A moving masterpiece of art and drama.

Rating: 10/10 (1 November 2002)

I don't normally comment on films, but I think this had to be said.
Grave of the Fireflies is not for the weak of heart, it is a moving, and sometimes extremely sensitive, piece about the harsh realities of wartime life, from a child's perspective. But when I say it is from a child's perspective, don't think that this movie is exaggerated or over-simplified, because it is neither. This movie shows the true beauty in animation.
Often we imagine animation as a departure from reality, but Grave of the Fireflies does the opposite. It forces the harsh realities of wartime on us, while keeping the beauty that animated movies have.
The story itself is not unlike ones that have been heard before, families that are torn apart by death and loss, but the depth in which it is told keeps it unique. It is told from the point of view of a young teenager, Seita, a perspective of wartime that is usually ignored.
This movie also shows how deep bloodlines can go. Subtleties in the movie are used often (and well), and as stated by Roger Ebert, 'One of the film's greatest gifts is its patience; shots are held so we can think about them, characters are glimpsed in private moments, atmosphere and nature are given time to establish themselves.' The movie doesn't rely on any specific sequence or action, but rather will let you draw conclusions based on what you've seen.
Without going into DEEP spoilers (you may want to skip this section if you haven't seen the movie) I will say this:
There are times when you notice the harshened reality that Seita notices about him. His Aunt is feeding them (Seita and Satsuko) and fills his bowl with just sauce (no rice), then fills her own family's bowls with rice (from the bottom of the pot). There is a slight pause, and the film itself gives direction to the catching of the eyesight between Seita and his Aunt. Seita knows what she did, and has been doing all the time they've lived there.
This type of subtlety is what makes this film a masterpiece, and will forever be (for me) one of the best animated pieces I've seen AND felt.
10/10