Support NeoGAF

[JasoNsider]

A while ago I watched the interview with Michel Ancel where he mentioned the movie Grave of the Fireflies. He said that he saw it many years ago and after watching had a feeling that he had to do something. It was only a couple days ago that I found out what the movie was.

Studio Ghibli is unbelievable. Where I can normally not sit throught 30 seconds of anime, they make characters and stories that jump off the screen and come to life.

Get this movie and watch it!

For those who have seen it: try not to spoil what it's about for the others. After you watch the movie, could you tell me how you felt after watching? I would like to know that I'm not the only one (well...Michel Ancel as well I guess) that was deeply shaken by the film. No joke, I've actually been losing sleep over this movie.

 

[Xizk]

It's a incredible movie that everyone should see, even if they don't like anime. And I agree that it was hard to sleep after seeing it because you had so many thoughts of what happened in the movie.

It's not many movies that affects me this much, normally I don't think much about them after I've seen them, but this one has stayed in my mind a long time. You really felt attached to the main characters and their struggles.

 

[deadhorse32]

Best Anime EVER

 

[JasoNsider]

Yeah, there were a bunch of us there watching it and we were dead silent after it ended. It was probably one of the most sad things I've ever seen in my life, but I really did feel like I needed to tell others to see it because the messages are powerful.

When I saw Saving Private Ryan in the theater I was shaken up quite a lot. Many people, including myself (I was also younger at the time) had never seen anything like it ever before. But it was really the slap upside the head and the brutal truth that shocked people.

Grave of the Fireflies was almost more moving than that movie simply because of the characters.

 

[Flynn]

It's interesting that Michel Ancel was inspired by Miyazaki.

Several moments (and Pey'j, course) reminded me of his films.

Namely, the credits that show the children's art on the walls of the lighthouse.

 

[Oichi]

Definitely one of the best movies ever created imo, animated or not.

 

[JasoNsider]

Yeah, it was kind of his inspiration that made me want to find the movie and watch it. He had a look in his eyes that was really intense and sad all at the same time. He really looked like it almost changed his life. After watching the movie I can see why he said that, as I can't sit still when I think about it.

Good point about the children's art on the walls in BG&E by the way!

 

[Agent Dormer]

Worth seeing. It's a great film.

 

[SteveMeister]

So very, very sad, though

 

[Asbel]

Yeah, you can judge how good a sad movie is by how hard it is to bring yourself for a second viewing.

And if you're a sucker for punishment.. I mean, looking for similar movies that show how unfair life can be, try Yimou Zhang's Happy Times (bittersweet) or Shanghai Triad (cold hearted).

 

[FnordChan]

And, believe it or not, Grave of the Fireflies was originally released as a double feature with:

My Neighbor Totoro. No, really.

FnordChan

 

[bjork]

We watched this movie at work the other day, and I don't really see what the fuss is all about. I mean, it's a solid movie, but people are like, "if you watch that and don't cry, you're inhuman"... I guess I'm inhuman. :shrug:

 

[Alcibiades]

my favorite Anime, and easily in my Top 3 animated movies...

very moving and I recommend anyone, whether they like Anime or not, go watch it...

 

[ge-man]

FnordChan--Oddly enough, when I think about it the movies work together quite well. Totoro is like the flip side to Grave of the Fireflies. GoF's setting is grimly real and dangerous while Totoro's is the polar opposite. Gof is about death, Totoro is ultimately about life.

 

[FnordChan]

FornNChan--Oddly enough, when I think about it the movies work together quite well. Totoro is like the flip side to Grave of the Fireflies. GoF's setting is grimly real and dangerous while Totoro's is the polar opposite. Gof is about death, Totoro is ultimately about life.

Ideally you show Fireflies first, then immediately counter with Totoro to keep the poor kids from being scarred for life. Here's the full skinny from nausicaa.net:

Q: I heard that it was double- featured with "Totoro" in Japan. Is that true?

Yes. At that time, no one thought that people would want to see "a movie about a two little kids and a Monster in rural Japan", and "Totoro" was considered a big investment risk. Still, Miyazaki and the editors of "Animage" wanted to make this movie, which was Miyazaki's pet project for a long time. So they thought up the idea of risk-sharing. "Grave" was a well-known book, and because of its "educational" value, a certain level of audience could be expected. (Indeed, "Grave" was chosen by many school boards as a movie to show their students - and "Totoro" along with it, since it was in the package.)

Toshio Suzuki, then the chief editor of "Animage" (now a producer at Studio Ghibli) went to Shinchosha, the company which published the book. Since Shinchosha was looking for an opportunity to enter the movie business, they agreed to produce the movie "Grave". Both Tokuma and Shinchosha knew they were going to lose money, but they still went ahead with the project (they did lose money from the theatrical release). So, if it were not for "Grave", there would have been no "Totoro".

FnordChan

 

[ge-man]

That's an interesting tidbit. The combination makes sense in a dramatic way, almost like the days of antiquity when tragedies would be paired with light hearted faire. I'm glad both films were made. I consider the both of them to be the best of Ghibli.

 

[open_mouth_]

so damn depressing. I wouldn't recommend it cause life's too short for that kind of stuff.

 

[Boogie9IGN]

This is without a doubt the saddest movie I have ever seen, and boy did I (and everyone else I watched it with) just start crying their eyes out at the end. It just takes away any hope you have :'(

 

[JasoNsider]

Yeah, it took everything I had to stop myself from shedding even a single tear in front of the others that were there. It kind of made me feel powerless at the idea that I couldn't do anything to stop the inevitable tragedy. I'm pretty sure others were the same, as we all had glassy eyes and had to take a breather after the movie was over.

Really glad to see it reached a lot of you guys as well. I hope anybody who is reading this that hasn't seen it is going to watch it right now. And if you are one of those people, be sure to watch it in Japanese with subtitles (as per usual).

 

[Draff]

The first time I saw this, was without English subs and I was like 5. Even without being able to understand it, I was still moved by it. It's a shame a lot of people I know dismiss the film when I recommend it to them just because it's animated and Japanese.

 

[Asbel]

And if you are one of those people, be sure to watch it in Japanese with subtitles (as per usual).

It may have just been because it was my second viewing but when I rewatched it again, I tried it subbed and even with months between viewing, it wasn't nearly as emotional for me. Either way, GoF has a good dub and the people I've recommended it to definitely didn't think it wasn't sad enough.

 

[Great King Bowser]

Definitely need to pick up a copy of this, can anyone hook me up with a site that ships to the UK?

 

[NetMapel]

I saw this animation a while ago, and while it is definitely quite a touching film, it was extremely one-sided. It showed you precisely what an average Japanese were like back then, that they still blindingly thought they were the greatest country in the world. The sole purpose behind this animation is to capture the symphothy of other people because of the tragic A-bomb event. Not that I say the Japanese doesn't deserve any sympothy by people, but we also have to look at what they did to eastern Asia and ultimately Pearl Harbour. They were too arrogant for their own good to attack other countries and naturally brought this tragety to themselves.

 

[Dujour]

We watched this movie at work the other day, and I don't really see what the fuss is all about. I mean, it's a solid movie, but people are like, "if you watch that and don't cry, you're inhuman"... I guess I'm inhuman. :shrug:

You're dead to me. Jerk.

 

[Xizk]

I saw this animation a while ago, and while it is definitely quite a touching film, it was extremely one-sided. It showed you precisely what an average Japanese were like back then, that they still blindingly thought they were the greatest country in the world. The sole purpose behind this animation is to capture the symphothy of other people because of the tragic A-bomb event. Not that I say the Japanese doesn't deserve any sympothy by people, but we also have to look at what they did to eastern Asia and ultimately Pearl Harbour. They were too arrogant for their own good to attack other countries and naturally brought this tragety to themselves.

Well I disagree, I thought that the movies main point was the suffering the children had to go through in war time. I mean they had nothing to do with what Japan was doing overseas, and they only got a one-sided picture of the whole war. The movie showed that war only brings misfortune and suffering. It's not meant to make us sympathise with the Japanese, but it's meant for us to realize how horrible war is, imo.

 

[Dujour]

Excellent post, Xizk. Exactly what I wanted to say. War is ugly on either side and this shows it from a perspective that most people would experience it by; not as soldiers but as civilians.

 

[FnordChan]

I saw this animation a while ago, and while it is definitely quite a touching film, it was extremely one-sided. It showed you precisely what an average Japanese were like back then, that they still blindingly thought they were the greatest country in the world.

Akiyuki Nosaka (author of the original novel) from a 1987 interview:

"My sister's death is an exact match with the novel. It was one week after the end of the war. At the countryside of Fukui prefecture where I was, it was the day the restrictions on lighting were removed. It must have been the 22nd. It was evening, and I was picking up my sister's bones. I was coming home in a daze when I saw the village lit up. There was nothing like my surprise then. My sister died in my side of the world, and the light was coming back in the other.

Honestly speaking, there was also relief that she died and my burden was gone. No one would wake me up in the night like she did with her crying, and I wouldn't have to wander around with a child on my back any more. I'm very sorry to say this about my sister, but I did have those feelings too. That's why I haven't gone back to my novel (Grave of the Fireflies, published in 1967) to re-read it, since I hate that. It's so hypocritical. It must be absolutely true that Seita must have thought of his sister as a burden too. He must have thought that he could have escaped better if it weren't for her.

There are many things that I just couldn't get myself to write into the story. During composition, the older brother got increasingly transformed into a better human being. I was trying to compensate for everything I couldn't do myself. I always thought I wanted to perform these generous acts in my head, but I couldn't do so. I always thought I wouldn't eat and would give the food to my little sister, but when I actually had the piece of food in my hand, I was hungry after all, so I'd eat it. And there was nothing like the deliciousness of eating in a situation like that. And the pain that followed was just as big. I'd think there is no one more hopeless in the world than me. I didn't put anything about this in the novel."

FnordChan

 

[Lucky Forward]

^^ I've never seen Grave of the Fireflies, but isn't that a spoiler?

 

[NetMapel]

All the pain the Japanese commoners are feeling after their Emperor "failed" them.

 

[FnordChan]

^^ I've never seen Grave of the Fireflies, but isn't that a spoiler?

The opening shot of the film shows the boy laying dead in a subway station, so, no, this really isn't a spoiler. You already know what's going to happen, which makes watching the events of the film unfold that much more tragic.

FnordChan

 

[FnordChan]

All the pain the Japanese commoners are feeling after their Emperor "failed" them.

This movie doesn't have a fucking thing to do with Japanese pride, military aggression, or faith in the Emperor. It's about children dying because of war.

FnordChan

 

[tt_deeb]

I liked it but I like his other work better - the more fantasy type stuff. Maybe I'll watch it again, alone, maybe I can relate to the characters more.

 

[beerbelly]

Someone brought me this VHS when I was still young and watched it on Christmas day But good thing I had my race track gift to cheer me up

 

[Lucky Forward]

The opening shot of the film shows the boy laying dead in a subway station, so, no, this really isn't a spoiler. You already know what's going to happen, which makes watching the events of the film unfold that much more tragic.

FnordChan

Thanks, I've been putting off seeing Grave of the Fireflies because I read an Amazon review that mentions who dies, and I had felt that the film would be spoiled for me. I'll definitely see it now.

 

[Mejilan]

GotF was a very tough movie to watch. I watched it once in Japanese with French subtitled when I was living overseas. I didn't understand a word of the dialogue, written or spoken, and the movie left me ragged.

This must have been at least 6 years ago, if not 7. About a year ago I saw it again on DVD, this time with English subtitles. Yikes. Movie broke me. I don't think I'll ever be able to see it again. Very powerful movie, on my VERY SHORT list of movies that I think everyone should watch.

 

[Lucky Forward]

Does the DVD have an English dub, and is it worthwhile?

 

[FnordChan]

Thanks, I've been putting off seeing Grave of the Fireflies because I read an Amazon review that mentions who dies, and I had felt that the film would be spoiled for me. I'll definitely see it now.

Absolutely nothing has been spoiled and you should watch it posthaste. It's a kick in the teeth, but I mean that in a good way. I can't say how good the dub is because I always watch films in their original language.

FnordChan

 

[BlackClouds]

Also, when watching the move, pay attention to how the kids lived, that includes one of the most powerful messages of the film. That movie is just not a depressing, tragic tale, there's a lot more than that going on under the surface. Parts of the movie is actually uplifting, which makes what's going to happen even more horrible.

 

[john tv]

Cried like a little beeatch after that movie. Good stuff!

 

[Dujour]

Does the DVD have an English dub, and is it worthwhile?

I don't think anything could possibly match the young girl's voice. They'd probably get an adult to do it if anything, which would take away from it, I think.

 

[Archaix]

I hurt...I physically hurt after watching this movie, and even just remembering it.

You people are cruel!

 

[tenchir]

I didn't see the whole movie, but rather parts of it. but it was enough to bring me to near-tears. I so hate watching depressing movie, but this is one movie I would recommend to people. Just remember the little girl chewing pebbles is enough depress me the whole day.

 

[Meier]

Tied with Whisper of the Heart for my favorite anime.. but as far as quality goes, it's definitely tops. Ebert calls it one of the best films of all-time and for good reason -- it is. I've seen it 4 times and cry every time I do.

 

[fennec fox]

I got to read the original Nosaka novel (more of a short story, actually) a while ago. It's written in a Joyceian stream-of-consciousness format and is even more depressing than the film, which I saw later.

It's pretty high-level Japanese, so budding language students interested in reading something a bit brighter (?) about WWII should read Shounen H
http://www.amazon.co.jp/exec/obidos/ASIN/4062645904
which is also about a kid living somewhere in Kansai during the war, but is a lot more... what's the word... homey, and nostalgic even as the incendiary bombs are falling. The book is also 100-percent furigana'd, as per the custom of books back in the day.

Of course, there are lot of "war record" type adventures as well; I just finished a manga called "Shidenkai no taka" which is about this teenage fighter pilot, written by the same author as Ashita no Joe and actually not all that different from that other classic.