Grave of the Fireflies
Where to watch
Available at home
Orphaned siblings struggle to survive in WWII Japan after air raids kill their mother.
Trailer
Why watch this film?
Chief Editor at Filmelier
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.
"Studio Ghibli is almost inseparably associated with the name of Hayao Miyazaki, the master animator who was one of its co-founders and the director of nearly all of the studio's most iconic films, such as My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away. Because of this, it is easy to forget another co-founder who was equally a master of animation: Isao Takahata, creator of not-so-fantastical, yet equally masterful works like Only Yesterday. His most recognized film is Grave of the Fireflies, based on the novel of the same name by Akiyuki Nosaka, inspired by his experiences as a young boy during World War II. The story follows teenager Seita and his little sister, Setsuko, who are left orphaned and destitute after American bombings in Kobe, Japan. The film faithfully depicts the hardships faced by many children in Japan during the war, and while it does not descend into miserabilism, it does not shy away from portraying the harsh reality that the young protagonists are thrust into. It is one of the most authentic, moving, yet devastating films ever made about World War II. I, for one, haven't been able to watch it more than once."