Grave of the Fireflies

Rating:
Summary: A well told story
Review: Grave of the Fireflies is a great movie about a boy and his young sister during WW2. It's a rather emotional movie, and it's often called one of the best anti-war movies ever. I don't buy that this movie is at all anti-war. It's much more of a personal experience than anything. This is a story about the human spirit. The film never seems to point fingers or lay blame.

First off, this is indeed an extremely good movie. The story is great and the characters are very likable. The Japanese voices are spot on, even the girl. All the parts are well written, and very believable. Nothing seems stretched to the absurd.

The art is simply beautiful. Fans of movies such as Kiki's Delivery Service or Mononoke will notice things feel very familiar, due to being these all being from the same studio. The colors range from dark and sad to bright and cheery, sometimes fitting with the mood and other times as a stark contrast to the reality around them.

At any rate, it's a really good story and one that's hard to forget. It's well told, it's memorable, it's likable, and it's at times quite sad. If you're looking for something different and serious rather than the normally light-hearted crowd of anime, give this a shot. You won't be disappointed.

- Rirath_com

Rating:
Summary: very forceful
Review: i saw this movie at least six or seven years ago, yet i can still remember clearly of everything. this is an antiwar movie that shows the consquenses fighting through the lives of two ophans.

Rating:
Summary: Loved it
Review: Not going to go into full detail. Post- war Japan. Orphaned boy and girl forced to live on their own. Very touching, be prepared to cry. Packs a punch to the heart and takes your breath away. Highly reccomended. If you don't want to cry, don't watch this movie. Highly reccomended that you watch it in Japanese.

Rating:
Summary: Makes Oliver Twist seem like a trip to Grandma's house
Review: I did not enjoy this film, but I prefer lighthearted anime. It really hurt me to see those two kids suffer as they did, and they are only fictional characters. As I said, Dickens' Oliver Twist seems like a trip to the candy store by comparison. This is not to say that Twist was lighthearted, for it was truly sad. What can I add to that which the other reviewers have already said? I could not turn away from this film, although I dreaded what might next happen to the two children. Here they are, in a close-knit village, and all the adults are too often too busy with their own cares to stoop down and help their deceased neighbors' children. For me, although I myself have not been in such a situation, I can hardly imagine turning away any children in need, much less when the entire town, in fact the nation has been ravaged by war.

I give this film the highest possible rating not because I enjoyed it, I have already stated that I did not, but because it simply merits nothing lower. I found it compelling, tragic, yes; but I could not turn it off.

Rating:
Summary: Just as reviewed ...
Review: If you've ever seen the movie Life Is Beautiful, this is fairly similar. GotF is a story about Seita's attempts to create a life for himself and his sister after the devastation of the war. Homeless, poor, without help from those they would normally turn to, they make a living off the barest essentials in the hope that their father will return from his post in the navy. It's a story about sadness and the reality of the cruelty people have had to face. I feel this story is as much about any homeless person as it is about Japanese victims in the war. I feel the most touching thing is Seita's refusal to give in to despair, even through the harder times.

This is a human story, not an anime for those looking for action and excitement and drama. I'm a little confused with those reviewers who seem to grovel at the animation, I think its fairly standard. Even for those who don't normally see Japanese Animation it's still fairly standard. I found it a little irritating that some people looked too similar in the movie.

I don't think it's touching to the point of making me want to bawl into tears , but it is rather real in it's depiction of human suffering.

All in all, I liked this anime, but it's not something I would necessarily add to my collection of DVD's. Seeing it once is enough, despite it's value as a movie. Perhaps it's necessary viewing for those who are interested in war movies of the similar sort, but normal Disney or anime fans or viewers in general can skip it if they wish.

Rating:
Summary: Not for kids, Guaranteed to rip your heart out.
Review: This is a most unconventional movie because right from the beginning we know that the main characters both the boy and his sister will die...and yet we are compelled to continue watching. The story proceeds soo very slowly and still we are riveted. It's almost like watching trains crash in slow motion. We just can't keep our eyes away. I have seen this movie only once and yet I still get teary thinking of the two children. Just like the reviewer before, I am afraid to see this movie again and yet I remain supremely grateful for having seen it. Yes, this movie deals with death and the viewer is reminded of it in many ways. Yet there is also great beauty on screen and in the children, which makes their death so real. There is no overt attempt by the animators to manipulate the viewer's emotions unlike so many western cartoons. Unlike many reviewers, I don't see the anti war message. I see needless death, which is worse because it happens everyday. We don't need a war for children to suffer.
This movie reminds me a whole lot of another one I saw a while back involving two kids and a pair of shoes. I think it's called 'The Children of Heaven'. I pray that Hollywood will not screw up by doing a remake of either movie.
To those who have read the reviews and think their enjoyment will be diminished by spoilers, I strongly encourage you to watch it anyway. You'll be grateful like I was.

Rating:
Summary: NOT your son's anime, but a good argument against war
Review: Grave of the Fireflies is one of the few movies that has made me cry. In the shadow of September 11, 2001, and the controversial war against Saddam Hussein, the film portrays two young kids (a boy of fourteen and his four-year-old sister) struggling to survive as an unnamed Enemy (the United States, of course) proceeds to firebomb their city. Told in a simple, almost plotless way, and without seeing one Enemy face or gun, the film shows how Seita fights through life and death to keep Setsuko safe.

Grave is a very subtle film in its way, with none of the trappings of Americanized anime. No giant robots destroying Tokyo; no fifty foot green aliens with three eyes, horns and tentacles; almost no violence onscreen beyond the realistic and necessary ugliness of the war itself. Grave's truthfulness, simplicity and artistry combine to write a simple message: WAR IS WRONG.

Rating:
Summary: I wish I had watched this long time ago.....
Review: This is one of the most beautiful, touching but also most painful films I have ever seen. While this film may bring actual pains to your heart, I highly recommend this great masterpiece. You feel pains because you are a human.

This beautiful animated film gives you a totally exceptional film experience and insights into human natures. If you love anybody, your partner, family members or friends, you will realize how important they are to you after watching this film. If you are a father or a mother, you will feel you need to hold your children in your arms.

It is a war movie. But it does not play cheap politics of putting blames on "enemy" or appeal to nationalistic romanticism. The movie is set in air raid struck Kobe in wartime Japan. But Americans have almost no face here. The film subtly but definitly depicts a society that failed to save lives of its youngest members. A society where everybody was desperate for their survival, adults forgot their roles and children were left unprotected. As a Japanese, I doubt if any Japanese viewer will have any specific emotion toward Americans after this film. This film only makes us face ourselves.

I saw strength and courage in Seita, a older brother. Also I could see weakness and irresponsibility in him too. I saw childlike innocense in Setsuko, his little sister. In cold adults, I could find fear and selfishness. These characters are so human and I can identify all the elements like these in myself too. Everybody is so believable and real and this makes you wonder what you would do in their places.

Again, this is a very sad but beautiful and touching movie. Animation is breathtaking, characters are very human and story is powerful. I think (I hope) that everybody can appreciate this work in his or her own way.

My parents told me that my grand mother watched this film and cried for hours in her room later. She may have projected images of her own "Seita and Setsuko", neighbors and friends in this film. Now that she passed away long time ago, I could only wish that I should have talked with her about this movie.

Rating:
Summary: Yeah Grave Of Fireflys!
Review: Whoa what a good movie, i've never seen this movie but i bought it because of the reviews, i was not dissapointed! i loved this movie! but it was so sad! i loved this movie, you see what this boy and his little sister go through while at war and it just tears you apart because you know this stuff really happened! Grave of the fireflys is a must see and buy! Yeah Grave Of The Fireflys!

Rating:
Summary: Incredible restoration of a timeless film
Review: Central Park media hits the point with the restored quality of this timeless jewel. For those who want to see the difference between the old and new quality, please review the little featurette included of how did they transfered the original japanese film reels into the digital world. Sound and music, menu presentation, all is done with great taste. There is a bug in the menu (Main menu gets confused if you plays the Next Chapter button before ending any special feature).
For the movie, it is a hard and moving story of two orphans in the times of war. But is not war the main plot, but the lost of care, the insensibility of humans that do not care for others but for themselves. Hunger attacks in the most inhuman way, without mercy upon old or young ones, taking away health, innocence, family and hope. But war does not win, love stays forever, even when fears fly away, and life ends the suffering. As the light of the fireflies lasts so little, it will be reborn the next day, without loosing all its beauty.
Features? Enterviews, a great special of photographs of the real places that appear in the film, trailers and the Central Park featurette.
Worth buying? Absolutely.