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Grave of the Fireflies (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) [DVD]

Tsutomu Tatsumi (Actor), Ayano Shiraishi (Actor), Isao Takahata (Director) Rated:
Unrated
Format: DVD
IMDb8.5/10.0
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Additional DVD options Edition Discs
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DVD — —
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$45.00 $37.60
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2
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$57.27 $49.33
DVD
October 6, 1998 		—
1
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$69.00 $28.31
DVD
Collector's Edition
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— $33.40
Genre Kids & Family
Format Widescreen
Contributor Isao Takahata, Yoshiko Shinohara, Rhoda Chrosite, Tsutomu Tatsumi, Ayano Shiraishi
Language Japanese
Runtime 89 minutes
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Product Description

Isao Takahata's powerful antiwar film has been praised by critics wherever it has been screened around the world. When their mother is killed in the firebombing of Tokyo near the end of World War II, teenage Seita and his little sister Setsuko are left on their own: their father is away, serving in the Imperial Navy. The two children initially stay with an aunt, but she has little affection for them and resents the time and money they require. The two children set up housekeeping in a cave by a stream, but their meager resources are quickly exhausted, and Seita is reduced to stealing to feed his sister. The strength of "Grave of the Fireflies" lies in Takahata's evenhanded portrayal of the characters. A sympathetic doctor, the greedy aunt, the disinterested cousins all know there is little they can do for Seita and Setsuko. Their resources, like their country's, are already overtaxed: anything they spare endangers their own survival. As in the "Barefoot Gen" films, no mention is made of Japan's role in the war as an aggressor; but the depiction of the needless suffering endured by its victims transcends national and ideological boundaries. "--Charles Solomon"

Product details

  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ Unrated (Not Rated)
  • Package Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.3 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches; 4 ounces
  • Director ‏ : ‎ Isao Takahata
  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ Widescreen
  • Run time ‏ : ‎ 89 minutes
  • Release date ‏ : ‎ October 1, 2002
  • Actors ‏ : ‎ Tsutomu Tatsumi, Ayano Shiraishi, Yoshiko Shinohara, Rhoda Chrosite
  • Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ English
  • Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
  • Studio ‏ : ‎ Central Park Media Corporation (I) (II)
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00006HAWP

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4,864 global ratings

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Japanese version (VWBS-1356) great for English speakers
5 out of 5 stars
Japanese version (VWBS-1356) great for English speakers
After missing out on the initial U.S. blu-ray release of this movie (secondhand prices for the steelbook are in the hundreds), this Japanese release seemed like the next best option for my Region A blu ray player, and I couldn’t be happier! I couldn’t tell from the product photo if it was a steelbook or not, so I will confirm that it isn’t; it is a decent quality, folding cardboard book-style case.This particular release does not have an English dub, but I knew that before I bought it. This is one Studio Ghibli movie I’d definitely never watch dubbed anyway. It does have English (and Japanese) subtitles, and a few of the special features are in English or have English subtitles as well.I tried to use Google Translate’s camera on the pamphlet inside, which has some previously published material from Akiyuki Nosaka, the author of the original short story, reflecting on the production of this adaptation and some other writing from Studio Ghibli employees that was included in an earlier release of this film. Hopefully I can find a proper translation of all of it, and definitely wish this was a regular thing in english Studio Ghibli releases. Get this while you can!
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Bassline
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful anime
    Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Great movie. Very touching. Beautifully animated. Worth adding to your collection.
    Helpful
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  • thea howard
    5.0 out of 5 stars gravely sad
    Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This was a beautiful but very sad meditation on two young homeless children in Japan at the end of WWII. The teenage boy trying his best to feed and care for his toddler sister but it was not enough.
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  • Tyler M
    5.0 out of 5 stars Japanese version (VWBS-1356) great for English speakers
    Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    After missing out on the initial U.S. blu-ray release of this movie (secondhand prices for the steelbook are in the hundreds), this Japanese release seemed like the next best option for my Region A blu ray player, and I couldn’t be happier! I couldn’t tell from the product photo if it was a steelbook or not, so I will confirm that it isn’t; it is a decent quality, folding cardboard book-style case.

    This particular release does not have an English dub, but I knew that before I bought it. This is one Studio Ghibli movie I’d definitely never watch dubbed anyway. It does have English (and Japanese) subtitles, and a few of the special features are in English or have English subtitles as well.

    I tried to use Google Translate’s camera on the pamphlet inside, which has some previously published material from Akiyuki Nosaka, the author of the original short story, reflecting on the production of this adaptation and some other writing from Studio Ghibli employees that was included in an earlier release of this film. Hopefully I can find a proper translation of all of it, and definitely wish this was a regular thing in english Studio Ghibli releases. Get this while you can!
    Customer image
    Tyler M
    5.0 out of 5 stars Japanese version (VWBS-1356) great for English speakers
    Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2024
    After missing out on the initial U.S. blu-ray release of this movie (secondhand prices for the steelbook are in the hundreds), this Japanese release seemed like the next best option for my Region A blu ray player, and I couldn’t be happier! I couldn’t tell from the product photo if it was a steelbook or not, so I will confirm that it isn’t; it is a decent quality, folding cardboard book-style case.

    This particular release does not have an English dub, but I knew that before I bought it. This is one Studio Ghibli movie I’d definitely never watch dubbed anyway. It does have English (and Japanese) subtitles, and a few of the special features are in English or have English subtitles as well.

    I tried to use Google Translate’s camera on the pamphlet inside, which has some previously published material from Akiyuki Nosaka, the author of the original short story, reflecting on the production of this adaptation and some other writing from Studio Ghibli employees that was included in an earlier release of this film. Hopefully I can find a proper translation of all of it, and definitely wish this was a regular thing in english Studio Ghibli releases. Get this while you can!
    Images in this review
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    10 people found this helpful
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  • Just a Girl
    5.0 out of 5 stars A touching, depressing story of love and endurance.
    Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2002
    Verified Purchase
    For those who insist that cartoons of all forms, and particularly anime, are for children, I present you with Grave of the Fireflies. This amazingly well-done anime has some of the most touching, most depressing scenes I've ever seen on a screen, regardless of format.
    This film is set in Japan near the end of World War 2. Seita and Setsuko live in Kobe with their mother, whom they adore. When the air raid sirens sound, Seita and Setsuko run ahead to the bomb shelter, leaving their mother (who has a heart condition and cannot run) to follow. Seita is obviously not happy with this situation, but the early teen youth cannot carry both his toddler sister and his mother, so he agrees, sure his mother will join them at the shelter.
    From here begins the long, sad tale of the losses that Seita and Setsuko suffer through together. This is very much the story of a young man forced into the role of provider, protector, and nurturer years ahead of time, and of his little sister who adores him. Seita struggles to provide for himself and for Setsuko, and refuses to surrender himself to despair, regardless of the obstacles he is presented.
    I feel that this movie is all the more heart-wrenching for the way that the hurt and the pain and the fear are interspersed with the moments of joy and lightheartedness. For much of the movie, it is almost possible to believe that Seita and Setsuko will come out of this together. Of course, since the movie opens with Seita dying, alone, you know that your hope is misplaced, but you want them to survive. The love they share, and the joy they take from one another make you root for them.
    The characters in Grave of the Fireflies are remarkably well acted. Seita, standing strong, doing whatever is necessary to take care of his little sister. Setsuko is the perfect toddler. Happy one moment, crying the next, unsure of why anything is happening, but sure that Seita can fix everything. The childrens' aunt, a cold, sarcastic, bitter woman, taking every opportunity to ensure the children, especially Seita, is aware of how much they impose upon her and her patriotic family.
    In addition to the quality of the story and the caliber of the actors, the beauty of the artwork is just incredible. The facial expressions, the landscapes, the atmosphere. It's all wonderful, drawing you into the story. I found myself checking to see if the prone form of Setsuko was breathing as she lie ill, then realizing that wait, this is animation.
    This provocative, compelling tragedy is based upon a true story. The original author, Nosaka Akiyuki, wrote a novel based upon his real-life experiences at the end of the war in Japan. This story was then turned into a manga (Japanese comic book), and the story became very popular and well-known.
    Trivia buffs might be interested in knowing exactly how this movie made it to the screen. A director by the name of Hayao Miyazaki was working on a project named "My Neighbor Totoro" but the production company was worried that nobody would be interested in the tale of two little kids and a monster living in rural Japan. Therefore, they decided to make a movie they felt would draw viewers based upon the familiarity of the tale and for the educational value of the story, and make it a double-feature with "My Neighbor Totoro", billing and packaging the two movies together. Those who are familiar with both movies find the concept of packaging or viewing the cheery, light-hearted romp that is Totoro with such somber, depressing fare as "Grave of the Fireflies" mind-boggling, but the tactic seemed to work, though Totoro has become far more popular and well-known of the two movies.
    I cannot recommend this movie enough. It is a poignant story of the love shared by a pair of siblings in the worst possible conditions. And you'll never look at fruit drops the same way again.
    65 people found this helpful
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  • J. Huff
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful film you will remember it for years.
    Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Excellent anime movie that I have reviewed before as a DVD. Heartbreaking story about two war orphans forced to survive on their own after the fire bombing of the city of Kobe where their house is destroyed and their mother is badly burned and soon dies. Their father is in the Japanese navy and is lost at sea. Relatives in a nearby town keep them out of obligation but soon tire of caring for them and with food supplies running short they force the two to leave. The only safe shelter they can find is a drainage hole near a river bank. At first, they are happy as they are free to do as they please, they play and gather fireflies to light the hole they live in, trapped by mosquito netting. In the morning, Setsuko gathers the dead bugs and prepares to bury them. When her brother asks her what she is doing, she asks 'Why do fireflies die so soon?' ( A reference to the title and the two children as their lives are just as fragile) she also mentions their mother's death as their Aunt told her about it. Seita had kept this from her and hearing her mention it so casually brings him to tears. As Seita and Setsuko try to make a life by cooking whatever they can find or steal, things get steadily worse as Setsuko begins to succumb to malnutrition / starvation, desperate to save his sister, he takes her to a doctor who says all she needs is good food. He decides to go to the bank and draws out the last of their money and buys food, but upon coming back, he finds Setsuko weak, delerious and semi-conscious, he feeds her some melon and proceeds to cook food for her but, she falls into a coma before its ready and dies before morning. Gathering supplies, Seita performs a cremation and puts some of Setsuko's ashes in a fruit drop tin. The final scenes are months later as Seita is dying of malnutrition / starvation in a train station. Upon finding his body, the attendant picks up the fruit drop tin and after examining the contents, throws it out into the night to land in the grass, disturbing the fireflies who fly up to illuminate a small figure curled up in the grass, who sits up, then stands. it is Setsuko and Setia soon joins her. He leans down to pick up the rusty can, which changes to like new and opens it to give Setsuko a fruit drop. Going to the train and boarding it, they ride for awhile before getting out to sit on a bench sitting upon a hill. As Seita tells Setsuko 'its time for sleep' she lays her head in his lap and the camera pans up to show the bench and hill are overlooking the rebuilt city of Kobe many years into the future, lit with many small lights, like fireflies in the night. This is a beautiful film, the style is like a watercolor painting.
    6 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Alberto Pedraza
    5.0 out of 5 stars Simplemente conmovedora
    Reviewed in Mexico on February 10, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Película reflexiva y conmovedora

    El Blu-ray contiene audio en inglés y español (latino), la imagen es de buena calidad al igual que el sonido. Llegó en muy condiciones y antes de la fecha estipulada. No dejes pasar la oportunidad de que esté en tu colección o bien hacer un regalo con ésta genial película. Anexo fotos de portada, contraportada e interior para más detalles.

    SUGERENCIA: A los que compren un dvd o bluray cuando escriban una reseña por favor tengan la atención de detallar el audio si viene en inglés o español, ya que en la mayoría de los casos Amazon no da detalles en estos puntos y también no publica la parte trasera del producto. He notado que muchas personas están interesadas en este detalle y sería bueno hacerlo saber a futuros compradores.

    Frases que he visto como: "muy bien", "genial", "para pasarla en familia", "me llegó bien" la verdad no aportan mucho a una reseña.

    Saludos.
    Customer image
    Alberto Pedraza
    5.0 out of 5 stars Simplemente conmovedora
    Reviewed in Mexico on February 10, 2021
    Película reflexiva y conmovedora

    El Blu-ray contiene audio en inglés y español (latino), la imagen es de buena calidad al igual que el sonido. Llegó en muy condiciones y antes de la fecha estipulada. No dejes pasar la oportunidad de que esté en tu colección o bien hacer un regalo con ésta genial película. Anexo fotos de portada, contraportada e interior para más detalles.

    SUGERENCIA: A los que compren un dvd o bluray cuando escriban una reseña por favor tengan la atención de detallar el audio si viene en inglés o español, ya que en la mayoría de los casos Amazon no da detalles en estos puntos y también no publica la parte trasera del producto. He notado que muchas personas están interesadas en este detalle y sería bueno hacerlo saber a futuros compradores.

    Frases que he visto como: "muy bien", "genial", "para pasarla en familia", "me llegó bien" la verdad no aportan mucho a una reseña.

    Saludos.
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  • Karl Mauk
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wunderbarer Film
    Reviewed in Germany on December 20, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Einer der schönsten Anime Filme überhaupt aber so traurig. Den Schluss hab ich nur durch einen Schleier von Tränen gesehen. Bild- und Tonqualität der Blu-ray ist hervorragend. Für Liebhaber von Anime mit Tiefgang ein absolutes Muss!
    Report
  • snaketurtle
    5.0 out of 5 stars Un classico
    Reviewed in Italy on November 10, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Per chi ama la storia del Sol Levante una tra le tante
    Report
  • raccaryusui
    5.0 out of 5 stars 永久保存版です。
    Reviewed in Japan on July 20, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    TV放映も無くなってもう何年でしょう😭
    野坂さんの名作だと思っています。
    どうしても「節子」の4歳での生涯が悲し過ぎて、
    観るたびに泣いています。
    人はこんな暗いアニメは観たくないと言われるかも知れませんが、戦争の悲劇としての名作だと思っています。
    Report
  • Steven Aldersley
    5.0 out of 5 stars Animated, but not for children
    Reviewed in Canada on January 10, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
    Animation, Drama, War, 89 minutes
    Directed by Isao Takahata
    Starring the voices of Rhoda Chrosite and J. Robert Spencer (English version)

    How can I possibly do this film justice? I'm almost in tears just thinking about what I am going to write. The film was released in Japan as part of the same double bill and both have claims to being the best Studio Ghibli releases thus far. My Neighbor Totoro was the other film, and it's possibly the most uplifting film in my collection. In contrast, Grave of the Fireflies is the saddest. I'll try to explain why.

    Both films feature girls who are four years old and both are utterly adorable. Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki seem to know exactly how to capture the innocence, curiosity, trust and unconditional love that a young child gives its parents and older siblings.

    Grave of the Fireflies is set in Japan during World War II. Unlike most war films, the story is not too concerned with the actual war itself or any of the battles. This is a film about the effects of war. Don't assume that it is aimed at children just because it's animated; it's clearly aimed at an older audience. The opening scene gives an indication of what to expect when we hear Seita's (Spencer) narration and find out that this is the day that he dies. After his death, we see his spirit reunited with that of his little sister, Setsuko (Chrosite). This is not a spoiler. It happens three minutes into the film and everything else is told through the use of flashback. We know right away that the children will die.

    It's impossible to discuss the film properly without including spoilers, so be warned.

    Seita is about 14 years old and is responsible for looking after his sister when their mother is hospitalized. Conditions are awful and the mother dies fairly quickly. Their father is away fighting in the war and possibly dead, so Seita takes his sister to live with an aunt. Unfortunately, they aren't welcome guests because the aunt feels that they contribute nothing. As a result, Seita leaves with Setsuko and decides that they will live in a cave near the beach.

    Everything is fine for a while, but the situation in Japan means that very little food is available. The two thrive in each other's company, but it's difficult to stay healthy when you don't have enough to eat. The film doesn't push its message continually, but we see sores develop on the backs of the children as they are wading in the ocean. They are developing malnutrition.

    Why am I recommending such a depressing story?

    There is great beauty in the film. I particularly love seeing Seita's inadequate attempts to make Setsuko happy and care for her. She trusts him unconditionally throughout the story. When he mentions that they need money, she produces a little purse and offers what she has. She's happy at the smallest little things such as the taste of her favorite fruit drops or the light of the fireflies in the cave. It's heartbreaking to see her become ill and watch her eventual demise. Her final words will always haunt me, and Seita's simple declaration which follows.

    One of the most touching scenes is a flashback within a flashback, showing how she liked to play outside the cave. If you have seen the film, you'll probably feel the same way.

    Grave of the Fireflies is an important anti-war film. The story is partially true and is based on the author's failure to keep his own sister safe during the war. So, thinking back to my opening comments, the scene three minutes into the film when their spirits are reunited is incredibly beautiful and uplifting once you realize how pure their relationship was. It's worth seeing that scene again after watching the film in order to fully appreciate its beauty.

    Takahata's depiction of Setsuko and Miyazaki's depiction of Mei in My Neighbor Totoro have given us two animated children that we will never forget. The images are so powerful that the films might even encourage you to treat your own siblings differently. It's easy to take things for granted in life. I live in North America and have never really wanted for anything. My life isn't in danger. Films like Grave of the Fireflies help remind me to appreciate the simple joy of living and the freedom to do so in peace.

    Mere words aren't sufficient to describe the power and beauty of Grave of the Fireflies. You really have to see it for yourself.
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