Grave of the Fireflies

Overview

Grave of the Fireflies is a Studio Ghibli animated feature that runs about 88 minutes. Isao Takahata wrote and directed it, adapting a story by Akiyuki Nosaka. Toho released the film in Japan on April 16, 1988.

OtaHub's take

Fourteen-year-old Seita and his four-year-old sister Setsuko lose their mother after an air raid on Kobe near the end of World War II. After a falling-out with a relative, they move into an abandoned bomb shelter. Seita tries to find enough for both of them to eat as food grows scarce.

Verdict

Grave of the Fireflies shows war through the everyday tasks two children have to manage on their own, from finding shelter to finding food. The rare moments when Seita and Setsuko still get to play make their situation all the harder to forget.