Grave of the Fireflies - Studio Ghibli Fest 2025
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Synopsis
Teenage Seita and his sister Setsuko fend for themselves after the war takes their mother’s life. Balancing the beauty and cruelty of the human spirit, Grave of the Fireflies is a singular work from Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata.
Cast
- Tsutomu Tatsumi
- Ayano Shiraishi
- Yoshiko Shinohara
- Akemi Yamaguchi
- Kôzô Hashida
- Masayo Sakai
- Kazumi Nozaki
- Yoshio Matsuoka
- Masahiro Kanetake
- Kiyoshi Yanagawa
Moviegoers are saying
Grave of the Fireflies delivers an emotionally devastating masterpiece that reviewers unanimously describe as heart-eviscerating, with audiences warning that this beautifully animated tale of wartime siblings will leave you emotionally exhausted yet strangely fulfilled. Despite the overwhelming tragedy, viewers are captivated by the stunning animation, masterful direction, and the heartbreakingly real portrayal of childhood innocence against the horrors of war.
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Summary generated from the text of Atom User reviews
Letterboxd User Reviews
4.5
1.6M
301.1K
612.0K
- May 22, 2021
Masterpiece. Never watching it again tho
Sara ClementsI'm struggling to think of any other movie that eviscerated my heart quite like this one.
James (Schaffrillas)Sep 19, 2022being stabbed would be less painful than this
mathew - Sep 15, 2012
This film is unrelenting in its portrayal of the horrors of war and the loss of innocence. Grave of the Fireflies is a beautifully constructed tale that is a unique achievement in both storytelling and artistic vale. It tells a story of a brother and sister who try to…
DirkHJun 10, 2020"She never woke up again" The most depressing quote ever 😢
Frandi Peralta"Why do fireflies have to die so soon?" - Setsuko, Yep, that was rough.
{Todd} - May 16, 2018
I want you to think of the saddest moment in your entire life. Now, multiply that by ten. Extend it to an hour and thirty minutes. This film is your hour and thirty minutes of pure emotional anguish.
lizzy deaneApr 23, 2017Echoes of a child's laughter, playful screams so innocent at the face of despair. Fading, slowly, yes, but you don't need to strain your ears to know it's there. The most painful part is the knowledge that every bit of happiness or sense of relief earned is short lived,…
YI JIANMar 16, 2020The greatest movie i never wanna see again.
Matt_Samahl
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97%
Community 29,192
Top Reviews
- Danial lovedGrave of the Fireflies
It tells the details of the life of a brother and his younger sister during the World War in Japan, a terrible sadness and an excellent drama movie. 💔🥹
Jacob Hall likedGrave of the FirefliesTo be honest, the ending wasn't as sad as everyone makes it out to be. It might be because the entire first half of the movie I wanted to punt that annoying girl across the earth from all her whining. I just wish we had a visual and audible reaction from Seita, not time jumps
Obihulk lovedGrave of the FirefliesThis movie hit me hard. I will remember this movie for the rest of my life. This film is a masterpiece and should be remembered for the rest of time. Be prepared because the emotions will hit you in a split second, trust me I’m ugly crying right now😭
- 𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐠𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧 lovedGrave of the Fireflies
loved this movie 10/10 (may never watch again since i’d rather not go into a deep depression lol)
Lexi dislikedGrave of the FirefliesThis movie is actually fantastic so don’t mind my rating. I only put it as dislike because I was an emotional wreck from watching it. But I highly recommend everyone to watch it.
Sabrina Bondi likedGrave of the FirefliesA film that, more than thirty-five years ago, demonstrated that animation can be used to tell mature, bloody, emotional, tragic, believable and very human stories.
- Jolyn lovedGrave of the Fireflies
when I was 11 my teacher let us watch this movie after our exams were over and I was the only one in class who cried
kayl lovedGrave of the Fireflies10/10 i knew i was doomed from the second it started… this movie is absolutely beautiful and the story it tells is so special. i would 100% recommend everyone watch this film atleast once, but definitely get two boxes of tissues - you’ll need it 😔
Butterballs likedGrave of the Fireflies8.1 Tough watch, the ugly side of war. Alittle slow at times, incredible story, makes ya sad
Atom Users Reviews
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Metacritic
Isao Takahata makes survival the thematic core of the story, but he never degrades his characters or fetishizes their suffering.
Chris Cabin
Slant Magazine
Rivals the films of Hayao Miyazaki in elevating anime to the level of fine art.
J.R. Jones
Chicago Reader
An emotional experience so powerful that it forces a rethinking of animation.
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
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