Tragically Heartbreaking

Rating: 8/10 (2 April 2012)

This is not a fairytale-ish melancholic tearjerker. Oh yes, this film could make you cry, and it *is* beautiful - but most of all, it's desperately tragic. It's a combination of beautiful imagery, strong storytelling and soul in the characters that really pulls you into the film.
I rarely watch anime and it took some time to adjust to it in the beginning. However, as soon as the story was rolling, I was hooked and I didn't care about it anymore. Although I'd like to see this as a live action film, there's undoubtedly a beauty in these drawn scenes. What I love the most are the scenes with the fireflies...
The relationship between Seita and Setsuko is also one of the most touching parts of this film. Despite their hardships, they stick together, creating little happy moments and stealing little smiles here and there. This film, ultimately, reminded me to be grateful about my own life and try to enjoy little pleasures in this world.