Grave of the Fireflies
8/10Watched 20231h 29mDrama · Animation · WarReleased 1988
Chris's take
Powerful film that will pull at your heart strings, although the aged animation perhaps holds it back in places.
Director
Isao Takahata
Cast
Tsutomu Tatsumi
Seita (voice)
Ayano Shiraishi
Setsuko (voice)
Yoshiko Shinohara
Mother (voice)
- A
Akemi Yamaguchi
Auntie (voice)
- M
Masayo Sakai
Woman who takes care of Setsuko (voice)
- K
Kozo Hashida
Obayashi Chairman (voice)
- K
Kazumi Nozaki
Cousin (voice)
- Y
Yoshio Matsuoka
Gosaku (voice)
Plot overview
In the final months of World War II, 14-year-old Seita and his sister Setsuko are orphaned when their mother is killed during an air raid in Kobe, Japan. After a falling out with their aunt, they move into an abandoned bomb shelter. With no surviving relatives and their emergency rations depleted, Seita and Setsuko struggle to survive.