A powerful experience..

Rating: 10/10 (29 January 2009)

Grave of the fireflies is a fascinating animated story revealing the horrors of war. It is a movie so powerful that it is hard not to get emotionally choked up at the end of the movie (speaking through experience). It tells the story of a teenage boy along with his five year old sister made homeless by the bombings during the World War. They become separated from their mother during an air raid only to find out her dead a few moments later. Their father is a naval officer serving for the country in hostile waters. With no other place to go Setsuko (5 year old girl) under the loving care of her brother Seita, settles in their aunt's house. As time passes their aunt complains about Seita not doing anything to earn food, and starts treating them cruelly. Eventually the two siblings find themselves a cave to reside despite its poor conditions. Here he does whatever he can to feed himself and his sister, while acting as a father figure to her. This desperation to live; fabulously brought to screen will move you beyond anything imaginable. One of the greatest gifts this film has is its ability to show the emotionally draining scenes in an effective manner. We first get to see the playful, cute and cuddly Sestuko having fun only to see her lying helplessly due to starvation.
I shouldn't write further for it might spoil the surprises. No other movie has moved me so deeply than "Grave of the fireflies". It is a masterful creation to be watched, dissected and most importantly to be learned from.