Tragically Beautiful

Rating: 10/10 (19 April 2018)

A testament to the power of stories and animation artistry to move us about the horror and contagion of war and human indifference, and - just as strongly - the value of life.
Incendiary bombs rain down on a Japanese city in a later stage of World War II, obliterating the home and town, and killing the mother, of young Seita and his little sister Setsuko. With their father in the navy and faraway, the pair travels with a few scavenged possessions to an aunt's house in the country. The aunt is mean, selfish and manipulative, so Seita and Setsuko - tired of the constant shaming - take their chances alone on the outskirts of town. There with the forest, ocean, meager savings, vegies pilfered from surrounding farmland, a can of fruit drops and the fireflies, they hope to stay positive and survive.
The film is poignantly narrated by the ghost of Seita, who is lying in a train station near death at the beginning of the story. We follow the ghost to understand how he reached this point and see what happened to Setsuko. The narration does not spare details about wartime terrors; black rain in the aftermath of widespread incendiary burning, charred bodies and human indifference to suffering. Mercifully uplifting moments are likewise detailed; the strong bond between brother and sister, refuges of happiness and beauty amid the devastation, swimming in the sunlight dappled ocean and a sky full of fireflies. North American animation usually does not delve into such serious subjects, so it is especially hard-hitting. The film is based on a short story by Akiyuki Nosaka, but also the writer/director's own life experience. As a boy Takahata was almost killed during an air raid and fled from home with his sister. Takahata, co-founder of Studio Ghibli, died on April 5. Besides its dark aspects, the film inspires us to treasure moments with those we love, appreciate the beautiful things around us, and care for the less fortunate.