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May 12, 2021 9:24 PM
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Mar 2021
255
I'm not the biggest fan of war movies, but this was an amazing and powerful one. I would definitely recommend it to people who like war and historical movies. Those last 30 minutes really had me crying because they were foreshadowing her death the minute she got sick. I like how the whole movie was a flashback.
May 22, 2021 12:08 PM

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Oct 2013
621
Setsuko's death could've been avoided, if Seita wasn't so prideful but then again he was just a kid and he wanted to be present around his sister as moral support, in the end he did what he could and that is commendable for a boy his age.


8/10
Jun 8, 2021 7:04 AM
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Jul 2019
186
brother was very sad this movie with a great story 🤧😭 10/10 from me.

Jun 14, 2021 3:38 PM

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Jan 2021
5855
Ouch.... I have no words ╥﹏╥
Jun 15, 2021 4:03 AM

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Aug 2019
176
It is pretty good movie....poor seita couldnt save her sister,even though trying everything. Overall it is a great movie,everyone should watch this.
Jun 18, 2021 4:53 AM

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Jan 2020
1924
Well, a great movie I must say, shed some tears during the movie. But I expected more out of the ending, like it should connect to how he died, but I'm left hanged with the view of the modern Japan...
Jun 18, 2021 5:15 AM

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Jan 2020
1924
Seita probably need to learn some manner, like helping the Aunt wash his bowl even though his Aunt hates him already but she still gives him a place to stay
Jun 18, 2021 5:15 AM

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Jan 2020
1924
To think Japan has gone this far in terms of technology....
Jul 29, 2021 7:40 AM

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Feb 2014
1733
The ending had me sobbing... :'(

Such a sad, depressing movie. It was beautifully done. It tugged at my emotions the entire time. 9-10/10
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Sep 19, 2021 4:08 PM
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Sep 2015
857
I really don't understand why people hate Seita for trying to live on his own with his sister. No, the aunt wasn't "very loving", she was a bitch even before she started insulting them verbally. If you see the scenes in which she feeds them, she gives her family more rice than Seita, who gets only some juice. Even though the rice was bought with the kimonos that belonged to Seita's mom.


Also let's not forget about her telling Setsuko about her mother's death. What fucked up adult tells a kid "your mom is dead and is in a grave now?" I absolutely don't understand the people that defend this woman. It feels like we watched a different movie. Yes, it's far from being a masterpiece but I understand Seita as a character and why he chose to do what he did.

8/10
Dec 4, 2021 11:47 PM

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Jan 2021
2548
Damn, it was beautiful yet tragic.
Finally I've found my favourite Studio Ghibli movie.

9/10
Mar 4, 2022 12:04 PM

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May 2015
598
I've seen my share of emotional stories and I knew this would be sad because people can't keep their mouths shut but I didn't think I would still be crying 20 minutes after the movie was over. I think it hit me even harder because my youngest sister is barely older than Setsuko and I kept imagining her suffering like that...

I can't really write anything more than that because I'll start sobbing again, but I'd like to mention that this is the first anime I ever rated 10/10, 8 years after I actually started watching them.
Mar 19, 2022 9:36 PM

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Feb 2021
2347
I don't really understand why the dude wouldn't just listen to the farmer and stop being a stubborn bitch, he would've done that if he really cared about his sister. It would've been good development for him if he learned to accept help from others, and that tied in with the movie's themes of survival pretty well. The end was tragic ig, but I didn't really feel much from it. Takahata disappointed me with this movie after really enjoying Only Yesterday. It wasn't a bad movie, but it wasn't good either
Mar 25, 2022 11:52 AM

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Aug 2012
3305
Outside of Spirited Away, Grave of the Fireflies is the most important anime movie that I had yet to watch, and with how well-known and lauded it is, I was pretty worried going on because I already know the broad strokes. I know this is a war story centered around two siblings who both end up perishing by the movie's end, and I thought this would rob the movie of it's emotional power.

So to my surprise, we're immediately told at the beginning of the film that Seita and Setsuko end up dying, that knowledge being the actually intended experience meant that I did essentially get to experience this movie through fresh eyes with no spoilers to detract from. I like that decision beyond saving me from spoilers, because I think the framing of Seita (& Setsuko) reflecting on these experiences all throughout the film lead to some of the stronger moments, like Seita's reaction at Setsuko's crying about trading their mother's kimono's for rice. If anything, I wish their ghosts were a more prominent through-line throughout the film, it's already a movie that acts you to reflect through constant pillow shots, I would've preferred more additional scenes showcasing the reactions of Seita in re-visiting these memories as I feel that would've endeared me towards his character more. Not that I think it should've been a constant, but maybe just one or two more segments in there.

And getting these moments might've been beneficial to me because to be completely honest, I didn't cry during this film. I didn't even come close. It's official, I'm dead inside. In terms of emotional reaction, the most it got out of me was a tinge of anger at Seita's pride, and how much of an active role he played in his sister's death. Even while watching the film I recognized it's not entirely fair but to see a clear solution so ignored despite the desperate circumstances of his sister's health, I think it's natural to get a bit frustrated. But like, he's also a 14 year old and raised in the culture that likely values pride and honor more than any other attribute, at least for the men. And considering his father works in the Navy, and his mother at the beginning of the movie trusted him enough to finish up at the house and bring his sister to the safe house, those ideals were definitely imposed on him.

Despite always hearing this in the context of a war film, or anti-war film to be specific, it kinda felt more like a parable about the folly of pride, maybe even the rebellious nature of youths trying to live outside the system which from my limited knowledge was something Japan was experience an up rise in with biker gangs around the time (I think this movement inspired parts of Akira too), and it felt like the war message where are backdrop. I've read people interpret Seita's prideful actions as a further metaphor for Japan's own prideful actions in the war, like how they didn't even surrender after the first atomic bomb was dropped. I like that take quite a bit, since it ties the war setting and the personal story up really nicely, though it's certainly not something that came to my mind while watching it.

Parable aside I do think the war stuff was handled well and while I do view it more about pride, war is an intrinsic part of the experience. I like how distant it becomes so-to-speak, since a big motivator for Seita throughout the film is not only keep Setsuko happy, but to shield her from the horrors of what is going on, with the dead body at the beach or not telling her their mother died. I think one of the most interesting parts of the film is that Seita doesn't cry when his mother died (and I think the sight of his mother was the hardest part of the film for me), he only cries when he finds out that Setsuko was told about their mother's death. I wonder if that is because he felt he failed to protect her there, or if it allowed him to fully confront the reality, or a combination of both. Him do the swings on the handle bar after telling Setsuko she can't visit their mother yet in an attempt to make her feel better even though she doesn't seem to pay him any mind stood out to me. I can't help but fail that Seita's method of dealing with the death was to attempt to provide for Setsuko in a sense. What motivates him to have them move out isn't any of the Aunt's remarks, it's Setsuko saying she hated living there.

Speaking of the Aunt, if Seita doesn't get the hate, she does. I also don't think that's entirely fair, though similarly with Seita I understand the reaction. I did think it was callous to insult Setsuko for crying, especially given later information that it was likely brought on by the Aunt telling her the truth about their mother, and she probably holds more culpability as an adult but I also understand the limited rations they had and why'd she be upset with Seita especially spending all his time having fun with his sister instead of helping out. I have no doubt that had they returned to the Aunt, they wouldn't have died, and I beliAnd that reminds me, there's a lot of talk about the apathetic nature of society towards them being a big problem, and while I agree that is within the narrative to an extent, but I don't agree with that assertion fully. One of the very first acts we see in the film is somebody leaving a rice ball by Seita, the police officer takes Seita's side when he's turned in for stealing crops, and the farmer does offer genuine advice to the kids when he can no longer give them any of his resources. Nobody goes above and beyond in an attempt to help them admittedly, but there's several acts of kindness to them, what leads to their death is undoubtedly the decision to isolate from society and handle things on the two of them.

I'm left not really knowing how to rate this anime. It's clear that it gave me a good amount to think about and I think it's a well-made movie, but I didn't really enjoy watching it and not for the reasons of it being too sad, but because it didn't emotionally connect with me on any level beyond mild madness. The montage of happy Setsuko after her death if anything even came across as pretty cheap, I don't feel the movie needed to highlight the sadness of her lost life in that method. It actually further divorced me from the emotion of the story, cause it felt like a blatant attempt at emotional manipulation. And it's a shame because I think the surrounding scenes are all well-executed, the "She never woke up" line especially. Albeit, those scenes didn't really engage me on an emotional level either, but they felt genuine whereas the montage did not.

So the movie failed to engage me in a meaningful emotional capacity and as a result, I didn't really end up caring about the movie even though I recognize there's a lot of good, interesting stuff to muse about within it. I'm going to personally go with a 6/10.
Apr 15, 2022 8:15 AM

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May 2020
1971
Damn, this movie hit me pretty hard. I don't usually get emotionally involved in stuff in general, so a movie that managed to make me feel the dread of war and the pain of losing someone important to you is something I'll remember for quite some time.

I thought the characters were likable and realistic enough. Seita's young and dumb and while he could've definitely done more to help around, his aunt wasn't exactly a saint either, although you can't blame her for prioritizing her family over Seita and Setsuko. No one in this movie is truly evil or truly good either, just trying to survive as much as they can while dealing with everything life and a couple of B-52's keep throwing at them.
Jul 22, 2022 9:08 AM
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Nov 2020
2445
Feels like my heart shattered into a million pieces. You could tell Seita's heart had gotten used to all the sorrow and pain, I think that's why he didn't shed a tear for his little sister. Amazing movie 9/10
Aug 10, 2022 2:24 AM
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Jan 2022
1
It was the saddest anime movie I watched yet I didn't tear up as much as I did with other movies somehow but overall it's really sad and tragic since these situations could have happened in the war which breaks my heart :(
Sep 10, 2022 6:08 AM
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Sep 2017
1
Very sad anime movie
Sep 13, 2022 1:07 AM

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Apr 2020
502
Damn that has to be one of the saddest movies I've seen. Really good and impressive for it's time. 9/10
.
Go watch Gintama boyo/grill
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Sep 17, 2022 8:32 AM
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Sep 2021
8
This thing is boring as hell the only thing I liked is that I suffered a lot during this because I watched this with my girlfriend and SHE WAS CRYING WHAT!!
Sep 27, 2022 6:50 AM
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May 2021
2
simple plot but will bring tears to the eyes of viewers. shows the reality of the world
Oct 22, 2022 5:47 AM

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May 2021
686
It wasnt the most amazing war film ever neither a horribly bad one (Dunkirk, Saving Private Ryan), people use to hate the Seita but I thought he was only a bit stubborn, the little sister on the other hand... What a fuck*ng annoying pain she was, he should left her in her uncle house and go survive alone, I wonder also how he got so weak after the end? Maybe he stopped trying to survive but who knows... Anyways, 4/10.
It could had been higher if they handled the ending better, maybe putting the intro at the end and re-writting the intro but it is what it is.
Nov 1, 2022 4:46 PM
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Apr 2021
7
danz said:
Their deaths felt unnecessary. I didn't understand why Seita refused to work. That way he could have lived in a house and fed his sister.


Remember this is the war time. There was little to no work, and very little income, people were just fending for themselves. And caring for themselves.
Nov 13, 2022 11:07 AM
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Aug 2020
1
Best movie of all time
Nov 23, 2022 7:27 AM
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Nov 2022
4
Kitali9 said:
danz said:
Their deaths felt unnecessary. I didn't understand why Seita refused to work. That way he could have lived in a house and fed his sister.


Remember this is the war time. There was little to no work, and very little income, people were just fending for themselves. And caring for themselves.


He still had the money in the bank though and could have saved his sister if he used it sooner to buy food and he should jave swallowed his pride and went back to his aunt's place.
Dec 30, 2022 4:07 AM
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Dec 2022
1
Sad reality, must watch
Jan 24, 2023 4:50 AM
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Jan 2022
4
when setskos spirit meets with seita's ༎ຶ⁠‿⁠༎ຶ
it was very sad yet a beautiful moviee, cried my eyes out
Jan 28, 2023 5:32 AM
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Oct 2022
2
such an emotional anime.. literally it bought my tears
Jan 28, 2023 3:47 PM

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Jul 2019
15807
the ending was too much. i did not expect that if i was honest.

such a cold world. 

amazing movie tho. i've seen Come and See but this opens a new light on how people live through war. same business tho, atrocity after atrocity. such a sad world sometimes...
Feb 6, 2023 9:40 PM

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Feb 2021
22935
Man, war is just one of the worst things. Ain't nothing good comes out of it. Even if you say it's 'victory', that win comes at the cost of the lives of innocent people.

That aunt was so shitty. She just wanted in on the facilities provided to Seita and Setsuko due to their father's status.

Seeing them lead such a hard and painful life and still trying to be positive and cope through all of that, genuinely makes me feel like an entitled piece of shit who can't even think of knowing what to do in such a situation.

Even though it wasn't much other than a story about their hardships and the horrors of war, it was a great depiction of the kind of life that millions of people around the world lived during World Wars.

That was fucking heartbreaking. Kinda teared up a bit. 7/10
◑ ━━━━━ ▣ ━━━━━ ◐
"Everything I've witnessed... This whole system you have built has always rejected me. Now I'm ready to reject it. That's why I destroy. That's why I took this power for myself. Simple enough, yeah? I don't care if you don't understand... That's what makes us... Heroes and Villains."
◑ ━━━━━ ▣ ━━━━━ ◐
Feb 8, 2023 12:31 PM
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Feb 2023
2
I'm actually sobbing.
Feb 27, 2023 6:57 AM
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Feb 2023
2
You are going to cry
Mar 5, 2023 1:22 AM
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Mar 2023
17
SHE NEVER GOT TO SEE THE BEACH AGAIN. NAHHHHHHHH. crying myself asleep tonight.
Mar 13, 2023 8:56 PM
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Jun 2022
1
its a good watch, a sad watch but sooooo good
Mar 14, 2023 11:46 AM
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Jan 2023
8
blabla balblaabalbala
Mar 29, 2023 9:34 AM
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Mar 2023
1
the most heartbreaking anime
Apr 6, 2023 1:43 AM
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Apr 2021
2
It was brilliant and beautiful and I refuse to ever watch it again.
Apr 12, 2023 2:37 PM
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Apr 2023
1
The most emotional thing I've ever watched in my life!
Apr 12, 2023 10:01 PM
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Aug 2021
1
mid mid mid mid mid mid mid mid
May 1, 2023 7:28 PM
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Jan 2023
100
cruelty. this is cruel... i've have never seen something like that in an movie or anime. this is just cruel.
May 17, 2023 10:05 PM
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May 2023
1
"Why do fireflies have to die so soon?" 😭

Never in the 21 years of my existence have I watched a movie like this. I got to know about it on TikTok, and I couldn't stop crying when I learned that it's based on a true story. Then I decided to watch the movie, and I couldn't stop crying throughout the entire movie. It hit me like a bus. I cried myself to sleep that day.
May 31, 2023 1:28 PM
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Mar 2022
4
Nothing good had happened in this movie so I didn't shed a single tear watching it. Depressive things don't make me cry, they make me vomit and faint.
Jun 15, 2023 7:06 AM
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Aug 2020
1
How do you think Americans feel watching this? Just curious
Jun 21, 2023 8:21 AM
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Aug 2022
2
çok duygusaldı göz yaşlarımı tutamadım
Jul 8, 2023 4:08 PM
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Nov 2022
29
I guess I've seen about 10 Ghibli films by now. People had told me this one was super sad and about WWII.

I'd say it's the most unique Ghibli film I've watched so far. Its story is the heaviest for sure, and the only one I guess children shouldn't watch. Marnie also felt very adult-themed, and Mononoke was also more serious than most, but those don't compare to Hotaru no Haka.

Instead of the other Ghibli films, what came to mind as a comparison was Pather Panchali. Despite the story happening during WWII, the film is 100% about the protagonist family, and their slow demise.

I'd like to revisit this one.
Jul 30, 2023 3:56 AM
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Dec 2022
2
*cries_in_the_corner_of_my_room*
Aug 14, 2023 8:58 AM
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Apr 2020
18
Why was she so ill? He had money enough for some rice and not much time has passed. Would she have died in her aunt`s family too? The aunt did not seem to have much more food left for her than Seiya stole or bought. 
Aug 16, 2023 4:59 PM
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Feb 2021
1
adormeci
deixei me dormir
fui para o vale dos lencois
Nov 3, 2023 3:52 PM

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Aug 2022
3000
First Ghibli film not directed by Miyazaki that I watched and it's so heartbreaking. It left me on the verge of tears.
Nov 5, 2023 11:58 AM
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Oct 2016
48
Despite the movie being quite depressing and traumatic, I felt anger towards the MC. For me, there wasn't enough character connection and development that allowed me to invest in the characters to make me feel sad that they died. The only animes I've ever cried to are when Marnie was there, maquia, Anohana, Violet Evergarden, and Clannad afterstory because the characters are relatable, connectable, and more fleshed out. Even though I didn't cry for this movie, it's still a decent movie that's realistic in sense where statistically most war orphans will end up dead, how wars destroys families and how it brings the worst out of people.

My anger towards the MC is still valid. He caused his sister death due to his pride and his unwillingness to compromise and contribute when living under someone else's roof. He had many choices to be able to do his fair share of the workload living in his Aunt's home. He could've used that money in his parent's bank account and pay a bit of rent. He could've asked those farmers if he can lend them a hand in exchange for food. So many opportunities but he chose to eat, lay around in the house and waste his time and energy playing with his sister.

One can blame his parents too. It's obvious the MC lived a privilege life before the war. He never had to struggle before and his needs were taken care of by his parents. If the parents taught and instill responsibilities, discipline, and skillsets to survive in a stressful situation, he and his sister would not end up dead. It's obvious, the Seita got his pride and ego from his father who's a high ranking navy officer. Like father, like son; both end up dead.
cooroxdNov 6, 2023 1:16 AM
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