This isn't a movie that convinces you there's a light beyond the tunnel. From the beginning, it lets you know the date the main character dies. As we experience the attacks from fighter jets, we live through the eyes of a kid, trying to take care of his little sister in a fruitless attempt at surviving the final months of the second world war.
For what you can imagine in that synopsis, you might think it'll be an intense movie, filled with survival, with conflict, fights, the horrors of war. The movie takes a step inwards, and doesn't involve the world around. Instead, we see the most common kind of story, that of poverty, and the desire to remain with any semblance of pride over your life, as it all snuffs away in a lack of resources.
Not a home to return to, no food to consume, or water to survive with. Stealing will net you nothing, and there's nothing you can exchange. No medicine, nothing. It all turns to dust while those who need a little more to survive, end in a slow, humane, and painful tragedy.
The focus is square on the brother, as he steals, he re-sells, he exchanges, and as he desperately realizes he's alone on this. That extreme cling to life, as everything he loves crumbles away. The desire to stay strong while the weight of your world rests on your shoulders. Responsibility, pride, ego, love, and the sadness that comes with the nonfullfilment of all those at the same time. The end of it all, a complete hopelessness, in which death, and the reunion with those you love, seems more appealing than reality as it is.
A modern world built on the old corpses, ones we must never forget.
Any other aspect worked so well with the story that I forgot to mention them until now. The animation and minimal use of music was just perfect. There isn't a moment that didn't fit with the story. The film is short, the pacing's incredible, every subtle facial expression or moment transcends animation with sheer quality. There are other Ghibli movies you can tell had to take some cuts to the animation, but this one's too good.
10/10. Could write an essay about it, but all in all, watch it. It'll rip your heart out, just the way it should.
