Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

A young boy and his little sister struggle to survive in Japan during World War II.

Director:

Isao Takahata

Writers:

Akiyuki Nosaka (novel), Isao Takahata

Stars:

Tsutomu Tatsumi, Ayano Shiraishi, Akemi Yamaguchi

Top Rated Movies #54 | 3 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Tsutomu Tatsumi	...	Seita (voice)
Ayano Shiraishi	...	Setsuko (voice)
Yoshiko Shinohara	...	Mother (voice)
Akemi Yamaguchi	...	Aunt (voice)
Tadashi Nakamura	...	(voice)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marcy Bannor	...	Aunt (Sentai Filmworks dub) (voice)
Shelley Calene-Black	...	Mother (Sentai Filmworks dub) (voice)
Luci Christian	...	Additional Voices (Sentai Filmworks dub) (voice)
Shannon Conley	...	Additional Voices (Central Park Media dub) (voice)
Justin Doran	...	Additional Voices (Sentai Filmworks dub) (voice)
Crispin Freeman	...	Doctors / Old Man (Central Park Media dub) (voice)
Adam Gibbs	...	Seita (Sentai Filmworks dub) (voice)
Dan Green	...	Additional Voices (Central Park Media dub) (voice)
Amy Jones	...	Aunt (Central Park Media dub) (voice)
Susan O. Koozin	...	Additional Voices (Sentai Filmworks dub) (voice) (as Susan Koozin)

Storyline

The story of Seita and Satsuko, two young Japanese siblings, living in the declining days of World War II. When an American firebombing separates the two children from their parents, the two siblings must rely completely on one another while they struggle to fight for their survival.

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Plot Keywords:

older brother younger sister | homelessness | orphan | shelter | food | 

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Genres:

Animation | Drama | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

26 July 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Grave of the Fireflies

Box Office

Budget:

$3,700,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shinchosha Company, Studio Ghibli

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono Dolby (as Dolby Stereo) (theatrical print)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is the only Ghibili theatrical feature film to not be part of the Disney-Tokuma deal.

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Goofs

Right at the beginning, someone places what looks like a rice ball loosely wrapped in some tree bark as a protective cover next to the boy known as Seita. The scene cuts to Seita's face and soon after he collapses, the wrapped rice ball is nowhere to be seen.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Seita: September 21, 1945... that was the night I died.

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Connections

Referenced in AniMat's Crazy Cartoon Cast: Jasmine's Song and Mulan's No Songs (2018)

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Soundtracks

Home Sweet Home
Written by H.R. Bishop (uncredited)
Performed by Amelita Galli-Curci
Courtesy of RCA Victor Red Seal, a division of BMG Classics

User Reviews

Depressing, but a must see

One of the great animated films of all time Grave of Fireflies tells the story of a couple of kids as the try to survive in war time Japan. What happens to them should be seen by anyone thinking of starting a war since it tells very graphically what happens to those often forgotten, the children.

Like its companion piece, Barefoot Gen, which tells the story of survivors of atomic bombing and the horrors that were experienced by those unlucky enough not to have been killed out right, this film proves that war is hell for everyone, especially the children.

Its very hard to send anyone out to see this unhappy little film (The previously mentioned Barefoot Gen spawned sequels, this has not) but at the same time you owe it to yourself to experience, however distantly what sort of monster we unleash upon the world every time we go to war. It helps that however depressing this is, its also a damn good and incredibly compelling story.

9 out of 10