I recently saw Grave of the Fireflies for the first time. Yeah, seriously I hadn’t seen it before. It was definitely not my usual fare, painting quite the poignant portait of life in Japan towards the end of WWII. Even though it isn’t the sort of thing I usually like, I have no problem saying that it was an amazing movie with some really potent scenes. There are some complicated issues tackled, and from the beginning it’s obvious that this tale won’t be full of mirth and joy. Still, Grave of the Fireflies manages to deal with these issues with a deft hand, and never becomes too heavy-handed in spite of the somber mood. Definitely a classic, but make sure you’re prepared for a very serious movie.
The site mentions:
Some interesting trivia: when this film debuted in Japanese theaters, it was shown as a double-feature with My Neighbor Totoro!
A curious combination!
Kabitzin’s Rating: 5/5
This post was written by...
Kabitzin – who has written 1970 posts on Sea Slugs! Anime Blog.
One of the founders of Sea Slugs, I handle most of the blog admin tasks while wearing my I AM BOSS shirt. I like my action series well choreographed, and my romance series extra trashy. I also have a soft spot for puns.
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I agree, it’s an amazing movie. and so very depressing. I watched 2 discs of azumanga daioh immediately afterwards to cheer myself up.
That’s probably why they showed My Neighbour Totoro after it. It was probably to cheer people after such a depressing movie ^_^;;
I’ve had this movie on DVD for almost four years now and still haven’t watched it. I just never feel in the mood to depress myself as much as I expect this movie to depress me.
Someday I will rectify this. Someday… ^^;
I feel the same way about the prospect of finishing Sai Kanno (She the Ultimate Weapon). I haven’t watched my copy of Grave in the Fireflies either…
I wonder howmany people haven’t
If you were impressed with Grave of the Fireflies I would recommend When The Wind Blows, A British film about nuclear bombing. This is a devasting film that is almost unwatchable because of it’s sheer power but it demands to be watched as it’s one of the most important animated films ever made.