Incredibly Poignant

Rating: 10/10 (31 October 2012)

Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli has churned out consistently high- quality 2D animation in the last few decades. Grave of the Fireflies is a lesser-known Studio Ghibli production. As per any Studio Ghibli film, the animation is top-notch 2D, lovingly hand-drawn and the story is simple but relevant. Fireflies tells the story of a brother and sister who are orphaned after their village is bombed during WW2. We follow them as they face their struggles; from living with an unsympathising relative to making a home for themselves in a couple of crevices on the river bank. As the days go by things get more and more desperate for the siblings, as food gets scarce and illnesses start to take their toll. What I like about Ghibli's movies is that they're astonishingly brave; there's no comfort zone here, nothing's sugar-coated. The final scene tugs at the heart- strings and will stay with you for a long long time.