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Grave of the Fireflies
(1988)
It belongs on any
list of the greatest war films ever made - Roger Ebert
Director: Isao Takahata, Not rated (Dad's guess PG-13)
  Starring:
(the voice talents of:) Tsutomu Tatsumi, Ayano Shiraishi, Akemi
Yamaguchi, Yoshiko Shinohara, Kôzô Hashida, Masayo Sakai, Kazumi
Nozaki, Yoshio Matsuoka, Masahiro Kanetake, Kiyoshi Yanagawa
DML Rating:
★★★★★★★★★☆
- near perfect
"Why do fireflies have
to die so soon?" - Setsuko
Why watch this? War
is hell on soldiers, but it's also hell on the civilians that
live beneath falling bombs.
Plot Summary: During
the final months of World War II in Japan, teenage Seita and his
young sister Setsuko are orphaned after an American firebombing
destroys their home and separates them from their parents. The
two children must rely completely on one another for survival,
struggling to find food and shelter in the war-torn countryside
after a falling out with their unsympathetic aunt. Their story
is a heartbreaking tale of the devastating impact of war on
innocent civilians and the profound strength of their sibling
bond amidst unimaginable hardship.
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Dad's Preview:
This visceral, emotional film depicts the cost war takes on
civilians. It is based on a semi-autobiographical short story
written by Akiyuki Nosaka, who himself survived during and after
the incendiary bombings of Kobe, Japan. The people left to fend
for themselves amid the rubble of their world had it bad enough.
Nosaka had the added responsibility of caring for his little
sister, Setsuko. Though an animated feature, their journey is
anything but childish or funny. It heart-shattering, as they
fight to find food and stay alive. This is about incredibly
courage and horrible tragedy. Many consider this to be one of
the greatest animated films ever made. For me, it is a necessary
anti-war film that drives home the point: war simply kills
people. Period. |
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Studio Ghibli;
Toho |
