Grave of the Fireflies

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Now, we follow anime to a most serious, haunting, yet childlike celebration, a very mature story with a noble goal and some of the most beautiful combinations of story and art I've ever seen.

Hotaru no Haka (original Japanese name of film, 1988)


http://www.ghibliworld.com/graveofthefirefliescollection.html


Grave of the Fireflies is based on the partially-autobiographical book of the same title by Akiyuki Nosaka. It takes place in the latter part of World War II and is a somber film about Seita and his younger sister Setsuko, who lose their mother when she dies during a firebombing. Their father is serving in the Japanese navy, so Seita and Setsuko try staying with a distant aunt who soon grows to resent them. Things proportionally deteriorate and they strike out on their own. As we follow Seita and Setsuko doing their best to survive in the Japanese countryside, battling hunger, prejudice, and pride in their own personal battle, the film unintended results into one of the best (anti)war movies ever made.






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