one of Studio Ghiblis most devastating films, Tomb of the Fireflies, Will be arriving on Netflix soonBut fans planning to watch this Ghibli classic had better come prepared, as the movie is not for the faint of heart. The film’s dark and depressing plot is notorious among the anime fandom, and many fans who really loved the film can’t bear to watch it a second time.
Tomb of the Fireflies is a 1988 war movie produced by Studio Ghibli, written and directed by Isao Takahata, a name that may not be as familiar as that of Hayao Miyazaki. Set in the final months of World War II in Japan, the film follows two orphans, Seita and Setsuko, as they desperately cling to life on their own. The film is beautiful in its own way, but the story is so bleak and heartbreaking that it’s hard to watch, a fact made even more painful when you learn that it’s loosely based on a true story.
It certainly stands out among Ghibli’s most fantastic catalog for its gritty, realistic look at what the war was like for civilians.
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Tomb of the Fireflies Paints a stark and haunting portrait of what life was like for Japanese citizens near the end of World War II, a perspective rarely seen in the US. it. and other countries beyond Japan itself. The war effort took a heavy toll on the population, many of whom had little choice in the matter. It can be easy to forget that each bomb destroyed lives, even if it did not kill them directly. With resources growing thin and harder to obtain, life becomes exceptionally difficult for everyone.
Originally living in Kobe, Seita and Setsuko were left orphaned when their mother was killed in a bombing campaign. After losing their mother, the children are forced to move in with a distant aunt who soon grows resentful of them taking care of them. The situation continues to deteriorate from there, but the love of the two siblings is never growing. Seita, struggling to survive and care for his younger sister, gets into trouble, until their fate is finally out of their own hands.
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Although the name that comes to mind for most when they hear Studio Ghibli is, of course, Hayao Miyazaki, Tomb of the Fireflies is a testament to the fact that the studio has been home to other incredibly talented filmmakers, with Isao Takahata chief among them. Takahata wanted to reject the idea that those who lived in wartime are somehow more noble than those who live in peacetime, and tell a story that will be able to relate to everyone who watched it. It was adapted from a short story by Akiyuki Nosaka, which was based on his real life experiences during World War II.
Takahata’s film succeeds extremely well in achieving this goal, as it is all too easy to imagine yourself in Seita’s shoes. Tomb of the Fireflies is the final proof that Ghibli films outside of Miyazaki’s work are still masterpieces in their own right, and the film deserves a watch – although once is enough for a lifetime.
Tomb of the Fireflies Will be available on Netflix on September 16, 2024.