Mini Film Review – Grave Of The Fireflies

Yesterday I watched Grave of the Fireflies; and it was rather nice! Directed by Isao Takahata, and starring Tsutomu Tatsumi, Ayano Shiraishi, and Akemi Yamaguchi, and based on the 1967 short story of the same name by Akiyuki Nosaka; Grave of the Fireflies is an animated war film from Studio Ghibli, that tells the story of two sibling war orphans, and their struggle to survive after their mother dies, in the final few months of World War II! It is fair to say, that I have been putting off watching this film for a considerable length of time, as I have heard many stories of this being one of the saddest films ever made. But after watching it, I am surprised that it didn’t cause any waterworks on my part, and that’s not because my tear glands don’t work (afterall, I was crying during, and after watching Flow a few weeks ago). That’s not to say though that the film isn’t a sad one. Grave of the Fireflies tells a rather simple and basic tragedy, as the two characters struggle with the loss of their parents, and the issues of trying to live a normal life, during the final days of the Pacific War. As issues rise in their daily lives, they resort to questionable methods just to stay alive. I  though frequently found it to be a sweet film, as whilst there was hardship, there were also moments of joy, as the two siblings try their best to create a normal life for themselves, plus the film’s main theme is a rather pleasant one, giving some scenes a nice and often relaxing feel, that can really bring a smile to the situation!