campaign during the final months of World War II . Grave of the Fireflies is the semi-fictional account of two Kobe children whose lives were forever altered by the destruction wrought by the war . Seita - a boy barely into his teen years - and his four-year-old sister Setsuko are orphaned when their mother dies following the bombing . What follows is their heart-wrenching tale of survival and desperation in a world where it is increasingly difficult for children to simply live and play as children . Thematically , Grave of the Fireflies is similar to Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun , which was released the year before . Like that live-action film , Isao Takahata's film highlights how war can have a profound impact on civilians in the war zone , and that children in particular are not immune from being victims of the selfishness of adults . The protagonists of both - Jim in Empire and Seita in Fireflies - are boys forced to grow up quickly in order to survive . Seita , however , has the added concern of caring for Setsuko : finding food for both her and himself , and shielding her from the awful truth that their mother died during the bombing . Like Clint Eastwood's more recent Letters from Iwo Jima , Fireflies forces American audiences to recognize the basic common humanity of the Japanese during a time when they were considered our nation's mortal enemy . . . but also the extremes to which people are driven when day-to-day survival is not assured . Grave of the Fireflies is one of the most moving films I have ever seen , whether animation or live action . The characters did have some flaws - it could be argued that Seita could have acted more humbly while in the home of his haughty aunt . Those flaws , however , do not detract from the profound emotional impact of the film . In fact , they highlight that Seita and Setsuko are children , and live their lives with the innocent myopia of children . It's for that reason , however , that Grave of the Fireflies reminds all that children must be cared for - even and especially when war ravages a nation - lest their lives shine but for passing moments like fireflies .
      • 068 4  Any teacher searching for a way to expose their students to history , coming-of-age stories , Japanese culture , and / or the implications of war needs to view and show this film in his or her classroom . I discovered this anime while in college , and I could not do anything until I had researched it thoroughly . According to Ebert's review and other reviews published about the film , this story about two children trying to survive the American firebombings of Japan in the last days of World War II is based on a true story . Seita , a 14 year old boy , has to become both brother and parent to his little sister Setsuko when their mother is badly injured in the first bombing of the film . They spend the rest of the film searching for food and shelter . They learn what happens to a world in need , a world at war , and a world that can so easily swallow up little lives like their own . The animation incredible . Like many animes , the characters do not appear at first to be entirely lifelike ; their eyes are too huge to be real , and many of the movements are overly exaggerated . However , the grace , the patience , the intense attention to details as small as the lice in Setsuko's hair make the characters all the more real . The scenary is also fantastic , and looks a lot like paintings by famous Japanese artists ( see Hiroshige ) . For teachers of high school students , this film provides endless opportunities ; kids become completely absorbed in the technical aspects of war ( see Ebert's review ) , the loveable characters , and the injustices they see . In my own classroom , this film sparked heated debate and prompted my students to write professional-sounding reviews . Please see this film , and talk to your students about the two sides to every war , and the two sides to every story .
      • 074 4  There is a powerful message in this Anime . . . I think it touches us all differently . . . if you are genuinely interested in seeing this movie . I'd always recommend not reading the details of it . . . it is best to have a blank portrait with no expectations and have it move you in its own way . . . . . . There are amazing scenes . . . . . . there is cruelty . . . . . . there is injustice . . . there is the human condition at its most raw . . . . . there is brilliance in the little details . . . I genuinely believe that this Anime transcends the limitation of what you can do with a moving picture to depiction of reality to many still in modern day , war torn and impoverished . . . .
      • 142 4  I'm glad to see that people from all over the world watched this movie and give it a lot of credits because I think this is one of the best films ever made and should be watched by as many people as possible . But there's one thing i really need to tell everyone . This is NOT an anti-war movie . Like Isao Takahata , the directer of the movie , said , there is no scene in this movie which expresses so-called antiwar or anti-U.S . messages . This movie is not even trying to buy everyone's sympathy for the Japanese . All it does is just telling the story of two poor kids in the war . And how we feel from the story is all up to each of us . So I wanna say to the people who have a kind of strict view toward this movie , that this is neither anti-war nor anti-U.S . movie . The story has the very tragic end of two brother-and-sister , which brings us a big sympathy for them . But I also feel some kind of anger toward Seita , who couldn't save his 4 - year-old sister , because he could . . . . And there's two more things I want to say . Watch the sub-titled version , rather than dubbed . The dub is not bad , but not good enough to express two kids real innocences as the original Japanese version did . And why is there a rating warning on the U.S . - version packege ? Under seventeen should not watch this movie ? Oh , please ! I watched this movie first time when I was in 5th or 6th grade , and it gave me something I should have as an unexperienced-war generation . To all parents , please don't do things like not showing this movie to your kids because they are not old enough . That's just not right .
      • 147 4  I am not an anime expert or anything close to that ; I have only watched a couple of series and another couple of movies in this genre . Maybe that is why in my mind I had classified the genre as one that is based mainly on action , usually involving swords or guns and vast amounts of blood . This is one of the main reasons why my curiosity was highly piqued when people recommended this movie to me and I read about its topic . After watching it I was instantly convinced that I had just experienced one of the most successful attempts at conveying the consequences war has on innocent people . In this case the effect is magnified by the fact that the sufferers are children . In the year 1945 , close to the end of World War II , Japan is being bombarded through air raids . A young boy named Senta and his little sister , Setsuko , have to run to the shelter and in the process they get separated from their mother . When they finally find her again she is seriously injured and does not last long in her attempts at survival . Now the kids only have an aunt to support them and guide them through the turmoil . But the grownup performs this task with little enthusiasm , so the children are basically left to survive by themselves . That is when we get to see the power of love between the siblings , and the contrast with the disinterest of the rest of the people in the village regarding the well-being of the kids . I am sure that this is one of the great masterpieces of the genre , since it presents a whole array of emotions , running from despair to hope without limits , through its excellent script and crafty graphics . In my case it will probably serve as a benchmark to rate all other future anime dramas in the future . If you have never watched any anime and are trying to decide where to start , I guarantee you that there is no better place than right here !

    • 143 4  First of all , I agree with so many other reviewers that this is an incredible , moving film , something that everyone should see . I will certainly show it to my children when they are old enough . However , so many people's suggestions that it is an antiwar film seem dreadfully simplistic . It is simply a very real , accurate presentation that humanizes the situation so many children were in at that time and in that place - - and , yes , in other times and places , as well . It is a fact , not an argument . It certainly makes clear that war is bad . That's hardly news , however much other reviewers may treat it as a revelation . Is such a statement of the obvious an antiwar argument ? To the simple-minded , yes . Other people don't hide from the complexities of the world and see that an act can be both hideously evil and , at the same time , better than NOT doing it . People who see the world so simply - - war is bad , therefore it is always immoral to fight - - are really little different from people who feel , My enemy is evil , so therefore anything I do to fight his country is good . Both want to see the world in absolute blacks and whites ; one will sit back and let evil triumph , the other will become evil himself ; the end results aren't so different . Show this movie to your children . Teach them that they must never forget the human consequences of their actions , never lose sight of what war really means - - of what a sortie means to those on the ground . Show them John Hersey's book on Hiroshima . Then teach them about the Rape of Nanking , Unit 731 , and what Japan did in EVERY country it occupied before they were driven out . They'll get mixed messages , but that's what the world is like . And maybe , just maybe , they'll learn to think .
      • 113 4  Just finished watching this . I dont even know what to think . . . write . . This is probably one of the best animation movies ever made . Never thought it would make me cry . What is sad is that the reality of this movie still exists . It doesnt matter if its 1945 or 2003 - War brings destruction and suffering anywhere , anytime . Amazing potrayal of human suffering in these animated characters . My hats off especially to the artist who sketched Setsuko ( the sister ) .
      • 134 4  What can I add to the other reviews except that this is the movie animation that always gets me into tears ( believe me I watched it 15 times and the result is still the same ) whenever I watch it . Released as My neighbor Totoro in 1988 in japanese theaters and by the same studio ( Ghibli ) , Isao Takahata ( co-founder with Miyazaki of Ghibli ) prefers to deal with realistic subject and serious issue rather than to focus on fantasy themes and environmental issues like his colleague Miyazaki . Ghibli's movies are must-see movies for any true anime fans . If you like grave of the fireflies , you should like omoide poro poro ( or Only yesterday by the same director ) . If you admire Kurosawa's movies as well as Miyazaki's , then run to watch Princess Mononoke .
      • 153 4  A movie by Studio Ghibli , animated by Isao Takahata . The Film company is the same that made My Neighbor Totoro , Kiki's Delivery Service and The Princess Mononoke ( coming to America this year from Japan ) . Central Park Media have release this classic on DVD and Video . A Sad story about Seito ( brother 14yrs old ) and Setsuko ( sister 4 yrs old ) , who are in japan during WW2 and the American air raids . Having lost everything , mother and home , they must find a way to survive the horrors of war . Father in the Navy , they don't know if hes dead or alive , Relatives in Tokyo and nearby town , they don't know how to contact them . A story that won the 1994 Chicago Childrens film festival award . Sure to win your hearts .

    • 158 4  The first sentence in the movie is September 21 , 1945 . . . that was the night I died . The voice belongs to 14 - year-old Seita , and his spirit tells us what happened to him and his five-year-old sister , Setsuko , in the weeks before . This is one of the saddest films I've ever seen , but a great one . Elements of the plot are discussed , but we know what's going to happen with that first sentence . Seita , his mother and sister live in Kobe , Japan . One day American bombers hit the city in a fire bomb raid . Their mother is terribly burned and dies shortly after in a crowded hospital . They haven't heard from their father , a naval officer serving on a cruiser , in a long time . We assume he is dead . Their home is destroyed and Seita takes his sister to his aunt and her family . Things don't work out . Food is short . The aunt becomes more abrupt and impatient with Seita when she realizes the children may be staying permanently . Seita takes his sister to a hill one evening to watch the thousands of fireflies , which delights Setsuko . Seita finally decides to take his sister and live by themselves in an abandoned bomb shelter dug into the side of a river cliff . What money he has proves useless as food is increasingly hard to find . Slowly the two children slip down into malnutrition and sickness . Seita is responsible for his sister and tries to keep her spirits up when she cries for her mother or tells him how hungry she is , but there is no one to take care of Seita . They suffer rashes . Seita tries to comb the lice from Setsuko's hair . Setsuko begins to suffer from diarrhea . Without family , no one wants them . One night he catches fireflies in a can and releases them in the cave for Setsuko . The next morning he finds his sister digging a grave for the fireflies , who have all died . Why must fireflies die so young , but there's no answer to the question . Soon after , Setsuko dies . Seita cremates his sister and carries her ashes in a box with him . And on September 21 , in the Kobe railway station , surrounded by other lost , homeless people , Seita dies . This is undoubtedly one of he great anti-war movies . There is also a moral lesson , which director Isao Takahata points out , in hubris . Seita makes a decision which is disastrous for himself and his sister , but it is a decision of a 14 - year-old who has had to assume responsibilities far beyond what he should . The relationship between the two children , their love for each other , Setsuko's trust in him and Seita's determination to care for her is a heartbreaker . The film is stunningly drawn , from nightmarish scenes of incendiary bomb attacks on wooden neighborhoods to achingly beautiful scenes of seashores , valleys and rain storms . Takahata and his animators have given Seita and Setsuko so much character and individuality that we see them as children , not animated subjects . Film critic Roger Ebert , in a commentary on the film , says that the first time he saw the movie he nearly cried . So did I . This is a sad , powerful film . The two disc DVD features a stunning transfer and several extras . Among them are the Ebert interview , an interview with the director and an historical overview of the period .
      • 023 4  This is a traumatizing movie . I can't explain in words how you feel as you're watching it . For one thing it's not one of those movies that are sad , maybe cause you to shed a tear or two , but you realize it's just a movie . This is not just a movie . It is possibly one of the greatest films of all time depicting war . A war that really happened with people that really suffered in it . It begins with the two children escaping to a bomb shelter during an air raid . . . Despite the painfully sad story , it's still wonderful . Yet it's hard to say this when you know that it is about two children suffering . It makes me feel like I'm saying I like that sort of thing , which I don't . Nontheless , this is a anime everone should see . I don't even mean just anime fans , it's something mankind should see to help them think twice about things like war . Ok and now to get to the part I was avoiding so much . I did not just cry when I saw Grave of the Fireflies . I was bawling.From beginning to end there was something that completely just ripped my heart in half . The sense of lonliness , the sense of despair , the sense of helplessness , of wanting to give up but knowing you can't . . . Even after the credits were rolling , after someone else in my family had to take the darn thing outta my DVD player , I sat on the couch and cried . I couldn't stop thinking about it . I cried for at least ten minutes . Ugh I even woke up in the middle of the night and started crying . Yeah I'm the slightest bit emotional but not that emotional . That's just how big of an imapct this movie had on me .
      • 031 4  Many have already described the plot of this movie , so instead I will describe how I felt watching it the first time . From the first few minutes , you knew the fate of the brother and his little sister , but I could not stop watching . Throughout the movie , I kept telling myself that I should stop watching because the sadness I felt while watching was just going to increase . In some ways , I was hoping that somehow things will be alright at the end . I kept feeling so much wanting to help them out of their situation . So many instances where I felt happy and sad . It is a movie about the most innocent casualties of war , the children . It is a movie about pride . Seita had to much pride to go back to his aunt as the Japanese government had too much to surrender the war . Like Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice , the main character's pride clouds their judgement . But while Elizabeth realizes her mistake , Seita does not , resulting in the death of the person he loves most . It is a movie about one of the purest form of love , the love between siblings , the unconditional love between a little girl and her older brother . It is a movie about so much more . There were many poignant and emotional moments for me in the movie , but three that really stood out : 1 . When Setsuko reveals to Seita that she knew their mother was dead , while during all this time Seita did want to tell her to spare his little sister the pain . 2 . When Setsuko offers Seita the mud rice balls she made . 3 . When Setsuko was so hungry that she was sucking on a marble because it was like the jelly candy she so loved . 4 . The montage of scenes of Seita at the end , where she is sweeping the shelter , where she is fanning the fire under the rice cooker and gets distracted by the butterfy , etc . Notice I did not say Best Animated Film because it is simply the Best Film I've seen , Ever .
      • 035 4  I watched this video about seven years ago . Somehow , I found the strength to make it all the way through . But since then , I have not been able to watch it again . Even thinking about Grave of the Fireflies while writing this has almost moved me to tears . I think I will only watch this movie one more time in my life ; when my daughter becomes old enough to appreciate it . Grave of the Fireflies is a movie you must see once , but you probably won't have the strength to ever watch it again . Then again , you won't have to , because the message and the images it imparts on you will last a lifetime .
      • 055 4  The first time I saw this moive was almost 12years ago when I was an elmentary school student . That time I just felt really sad and it made me think about bravery , kindness and most of all about family love . It's so sad that Japan's neighbor Korea , where all kinds of Japanese culture had been banned until very recently and is still strictly restricted , has decided to postpone the release of GOTF indefinetely , because in this movie Japanese are described as the victims of the WW2 instead of as the aggressors . This movie is totally apolitical . It simply shows what war gives to innocent citizens .
      • 059 4  A storm ravages the countryside , rain pelting the ground like giant teardrops as the wind wails , piercing the air with its howls like the moans of grief . And yet in a cave silence shouts its fiercest cry as a boy cradles his dead sister in his arms , achingly quiet , achingly alone , while nature voices his pain and loss . As we watch we share and feel the grief this boy goes through . As we watch we too feel the loss of the most important thing this boy possessed ; the love and the hope he had instilled within his bond with his baby sister . As we watch we are torn asunder by the power of emotion The Grave of the Fireflies has wrought . No other movie I have seen evinces with such clarity the tangibility of emotion its characters possess . Whether real or animated no other movie has moved me as this one has . Set in the waning days of World War II , we are allowed to partake in a journey taken by a fourteen-year old boy , Seita , and his four-year old sister , Setsuko , victims of the devastation , which ravaged their home and family . The story unfolds with Seita making his final journey in a train station awaiting his death . From the very beginning it is apparent that this story is a tragedy . It is also apparent that this story is about love and the bond between these two children that even war and death could not break . The true beauty of this film lies in its more than realistic view of its portrayal if these two children . So real is this portrayal one can almost forget that they are animated . But yet it seems essential that this film should be animated . Only within the confines of animation can the true essence of this film shine . That essence is the emotion this film has wrought from its characters and its audience . If there should be any film to save to watch with your loved ones , this should be it .
      • 063 4  Finally , one of the best animated movies ever made gets the collector's edition DVD treatment ! Made in 1988 , Grave Of The Fireflies proves that animation can tell serious , moving stories . This story will break your heart and make you cry . Based on a celebrated novel by Akiyuki Nosaka and lovingly adapted for the screen by writer-director-animator Isao Takahata , Grave Of The Fireflies is set in Japan during the last days of World War 2 . Kobe , 1945 . American fighter planes firebomb the city to ruins . 14 - year-old Seita and his 4 - year-old little sister Setsuko made it to the bomb shelter , but their mother wasn't so lucky . With their father in the Navy and no one left to care for them , the kids stay with an aunt who deeply resents having to feed them and treats them cruelly . Tired of their aunt's verbal abuse , Seita and Setsuko leave and wander the devastated Japanese landscape in search of food and shelter , both of which are very scarce . But they have each other , and that's all they need . Until Setsuko becomes gravely ill from malnutrition . Desperate to feed his little sister , Seita tries to get food by any means possible , including theft , a crime during wartime . In one of many painful scenes , Seita takes a dying Setsuko to the doctor , who tells him that all she needs is food . But of course , the doctor is not about to share his own food or even tell Seita where he might find some . A truly tragic , must-see film , Grave Of The Fireflies features amazing lifelike animation . The facial expressions alone will start your tears flowing . The voice talents are incredible , especially 5 - year-old Ayano Shiraishi as Setsuko . This story of the love between a young brother and sister , the only thing that nourishes them during a time of suffering and starvation , will melt even the coldest of hearts . Grave Of The Fireflies was released on DVD few years ago , but this new collector's edition is the one to buy . It features a beautiful , digitally restored anamorphic widescreen picture that blows the old DVD's muddy transfer out of the water . The 2 - disc set also includes great extras like interviews with filmmaker Isao Takahata , novelist Akiyuki Nosaka , and film critic Roger Ebert , complete storyboards , the script , a promo , trailers , and much more . Parents should note that both the Japanese and English dialogue soundtracks are included . This is a movie that you'll want to share with your children , and if they don't like to read subtitles , you can switch to the English dubbed soundtrack , which is well done and true to the original Japanese version . Grave Of The Fireflies is a movie you won't soon forget . It belongs in every film lover's library , and this wonderful 2 - disc DVD collector's edition belongs on everyone's DVD shelf . So buy it and share it with someone you love !
      • 064 4  This is an impossible to describe film . I've read one review that states it as being the type of movie that once a year , you have the courage to take down off the shelf and watch again . Perhaps even less time . But this movie is essential . If you have any shadow of emotion in you , it will touch your heart . The story is a tragedy wrought by war . A side of war that no one ever sees . What do you do when you're orphaned ? Left in the world without a single belonging , and everyone is your enemy ? Especially when you're a child ? Seita , the ' hero , ' you find yourself empathizing with in a way that you could never do with Hollywood stars . His overwhelming love for his younger sister , Setsuko , pushes him to do things that he probably never would do to save himself . With the two of them left alone in a chaotic war zone , he tries to his utmost to give his sister the life she deserves . Poignant story telling , Grave of the Fireflies is a masterpiece that you would never find in America . No one here is brave enough to tell it .
      • 075 4  I first saw this movie when I was around six or so . I didn't really understand at that age . I cried because it was sad . I then watched it again when I was older , 13 or so , within the first 5 minutes I cried . I couldn't pick it up for two years , when I finally did again , at age of 15 , I still cried within the first half . In fact , most people I've talked to whom watched this movie , cried due its unavoidable slap in the face : the reality at the most horrific form . Isao Takahata does an incredible job with Grave of the Fireflies . The presentation of the storyline is perhaps one of the best I've seen . Right away you are presented with the outcome of the storyline . Many of you might be thinking , What's the point of watching the movie then ? I'd say , Then you are depriving yourself from one of the most beautiful movie ever made . The beginning makes you follow the storyline even more , and the bittersweet times between Seita and Setsuko make the audience feel both warm and sad . Everything ties in so well together and demands your every emotion that at times its unbearable to watch , yet unbearable not to watch . But perhaps the greatest thing I loved about this movie is that there isn't an antagonist in the movie . Everyone is just being themsevles . Who we are is best understood during desperate times , and this movie is a look at basic human instinct at times of war . People kill during wars , people cheat others during war , people only look after themsevles during war . For a country in war and after war , there is no time for those who cannot keep up or adapt . One more forgotten hero , and the world doesn't care . That is the harsh reality that the director demands us to accept . This movie depicts humans in the most real and truthful form . Depressing , yet it also causes awareness in the viewer . In the end , is mankind really repeating their footsteps , or will they improve so no more Seita and Setsuko can result ?
      • 080 4  I am not a fan of animated films , but I must say that Grave of the Fireflies is a must see . I have heard comments that this film is anti-war . I do not believe it is anti-war , but it does capture a portrait of a side of war that you do not witness a lot in movies : the civilians . We are all familiar with movies like Platoon , Patton , and Black Hawk Down . These are war movies that we are the most familiar with , and , like with most war movies , focus on the warrior and the persons involved in combat . Grave of the Fireflies , on the other hand , shows the faces of the people who are innocently caught up in the middle of mankinds politics at it's ugliest . Grave of the Fireflies does not tell its viewers that war is wrong no matter what . It simply shows the reality of World War 2 , which was one of the ugliest wars in world history . A lot was on the line during that war , and as a consequence the battles were often times brutal and unforgiving , often times resulting in the deaths of thousands of innocents . Grave of the Fireflies is definitly a must see for anyone who enjoys war films ! It definitly explores an area in war-film that hasn't been explored as much as it should be , and it does an excellent job at showing just how strong the human spirit can be .
      • 083 4  I have never reviewed a film on Amazon but I am compelled to because this is such a fine one . I did not expect , what I feel to be one of the most eloquently told and moving stories , to come in animated form . Sure , I've seen almost all of Miyazaki . My kids love them and I love , for instance , the playfulness of Totoro and how Kiki finds her self confidence . And then there is the technical brilliance of , say , Spirited Away . But Takahata's Grave of the Fireflies is a cut above . It shattered me emotionally , yet somehow uplifted me spiritually . I don't see it as a sad movie , devoid of hope , as someone wrote here . It is a beautiful tragedy with a message to tell . It is a film for adults and it hits on many levels and I am still seeing meaning in it after three times viewing it . The hope comes from the love of the brother and sister for each other and their dignity . Despite their many hardships they are , with a few exceptions where Saita completely breaks down , well mannered . Meanwhile , everyone they meet cares only for themselves , or at least shows a rude ambivilance towards the two . The contrast is incredible . Yet , judgement is not passed upon them . It is left to us to judge . Nor is judgement passed on the enemy , whom the closest we get to , is seeing them as they streak overhead in their bombers . Also , the hope is shown by the spirit Saita and Satsuko who shadow the real characters at important crossroads in their lives and in the very last scene as ghosts watching over modern Japan . But the movie is not about Japan or World War Two or even War itself . It is about compassion and the human spirit . As a film , it is most like Schindler's List and the same emotion and depths of emotion I felt in that movie I feel with Fireflies . Everyone should see this movie .
      • 093 4  This story is very sad and sends a good message of the consequences war has on it's people . Without putting any blame on any country at the time causing devastation to Japan , I think the writer of the movie's main focus was to send a message that the War itself affects inoccent people including children who cannot fend for themselves when they are left to survive on their own . It is unfair , cruel and devastating for the citizens of any country involved . Japanese at the time of war were considered evil people to many countries including Americans , just as Americans are now considered evil country to some of the middle eastern country . As countries or Terroist attack civilians of any country , such as Hiroshima , Nagasaki , Pearl Harbor , 9 / 11 , it is innocent children and people that must endure such tragic life based on one's misconception and die or live and watch their love ones die with so much suffering . The message of this animation is strong , and powerful . We should learn to try to find peace within this world that we share to live in and not to judge kill our neighbors because we feel that the others are evil . I highly recommend this movie .
      • 099 4  This is one of the most amazing films I have ever seen . Now , I was reading some of the reviews of this movie on IMDb and someone brought up how it tends to glorify the Japanese envolvment in the war . I totally disagree . Anyone who has seen this , and has not noticed how the country turned its back on these two children because it was to wrapped up in its honor will agree that this movie glorifies no one . Everyone is the villian here . Japan , America , Britain , and just war in general . No one is held up , instead , everyone is ripped apart , and shown for who they really are during times of war . Truelly amazing , and heart felt .
      • 101 4  Grave of the Fireflies is about little miracles . Little miracles that try to survive in the cold , forbidding world , and then die silently , with no one noticing . Perhaps the most touching scene in the entire film involves Seita , an orphaned Japanese boy , filling a candy tin with water and offer his four-year-old sister Setsuko the sweetened liquid . She smiles and exclaims : It's all flavors ! Grape , orange , apple , strawberry , mint ! She drinks half and offers him the rest , but he declines . Tears of hunger stand in his eyes , but despite himself he smiles . This is not American feel-good animation . The backdrop of Tokyo during the American air raids is a savage , cruel , even inhuman world , and yet Seita and Tetsuko carry on the illusion of happiness right to the bitter , irreversible end . Their mother is caught in the blaze of a firebomb , their aunt spites them when they outlive their usefulness , and turns them away when Seita's stash of food is gone . They are forced to live in an abandoned bomb shelter , trading their possessions for rice , and when those are gone , foraging for any food there is to find . And yet when at night the fireflies rise in warm , glowing clouds , they smile . Grave of the Fireflies left me in a foul , rotten mood , and if you have any measure of humanity in you , it will do that to you too . I don't know if this is good or bad . All I know is that it is a mark of true genius .
      • 114 4  Be you child or adult , anime fan or not , this is the movie to see . Its sheer gritty realism and true to life tragedy give it a meaning that goes far beyond just hearing about the tragic deaths . Here we can see it first hand through the experiences of two children , both innocent but soon corrupted by their futile situation . The movie starts off with us seeing the ghost of a boy looking upon his own self , shortly after he has died . Then , he and the ghost of his little sister ride in a train , and the movie then starts as a flashback , while the children were living happily with their mother just before their home is destroyed . The older boy , Seita , and his little sister , Satsuko are orphaned and must live with their aunt , who is a little less than pleasant and urges them to do more for the war effort in Japan . So instead , they run away . Seita , being the older brother , neglects that the hardships lying ahead will not only effect him , but his sister as well . Post war time , he must resort to stealing when he runs out of money and things to trade . Their home is barely a home at all . Parents , do note , while there is no offensive material in this film , it does contain powerful imagery of the wounded , ill , and dead . The plot may be hard to understand for some children . This is still a film that should be seen , however . Very powerful and moving .
      • 129 4  I cannot recommend this movie enough . Although I would say not for the younger children - my 9 year old left the room and said he didn't want to see such sad stuff . Even my 15 year old said is was depressing . On the other hand , it is a poignant story of the love shared by a pair of siblings in the worst possible conditions . It is emotionally heart-wrenching - hurt , pain and fear are interspersed with moments of joy and lightheartedness . For much of the movie , I believed that Seita and Setsuko would come out of this together . Of course , since the movie opens with Seita dying I knew that my hope was misplaced , but I wanted them to survive . The love they shared , and the joy they took from one another made me root for them . Fruit drops will never look the same way again to me .
      • 145 4  Fantastic movie , definitely the best anime film I've ever seen . Spirited Away got all the fanfare a few years ago mainly because it was destributed by Disney , but this little gem is Japanime's crowning glory . It plays like a real movie with real people acting , and it's gut wrenching and tragic drama . Really , it's one of the most touching stories I've ever seen on film , and it haunted me for days after my first viewing . With that said , it's definitely not some Disneyesque , playgroup-friendly cartoon with dancing crabs and singing lions . . . Read : Definitely not for children . If you want to rent an excellent anime film for your child , go with My Neighbor Totoro , that one is pretty kid-friendly . This one is way too graphic and violent , it contains scenes of villages being bombed , a person shown with third degree burns , corpses rotting on the beach and corpses being thrown into mass graves , children suffering from dysentary and starvation , and death . I would rate it a PG - 13 . If you're an adult , you're going to love the movie . Get some kleenex ready , because I've never seen it with anyone who hasn't cried at the end .

    • Castle in the Sky , My Neighbor Totoro and their latest work to be released in America , Spirited Away . However , perhaps the most well-known ( in teachers circles anyway ) , is Isao Takahata's 1988 masterpiece Grave of the Fireflies . Grave of the Fireflies takes place in Japan during World War II , during the last weeks of the war . Brother and sister , Seita and Setsuko , lose their mother during an air raid due to severe bodily burns . They are then forced to live with an aunt who is uncompassionate and ignorant to their situation . Here we begin to see the sad and slow deterioration of their circumstances . Their aunt doesn't feel that the siblings have earned their stay at her home ; in fact on the first night there she doesn't even feed them . When they trade their dead mothers ' kimonos for rice ( a valuable commodity ) , she gives half to them while keeping the rest for her family and herself . She even uses up most of the supplies that Seita brings from his old home , claiming that Seita and Setsuko are ungrateful brats . It is at this point that Seita feels it is time to leave , so he moves Setsuko and himself from the house to an old bomb-shelter nearby . Here they try to make a home ; living near a pond that is lit at night by the glow of fireflies . Perhaps the most powerful aspect of this movie is that of human circumstance , and animation is the greatest medium for articulating this . No fancy lights . No special effects . There are only a pen and pencil between the writers visions and the screen . It is because of the animation that the true essence of the film is allowed to shine . Takahata is able to build the characters , Seita and Setsuko , up using little scenes that are usually cut out of a big-production film . By utilizing these scenes Takahata makes the characters more human , and therefore more capable of re - and obtaining human emotions . There are many underlying themes in Grave of the Fireflies . Most of them are symbolically embedded in objects , emotions , and events throughout the film . But these are the ones I find most predominant . First off is that of the tin can containing the fruit drops . Almost every time the young Setsuko cries , Seita is able to calm her by giving her a fruit drop . The fruit drops hereby abilitating him to comfort her without using the emotion of comfort . Towards the end of the movie , Setsuko begins to fall under the whimsy of malnutrition ; which is reflected through her spreading rashes and diarrhea . Little by little , Seita runs out of fruit drops to give her , and by the end of the movie Setsuko begins to suck on marbles . It is only then that Seita begins to realize that he should have invested emotions not fruit drops towards Setsuko's problems . Secondly and the most importantly is that of ignorance . In Grave of the Fireflies we find that the siblings are put into a situation ; one that is not uncommon in the world today . Millions of children are left starving and alone , without parents to care for them . Isao Takahata has simply given us a different standpoint to observe the problem of ignorance from . This ignorance of which I speak is violently evident throughout the movie . First , is that of Seita's fantasy that Setsuko and he are living well off ; until the end of the movie . Second , is that of the aunt's ignorance and illcompassion for the sibling duo ; if she had shown more compassion Seita and Setsuko would , most likely , never have moved into the bomb shelter where they met their early graves . Also , there is a scene in the beginning in which the people of the subway in which Seita is sitting pass him by while uttering uncompassionate comments under their breaths . . . These bums are a disgrace . . . And this leads me to the movies ' message that seems to be more of a question . What can we do as a society to prevent these types of situations in which young children die ? With the use of the movie , Isao Takahata has shown us that children die as a result of ignorance . Leaving us with one undeniable conclusion that if we have not learned that from this movie , then we have not understood our own selves . There is one particular scene in the movie in which Seita catches a firefly and gives it to Setsuko who consequently catches it to hard and squashes it . Seita playfully responds , You gotta be more gentle . Our lives are like that of the fireflies ; they flicker for a brief moment then go as easily and quietly as they came . If were not gentle enough they'll never get their chance to shine SPOILER ALERT : At the very end of the movie what may be called the spirits of Seita and a sleepy Setsuko look out over a modern and vitalized city . But a question lingers in Seitas ' eyes , will anyone help us ? A good question Mr . Takahata . . . a good question . . .
      • 003 4  First off , to get this out of the way , you should be watching this movie so you can know how beautiful and incredible animation can be - this is a visually gorgeous and lush movie . Beyond the animation , Grave of the Fireflies is truly in the top of perfectly written scripts . The subject matter of the film is war and death , but specifically how war affects the innocents . This is Japan in the end months of WWII during the firebombings , when food was scarce , and children without parents were left to die . This story is incredibly sad , but so important to hear and see it - not like a mainstream Hollywood sad movie that might make you cry while watching , but otherwise has no power to alter your perceptions of life . This is truly sad - the young kids die , and they die very horribly - sickness and starvation . The whole process is so well-written , you'll feel the hunger and the sickness yourself , and the animation adds to the effect . It is so welcome to have a movie that doesn't turn out all right in the end , but turns out awfully darn depressing , because a lot of times , life just plain sucks and isn't fair , if not for me , then for many other people . It is good to remember that not everything always turns out okay , and nothing is wrong in showing this realistically in a movie . Would I show this to young kids ? Hell yes - I think young kids would identify very strongly . And if we can get our young kids to see the ridiculous nature of war at an early age , mayhaps we shall finally have a generation that doesn't feel a need to kill each other over irrelevant philosophic , racial , genetic , geographic , etc . , BS . This movie and the story has not left my mind since I saw it - a point of proof that this is an incredible movie . But do be prepared to feel amazingly sad . I saw this movie in the winter . Then about 5 months later , in the summer , when I saw my first fireflies of the year , I was overcome with an incredible sadness . That's how powerful this movie is . I will be using this with my youth groups , probably for many years . It has so much worthy of deconstructing and analyzing - this is truly artwork , for it does all things that art is supposed to do - it has the power to change you , and the power to not let you forget the story . Excellent all the way around ! And make sure to get one that is letterboxed , to get the whole movie ( why are movies even released without being letterboxed ? People are stupid . . . ) . And get a copy that is in Japanese with subtitles ( unless , of course , you speak Japanese ) . You really , really have to hear the original Japanese , and the original actors . Amazing movie . A billion stars .
      • 017 4  Studio Ghibli is a name that is synonymous with words like , beautiful , creative , magical and inventive . The popular Japanese animation studio has put forth works such as , Kiki's Delivery Service , Princess Mononoke , Laputa : Castle in the Sky , My Neighbor Totoro and their latest work to be released in America , Spirited Away . However , perhaps the most well-known ( in teachers circles anyway ) , is Isao Takahata's 1988 masterpiece Grave of the Fireflies . Grave of the Fireflies takes place in Japan during World War II , during the last weeks of the war . Brother and sister , Seita and Setsuko , lose their mother during an air raid due to severe bodily burns . They are then forced to live with an aunt who is uncompassionate and ignorant to their situation . Here we begin to see the sad and slow deterioration of their circumstances . Their aunt doesn't feel that the siblings have earned their stay at her home ; in fact on the first night there she doesn't even feed them . When they trade their dead mothers ' kimonos for rice ( a valuable commodity ) , she gives half to them while keeping the rest for her family and herself . She even uses up most of the supplies that Seita brings from his old home , claiming that Seita and Setsuko are ungrateful brats . It is at this point that Seita feels it is time to leave , so he moves Setsuko and himself from the house to an old bomb-shelter nearby . Here they try to make a home ; living near a pond that is lit at night by the glow of fireflies . Perhaps the most powerful aspect of this movie is that of human circumstance , and animation is the greatest medium for articulating this . No fancy lights . No special effects . There are only a pen and pencil between the writers visions and the screen . It is because of the animation that the true essence of the film is allowed to shine . Takahata is able to build the characters , Seita and Setsuko , up using little scenes that are usually cut out of a big-production film . By utilizing these scenes Takahata makes the characters more human , and therefore more capable of re - and obtaining human emotions . There are many underlying themes in Grave of the Fireflies . Most of them are symbolically embedded in objects , emotions , and events throughout the film . But these are the ones I find most predominant . First off is that of the tin can containing the fruit drops . Almost every time the young Setsuko cries , Seita is able to calm her by giving her a fruit drop . The fruit drops hereby abilitating him to comfort her without using the emotion of comfort . Towards the end of the movie , Setsuko begins to fall under the whimsy of malnutrition ; which is reflected through her spreading rashes and diarrhea . Little by little , Seita runs out of fruit drops to give her , and by the end of the movie Setsuko begins to suck on marbles . It is only then that Seita begins to realize that he should have invested emotions not fruit drops towards Setsuko's problems . Secondly and the most importantly is that of ignorance . In Grave of the Fireflies we find that the siblings are put into a situation ; one that is not uncommon in the world today . Millions of children are left starving and alone , without parents to care for them . Isao Takahata has simply given us a different standpoint to observe the problem of ignorance from . This ignorance of which I speak is violently evident throughout the movie . First , is that of Seita's fantasy that Setsuko and he are living well off ; until the end of the movie . Second , is that of the aunt's ignorance and illcompassion for the sibling duo ; if she had shown more compassion Seita and Setsuko would , most likely , never have moved into the bomb shelter where they met their early graves . Also , there is a scene in the beginning in which the people of the subway in which Seita is sitting pass him by while uttering uncompassionate comments under their breaths . . . These bums are a disgrace . . . And this leads me to the movies ' message that seems to be more of a question . What can we do as a society to prevent these types of situations in which young children die ? With the use of the movie , Isao Takahata has shown us that children die as a result of ignorance . Leaving us with one undeniable conclusion that if we have not learned that from this movie , then we have not understood our own selves . There is one particular scene in the movie in which Seita catches a firefly and gives it to Setsuko who consequently catches it to hard and squashes it . Seita playfully responds , You gotta be more gentle . Our lives are like that of the fireflies ; they flicker for a brief moment then go as easily and quietly as they came . If were not gentle enough they'll never get their chance to shine SPOILER ALERT : At the very end of the movie what may be called the spirits of Seita and a sleepy Setsuko look out over a modern and vitalized city . But a question lingers in Seitas ' eyes , will anyone help us ? A good question Mr . Takahata . . . a good question . . .
      • 022 4  This isn't as much a review on the movie as a comment on the reasons behind any reviewers ' dislike of this film . This movie deserves every star possible , and whether you like it or not , that is that . 1 . They make no mention on the fact that the Japanese were the ones who brutally tortured and killed so many British and American POWs ! What do you expect ? I'm sorry , but I doubt if an isolated fourteen-year-old boy , his mother , his sister , or even his aunt would know about much the POW camps . After all , few Germans knew of Aushwitz , and few Americans knew much of the detention camps they set up for their own Japanese-American citizens . And by the way , it's funny that all the western films on the war never seem to mention the fact that so many Japanese-Amercians died in the detention camps in horrible conditions , yet they complain about a Japanese film . And it's funny that all these Western films glorify the soldiers , while this movie glorifies the innocent ones who did not kill anyone . Therefore this reason is - BlAH - plain dumb . 2 . They show us Americans as bad guys ! They show us as killers ! This is so immature . Well , I have two words to say . TOO BAD . GROW UP . DEAL WITH IT . I'm sorry , but I'm afraid that this is quite true . The Amercian bombers indeed killed harmless people in Japan . Face the facts , people . War hurts . Just being on the American side does not free you of the crimes you have committed ( murder ) . If you killed a Japanese person , you are still a killer . Besides , this movie never mentions the word American , just the Enemy . I see nothing wrong with this : after all , that's what Americans called the Japanese at the time . 3 . Not all Japanese people were innocent of wrongdoing ! Oh , please , this is SOOOO lame . If Mr . Takahata had wanted to create a document on all the wrondoings in the POW camps , he would have done so . But that's not the point of this movie . The point of the movie is to tell the story of all those that are ignored in the war : the story of the innocent ones who suffered at the hands of their government , and their ignorant fellow civilians . To force anything else in would be an insult to the biy whose story this was based on - YES , it's a TRUE story . Well , partially . The movie is based on the true story of a boy who lost his parents , and had to take care of his younger sister alone . Unfortunately , she died . And the boy did not know anything about the POWs at the time , so SHUT UP ! Unlike Seita , this boy survived the war , and wrote a book about himself later on . He always felt that it was his fault that sister died , even so many years later . The poor guy's been through enough - STOP SHOUTING AT HIM ! 4 . The aunt supported the Japanese government ! Yes , and so many Americans support their government . Most Japanese people were FORCED to serve their government ( in this case , it was because the aunt needed food for her family ) , while most service to Americans supported their government in the war VOLUNTARILY . 5 . Setsuko is such a crybaby ! Ahem . . . she's four ? 6 . That Seita left his aunt - he could've gone back , apologized to her , and the two children would not have died ! He should've done what she said and got a job ( to serve his country as his aunt wants him to ) ! Instead , he left , and had to find his own food . Not finding any , he caused his death as well as his sister's ! Yeah , right . The aunt was not feeding the children . THAT'S why they left her . Had they stayed , they would've STILL had to find their own food . And Setsuko's final days on Earth would've been WORSE had they stayed with her , because the aunt would yell at the poor little four-year-old . And I agree - Seita should have apologized to his aunt for being ' stiff ' to her . But ecen Seita , like everyone in the world , is not perfect , and it was wrong for that woman to stop feeding the children because Seita was being ' stiff ' to her . And get a job ? I think that Seita needs to stay home to keep Setsuko safe from his aunt's verbal abuse . 7 . He gave Setsuko candy instead of emotional support to comfort her ! He isn't an experienced parent , okay ? He had good intentions at heart . He wanted to make his sister happy , and the candy seemed to keep her happy . He only wanted the best for her . 8 . The movie's so sad ! Of course it is . That's real life : it's sad . Seita and Setsuko could well be orphans in Iraq right now , and how many orphaned children have died in the war in Iraq ? Think about it . It's reality .
      • 024 4  In Japan , this film is on air every August on TV , around the day when we surrendered . So almost every Japanese would have seen it at least once or some watch it every summer . I've recently found that the Koreans decided to ban this film to be released in Korea because it disguises what Japan did to us in WWII . I was very sad about it , because once you watch it , you immediately know that this is not about who's good and who's bad , who wins and who loses . This is about the universal fact of war . I recommend you watch it with Japanese voices , as they use the real kids , and to make to real ( and also to make it natural for those younger kids who knew little about acting ) they let those 2 kids play and get relaxed , and then recorded the sentenses they said , and then made the animation from the voices . That's why the talking are so realistic . I also would like to note that this is based on a real story - the boy actually survived , and wrote a novel that was made into this film . The boy - now an old man - also admitted that he wasn't as good as Seita . When they only had a little portion of food , sometimes he ate it all without giving it to his little sister . He also said that he couldn't deny the fact that he also felt relieved when the sister died , that he wouldn't have to worry about taking care of his little sister . I think this is the reality . Who can blame the 14 - year-old orphan who himself was trying to survive ? After watching this film , whenever I'm cooking , I feel like wish I could give this egg to them . . . wish they had this meat . . . . It's hard to think that this very same thing is still going on elsewhere .
      • 028 4  Grave of The Fireflies is a story of a brother and sister who become refuges after their town is firebombed during WWII . Their house is distroyed and thier mother dies soon after in the hospital . With no family to turn to and their naval officer father missing in action , the two children set out to live on the streets . They make a bomb shelter thier new home and watch the fireflies at night to escape the nightmares of war that surround them . But like the fireflies , their hopes of escaping the war soon die when the two must deal with finding food and health complications due to malnutrition . This movie has had a lasting effect on me . I came to realize that this is not a work of fiction and that stories like this are being played out right now wether it be in the streets of our cities or in other countries like Iraq . Children become the victims of war and are left to die without a voice or even a clear comprehension of what is happening around them . This movie helps bring the reality of war into a clearer perspective by showing how it effects everyone , especially the children . People should watch this and stop to contemplate wether our actions in Iraq are truely justified and worth the lives of victims such as these . Grave of the Fireflies is a truely touching movie that has a moral uncommon in todays films . please watch .
      • 041 4  Grave of the Fireflies is not a lighthearted cartoon . Although the characters are animated , the story is based on real events taking place in Japan at the end of World War II when Napalm firebombs were dropped onto Japanese dwellings that were essentially kindling . The movie is apolitical . There is no mention of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor , or of the nuclear bombs that ended the war . There is only the reality of the war , and our character's efforts to deal with it . It is not difficult to say that the film is anti-war because the intense suffering and hardship occurs as a direct result of the war , but it is also a movie about doing what you have to to survive in times of extreme hardship . It's about friendship and the kind of bonds that exist between family members - and about how those bonds are stronger the closer you are . The entire movie is about a young boy - too young to be a soldier , but too old for an orphanage when his mother is killed in an early firebomb air-raid . It is also about his much younger sister - probably about kindergarten-aged . Dad is away serving in the Navy when Mom is killed in the early moments of the film . Brother and Sister go to live with an Aunt who at first shows them the courtesy that family members would receive , but grows resentful that she is having to shelter and feed her niece and nephew when her own family is working for the war effort and starving as well . Her comments become increasingly harsh and critical until the boy decides to move out with his sister to an air-raid shelter . This is not a happy story . It becomes increasingly grim - you see in the opening moments the ghost-spirits of the brother and sister reuniting after the brother dies , so you know to expect a harsh ending . The way this movie arrives at this conclusion is full of grace and elegant , poignant moments . Brother and Sister repeatedly make noble sacrifices and gestures for the benefit of the other . We watched this DVD in a room full of a half-dozen teenagers and adults . Over and over the comment I heard was along the lines of that's so SAD ! , but at the end I loved it ! It's a movie like that . The small touches make me appreciate the realism . The brother rescues a small tin of fruit drops early in the film , and he rations them out to his sister until they run out . At one point there are 3 left and he pulls them out - they're all stuck together and he has to pull one apart . A few slivers of fruit drops are on his hand and she takes just one of the slivers - she has learned to ration as well . The movie makes you sad , but it encourages me to know that the world includes the kind of people who would make a movie like this .
      • 045 4  This review is from : Grave of the Fireflies ( 2 - Disc Collector's Edition ) ( DVD ) First of all , I have to say that I am no fan of the anime genre . I absolutely HATE anime , but I was forced to watch this movie by my college roommate . Now , I am thankful she forced me to do so , because this movie was abolutley wonderful . I watched it over and over again , each time crying . I never knew anime could be so good ! My only impression of anime was cheesy , crude drawings of naked people and giant robots and mouths that never move when they talked . The animation in this movie was wonderful ! Almost as good as American cartoons . . . even better than some . I loved the plot of this movie , although there wasn't much of one . . . it was mainly about life in Japan during WWII and the affects it has on the innocent ones . It follows the story of a brother and sister's tragic journey . To all of you out there who gave this movie one star because you didn't like the brother because he was lazy . . . then you absolutely missed the point of this movie . I too did not like the older brother . . . but then I realized that he was still a child himself and was not ready to be thrown into the real world of life and death , like everyone else . He did what he could to protect his beloved sister . . . she was his all in all . He was not accustomed to the harsh reality . . . and ultimately paid the price for not being able to adjust to the real world . By this , the director has made the character more realistic , even though it might anger you that the boy could have done more to survive or even swallowed his pride and apologize to his aunt for his selfishness . For a movie to evoke such anger in you , it has to be good . Just remember when you watch this movie , that boy is also a victim . . . not only of the war but of his own self and immaturity . I kinda felt sorry for him , but angry at the same time . We all make our own opinions , but if you hate this movie because of the boy . . . then you lose the whole meaning of this movie .
      • 047 4  It has been a week since my husband and I watched the film . I have read over half of this board . Among them #131 by Willy Martin is , I believe , the best review that accurately discribed the true meaning and significance of the movie . I really don't think I need to write this review since so many has been written ; may be I am just looking for a way to escape the missery resulting from watching the movie . Among all the reviews I have read , there are a few with negative remarks on the character of the movie . Seita was only fourteen and the Japanese culture brought him up with pride as more important than life itself , as you can see the Japanese solder will sever their abdomen upon defeat . Sieta moved out their aunt's house is trying to protect his little sister and keep her happy . The aunt besides taking their food but also scamps off the top on the soap pot to feed them with no solid food . Setsuko cries when she was hungry . Her malnutrition symptoms has already showing under their aunt's care which Seita didn't know . Seita had to stay with Setsuko so unable to go to war or be productive . Again , he was just 14 . The ravage of the war caused food shortage through out the nation . Money was worthless in war time . A high percentage of families had death causeing by starvation including grown-ups . Even if the siblings survived the hunger , they wouldn't have survived the winter right around the corner . As commenting on a particular same review all over the board by Thomas Kaze , if you read his review you would realize he is one of the familiar face in the movie who shows no mercy to the weak and disable . This is the darkest human nature which possessed in the Japanese culture through out . That is why the siblings die and that is why the things Japanese had done in WWII are unforgiven up to this day and for ever . Another , this film has nothing to do in reflecting wheather it is right or wrong in the U.S . bombing . Wrong , you can see many , many Sieta and Setsuko all over Japan . Right , you would realize there were less infants in China being tossed up the air and caught with Japanese solders bayonets after gouged out a living pregnant mother's tummy . . . . and so on . Therefore , please set aside the political elements when watch so you wouldn't missing the meaning of the film . Last , I don't believe many reviewer realized that Setsuko has been eating mud ball , rice ball as she called , for a long while when she was hungry alone awaiting for Seita . Seita didn't realize that until she offer him some before she dies . This film depicts the darkest residuals of war , the cruelty of human nature , and the strength of love which can't be stripped from the siblings as anything else . Their spirits would be as a reminder for us the value of love and humanity . This is the most heart breaking movie I have ever seen . It hurts me deeply . It changed me . Every painful experience I had in my life before seems insignificant . I asked why can't I be one of the vellegers in the movie ; I would have taken them in even if we will starve to death together . Grave of the Fireflies is a must seen movie ; strongly recommented . I can't say more , I have to hug my five years old daughter . . . . . Warning : People with depression please avoid this film , it may be suicidal .
      • 052 4  It is post-war Japan , just weeks before American troops arrive for occupation . In city of Kobe , a boy lies dying in a train station . By his body lies a small metal candy container . A janitor , not sure what to make of its ashy contents , pitches it into the night . As fireflies float softly around it , the ghostly figures of the boy and his little sister emerge . . . Flashback to a short time earlier . Orphaned and homeless from a fire-bomb attack on their city , 14 - year-old Seita and his 4 - year-old sister Setsuko set out to survive on their own in the face of a society no longer able to help them . Forced into living in an abandoned bomb shelter in the Japanese countryside , they slowly come to realize that they cannot escape the hardships of war or even find enough food on which to survive . . . This powerful and tragic story about the effect of WWII on Japanese children is simply an anime masterpiece which no fan of great cinema should miss . Highly recommended but remember to have an extra box of Kleenex on hand ! Enjoy ! !
      • 053 4  Ever since I became a writer somewhere around 1996 or 1997 , I've had an intense fascination and desire to create things that touch readers , whether through saddness , fear , or happiness , because I think that when a piece , either written or on screen , touches you emotionally , it leaves a lasting impact on you that can lead to a better understanding of the world around you , and even possibly yourself as well . I think that as a creator , this is the greatest achievement one can reach , and I have the utmost respect and admiration for anyone who accomplishes this very thing which I so eagerly wish to achieve . Grave of the Fireflies is the sad tale , based on the semi-autographical book Hotaru no Haka by NOSAKA Akiyuki , which tells of the author's experiences during the aftermath of World War II , in which he lost his little sister to malnutrition , for which he blamed himself . In Grave of the Fireflies , 14 year old Seita and his 4 year old sister Setsuko lose their mother after the Allied forces bomb their village . Their father is in the Navy and at sea , and hasn't been heard from in a long while . Without going through the entire plot , suffice it to say that the story is a moving and frightening look back at the lives of two young children who should never have to face such horrors at their tender ages . The tone and mood of this heartwrenching piece is set from the very first scene , when Seita utters the fateful words September 21st , 1945 . That's the day that I died . Before watching Grave of the Fireflies I'd heard that it'd been referred to by many , like movie reviewer Roger Ebert , as one of the greatest war films made , and after watching it , I have to agree . Only a person with the emotional depth of a gnat or the heart of block of wood could watch this film and not feel the emotional power of it . It's the kind of story that lingers in your consciousness long after , and forces you to see the true face of war , the REAL consequences and victims of the violence we seem all too quick to inflict upon each other these days . And the most incredible thing about this movie is its subtleness , its complete lack of political propaganda or any attempt to try to blantantly force a moralistic ideal down the viewers throat . Director Isao Takahata shows supreme trust in the story itself , choosing to use the beautifully illustrated film to portray the tale in all its moving glory . In Japan this movie was shown in schools as an educational piece . I don't know if this has been done in America , but I think that it should . We need to learn to understand the entire spectrum of war , and on an even more basic level , we just need to teach our children the lessons of empathy and compassion so that when they find themselves in positions in which their decisions impact others , they'll take care to consider the consequences before making those decisions . I also think that every world leader should be forced to sit down and watch this film over and over until its message is ingrained into the nooks and crannies of their brains , because it often seems that compassion and empathy are qualities sadly lacking these days .
      • 057 4  Grave of the Fireflies is the sad tale , based on the semi-autographical book Hotaru no Haka by NOSAKA Akiyuki , which tells of the author's experiences during the aftermath of World War II , in which he lost his little sister to malnutrition , for which he blamed himself . In the movie , 14 year old Seita and his 4 year old sister Setsuko lose their mother after the Allied forces bomb their village . Their father is in the Navy and at sea , and hasn't been heard from in a long while . Without going through the entire plot , suffice it to say that the story is a moving and frightening look back at the lives of two young children who should never have to face such horrors at their tender ages . The tone and mood of this heartwrenching piece is set from the very first scene , when Seita utters the fateful words September 21st , 1945 . That's the day that I died . Before watching Grave of the Fireflies I'd heard that it'd been referred to by many , like movie reviewer Roger Ebert , as one of the greatest war films made , and after watching it , I have to agree . Only a person with the emotional depth of a gnat or the heart of block of wood could watch this film and not feel the emotional power of it . It's the kind of story that lingers in your consciousness long after , and forces you to see the true face of war , the REAL consequences and victims of the violence we seem all too quick to inflict upon each other these days . And the most incredible thing about this movie is its subtleness , its complete lack of political propaganda or any attempt to try to blantantly force a moralistic ideal down the viewers throat . Director Isao Takahata shows supreme trust in the story itself , choosing to use the beautifully illustrated film to portray the tale in all its moving glory .
      • 065 4  I saw this movie and I wasn't impressed with it until I put myself in the main character's shoes . I wont mention much to avoid spoiling it for you , though . It was just magnificent . In response to user Gilthoniel's 1 star review , particularly , his quote And so to this day , the Japanese memory of their role in WWII is reflected only in movies such as this one - that the only thing of importance that happened in WWII was that the Japanese suffered terribly , and that therefore , all war is terrible , and by association , all nations who wage war are terrible ( and that of course includes the Americans , who are the only ones depicted killing people here in this movie ) . The truth is , the AMERICANS weren't even MENTIONED in this movie . There was NO mention of the other opposing nations in war with Japan . [ They only say enemy ] As an adult , you would guess that it was WWII . ANd believe it or not , this movie isn't one of those war propaganda movies where it shows a one-sided story - because they do not emphasize the militant behavior of the opponents at all . All it is , is a story of 2 kids in the time of war . Yes , the two kids suffer , BUT NOT ALL THE PEOPLE IN JAPAN SUFFER . THere are many scenes that show some Japanese people being well-off in the time of war , some kids who still had great lives during the war ; Basically , it wasn't about the suffering of the entire japanese population - it was about the suffering about THE TWO main characters . ( see how it was taken out of context by the reviewer ? ) I agree that historically the Japanese will not acknowledge the Rape of Nanking , but NO ONE should attack this movie just because of that simple idea . You shouldnt judge this beautiful movie if you have something against the Japanese ; that would be an insult to the director . Watch this movie . Make no assumptions .
      • 067 4  This review is from : Grave of the Fireflies ( DVD ) Any teacher searching for a way to expose their students to history , coming-of-age stories , Japanese culture , and / or the implications of war needs to view and show this film in his or her classroom . I discovered this anime while in college , and I could not do anything until I had researched it thoroughly . According to Ebert's review and other reviews published about the film , this story about two children trying to survive the American firebombings of Japan in the last days of World War II is based on a true story . Seita , a 14 year old boy , has to become both brother and parent to his little sister Setsuko when their mother is badly injured in the first bombing of the film . They spend the rest of the film searching for food and shelter . They learn what happens to a world in need , a world at war , and a world that can so easily swallow up little lives like their own . The animation incredible . Like many animes , the characters do not appear at first to be entirely lifelike ; their eyes are too huge to be real , and many of the movements are overly exaggerated . However , the grace , the patience , the intense attention to details as small as the lice in Setsuko's hair make the characters all the more real . The scenary is also fantastic , and looks a lot like paintings by famous Japanese artists ( see Hiroshige ) . For teachers of high school students , this film provides endless opportunities ; kids become completely absorbed in the technical aspects of war ( see Ebert's review ) , the loveable characters , and the injustices they see . In my own classroom , this film sparked heated debate and prompted my students to write professional-sounding reviews . Please see this film , and talk to your students about the two sides to every war , and the two sides to every story .
      • 071 4  This review is from : Grave of the Fireflies ( 2 - Disc Collector's Edition ) ( DVD ) Few movies I've seen can bring me to the brink of tears , and only a handful of those can actually haunt me days after seeing them . Grave of the Fireflies is one of those rare movies I've seen that did this to me . Very few films have EVER made me feel as bad as this one did . Try to think of the saddest movie you've ever seen , Schindler's List ( Widescreen Edition ) , Saving Private Ryan ( Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition ) , anything , and this movie blows it out of the water . This film has the power to devastate you , to move you , to bring you to the brink of tears and then push you over into a chaotic world . This is Grave of the Fireflies . Set during the last days of WWII , while the US Air Force was fire bombing Japanese cities , Grave of the Fireflies is a movie about a young boy named Sata and his little four year old sister Setsico . When their mother is killed in the firebombing of Tokyo Sata is forced to care for his little sister in a nation ripped apart by war and famine . With his father far away serving in the Japanese navy , Sata is the only one who can care for his sister . The love shared between these two siblings is something that will forever leave an impression on me . As an older brother myself I could very easily put myself into Sata's situation . His need to give his sister the very best he can while not being able to provide for her is a very real feeling . There are no heroes in this film , and there are no villains . Sata and Setsico are no heroes ; the only heroic things they do throughout the movie are love and take care of one another . And , their aunt , although harsh and unfair , is no villain . At the same time neither side of the war , American or Japanese , is portrayed in a negative light . This is not a war movie and doesn't exist to condemn one side or the other . This is a movie about two orphan children trying to survive while the society they grew up in crumbles to dust around them . Many critics of this movie complain about how annoying little Setsico is . Yes , I can admit , sometimes Setsico can be annoying , but really , what little girl isn't ? She's a child , and children can't understand everything that's going on around them . Setsico doesn't understand that there is a war going on and that she can not have everything that she wants , she doesn't understand that Sata is killing himself trying to provide for her . As an older brother I find it absurd when people complain about how annoying little brothers / sisters can act in movies without even realizing that siblings are annoying in real life . Sata is no different . if you read this review , please leave a comment .
      • 072 4  Few movies I've seen can bring me to the brink of tears , and only a handful of those can actually haunt me days after seeing them . Grave of the Fireflies is one of those rare movies I've seen that did this to me . Very few films have EVER made me feel as bad as this one did . Try to think of the saddest movie you've ever seen , Schindler's List ( Widescreen Edition ) , Saving Private Ryan ( Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition ) , anything , and this movie blows it out of the water . This film has the power to devastate you , to move you , to bring you to the brink of tears and then push you over into a chaotic world . This is Grave of the Fireflies . Set during the last days of WWII , while the US Air Force was fire bombing Japanese cities , Grave of the Fireflies is a movie about a young boy named Sata and his little four year old sister Setsico . When their mother is killed in the firebombing of Tokyo Sata is forced to care for his little sister in a nation ripped apart by war and famine . With his father far away serving in the Japanese navy , Sata is the only one who can care for his sister . The love shared between these two siblings is something that will forever leave an impression on me . As an older brother myself I could very easily put myself into Sata's situation . His need to give his sister the very best he can while not being able to provide for her is a very real feeling . There are no heroes in this film , and there are no villains . Sata and Setsico are no heroes ; the only heroic things they do throughout the movie are love and take care of one another . And , their aunt , although harsh and unfair , is no villain . At the same time neither side of the war , American or Japanese , is portrayed in a negative light . This is not a war movie and doesn't exist to condemn one side or the other . This is a movie about two orphan children trying to survive while the society they grew up in crumbles to dust around them . Many critics of this movie complain about how annoying little Setsico is . Yes , I can admit , sometimes Setsico can be annoying , but really , what little girl isn't ? She's a child , and children can't understand everything that's going on around them . Setsico doesn't understand that there is a war going on and that she can not have everything that she wants , she doesn't understand that Sata is killing himself trying to provide for her . As an older brother I find it absurd when people complain about how annoying little brothers / sisters can act in movies without even realizing that siblings are annoying in real life . Sata is no different . if you read this review , please leave a comment .
      • 090 4  Grave of the Fireflies is simply one of the most powerful movies I have ever seen , anime or otherwise . It is not only the tragedy of the ending that is powerful ( altho I admittedly spent the last 30 minutes blubbering uncontrollably ) but the little happy moments as remembered by the dead narrator Seita , that shine with an honesty humanity rarely seen in film . There simply isn't a cliche in this movie . Seita his sister Setsuko are not your typical cute film kids ; the world they inhabit was once a very real one albeit now long gone . The little moments are what shine especially , such as when Seita tries to pick out the melody to a nursery rhyme on his Aunt's organ to distract Setsuko from hunger , or when they go to the beach Seita plays a chase game thru the waves with his sister to the wonderment of onlooking salt workers . Setsuko gets cranky , cries for her mother , sings tunelessly when happy generally acts like any 5 year-old would in a similar situation . As the story progresses , she becomes weaker from malnutrition , there is no sugar coating ; she complains of diarrhea , frets eventually becomes delusional . It was a typically small gesture that set off my tears towards the end : after Seita takes Setsuko to the doctor who can do nothing except tell him to feed her , he is carrying her down the road . An ice cart stops , the driver saws off a chunk of ice , walks into a house to deliver it . Seita kneels with Setsuko in his arms , scoops some ice chips from the dirt lovingly places them in Setsuko's mouth . The unbearable humanity of this gesture broke my resolve not to cry , if you don't have tears streaming down your face by then , you probably aren't human . Don't get Grave of the Fireflies because it's animated , or because you're a big Japanimation fan . Get it to be transported to Japan in 1944 see WWII from the other side . In this period of patriotic , Greatest Generation propaganda , it's something every U.S . citizen should do .
      • 091 4  I am not one to cry at movies , and this one is no exception . I'm just not that kind of woman . My husband and I watched it together after unearthing an ancient copy in our local Best Buy . Numerous times throughout the film I found my eyes stinging , a lump in my throat causing me to hitch in a short breath , my heart aching as I watched . My husband was unabashedly weeping through the entire video . He had been expecting something along the lines of other Studio Ghibli films and at an especially emotional point in the film he turned to me and said What kind of Studio Ghibli film * is * this ? ! The basic premise of the film is the view of WWII from the standpoint of two children . They are alone , bereft , taken advantage of , abused and neglected . But there is laughter , the easy delight of the very young in something as simple as a trip to the beach , a piggy-back ride and chasing fireflies in the night . And there is love , and the heart-breaking feeling of despair when one's absolute best is just not enough . While this is animated , it is not a cartoon , and it is not , seemingly , like other Studio Ghibli films . If you are expecting something mythical like Spirited Away , Nausica of the Valley of the Winds , or Princess Mononoke , you might be in for a surprise . This does not deal with old gods or spirits of the forest . It doesn't deal with the enduring conflict of humans with their environment and our pending destruction of it or address the loss of our esoteric beliefs and the neglect of the magic that we could find in the world if we only looked . But , it does know how , as many Studio Ghibli films , to touch something in people's hearts , to make them feel for the characters , to make them think , and to make them weep . The themes of this Studio Ghibli film are much more real and in some cases could strike very close to home . I highly recommend Grave of the Fireflies to anyone and everyone . It's an amazing work of art visually . And , the tale , while dated , still has an important message to send out to those who have heart enough to hear it . The themes dealt with in this film are not necessarily those that all viewers would want to expose their children to . While most Studio Ghibli films are delights for adults and children of all ages , this one might warrant a preview by parents before allowing their children to watch it . It does not deal with anything inappropriate ; there is no nudity or strong language . However , the film is based on WWII and pulls no punches . These children go through horrible experiences that some parents might not be ready to explain to their children .
      • 103 4  I watched this with my dad , who is 80 years old , lived through WWII , and had never seen an anime film before . Both of us were deeply affected by this film . He even watched a second time by himself . It's not your typical happy-go-lucky and or sci-fi / fantasy anime . This is a quiet , serious film . I also think that it could not have been as powerfully made had it been live action . I can't really add much more to what has already been said . All I can say is that this is a must-see for anyone with kids , although I wouldn't let children watch it . I would also show it to all those who seem to take war so light-heartedly these days .
      • 104 4  What do you think of when you think of anime ? Giant robots ? Cute girls with big eyes ? Magic and martial arts blended together ? Kiddie stuff ? Well , throw all those ideas out , because Grave of the Fireflies is nothing like that . In fact , it's as close to a live action movie as you can get in animation . So why is it animated in the first place ? Because animation is the only way this movie could portray its message . And guess what ? It does it so exceptionally well that you'll be changed after watching this movie . The plot of this movie deals with teenager Seita and his little sister Setsuko as they struggle to survive in Japan during World War II . Their mother had died because of a bomb raid , so they live with their aunt . Trouble is , she doesn't think much about them because they're more of a burden in these hard times of war . So they both go out to live on their own , but are soon plagued by problems such as lack of money and food . Setsuko eventually dies of malnutrition and Seita later dies in a train station . At the very beginning of the film , you'll see just deep this film is . The very first scene shows Seita dying , and the rest of the film deals with how his life spiraled downward towards his eventual death . There is some extreme emotion-tugging in this movie , and the fact of the matter is that it is so real you can't help but cry or come close to doing so . Films rarely show this side of war , and it's a very discomforting one . There is no trouble-ending miracle , there is no Hollywood ending ; this movie showcases a true-to-life representation of suffering innocence in one of history's darkest hours . And a film this powerful can ONLY be shown in animation , because live-action would've felt scripted and unconvincing . If you think that anime is nothing more than science-fiction joyrides and fanboy fantasies , Grave of the Fireflies will change your mind , as well as how you see the world and yourself .
      • 118 4  This review is from : Grave of the Fireflies ( 2 - Disc Collector's Edition ) ( DVD ) I rarely take the time to review movies or any other products that I order online , even if I really like them . But this is a true standout . This is a tremendous film . It's focus is an aspect of WWII and the use of the atomic bomb that westerners , including myself , have managed to ignore . It concerns the lives of Japanese commoners during and after the war . Anyway , I am a big tough guy , not prone to emotional displays of any type , but I really cried after this movie . I mean that I cried hard . Blubbered . The director develops these characters amazingly well . I felt like I knew them and loved them . I felt such pain for them . The idea that kids in Japan really did suffer like that was driven into me . I haven't yet been able to bring myself to watch it again , but everyone should see it once . Incidentally , Roger Ebert said that this was one of the top 5 war films he's ever seen . Pretty amazing that an animated film makes his list , especially considering the huge number of war films out there .
      • 119 4  I rarely take the time to review movies or any other products that I order online , even if I really like them . But this is a true standout . This is a tremendous film . It's focus is an aspect of WWII and the use of the atomic bomb that westerners , including myself , have managed to ignore . It concerns the lives of Japanese commoners during and after the war . Anyway , I am a big tough guy , not prone to emotional displays of any type , but I really cried after this movie . I mean that I cried hard . Blubbered . The director develops these characters amazingly well . I felt like I knew them and loved them . I felt such pain for them . The idea that kids in Japan really did suffer like that was driven into me . I haven't yet been able to bring myself to watch it again , but everyone should see it once . Incidentally , Roger Ebert said that this was one of the top 5 war films he's ever seen . Pretty amazing that an animated film makes his list , especially considering the huge number of war films out there .
      • 123 4  Now don't call me names and call me a big softy . Okay I'm a sucker for emotional movies and especically tragedy but this movie trancends that by infinite miles . . . This is without a doubt the most depressing movie I have ever seen . Even one of my best friends who's basically the most levelheaded girl I know told me she broke down in tears when watching it . And trust me she's a tough chick . What we're dealing with his is a war movie . Set during WO II . That's where the cliches stop . Apart from the few scenes of American planes dropping fire-bombs on Kobe , the movie tells the story of Seita ( a 14 year old boy ) and Setsuko ( his 4 year old sister ) * spoilers * Their father is fighting for Japan in the navy . During a bombardment their mother gets injured and dies in the hospital . Now orphaned Seita and Sutsuko seek refuge with their aunt . While at first this is a solution , the aunt quickly grows weary of Setsuko crying for her mother in the middle of the night and the need for extra food that is required to feed her and her brother . After so many arguments Seita decides to leave and seeks shelter in an abbandoned bombshelter . . . They make a nice home for themselves there and are reasonably happy . That is until food supplies start to run out . This is the beginning of the end . . . I will not lie . . This is not a happy movie . Far from it . Like I said earlier it's the most depressing movie I've ever seen . Some of you may laugh since this is a cartoon . Laugh all you want . Just watch this and you'll be cured of that ignorance forever . I can't reccommend this movie enough . . It will make you cry and it will make you feel bad . . . . It will make you feel ashamed for ever feeling patriotic during war times . . . War means suffering . Even for the enemy . Remember , Waging war on a country doesn't mean waging war on the whole of the population . It's the goverments that are to blame . . . not the regular population who are just trying to survive . . .
      • 124 4  . . . you absolutely haven't realized what the film wanted to express thoroughly . I was shocked and could not move myself from the sofa even though the film have ended . The deep affection between the brother and the sister was touching , and heartbreaking . My tear burst out when the boy gazed at his sister's face sadly before he closed the lid and cremated her . It was said in the film that most of the villages and factories and schools in Japan have been destroyed near the end of WWII ; the food supplies have run short , money and well clothing meant nothing . Yes , of course , the boy Seita could join the self-defense corps and earned something to eat , but how ' bout his sister Setsuko ? He could not take care of her if he joined the army , just like his father . He could not leave her behind in the aunt's house either , because without the protection from him that . . . aunt will no doubt treat his sister in a harsher way . And he chose to leave the house because his sister did not live a happy life there ; have you forgotten that the one who talked about the leaving first was his sister ? And YOU speaked like the brother's profound love toward his sister was just nothing more than an act of cowardice ! Than I most say I feel SHAMEFUL for you because you could not even match up to a 14 - year-old boy ! Mind you this film was based on a true story of the writer himself , and he said during an interview that he never stoped blaming himself for unable to save his little sister's life . This film tried telling us the cruel reality of war from the views of two innocent children . If you could not empathize with their situation , and just keep saying that this was a silly story , then I will tell you it was not because of the film ; it was because of you , who refused to know about this film better .
      • 136 4  I've read through many of the other reviews and they've done a good enough job of synopsizing the film so I won't bother . If you are not moved to tears by the end of this film , then check your pulse because you have no heart . I have never seen a film , of any type , that has elicited such an emotional response as this film . It took a long time to get over it . The animation is stunning . Not because it's flashy but because it's amazingly subtle . Watch it and notice the perfect way the little girl moves , the expressions in her face , and the way she becomes so real . I couldn't get this film out of my mind . It should be seen by every high school student studying WWII . This is not a film that attempts to change your mind about the horrors committed by the Japanese government during the war . This isn't trying to say that what we Americans did was wrong either . This film goes beyond all that . Every war has innocent victims . This story is about two of them .
      • 138 4  If you are one of those people who claim to have never cried during a movie , then by all means , watch this one for the experience . GOTF is not your run of the mill anime . Yes , it does have the characters with the big eyes and mouth , but that where the similarities end . No fantasical creature running around . No buxom babes with handsome boyfriends trying to save the world . The time is near the end of WWII . An air raid not only makes a teenage brother and his baby sister homeless , but orphans as well . They go to live with an aunt in another town . But this is a time of war . Life is hard , and extra mouths to feed are a nusance . The aunt is not evil , so much as hardened from the experience and her attitude drives the children to away . They move into a shelter . The siblings maintain optimism , but the reality of the situation starts to sink in . Desperate times call for desperate measures , and the boy resorts to stealing . During air raids while everyone else is running away from their homes into shelters he is running into town , through the fires and bombs , to scrimp for leftovers and things he can trade . It's no secret that the siblings die . The movie circles around their desperation to live and survive , and the means they are willing to take in order to get food . Thus they are the casuality of war ; a politician's game where the only ones who suffer are the ones who are fighting and their families . This point is brought home in one particular scene where a villager screams during one air raid Long live the emperor ! while his peers die around him . Grave of the Fireflies is based on a true story . Often Japan is villianized for its participation in WWII and what it did to the States and its sister Asian nations . And although I don't condone any atrocities it may have been a part of GOTF helps one realize that Japan's people was not immune from loss and suffering .
      • 140 4  Yes , everyone gushes about this movie , so I'll try to keep it less so . Roger Ebert once said When anime fans say how good the film is , nobody takes them seriously . Ouch , but he is right . When looking at this movie , don't view it as anime , that catch-all word that congures up images of creepy teenage girls , neverending fight scenes , and poorly dubbed movies . Rather , view this as an animated movie about an aspect of WWII that we don't always think of . It seems brining up the topic of this movie results with two knee-jerk reactions . A ) This is an Anti-American movie where Americans are blamed for all deaths in Japan while ignoring Japan's role . OR B ) An indictment of America for killing these two children , and a call to avoid war at any costs . The first is a poor description of this movie due to the movie's elements . Americans are almost never mentioned , save as the pilots of the inhuman planes that fire-bomb the villages . The movie instead raises questions that many should be able to ask : who was at fault ? The Japanese people for refusing to help these children ? The aunt for expecting too much of a 14 - year-old boy traumatized by his mother's death ? The Emperor of Japan refusing to surrender when he was obviously defeated ? Seita for having too much pride ? The Americans for retaliating after Pearl Harbor ? Or , as I wonder if the movie suggests , that when people are dying of starvation , politics and finger pointing cease . The movie spends almost zero time blaming a set of people for Seita and Setsusko's situtation ( interestingly , the only bad guys there seemed to be in the movie where people like the farmer who beats Seita for stealing his crops ) . When people are set in a blame-first mentality , it's refreshing to see a movie that has little of this pop-culture quality . Because of all of this , the 2nd Knee-Jerk reaction to this movie ( I'm sure Bush had a hand in this ! ) is incorrect as well . Overall , everyone else has done a good job of describing the basic content of this movie , so I won't repeat it all . However , this movie is recommended for those who want to see the power of an animated movie that is usually not done in the US . The characters of Seita and Setsuko are so well done ( I don't think I've seen a 4 year old portrayed that real in a long time ) and strong that you can't help but have a sinking feeling in your gut everytime you know something is going to happen to them . Most notable , Setsuko is not a stereotypical cartoon child . She cries wildly during the night - supposedly due to bad dreams about the war , she refuses the food that could keep her healthy , and plays around her cave with an utter disdain for the war going on around her . There are no cutesy catch-phrases to sell Burger King cups by . By the end , the wasting away of the characters is a very difficult things watch . In the end , I didn't cry ( I'm bad at this , I rarely cry at movies ) , but was still speechless for a few hours afterwards . This is not a movie to watch if you are emotionally unstable at the moment or prone to depression . But , you will be moved . We are fragile .

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