Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
1h 29m | PG-13
In the final months of World War II, 14-year-old Seita and his sister Setsuko are orphaned when their mother is killed during an air raid in Kobe, Japan. After a falling out with their aunt, they move into an abandoned bomb shelter. With no surviving relatives and their emergency rations depleted, Seita and Setsuko struggle to survive.
Director: Isao Takahata
Studio: Studio Ghibli
Genre: Animation, Drama, War
Video: 720p
Cast
Tsutomu Tatsumi
as Seita (voice)
Ayano Shiraishi
as Setsuko (voice)
Yoshiko Shinohara
as Mother (voice)
Akemi Yamaguchi
as Auntie (voice)
Masayo Sakai
as Woman who takes care of Setsuko (voice)
Kozo Hashida
as Obayashi Chairman (voice)
Reviews
The terrible story of two orphaned Japanese kids during the ending of WWII. Incredibly well told and totally moving, without using clichés. A must seen in the anime arena.
This was the first animated movie that made me cry as an adult. It still does. Two children are left as orphans in World War 2 and have to survive. Such a basic premise, but this shows intimately what the effects of war are on children (a topic not covered by other movies). And as it's about children, it has more of an emotional impact. Described as one of the greatest war movies of all time by Roger Ebert, the work of art will impact you like no other anime. Its interesting to note that this was released originally with My Neighbour Totoro. Both are films about childhood. But where Totoro is about innocence maintained and the joy of childhood, **Fireflies is innocence lost**, a light dimmed after a short period.