Rating: 
Summary: A beautiful film
Review: Grave of the Fireflies is not a movie you should see because of the beautiful animation or because of the wonderful script. It is a film you should see because if you have not yet felt true sorrow you will after having seen this film. Taking place at the end of WWII the trials that Seita and his little sister Setsuko face are horrible to experience and yet you must feel joy for the effort that they had made together during a war which ulimately destroys an entire family. It is by far not an easy film to watch, but it is one that will affect you for the rest of your life. It has been nearly a near since I have seen this film and the thought of the tragedies that befall these two young souls still brings me to tears. This is a film that everyone should see.
Rating:
Summary: Why do the fireflies have to die so soon?
Review: "Grave of the Fireflies" is about little miracles. Little miracles that try to survive in the cold, forbidding world, and then die silently, with no one noticing. Perhaps the most touching scene in the entire film involves Seita, an orphaned Japanese boy, filling a candy tin with water and offer his four-year-old sister Setsuko the sweetened liquid. She smiles and exclaims: "It's all flavors! Grape, orange, apple, strawberry, mint!" She drinks half and offers him the rest, but he declines. Tears of hunger stand in his eyes, but despite himself he smiles. This is not American "feel-good" animation. The backdrop of Tokyo during the American air raids is a savage, cruel, even inhuman world, and yet Seita and Tetsuko carry on the illusion of happiness right to the bitter, irreversible end. Their mother is caught in the blaze of a firebomb, their aunt spites them when they outlive their usefulness, and turns them away when Seita's stash of food is gone. They are forced to live in an abandoned bomb shelter, trading their possessions for rice, and when those are gone, foraging for any food there is to find. And yet when at night the fireflies rise in warm, glowing clouds, they smile. Grave of the Fireflies left me in a foul, rotten mood, and if you have any measure of humanity in you, it will do that to you too. I don't know if this is good or bad. All I know is that it is a mark of true genius.
Rating:
Summary: 'Grave' New World
Review: "Grave of the Fireflies" is a wonderful reminder of just how powerful the medium of animation can be. While Disney has mastered the musical comedy format (though there's always room for improvement) they have failed to take the medium any further in story structure and themes. Anime has been exploring the many possibilities of animation for years. Like "Princess Mononoke" and "Ghost In The Shell", 'Fireflies' is a triumphant reward of such bold experimentation. 'Fireflies' tells the story of two children orphaned by World War II bombings. Their struggles to survive in desperate times is both moving and captivating. The film gracefully shows how tragedy and slef-preservation can bring out both the best and worst in people. There is no hard lesson to learn here, no spoon-fed moral. This is just a sad story story brought to life through a medium that has yet to fulfill it's potential. Older kids may be entertained by this somber story but you may want to avoid this one for the very young. This isn't "My Neghbor Totoro". I have only recently begun exploring the vast world of Japanese animation. To find such a quietly effective work among a very violent and, at times, unnecessarily graphic genre is a joy. If you are new to anime or just a fan of animation "Grave of the Fireflies" is a must-see. Film buffs in general can also appreciate this wonderful gem of a film. (I would highly recommend viewing the film with english subtitles and avoid the awful dubbed version. Both are available on this DVD.)
Rating:
Summary: A very brilliant tragedy movie
Review: From the studio that brought you Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service, comes one of the best animated drama I've ever seen. THe movie takes place at a time of war where bombers make random sweeps on Japan. Seita, a teenage boy, is involved in this. His father is in the Navy, his mother died after a bombing and he has to take care of his sister. They then go to stay with a friend of theirs. They manage to sell some stuff to get money to buy food, which at the time is scarce. The two eventually get tired of living with the strict woman and leave to make they're own home in a cave. But Seita's little sister gets sick. He does all he can to help her feel better, but nothing works and she soon dies. Seeing the little flashbacks of her playing near the cave with classic music playing is enough to make anyone cry. After Seita heres his father died at sea, he is the only one of his family left. He incinerates his sister body and soon he too dies. This is one of those movies to make you cry. The plot is that of how life would treat you. It's no wonder this movie got awards. There are some nice scenes in the movie with Seita playing with his sister. And its those little things which make the tragedy of death even greater. If a movie can do this, I think it deserves awards. A must-see to anyone who loves to see movies of war and of drama.
Rating:
Summary: "Why Do Fireflys Have to Die So Young...."
Review: This is a very powerful movie with a strong antiwar message being sent to the watchers. This Movie is based on an autobiographical novel by Akiyuki Nosaka; about two children, 14 year old Seita, and his four year old sister Setsuko. Together, they are trying to survive the hardships durring World War II. The movie starts off with a boy in a Train station dieing. Cluched in his hand is a candy box with ashes in it. A Janitor finds him later on dead, and takes the candy box in the boys hand shakes it a few times in confusion then throws it away out side of the station. We then see the soft glow of fireflys hovering around the candy tin. We then see a girl appear by the candy tin, she runs to a boy sitting on a bench. They look at peace with them selves, here we find out their story.... Their Father was in the Japanese Navy and their mother had heart problems and is seriously ingured durring an attack on their home town. Seita and Setsuko are sent to stay with their aunt. One thing leads to another and they end up in an abandoned bomb shelter. Here things grow more and more difficult for them. All they have left is eachother, but will that be enough to survive? I highly recommend this extreamly powerful movie for anyone. The art is well done by the same person who did the well know anime Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, and Laputa Castle in the Sky. After watching this film, it will leave you with a powerful message of the truth of war. Very moving and touching. "Why do fireflys hve to die so young?..."
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful, haunting, powerful, devastating
Review: Don't believe anything anyone says about this film. Don't believe the superlatives, the comparisons, the bold statements about its greatness. You must experience it yourself to understand. All I can offer is my endorsement of this film as the finest example of the power of art in the hands of the masters. In the animation you will find the height of human achievement. In the story you will find the devastation that man can coldly inflict on even its most innocent of victims. But don't believe all of my gushing, my superlatives. Find out for yourself.
Rating:
Summary: Hits you like a train
Review: A wonderful movie.At first it's sad when at the beginning both of the children die,but it becomes sadder as the movie progresses you see just how special the relationship of Seita and Setsuko was.It gets sadder still when you see that Setsuko is to sweet a little girl to die the way she did,horribly. Even though the movie's music and animation was incredible so was the silence.The silence after the sequence of flashback scenes that showed Setsuko playing around the shelter after she died was mind numbing.The music is wonderful I've gotta buy the C.D. When you buy this video you have to realize that it will effect you.You will think about this video this video will change you and your kids but all for the better.And just a little note. Buy the subtitled version,it's so much more meaningful.Grave of the fireflies is more then just 2 hours of hollywood tragedy.It's a story beyond words
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece
Review: Grave of the Fireflies is a true masterpiece. While this may be redundant and unnecessary to say, nothing you've heard about this movie is an exaggeration. This is one of the most moving movies ever made, animated or otherwise. A must buy.
Rating:
Summary: SAD!
Review: The ending is too depressing but that's what makes this movie so powerful! A really excellent movie! It's strange how an anime can create such strong emotions! I went to my Korean grocer...I saw their hard candy tins...I couldn't help but buy one! Poor Seita!
Rating:
Summary: I Cried After Watching This...
Review: ...and I am NOT ashamed to admit that. It's not that I could help it either, as this movie delivers a huge crushing blow to the human spirit. This review is gonna be short, as everyone has already said everything that needed to be said--and it's all written much better than if I were to do so. A teenage boy, his little sister, and the devastation of WWII for their surroundings--this is what Grave Of The Fireflies is about. To me, Grave Of The Fireflies is better than all the Stanley Kubrick, George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg (I think I spelled their names right) films COMBINED. When people think of anime, they think of giant robots, fighters, wit, cute and/or busty babes (I love you Ryoko!), and creatures that don't even exist--Grave Of The Fireflies has none of that at all. Instead, this film is as sickingly realistic as it gets. There's nothing even remotely imaginative to it. At the end, it not only leaves your emotions and feelings completely crushed, but leaves you with the grime reality of what war is, and the single question many fail to answer is left as a reminder to it lingering in your head for days afterwards--what does war ever accomplish? Nothing, absolutely nothing. VERY emotionally exhausting. And to think, anime outsiders say anime is nothing but sci-fi Pokemon junk...I beg to differ.
| 
