Grave of the Fireflies (1988) by Ghibli Production

Grave of the Fireflies is the saddest movie I have ever watched, and I can’t get over it. Maybe, it’s the emotional breakdown because I just finished it still, I feel so unsettled. Films like these aren’t just entertainment but an emotional journey. They show us the cost of pride, the sibling love, the real human nature and the danger of forgetting our shared humanity. I must say, this emotional breakdown itself is the proof that it did exactly what it set out to do.

The best thing about this anime is that it doesn't censor or soften any aspect of the war. Each aspect of the anime is displayed in a heartbreaking but realistic manner. Since the beginning till the end, a gloomy story is told that doesn't shy away from death, abuse and starvation. This was the price humans especially children played during that time. The team knew this fact and used it to convey an important message. And what makes the anime even more impactful? It's the way it is presented.
It gives a voice to the millions of people who wanted to tell their stories but never got a chance. People whose dreams were shattered, who wanted more than a simple beautiful life to live and people who were destined for greatness but didn't get their chances.

Genre: War/Drama

Short Summary:

In the ending months of WW2, teenage Seita and his four-year-old sister Setsuko lose their mother in the firebombing and find themselves alone in the ruins of their own city. After a brief stay with their distant aunt, they decide (Read: kicked out, why? Because she made such circumstances.) to go live in an abandoned cave/shelter. I won’t say that it’s her fault, she herself has so little food and its season of inhumanity (war).

By the daytime, he hunts for rice from empty food stores and gathers any little thing he can find. Setsuko, still only four, doesn’t fully understand what’s happening still she acts so mature. They light the few fireflies they catch and watched their glow, just like a tiny lantern guiding them through the dark. As time passes, their food runs out. Setsuko grows weak and falls ill with diarrhoea and malnutrition, but Seita, proud and determined refuses to beg relatives or strangers for help. He carries her to the doctor once, but without money and ration it was lame.

Opening:

The movie opens with Seita’s ghost wandering an empty train station, haunted by the memories. The opening scene immediately let us know that he doesn’t survive. An absolute foreshadowing. That ghostly image casts a long shadow over everything that follows like there isn't a slightest moment of hope left.

Ending:

It closes with a sigh of relief (yes, I’m just trying to accept 🙁), Seita’s spirit reuniting with Setsuko’s at a hilltop grave, their childhood innocence forever lost.

What if?

Aunt told me Mother was dead, but I don’t believe it. Setsuko

I’ll never leave you, Setsuko. Seita.

What if Seita had swallowed his pride and knocked on every door he could find? In that scenario, he might have secured enough rice/rations to keep Setsuko alive. He could have apologized and stayed longer with his aunt. By setting aside his pride, Seita would have honoured the truest part of promise, “I’ll never leave you.”
But, Seita’s world has been stripped of every safety net. Parents are gone, sister about to, aunt turns him away, social structure is dead, and just a teenager with no experience.

Though set in 1945, the siblings struggle, and the impact of war resonates powerfully in today’s world. Everywhere there is war or talks of war, refugee crises and humans looking for aids to survive. It's a must watch animated movie, a film that should be watched once in a lifetime to teach everyone about tough times, compassion, care and love towards other people. Schools should screen film like these to help students understand the impact of war on civilians and to explore the themes of pride, responsibility and the fragility of life. It is also a warning to learn from past horrors and not to repeat them.
May the sanity prevails!
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All the screenshots were taken by me while watching and edited using gallery's in built feature.
You can watch it on Netflix or download from here
Do comment your thought.
Peace 🕊️