Synopsis:
This film takes place in 1945, in the town of Kobe, Japan. Ravaged by Allied fire bombings and two atomic bombs, Japan was forced to surrender unconditionally to the allied forces. As Japan was reduced to rubble many children were left homeless and orphaned… with no hope of recovery.
When a recent fire bombing levels the town of Kobe, Japan, a 14-year-old boy, Seita, and his 4-year-old sister Setsuko are left without their Mother, and their Father has stopped writing to them, presumably because he is dead. Without any parents they are forced to live with their Aunt. Unfortunately for them, life is unsuitable because the woman always scolds them for not doing anything. When Seita gets tired of living with her he moves into an abandoned Bomb Shelter. His sister suffering from diarrhea and malnutrition, and no more money to buy rice, he is left cornered with life.
Based on the novel from an award-winning writer Akiyki Nosaka, Grave of the Fireflies is a classic, uniquely told from a Japanese point of view. A rare “soft-brown border” technique is used for a more realistic feel, very much uncommon in Anime. In an unconventional manner, this film depicts the horror of war and the effect it has on innocence.
Sound:
While music is rare in Grave of the Fireflies, it’s still there. Music here has a very melancholy theme, which really goes well with the movie. It adds a lot to the overall aura of the movie.
Extras:
Well, the Menu animation is nothing special, just pictures and text. But it does have an important feature like the Historical background of both the movie and the setting. It also has a short section with “biographies” of the characters. These biographies are presented in clips in which the character’s feelings and personality are best displayed. And of course it has Japanese subtitles, as well as trailers to 5 other anime.
Final Words:
This anime displays human feeling very well. It depicts how humans would react to such situation, the feeling of hopelessness and the failure in life, outright depression and absolute helplessness. Grave of the Fireflies isn’t an Anime, in my opinion; it is a work of art.
Final Score: 9.6 out of 10
