Grave of Fireflies (1988)

Roger Ebert calls Grave of Fireflies one of the greatest anti-war films ever made…. I think he’s selling it short…. I think Grave of Fireflies is one of the greatest films ever made

Period.

Certainly the film is better than the two live action versions of the story that have been made since this was made.

The film was directed by Isao Takahata who along with Hayao Miyazaki founded Studio Ghibli. Takahata is a vastly under rated director who has unjustly lived in the shadow of Miyazaki. To me the fact that he did this film instantly makes him among the best directors ever. Luckily he made other films (Little Norse Prince, My Neighbors The Yamadas, Pom Poko, Goshu The Violinist among others) which may not reach the height of this film still prove he's not a one trick pony.

This film tells the story of a young boy and his younger sister as they struggle to survive in Japan in the waining days of the war. How their lives spiral out and away from them is the story....

...and it is a story that will leave you emotionally drained and broken. This is the pain and suffering of war on a very human level. What is the cost of war? Here it is laid out. This is, as Roger Ebert has said a great anti war film, but the film transcends that. There is something about the film that makes the story something more than just a war film. There is something about the way that director Takahata tells the story that makes really about our struggles to survive. I can't tell you what it is, but it's there and it's a magical thing.

You need to see this film.

Everyone in the world needs to see this film at least once in their lives. Its a film that has changed everyone who's ever seen it.

See this.

Just see it.

Only keep a HUGE box of tissues near by since it will reduce you to tears and very likely uncontrolled sobbing.

Yea, it's one of those.

Currently out on on DVD.