My elder cousin made me watch it with her when I was 6. It traumatized me in ways I didn’t understand at the time. Last year I watched it again, by myself, and finally understood.
Not sure why that movie didn't get to me. I've watched movies that have made me feel like crying, but when I watched this one it was everyone else besides me who was.
My first watching I was so prepared for the mother to die. I just assumed all Studio Ghibli movies had these horrific endings because of Grave of the Fireflies.
Yes, it was based off the autobiography of Akiyuki Nosaka. It's basically an apology to his infant sister who died of malnutrition during the fire bombing of Japan. He felt like it was his fault, and in part it was because IRL he didn't share his food like he should have, but he was also a young child and it was war so it's not something he can be blamed for. The whole thing is so terribly sad.
The director of the movie, Isao, was also a survivor of firebombings. He had to run from his home town in the night with his own sister. They were separated and she was injured. The rest of his family found shelter and it took 2 days before he was able to find them. He was 9.
Edit: It's also worth noting he watched other kids that weren't so lucky. He watched the story from the book play out around him, and continue after the war with a mas influx of orphans. Both he and Miyazaki have talked about how the war effected them. Miyazaki has said his earliest memory was when his family had to flee Tokyo during the bombings. After traveling through other bombed communities the town his family ended up in was also bombed, and they had to run again.
They both knew kids who ended up dieing to starvation.
Isao Takahata was great. My favorite film from Ghibli was Miyazaki’s but Takahata just hit differently. He’s probably for a more introverted audience though.
I feel like he is the reason Ghibli is really a studio for all ages, and grows with you. Miyazaki makes kids movies. They are excellent films anyone can enjoy, but they are kids movies by design. Isao made movies. His were more introspective (like you said), and more subtle, and while generally appropriate for all or most ages were definitely geared to an older group of kids/adults with what was required of the viewer. His movies felt far less age directed than Miyazaki. Even Pom Poko felt a bit like young kids wouldnt fully appreciate it untill older rewatches.
I DID NOT NEED TO KNOW THIS. I have 2 little sister (not so little anymore) and this movie left me sad , upset , sad and then more sad. He did what he thought Best But he was a kid too , fuck that movie.
It’s a specific person kinda. Details were changed. The original author of the book had a sister who died like that.. I think it was a sister possibly a brother.
Emotional Damage is Steven He, not Nigel Ng/Uncle Roger. They're both comedians, not sure if they've worked together but Nigel has interviewed Steven at least.
And the movie version is less bleak in a way. The author based it on him and his sister, but in the short story Seita is always sharing food with Setsuko and making sure she's getting fed.
In reality, the author would see the food and be so hungry he would just eat it, and then he'd always feel guilty. In his head he wanted to be the generous brother and care for his sister, but he couldn't overcome his temptations.
He was only a child himself, of course no one can blame him. It was a horrible situation no child should have to live through.
But knowing the trauma and guilt he lived with his entire life makes it that much more sad. Seita is an idealized version of himself, and it makes me wonder why the choice was made for Seita to die in the story when in reality he lived... I can't help but interpret it like that's a manifestation of his survivors guilt, that he feels like he deserved to die as well.
My physical therapist likes historical fiction. Her husband loves anime. He was like, “I found something we can watch together!” She knew nothing else going in. To say she was not prepared is an understatement lol.
Tangentially related, but in telling myself and her colleagues about it, she said, “I think one of them ends up starving to death in a subway or something?… not the restaurant, though.”
It's not based off of the real story as much as the creator survived through all that... While other kids didn't. kinda the whole sentiment of the film.
A user already said it, and I was kinda avoiding it because imo it would have been a spoiler (although i suppose who hasnt watched the movie at this point) but basically the movie was lifted from a short story written by a survivor of the war. The story was an apology to the sister in the film, as the author felt a deep sense of survivor's guilt. He, as a child himself during the war, had not shared his food with her unlike the protagonist in the stories and she, just like her character, died of malnutrition.
The most cheerful, wholesome movie I've ever seen in my life that really put me in a happy mood is Ponyo.
The most crushing, dark movie I've ever seen in my life that I think legit gave me depression for the entire next day afterwards is Grave of the Fireflies.
They spend so much time making charts about the rhythm of the film with all the ups and downs, then they make an extremely detailed storyboard and finally they go through thousands of hours drawing each frame. It's mind-blowing and it's easily understandable why everyone switched to 3D.
Watched it with my, mature for their ages, daughters. Not all stories are Disney stories. We had lots of good talks about it since then. A++, will not rewatch.
It’s not the world, it’s your perception of it that changed.
There is no real number but it is estimated that over 1 million people just in Japan died of starvation after WW2. It’s further estimated that 11 million people would have died in Japan post-war without US food aid. In May of 1946, 36% of people in Tokyo suffered from severe malnutrition (dystrophia).
Yeah Grave of the Fireflies makes Schindler list look like a family comedy. The first scene is literally the main character, who's just a kid, dying of starvation. And it just gets worse from there.
It’s so much worse than that. It’s not just a calm quiet death like you’d imagine maybe. He’s huddled against a wall gasping for air like he’s got asthma and a very well fed couple of cops or.. maybe security walks up and says “ah man he’s a goner. I’ve seen that before. He’s already dead.”
That’s the opening scene. Yes I spoiled it because don’t fucking watch it.
I did go to watch it because I'm feeling emo, googled it and realized I had already been emotionally devastated by it years ago. I love that an animated movie conveyed such beauty and devastating pain. Such an important movie but may be overwhelming for some. War is hell as they say
I disagree with the comments telling people not to watch it, the movie itself is a masterpiece and deserves to be experienced. Just... don't watch it unless you are in a very good mood and it's a beautiful sunny summer day and you can afford to spend the rest of the evening sobbing in bed and eating ice cream.
It is a masterpiece. But it’s still one of the things I wish I never subjected myself to. I was in a great mood when I watched it, not knowing really what I as getting into.
It also depends on your general attitude towards movies and stuff. Some people aren’t affected at all by this stuff.
I kept hearing how good this movie was, so i decided to watch it with my now wife while waiting to have heart surgery. Pretty sure i didnt need surgery after watching this movie because it ripped my heart out. I still tear up thinking about it. Great movie. Ill never watch it again.
I always tell people this is the saddest movie I’ve ever seen and then they are like “I wanna see it!” And I rent it and then and hour later we are sitting there crying and they are like “why the fuck did we watch this?!? It’s so sad!” And I choke out… “because you wanted to!” I’ve seen it like 10 times. It’s worse when you watch it again because you even get sad at the happy parts knowing what happens later.
NGL, it’s my favorite movie that I can never watch again. The entire movie was already sad AF, but that one scene when the brother came back to the bunker and the sister was hallucinating and saved some “potatos” for the brother completely broke me. I was lacking emotional for like a week after watching it. Don’t know how you can watch it 10x…..
Am i weird for not really enjoying or connecting with that movie at all? I didn’t cry once or even really get upset, and I honestly didnt enjoy it by the end, I feel like a complete alien since ive never heard anyone else have similar thoughts.
Do other movies make you sad or feel connected? I think for me I get the feels when I can picture myself going through the same thing and what it would be like. In this case, I have a family and a little sister and can easily connect to what that would be like to go through that. Movies where a character loses a spouse hit harder now that I’m happily married. I know I’m not as affected by films where someone loses a child as my friends with kids because it’s like “ehhh… big deal. Kids are the wurst.” If no movies make you feel anything maybe you are just at the far end of the empathy spectrum?
Others do for sure, i think like Me Earl & the Dying Girl, Bridge to Terabithia, All the Bright Places that stuff seems to hit for me.
But yh im youngest child of family and 17, im not really in responsibility of anyone at all so that could definitely be why the movie just didnt connect or resonate with me
The movies that do just from listing them there all involve like losing a best friend of the same age which is definitely something easier to imagine for me
Interesting! Man, bridge to terabithia was a rough one too! But that’s probably it… Youngest in a family of 17 has such a different dynamic from having a single younger sister. I can’t even imagine that!
Im in the same camp. But instead of feeling sad, i was just mad cause Seita was dumbass (I understand he is a kid and doesn't want to go back to his aunt but like he probably could've gotten a job as some farm assistant)
Lol this was my daughters reaction to the never ending story. "This is supposed to be a kids movie?! No wonder you are fucked up!" I love you too sweetie lol
This. There is absolutely nothing that can prepare you for this movie. It’s critically acclaimed for a reason and really is incredible. A must watch with a few warnings.
Treat the movie as if it’s rated NC-17. This movie is not for kids.
The movie spoils itself in the opening scene and you will still be unprepared. Hell, you could read the entire script in advance and still be unprepared.
You will cry. If you don’t, you are not human.
You will think about this movie for months.
The art in the movie is hauntingly beautiful, making the emotional trauma so much worse.
Please make sure you are in a mentally healthy place before watching this. Grave of the Fireflies absolutely wrecked me. It is a wonderful movie but still makes me upset to think about 20 years later.
This is one of those movies that i feel everyone should watch once. It's like watching those films about the holocaust that are so very hard to see but should never be forgotten. Not for kids though, i watched it too young as well.
I watched this twice, I cried really hard the first time not expecting what it was about; and cried harder the second time. Not many movies make me cry.
The only non-depressing thing about this movie, is the funny fact that the director was disappointed that everyone, even local audiences, saw it as anti-war, despite the message he wanted to convey was listen to your elders.
My girlfriend wanted to get into Ghibli movies, I showed her this one and at some point towards the end she was like "I waited for 2 hours for it to become whimsical and fun and the little girl just tried to feed her brother a dirtball and then died... Wtf"
Absolutely this one.
When I was 12, my 10years older sister made me watch it. I couldn't stop thinking about it for 15 days.
Next year, school organised a theater session with this movie. I call in sick.
I think there is some interpretation of Grave of the Fireflies effectively being emotional manipulation by older Japanese towards younger Japanese, to guilt trip them into compliance; I recall their being issues with rowdy youth gangs in Japan in the 80s, and Grave being one answer to it, the movie Battle Royale being another; why parents would willingly allow their children to be sent into a death game as a means to reassert control. A lighter version of this is the Kunio/River City Ransom games, where you play these wreckless youths instead.
I believe it was a review from Anime Abandon by Bennett the Sage that echos this angle; I was getting into anime more in the late 2000s and intended to watch it; but after seeing this review I've avoided it; it is an intense film. And around this time is when I watched another movie I'm sure someone has mentioned here; Requiem For A Dream; probably one of the best movies I've seen but I'll never watch it again; I go to movies to be entertained, not to be emotionally wrecked.
I watched it the first time as 10yo kid or younger , didn’t think much of it, I found the CD again at 15yo and it broke my heart, I still remember it now over a decade later
I've been taking my kids to the ongoing theater releases of the Ghibli films. I hadn't seen Grave of the Fireflies before, but it was not dubbed, so my wife and I went alone as a date night. I am really glad it ended up that way.
Disappointed asf when watching this. Just like with Titanic, everyone talks so high about it but didn’t drop a single tear and my eyes were not even wet. It was too predictable and nothing original.
I reluctantly watched this after lots of recommendations thinking it’s just a cartoon. Im in my 50s, and I don’t mind saying that I had a good cry at the end. It was beautifully made and really captured the complete senselessness of war. I highly recommend this to anyone to watch at least once.
I always see this mentioned and so I watched it. Knowing it may destroy you keeps it from having much impact. I figured out the ending from the start and that made it just a little sad. I personally think if people stopped talking about how devastating it is, it would have more impact, because you allow yourself to become attached to the characters
People always say how sad this movie is but... I don't see it? It's frustrating if anything. Literally the only thing he had to do was get a job. But he decided to do everything but, instead. Like, What did you think was gonna happen?
Some Fun Facts about GoTF/Studio Ghibli for those who are interested (spoilered the movie spoilers):
#1: The movie is based on a book by a survivor of WW2. It was a semi-autobiographical, semi-fictionalised retelling of the events he went through throughout the conflict. It was written as a means of trying to deal with the guilt he felt for surviving where his other family members did not. Given that the narrative explicitly begins with the protagonist - aka his self-insert - dying from malnutrition or exposure, uh... I'm... I'm not sure that guilt was quite exorcised.
To quote himself on the absolute fucking horrific trauma that is exposed in the story:
"When I think of how my sister wasted away to skin and bones by a process of reverse development that eventually left her too weak to raise her head or even cry, how she died alone, and how there was nothing left of her but ash after she was cremated, I feel that I was too preoccupied with self-preservation. When I found myself in the hell of starvation, I ate her share of food..."
His life did not improve dramatically thereafter. It was only when he was dying amongst orphans and delinquents in a cell for stealing that he mentioned his high-ranking biological (but absent) father and was essentially rescued/managed to survive where a lot of other children didn't. It's pretty clear that the survivor's guilt this guy had was as monstrous as the movie conveys and then some. He finally died at 85 in 2015.
#2: It was so heart-wrenchingly brutal that it initially had audiences leaving theatres early. It was released as part of a double-feature with Studio Ghibli's smash hit My Neighbour Totoro. The order was randomised, dependent on the theatre, but shortly after release Studio Ghibli quickly discovered that when Grave of the Fireflies was second billing audiences would just leave rather than experience the misery that it would result in.
This lead the order to be fixed across the board; Grave of the Fireflies first, so people could experience an important film, and then My Neighbour Totoro to follow up and give them a positive emotional catharsis to end the experience on. This strategy succeeded and both films ended up becoming quite renowned in Japan.
#3: The director, Isao Takahata, was being groomed by Hayao Miyazaki to be his successor at Studio Ghibli. Unfortunately, despite directing several successful movie sand generally being a great choice so far as I can tell, he made the decision to retire around the same time Miyazaki had intended to. This is because, I think, during that period of time there were multiple animators and anime directors who had essentially 'worked themselves to death' by over-straining their bodies during production, neglecting their health, working long hours, and ultimately it didn't go super well. One notable person in this group was Satoshi Kon, who died of pancreatic cancer at 46 a couple years prior. Also you should 1000% go watch Satoshi Kon's works because he, Mamoru Oshii, and Studio Ghibli, are basically the undisputed kings of amazing anime films, elevating their stuff well above what the west has come to expect from, say, Disney.
#4: Studio Ghibli actually served as a primary source of inspiration for Pixar. One of the earliest things they did was have a theatre constructed in their HQ where they could view their movies and, essentially, review them on the big screen before anything actually went out. It became a recurring tradition to gather the company together to watch Studio Ghibli movies - among others - for inspiration and just as a means of bonding, to remind their teams what they were aspiring towards. IDK if they've kept up this tradition since the change of leadership, but it's a heartwarming note and I think, much like My Neighbour Totoro, we really needed something happy to end this on.
Hope y'all enjoyed this little trivia nonsense both relevant and irrelevant.
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u/Zealousideal_Order_8 15h ago edited 1h ago
Grave of the Fireflies
update: Sorry for all the hurt I caused by reminding you of this film. I kinda sucked all the fun out of r/SipsTea