Grave Of The Fireflies Review

In World War II Japan, Setsuko and Seita are a brother and sister whose mother has recently been killed in and air raid, and their father is a soldier, fate unknown. They must struggle to keep themselves fed and sheltered, the only pleasure from life they currently draw is watching the fireflies.

by Dan Jolin |
Published on
Release Date:

24 May 2013

Running Time:

87 minutes

Certificate:

U

Original Title:

Grave Of The Fireflies

Don't let the fact that this is from Studio Ghibli trick you into thinking you'll be watching a cute tale of big-eyed girls and fuzzy monsters. While it shares the engaging visual depth of, say, Ghibli hit Spirited Away, Grave Of The Fireflies is a very sobering, adult tale of how the bombing of Japan during World War II affects two impoverished children, determined to survive on their own terms.

A devastating heart-stab of a movie, this certainly isn't a family film. It is, however, a beautifully constructed, animated drama.

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