Grave Of The Fireflies Movie Review: A Recent Discovery Of Mine Which Is An Actual Tribute To The Real Fatality Of The War

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Deciding which movie to watch next I accidentally stumbled upon Studio Ghibli movies. To be honest there were plenty of films under the studio and the first movie I was quickly drawn to was Isao Takahata's Grave of the Fireflies a lesser-known but exceptional film. A film that I had been following for some time but finally had the determination to do so.

After watching the trailer and playing with the pause button I started watching it. As it is an anime film, I decided to watch it in Japanese. Those one hour and thirty-three minutes were some of the most gut-wrenching and horrific moments I had spent watching. It is a miracle that one does reach the end and witness the moving journey of Setsuko and Seita.

The film begins with the air attack that occurred in World War II and the people who are trying to survive by running for their lives. It does not focus anything on the war but follows the journey of a brother and sister who struggle in this calamity. Seita a fourteen-year-old brother runs to a safe place with her little sister Setsuko a four-year-old kid. When gradually the attack does stop for a bit Setsuko does enquire about their mother who too had left their home during the aerial attack. Upon seeing their home and the city of Kobe Seita goes on to look for their mother and finds out that she is no more. 

Keeping this a secret from Setsuko they move in with their aunt who provides a roof over their head and food on the table. When their aunt realizes that the mother is no more she convinces the children to trade their mother's silk kimonos for rice. Desperate Seita hands over all their possession to their aunt except the fruit drops adored by Setsuko. When times get tougher and the weight of the war hangs over her shoulders their aunt becomes resentful towards them over earning nothing. Gradually getting tired of the insults the siblings decide to leave and move to an abandoned bomb shelter on a hillside cave. Even if it is for a while it does seem that there is enough for both of them.

There are two moments which is almost going to break your heart. One is when Setsuko wants to meet their mom. On knowing that she is no more Seita tells her that she can meet Mom when she gets better. Setsuko slowly sinks to her feet and the next few moments are filled with her tears. The thing that bothers me the most is her wailing is not childlike but mature and incredibly real. The other sequence is when Setsuko tells her brother she knows that their mother is no more. Amid all the chaos the moment Seita finally feels light and tears roll down his cheeks.

It is obvious that the film is a structured flashback and is not going to end well but it gets harder every minute you watch. If you feel that this animation film is going to be for all ages then it surely is going to prove you wrong. You not only watch Seita and Setsuko's confusion and struggle to survive but it almost feels that it is your own journey.

 Throughout the film, you see the journey of two orphans but it is the personal account of director Isao Takahata's experience who himself survived an attack on his hometown of Okayama as a child. It has some of the most incredible animations like the firefly scene that they released in their new home and the joy they experience. That small moment will surely bring a smile to your face. And when those die the heartbreak Setsuko feels seems like the reality that things are never going to be the same.

There is so much you can take away from Grave of the Fireflies if you are fortunate to see the end. You start to realize that the casualties of war are the only people who join in the war but also the victims who are left alone. They are the real heroes who are never celebrated or recognized for their struggles and their journey to survive. You also remember the unwavering love shared by the brother for his sister and the despair and pain to sustain themselves on knowing that it will never be the same again.

Grave of the Fireflies is a film that reminds you to be grateful and stay grounded in life. It highlights the suffering and the ache of people associated with war. Till the end it never makes you forget the heartbreaking moments and the reunion of Seita and Setsuka even though it is in some other world. If you are an anime fan then do check this movie.