War Movie Month: Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

The effect of war on a civilian population, particularly children, is a difficult, yet  important subject and, one which is explored in Isao Yakahata's Grave of the Fireflies, A Studio Ghibli classic.

Seita (Tsutomu Tatsumi) and Setsuko (Ayano Shiraishi) are siblings living in Kobe towards the end of World War II. After the U.S firebombs the city, much of Kobe is left in ashes. The children's mother (Yoshiko Shinohara) is horribly burnt in the attack, and soon the children are left on their own in the world. They live with an aunt (Akemi Yamaguchi) for a while but after she accuses them of not pulling their weight, they move into an abandoned shelter by themselves. Whilst the war continues around them, they scavenge together what food they can find, and light the cavernous shelter with fireflies. 

When picking out films to review for the war month, Grave of the Fireflies didn't immediately stand-out. But the effect of a Total War such as WWII on civilians, many of which were caught up in the almost-necessary patriotism of the time, is just as important as those fighting on the front, but unfortunately not many films attempt to tackle with the issue. Grave of the Fireflies, however, doesn't hold back in this respect. The tale of this brother and sister, stuck in the middle of a war, with just each other, remains one of the most moving stories I've encountered in a film, especially in animation.  It's an emotionally challenging film to watch and as such, has a profound effect on each viewing.

Artistic styles in animation, particularly anime and the works produced by Studio Ghibli, differ greatly, and are not necessarily the most ideal medium to deliver an honest look at the horrific nature of war, but with Grave of the Fireflies, there's a certain gracefulness to the scenes, that connect the characters with the audience on an emotional level, and in turn, make the story of these two lovable siblings, attempting to survive in the most trying of scenarios, just that much more heart-breaking.

Having only ever viewed Grave of the Fireflies in Japanese, which sadly, I don't understand (thank you subtitles!), it's still easy to appreciate the nuances of the language, particularly when applied to these two innocent children. Tatsumi brings a boyish charm to Seita which draws attention to the fact that he's really still just a kid, but is left responsible for his fragile little sister, and Shiraishi (herself only six when making the film) perfectly emphasizes the tragic purity of Setsuko.

Grave of the Fireflies is simple in form, but delivers a beautiful and harrowing tale, a heart-breaking eye opener to the substantial effect of war on civilians, and as such, ranks highly in the great anti-war films. It is, in my opinion, the greatest work produced by Studio Ghibli thus far, and is certainly a contender for the most powerful animated feature ever conceived. A truly moving piece of cinema.

Critic Roger Ebert shares his views on 'Grave of the Fireflies'