by Setsuna
Anime movie recaptured the lives of japanese after World War 2, revealing the devastating effects of war on the people behind the front line.
The 1988 animated film Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓, Hotaru no Haka) by director Isao Takahata has shone light into the dark corner war by addressing the tragic fate of Japanese citizens after the Second World War.
The film focuses on the lives of Seita, an average teenage boy and his younger sister Setsuko as they try and ultimately fail to survive in World War 2 era Japan.
Although the movie centers around the pair of siblings, Grave of the Fireflies isn’t just about the struggle of Seita and Setsuko alone. Their story is only one in countless others, and the choice to focus on their story is hinted to be purely coincidental. And just like how there is no specific ‘hero’ role to focus on, the source leading to the tragic ends of Seita and Setsuko is not so clear cut. Many choices made by many people, including their own are responsible for it, as to show that everyone is complicit in creating this misery.
On the statistic side of thing, the movie received massive popularity upon its debut in Japan, bringing in a bow office of 1.7 million Yen and a further 516,962 Dollar in the US limited theatrical release in 2018 Studio Ghibli Fest.
Grave of the Fireflies also received positive scores by movie critics, earning an 8.5 on IMDb and 98% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Grave of the Fireflies is a sad and beautiful story about war and its repercussions on the citizens. It serves not only as a strong anti-war message but also invokes a sense of sympathy is us, encouraging us to help each other to create a better future.
ANIME SKEPTIC 