Grave of the Fireflies: Prepare to Have Your Soul Crushed

animated, drama, war

1:29

1988

Review by Brandon Talks Movies on Oct 06, 2017

Why must fireflies die so young?

I’m reluctantly a fan of some anime, but I’ll admit, the medium has been really hit or miss for me. There are some brilliant stories, and a lot of stuff that’s just not for me. But when I heard about an anime film that shows World War II through the eyes of two orphaned Japanese children, I knew I had to give it a shot. Grave of the Fireflies, directed by Isao Takahata (The Tale of Princess Kaguya) who was a colleague of Hayao Miyazaki, is a moving and heart-breaking story about the horrors of war and the importance of family in a setting that American viewers don’t often think about. I’ll warn you now: it’s quite sad, and your soul will undoubtedly die a little bit as you watch this. But it’s still a beautiful story that I’m glad I experienced. And if you’re wondering, there is an English dub and it’s pretty decent.

The opening scene, set after the other events of the movie, shows the main character dying of hunger in a train station, so you can tell what kind of movie this will be. Jumping back a bit, the plot really opens with an air raid on a small Japanese town. An older boy, Seita, and his young sister Setsuko find safety in a shelter, but their mother is not so lucky, and neither is the town. Their father is a soldier in the war, so the two children move in with a distant aunt who can’t support them and lets them know it. The war takes from them everything, and the only joy they have is each other. There are plenty of sweet scenes between Seita and Setsuko, but plenty of heartbreaking scenes as well, and Seita’s dedication to his sister is deeply moving.

Rice balls. I made them for you. Here, have one. You don’t want them?

The beauty of Grave of the Fireflies is that, despite its subject matter, it doesn’t try to turn the plight of the characters into a hamfisted morality lesson. It simply tells a deeply emotional story. The main characters are admirable, but not overly idealized. The movie takes its time to show personal scenes that make the characters real. Even antagonists like the aunt are just trying to make it in this new war-torn country. The tension brings out the bad in everyone, although Seita and Sensuko never drift apart.

This is not just a sad movie; this is a soul-crushing movie. But the drama is all very real and earned—there are no manipulative moments or cheap shots to the gut. That doesn’t make it any less effective. As these two children suffer, we see the entire nation of Japan fall apart. It was a little corner of history I’d never really thought much about, and it goes to show that no matter who writes the history, there is no glory in war. And it’s amazing that this much raw emotion is wrapped up in an anime movie. This is a film that transcends anime, and likely all animation.

Should I Watch Grave of the Fireflies?

Showing Grave of the Fireflies on movie night would be a great way to lose friends, but I think it’s important to be sad from time to time. There’s an odd beauty and an astounding emotional depth in this movie, and it’s a great example of a sad movie that doesn’t have to go out of its way to get there. It’s a niche movie with a limited audience, but it’s one I’m very glad I saw. For what it is, it’s great, and I’ve never seen another movie like it.

Movies Like Grave of the Fireflies

The Wind Rises (2013) - A young Japanese man dreams of being an aeronautical engineer and works hard to make his dream a reality, but is horrified when Japan enters World War II and the aircraft he designed are used on his nation’s enemies. This is a Miyazaki film (the most renowned animation creator in Japan, similar to Walt Disney in his prime), and, much like Grave of the Fireflies, is another tragic story reflecting on a dark time in world history.
The Pianist (2002) - Much like Grave of the Fireflies, The Pianist is about the civilians whose lives are destroyed by war. It’s live-action and about adults, so it has a different feel, but the subject matter and message are very similar—both are meditations on the lives and potential that are lost.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008) - This is another World War II film from a child’s perspective, and it similarly shows not only the lives lost but innocence and humanity stolen away from the children. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is haunting and gut-wrenching, but a strong and necessary statement about the effects of war.

Runtime: 1:29
Director: Isao Takahata
Year: 1988
Genres: animated, drama, war
Rating: PG

About Brandon

My name is Brandon, and I love movies. Not bad ones, though—just the good ones. I’m curating and reviewing a list of classic, essential-viewing, or just plain good movies from all decades, and I've been reviewing them since 2016. I also co-host Peculiar Picture Show, a podcast about movies and mental health and write about Dungeons & Dragons options, builds, and optimization.

Grave of the Fireflies: Prepare to Have Your Soul Crushed

Should I Watch Grave of the Fireflies?

Movies Like Grave of the Fireflies

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