Grave of the Fireflies [DVD]

If you think all animated films are cartoons, then this will be the film to change your mind, this is a deeply touching movie that happens to be animated, this film is closer to Shindler's list than to any Disney film, also if you are expecting a 'Spirited Away [DVD]' or a 'Kiki's Delivery Service [DVD]' then you will be surprised, this is not a fantastical journey, there are no talking cats, or troublesome witches, this is a serious drama with a real thought provoking message.I have to say that this has got to be the most emotional film I have EVER seen! Never has a film made me fill up quite this much, not even when I watched Watership down in primary school, when I was eight.I am at a loss... I was So drained from watching this! This made a 30yo skinhead 'bloke' cry, I had to really force my self to watch the end of this film not because it has any faults in the style or plot, but rather from the outset you know what is going to happen and I realised that the story had drawn me in so deeply and I knew what it was going to do to me...Glad I did watch to the end, it is rare to find a film of this genre that can move so many people to tears, it is a film that can really tug at your emotional chords with such precision and vigour, I really don't think I will be able to see fruit sweets again without flashbacks!An absolutely astounding film.I may suggest that perhaps you rent this title, unless like me you like lending DVD's out, I think a lot of the 5-star reviewers would also agree, that this is not a film I can see me ever watching again, like I said this is one of the greatest films I have ever watched, but it was so good, that the film will always be with me, I will never be able to forget Seito and Sweet Setsuko, the little sister I think we all wished we had... But this is a must see for any fan of cinema, not just Ghibli, this is a master class in cinema, in drawing your audience in, making them empathise with the characters and ultimately making them genuinely feel something.This film has changed me, I don't know how, but it has, I think it has put a lot in my life in to perspective, and 2 months on from seeing this film I have just shed another tear for it.This really is a must see/buy, it is dubbed which I know is important to some people, but I think seeing this in its original Japanese added something for me, I think a number of people would disagree with me, but few would say that you shouldn't watch it. Do note though that if I were you I would make sure I had a comedy film to follow this, or at least a more light hearted film, as you do not want to end your night with the emotions that this will draw from you.

I have to say, this was one amazing piece of work, I'm a big fan of finding movies or series which step outside the normal shooter or comedy and this was just what i needed.First of, don't be put of by the art style, i admit i am never put off by art style but equally it did delay my watching of the movie as i began to prioritise more modern ones first, and whilst none of them was bad by any means, i only can say i was a fool to delay this one. The film was actually produced in the late 80's to early 90's so it does have some time behind it so of course its art was different.The story focus is a unique and great idea, the story is set in the late years of WW2, shortly before Japan surrender but during the bombings they was suffering, the focus is on two siblings who no longer have a home or money and are surviving through just trying to live. The story covers the hardships they face, the luxury that food is and the desperate things we will do to get it, the toughness of illness and pain of loosing people both close to us and strangers, it truly is a story of emotions. The story isn't actually focused on the war itself as opposed to them suffering the effects, this was unique as when you hear a movie based on war, you picture guns and such, this is how the civilians and innocent people pull through.The story is so well done, the animation is quite nice but the hats off goes to the characters, they feel so real in how they behave and their emotions, when you laugh, you smile and as time goes on, their tears become your sadness, it truly is a masterpiece of writing here.I watched with the original Japanese cast so can't speak for the english voices but the voice cast was amazing.This is a brilliant watch if you have a night in with nothing much going on and want to watch a good movie with more than just some guns shooting or cheesy jokes. I should mention, the movie is listed as 12, i do recommend this, whilst there is no real bad language, no nudity and only basic scenes of violence (bombings and such), the themes are quite real and do have some focus on death and how it effects people, so it could be a bit sad or hard to understand for much younger than 10.

No matter who we may blame for a war, there's no disputing the fact that people suffer the consequences in very similar ways and films such as this can apply to all of us if we're unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of conflict. As a result it is very easy to identify with and "inhabit" the two siblings, Seito and Setsuka, enduring a life of extreme hardship as they are handed between carers and finally left to their own devices in a country where the fabric of society itself is unravelling as even the adults feel vulnerable and abandon the children to their fates.Although the opening telegraphs the finale, there's a sad truth in the storytelling that makes you concerned about knowing how these two young people came to their end in such terrible circumstances and, without being heavy-handed, the film shows us the preciousness of our early years and the magic that ought to be within that time, and sets it directly in opposition to the horrors going on around these children. When Setsuka asks why fireflies should die so soon, it is a genuinely heartbreaking moment that the biggest-budget blockbuster would find very hard to emulate, because its "childlike" simplicity reaches right inside us. As by now we are inhabiting the children's experiences it actually hits quite hard and I at least was left with a real sensation of helplessness that must have matched Setsuka's.There's no way to compare this with other Ghibli films except in the storytelling and the animation, and the absorbing and at times genuinely threatening storyline. These elements can be found elsewhere too, such as in Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle, but here the Ghibli storytelling genius makes a far darker story that leaves us wondering why we do so much to threaten the wellbeing of people when, as I said earlier, we all suffer in the same way.Fabulous film with its point very well made.

As has been said many times but I feel the need to repeat, this is an extremely sad film and may not be suitable for kids (I won't say it is or isn't. Some may be distressed, others fine and I think you should just use your own judgement). But, it is also beautiful. I didn't cry after this, it just made me think and I that may be one of the things I love about this film, it taught me, showed me life from another side of the story: the losers story. History is written by the winners and the pain of the innocent losers is often forgotten under the premise of "Good" and "Evil" countries.The animation is lovely, very similar to the other Studio Ghibli films, possibly a little darker as is often done to reflect the themes.The story starts at the end. You know what will happen at the end then it tells the story. I won't go into detail since plenty of reviews have. Knowing how it ends doesn't change how good the plot is.Some may cry, some may think, some may hate it but it should be watched and never forgotten.

Japan World War Two.Two children - Seita and his younger sister Setsuko are forced out of the city, after their mother is killed in an air raid, to live with relatives.This relationship soon breaks down and they end up living by their wits in the countryside and out of mainstream society.Told in flashback, this tragic,beautifully rendered and deeply humanistic film is a major triumph.Full of stunning images,the lives of the children are presented in all its hardship.A sequence where Seita finds Setsuko in the long grass is heartrending.Beautiful vocal performances underline the almost brutal lack of sentimentality running through the film which can be a little waring at times(you almost begin to crave a Disney moment just for some light relief) but this is a towering film from one of the great film studios in world cinema.Highly Recommended.

Thanks to the company for shipping this out swiftly and pain free.To put the recommendation at the beginning - I'd say switch off the English dub and go with the subtitles instead. The voices seemed out of kilter with the characters and the subtitles keeps you glued to the screen.The story is tragic, and shows a strength that isn't much recognised in western movies. Death is mourned maturely whilst pity and support aren't given out plentifully to the most vulnerable (the main characters), so whilst as grim as the situation is - there's no softness or gushiness about it. Instead it's the determination of the older brother and his maturity that makes the movie for me. His quiet and steady strength in the face of setbacks has us rooting for him throughout. There's more pride and admiration than pity I'd say.Being an early animation, the actual quality of the picture is rather rudimentary by what we may be used to seeing in anime, yet it feels like it shouldn't be any other way. It's driven by story and not by it's sights.

I loved Grave of the Fireflies. It's one of the very few films I have watched that made me feel almost empty inside after the movie was over, and it even had an effect on my parents who were in the room as I watched this.Movies, video-games and TV shows have never been able to make me cry, but this film was very close to getting a tear out of me, and I will never forget the impact this film has left with me, but I don't think I will ever watch this film again.This is just one of those cases where I feel as if I shouldn't watch it too much, as the movie already put a heavy load on my personality from just the first viewing.I have watched both the English and Japanese versions of this film, and I recommend watching the Japanese version, as it simply makes sense for both the setting and the fact that the English dub that was made for this film pales in comparison to the original Japanese voice-overs, and I don't usually say that with animes, as I usually prefer dubs over Japanese voice-overs.What a great film with a powerful message.

This animated movie takes the award winning short story, of 1967, A Grave Of Fireflies by Akiyuki Nosaka and expands the scope of its appeal by way of the four-year-old Setsuko character and her teenage brother Seita. I imagine this to be a rewrite and expansion, that is kind of like what Ray Bradbury did for Fahrenheit 451, by way of The Fireman short. Grave Of The Fireflies covers a lot of ground with regard to the imperial ambitions of the Japanese and the consequences to those, such as Setsuko, who are the least able to act independently. Seita does try to survive and provide, but he runs out of try-fail cycles, to succeed, for the well being of Setsuko and himself. A couple of growing kids take a lot of food that is hard to scavenge, at that time in Japan, after a number of failed rice harvests. None of the farmers looked too depleted. Maybe they could have dug a bit deeper, and helped. Or the upscale establishments / homes in receipt of deliveries of blocks of ice. Although the bookend of the ending was considerably more uplifting than for the short story, its supernaturalistic tone doesn't mitigate the social indifference by much. Not that such is exclusive to the cultural norms of Japan. A situation that, in reality, was tackled by the time of the close of this story. Yet too late for Setsuko and Seita.

This is a one of a kind animation movie. For any enjoyer of this type of filmography it's a must watch.

For those who insist that cartoons of all forms, and particularly anime, are for children, I present you with Grave of the Fireflies. This amazingly well-done anime has some of the most touching, most depressing scenes I've ever seen on a screen, regardless of format.This film is set in Japan near the end of World War 2. Seita and Setsuko live in Kobe with their mother, whom they adore. When the air raid sirens sound, Seita and Setsuko run ahead to the bomb shelter, leaving their mother (who has a heart condition and cannot run) to follow. Seita is obviously not happy with this situation, but the early teen youth cannot carry both his toddler sister and his mother, so he agrees, sure his mother will join them at the shelter.From here begins the long, sad tale of the losses that Seita and Setsuko suffer through together. This is very much the story of a young man forced into the role of provider, protector, and nurturer years ahead of time, and of his little sister who adores him. Seita struggles to provide for himself and for Setsuko, and refuses to surrender himself to despair, regardless of the obstacles he is presented.I feel that this movie is all the more heart-wrenching for the way that the hurt and the pain and the fear are interspersed with the moments of joy and lightheartedness. For much of the movie, it is almost possible to believe that Seita and Setsuko will come out of this together. Of course, since the movie opens with Seita dying, alone, you know that your hope is misplaced, but you want them to survive. The love they share, and the joy they take from one another make you root for them.The characters in Grave of the Fireflies are remarkably well acted. Seita, standing strong, doing whatever is necessary to take care of his little sister. Setsuko is the perfect toddler. Happy one moment, crying the next, unsure of why anything is happening, but sure that Seita can fix everything. The childrens' aunt, a cold, sarcastic, bitter woman, taking every opportunity to ensure the children, especially Seita, is aware of how much they impose upon her and her patriotic family.In addition to the quality of the story and the caliber of the actors, the beauty of the artwork is just incredible. The facial expressions, the landscapes, the atmosphere. It's all wonderful, drawing you into the story. I found myself checking to see if the prone form of Setsuko was breathing as she lie ill, then realizing that wait, this is animation.This provocative, compelling tragedy is based upon a true story. The original author, Nosaka Akiyuki, wrote a novel based upon his real-life experiences at the end of the war in Japan. This story was then turned into a manga (Japanese comic book), and the story became very popular and well-known.Trivia buffs might be interested in knowing exactly how this movie made it to the screen. A director by the name of Hayao Miyazaki was working on a project named "My Neighbor Totoro" but the production company was worried that nobody would be interested in the tale of two little kids and a monster living in rural Japan. Therefore, they decided to make a movie they felt would draw viewers based upon the familiarity of the tale and for the educational value of the story, and make it a double-feature with "My Neighbor Totoro", billing and packaging the two movies together. Those who are familiar with both movies find the concept of packaging or viewing the cheery, light-hearted romp that is Totoro with such somber, depressing fare as "Grave of the Fireflies" mind-boggling, but the tactic seemed to work, though Totoro has become far more popular and well-known of the two movies.I cannot recommend this movie enough. It is a poignant story of the love shared by a pair of siblings in the worst possible conditions. And you'll never look at fruit drops the same way again.

It was my own fault that I bought a Spanish version of this Japanese film , but my Spanish is good enough that I followed it. This animated film almost needs no words. It is excellent, horrifying and incredibly sad.War is pointless and stupid.This film reinforces that. Glad I bought it.

Een verzorgd en doordacht portret van een (gefingeerde?) uiteenvallende familie in de nadagen van de tweede wereldoorlog in Japen. Uiteraard een pijnlijk thema, van in dit geval toenemend verlies en moeilijkheden, beleefd vanuit het perspectief van twee jonge kinderen. En daarmee wellicht tamelijk zeldzaam.De filmtitel geeft een zekere dubbele betekenis aan in dit verhaal van afscheid.

戦争の悲惨さだけが強調されていたとしたら、この映画はここまで不朽の名作にはならなかったでしょう。兄と幼い妹のひと夏の爽やかな情景と、ひたすら残酷で悲惨なアメリカ軍の爆撃が、陰と陽のようにコントラストになっていることで、ここまで作品性が高まっているのだと思います。美しい蛍の光に包まれたシーンは、戦争をひと時だけでも忘れていられた、清太と節子の癒しだったのだと思います。