Alternative Titles
Hotaru No Haka; Tombstone for Fireflies
Information
Type: Movie
Episodes: 1
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Apr 15, 1988
Duration:
1 hr. 30 min. Rating:
PG-13 - Teens 13 or older
L represents licensing company
StatisticsScore: 8.621 (scored by 7025 users)
Ranked: #322
Popularity: #124
Members: 10,056
Favorites: 168 1 indicates a weighted score
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drama ghibli historical |
SynopsisIn the latter part of World War II, a boy and his sister, orphaned when their mother is killed in the firebombing of Tokyo, are left to survive on their own in what remains of civilian life in Japan. The plot follows this boy and his sister as they do their best to survive in the Japanese countryside, battling hunger, prejudice, and pride in their own quiet, personal battle.
(Info taken from AniDB.net) |
Characters & Voice Actors
Staff
Recommendations
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Both shows involve the bombing of Hiroshima, and the aftermath.
It's hard to imagine you'd like one of these titles and not the other --- they are each a unique and interesting story yet both composed of very similar content and themes. Watch both back-to-back for guaranteed sadness.
They both give depictions of what it was like after WWII in Japan. Grave of the Fireflies gives the opinion more after the war was nearing it's end while Barefoot Gen gives perspective of both during and after the war.
Not only are both films a must watch - they also share a lot in common. Both lead characters are forced to 'be a man' at times of tragedy (despite their age) and both must come to terms with the losses that occur - as such they are both extremely powerful anti-war movies based on real events the authors went through. They are both very upsetting, but don't let that put you off watching these great films!
They are both about the same thing - war. These two stories are very depressing, sad and cruel...
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Both sad, very sad, war stories. If this one made you cry, the other one will too. <.>
war movies from a child's perspective.
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Reviews
| Overall |
9 |
| Story |
9 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Character |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
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Nov 3, 20081 of 1 episodes seen 19 of 27 people found this review helpful "September 9th, 1945... That was the day I died."
Why is it that the vast majority of adult American filmgoers continue to look down upon animated feature films as being just for kids? Fortunately not all cultures share this disdain for serious animation and countries like Japan continue to produce animated films squarely directed at an adult audience without feeling obligated to pander to the family film market.
Grave of the Fireflies tells the s...tory of a brother and sister trying to survive during the American firebombing of Japan during World War II. The boy, Seita, is about twelve; his sister, Setsuko, is about five. Their father is in the Navy; they lose their mother early on. An aunt takes them in, but soon grows to resent them, and they strike out on their own.
It's clear from the very first scene that this movie will not end well. War movies often don't, but there's no doubt here; we see Seita alone and in a pitiful state before flashing back to watch the events that led him there. Indeed, the Seita we see helping his mother and sister prepare for evacuation is almost unrecognizable compared to the gaunt, dying, rag-clad young man of the opener. There's an understated determination to this Seita, although I'd stop short of calling it bravery. He's too naive to truly understand what he's facing early on, and his later courage is a kind of foolish bravery.
It's a foolish bravery because Takahata doesn't idealize his protagonist. Certainly, Setusko is a cute little moppet, but she's five and unable to truly understand the war beyond that her parents have gone away for a while and she can't get more candy. Seita attempts to shield her, and there's a certain nobility in his attempts to allow Setsuko to keep thinking of the world as a good and amazing place despite what's going on around them. Less noble is his attempt to stay a child himself. The children's aunt is kind of nasty, but she's got a point when she points out that Seita isn't helping out much. His purchase of a rice-cooker so that he and Setsuko don't have to share their food is an act of defiance, and his decision to leave their foster home is ill-considered to say the least. As good and self-sufficient as he may be, he's not ready to shoulder the responsibility for someone else.
As far as anime' goes, this is about as unconventional as it gets. No cute perky teenage girls in schoolgirl costumes flying around the galaxy, no ultra-grim and over-stylized cybernetic ninja bloodbaths. This feels about as real as real can get, and if you'll pardon the trite phrase, it's often so real it hurts. There is nothing flashy about Grave of the Fireflies, nor is there any attempt to push an anti-American sentiment (in fact, much of the film's condemnation seems to be towards the cold Japanese society that let these two kids fall through the cracks of the world). And while there are moments of happiness, as we get to share in the love between Seita and Setsuko, the sense of impending loss is at times almost too keen to bear. Setsuko is as adorable, playful, and headstrong as any real child, and her suffering is as equally heartbreaking. Likewise, seeing Seita's brave face crumble as he confronts the hopelessness of their situation over and over again is truly astounding.
Which is precisely why GoTF is as much a masterpiece as any other war film out there. Most other anime films end up cluttered, or perhaps even rushed, but here GotF actually takes the time to animate those things you yourself have done. Drying your wet hair, chasing a friend around playfully, heck, even taking a bath. It's because they took the time to show you the bond between the two that you're drawn into the relationship of brother and sister as they trudge through the hardships of war, holding close those moments of happiness, doing the best they can to survive on their own. It actually comes of as being greatly anti-climatic, but truthfully that's a good thing for this film (which is further proven by the film's starting line). Everything just flows eloquently, though the end result is actually a simplistic one itself. I wouldn't have had it any other way.
Grave of the Fireflies is a monumental achievement in the history of animation and the anime subset that is used to classify most of the animated fare produced in Japan. Dealing with the very serious issues of warfare, loss, and hope this film stands as one of the most emotional pieces of art ever to appear on the silver screen. It is a profoundly haunting experience. I can say not one more damn thing than that right there. read more
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| Overall |
8 |
| Story |
9 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Character |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
7 |
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Jun 28, 20071 of 1 episodes seen 38 of 58 people found this review helpful I like the story. It’s an “us against the world” archetype. I felt like the children in the movie had no luck at all. They experienced everything victims of the war could’ve experience – losing their home, their relatives, and their will to live. You have to feel sorry for them.
Although it’s not as good as I thought it would be (meaning I didn’t think it was that sad), it really touched me. While I was born WAY after WWII, I was able to w...itness how people lived in those days. Knowing the historical basis behind this movie is simply not enough, and I think that’s one of the main reasons why this story was made. The movie was able to capture the essence of what was it like in those days, and that’s what makes the movie so touching and even relatable.
One of the good points of this story is that you only get to focus on two fascinating characters, namely Seita and Setsuko. They clearly made this movie. You cheer them on, and you get frustrated because they keep losing and losing. I’m a bit iffy about Setsuko. She’s adorable, but she can be a bit of a brat. I do have to remind myself sometimes that she is a kid, probably not more than 5 years old. On the other hand, I find Seita a bit weird, since he’s not acting the way I want him to. Their mother just died, and he didn’t show that much emotion for it. I guess that’s just him trying to keep himself together and focus on what’s going on at the present. Also, he’s probably thinking that what’s done is done, and crying about it will not accomplish anything. If I look at him that way, he’s actually quite admirable. The closeness between Seita and Setsuko is something you don’t see in siblings too often these days, and it is a bit enviable.
I got the chance to check both English and Japanese dubs, and picking the Japanese dub over the English was a good decision. The Japanese dub had more feeling, and the English dub felt somewhat robotic. The Japanese dub fit the characters much, much better.
Animation-wise, I have to say I’m impressed. Considering the year the movie was made, you’d think the animation would be of low quality, compared to present anime. It’s actually beautifully made, with wonderful watercolor backgrounds and relatively detailed drawings. I can’t help but think that this movie might have been enhanced or something like that in all these years, but I still think it’s impressive nonetheless.
The music is also beautiful. It can be a bit melancholic though, but it is a sad movie, so expecting a lot of upbeat songs in its soundtrack would be a bit weird. I noticed that most of the music was made by using woodwind instruments, but I’m not sure. I think I detect flute sounds or something like that. The music gave off a serene and peaceful mood.
The good thing about it was that the creators didn’t hesitate to tell the truth. They didn’t want to show a repackaged, cleaner version of the truth – I felt like that’s how it really was back then. If it was otherwise, I don’t think Grave of the Fireflies would make such an impact to everyone who has watched it. read more
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| Overall |
10 |
| Story |
10 |
| Animation |
10 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Character |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
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Mar 8, 20081 of 1 episodes seen 13 of 20 people found this review helpful 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 bo...mbing 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 Firefliesproves 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.
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, produced by New York-based Central Park Media, 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 voice-over 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. read more
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Opening Theme"Setsuko and Seita" by Michio Mamiya
Ending Theme"Futari" by Michio Mamiya
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