Dark, Artistic, Touching, Sad, ...Beautiful

Rating: 9/10 (11 February 2002)

Grave of the Fireflies is one of the best films i've ever seen. It's a shame that not that many people know about it. It doesn't receive the publicity and recognition it deserves. This movie is very, very, depressing, and the storyline is more or less just a succession of events without any rising or falling action. The animation is simple with many still image shots (and no computer animation). The score is perfect for the tone of the movie. I could go on about what was great in this movie, but instead, i advise you to feel the effects yourself after watching it. I'll never forget the last scene where Seita holds his sleeping sister under the red glow and looks to the camera--reminding us that this story from the grave of the fireflies isn't just a movie to entertain us. It is just one example of the many TRUE tragedies that innocent families went through in Japan during WWII. This movie is the "Schindler's List" of animation.