This film is beautiful in so many ways

Rating: 10/10 (15 May 2019)

Grave of The Fireflies is a Japanese animated film release in 1988. The film is set in Japan during the second world war where japan was facing air raids from the American Bombers. In this dark time we follow the lives of the two main characters who was a teenage boy and his younger sister, Setsuko.
At the beginning of this film, their home was destroyed by the American bombers which also results in their mother suffering horrific burns and later died in hospital. Their father is also out fighting the war in the Japanese Navy. And for the rest of the film, we're following their survival. Well there was no direct comedy, there is a lot of charm, watching the two kids interact, laugh and play in this dark world is surprisingly uplifting, but the film overall is trying to show the horrors of what war can do.
Naturally, its overall tone is serious and there are some really hard-hitting scenes in this film. Animation is drawn very realistically, both in style and character movement, and it's detailed appearance can lead to some disturbing imagery at times. The music is subtle and uses chimes to help set the spiritual mood.
In conclusion, I'd recommend giving grave of the fireflies a watch as it offers an interesting insight into what the horrors of world war two were like for the innocent people which is a perspective we don't get to see often in media. The art style is pleasing, the music is charming, and the story offers a lot of emotion, definetely leaving you with the bittersweet feeling. Make sure they're tissues nearby when you watch this, one of the most heartbreaking films ever made.