Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

A heartwrenching look at war and the toll it takes on one's humanity

The Very Best

8.6

Movie

Japan
Japanese
Animation, Drama, War
1988
ISAO TAKAHATA
Akemi Yamaguchi, Ayano Shiraishi, Hiroshi Tanaka
89 min

What it's about

In the final months of World War II, 14-year-old Seita and his sister Setsuko are orphaned when their mother is killed during an air raid in Kobe, Japan. After a falling out with their aunt, they move into an abandoned bomb shelter. With no surviving relatives and their emergency rations depleted, Seita and Setsuko struggle to survive.

The take

Perhaps the most depressing but vital movie produced by animation giant Studio Ghibli, Grave of the Fireflies is a searing and sweeping drama that covers the horrors of World War II through the eyes of teenager Seita and his young sister Setsuko. Between the violence of war and the tragedy of loss, the siblings struggle to preserve not just their lives but their humanity. In typical Ghibli fashion, there are moments of gentle beauty to be found, but instead of conflicting with the overall stark tone of the film, they successfully underscore war's futility and brutality, making Grave of the Fireflies one of the most important anti-war narratives ever told. 

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