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A lot of Japanese dramas tend to exaggerate certain aspects in order to emotionally involve to a maximum extent the audience. Grave of the Fireflies is not one of them.

While the movie is meant to be a tragedy, it still maintains a historical validity and a realistic composure, which only leads to an increase in quality. It has won awards, received praise and high ratings, and has been included among the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die". I'll briefly discuss some of the elements to form a better overall idea.

Plot: The summary's been read, seen, heard, however you may please. Two ... Japanese children - a teenage brother and his four years old sister - face the dreadful effects of war, particularly World War II. The theme, according to the director, shouldn't be war as much as it is about bonds between siblings. Through the movie, we can definitely see the familial love, as the two protagonists support each other unconditionally. On a secondary plan, we can't ignore the fact that war is morbidly depicted as the cause of their misfortune. The plot may seem relatively slow and with a lack of dynamism for action fans, but it approaches an important and complex aspect of life, with a depressing veracity. I've read and seen a lot of works about historical tragedies, and this movie perfectly reflects the harsh reality, while also introducing the audience to it. It's no longer an objective narration with a simple informational purpose: you're invited to feel sadness, hate, empathy, you're invited to express your own feelings regarding a massive event that took place in the course of history.

Characters: The characters maintain the realistic traits that I've been talking about. Those who complain about dramatic exaggeration, or about a so-called absurdity found in conduit and behavior, clearly possess no knowledge in basic psychology. (I'm not pointing fingers. Wait, I am.) The protagonists have been raised in a financially stable and generally pleasant environment, only to be abruptly forced into a terrible, dangerous atmosphere in which the main goal is survival. Let me tell you, that's exactly how it happened to Japanese people. No one prepared them for violent attacks and excessive bombing, so when the country was assaulted, most of the citizens were completely defenseless. And that's quite a mental shock. Seita is a great individual if you put it that way. Spoiled and immature, he receives a slap across the face (metaphorically) and is forced to act like an adult. He is left to take care of his little sister, and forced to live with an aunt that looks down on him because of his previous social status. He's mocked for having a soldier father that would often receive special treatment. I wouldn't say she plays the antagonist. She simply portrays how a lot of humans react under pressure. She's desperate to survive, and the burden of providing for the two children becomes a threat, to the point she makes subtle suggestions that they leave. And Setsuko, well, she's simply a child, and acts like one. She does show, however, moments of maturity, in which she understands the difficult situation her brother is in and tries to help. I'm not going to do a complete analysis since I wouldn't want to give any spoliers. I'll just add that, shortly put, the psychological status of the characters is perfectly realistic.

Music and animation: This section doesn't need any detail, as the movie doesn't fail to impress us with the astonishing quality. The chromatic choice is visually pleasant, and the soundtracks picked fit the theme and situation.

All in all, Grave of the Fireflies is an amazing movie. No unnecessary exaggeration, just honest reality, tragedy left as it is. It can be a profound contemplation of war, or it can be a simple, heart-warming story of brotherhood. I highly recommend it, and if you consider yourself a sensitive one, make sure to keep tissues nearby. Wait, no, that sounded wrong.