An Achievement Not Only For Studio Ghibli But Animation As A Whole.

Rating: Null/10 (25 April 2014)

A profoundly moving, emotionally devastating & truly heartbreaking tale that'll effortlessly find itself on the list of cinema's greatest tear-jerkers, Grave of the Fireflies is a beautifully crafted story that explores the relationship between two siblings & covers their struggle to survive in the war-torn city of Kobe, Japan during the final months of Second World War.
Directed by Isao Takahata, this is his first film under Studio Ghibli production banner, which he co-founded with Hayao Miyazaki, & remains one of the proudest achievements for not only the director or the animation studio but the entire animation genre itself. The dynamics of the brother-sister relationship is beautifully expressed on the screen & voice actors have done a splendid job too in bringing these characters to life.
The hand-drawn animation is beautiful, evocative & aesthetically pleasing, the effects of war on civilian life is strongly felt, music is minimal yet eloquent & the manner in which the fate of its main characters is unraveled is so depressing that it'll leave many teary-eyed. On an overall scale, Grave of the Fireflies is an absolutely heartbreaking, haunting & harrowing piece of quality cinema that remains one of Studio Ghibli's most defining works & is powerful enough to rank high amongst other war films too. Highly recommended.