Grave of the Fireflies

Original title: Hotaru no haka

1988
12A
1h 28m

IMDb RATING

8.5/10

332K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

Play trailer1:44

Adult Animation Anime Hand-Drawn Animation Period Drama Animation Drama War

A young boy and his little sister struggle to survive in Japan during World War II.A young boy and his little sister struggle to survive in Japan during World War II.A young boy and his little sister struggle to survive in Japan during World War II.

Director
- Isao Takahata
Writers
- Akiyuki Nosaka
- Isao Takahata
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.5/10

332K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

611

157

Director
- Isao Takahata
Writers
- Akiyuki Nosaka
- Isao Takahata
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Top rated movie #38

Awards
- 3 wins

Seita
(voice)

Ayano Shiraishi

Setsuko
(voice)

Akemi Yamaguchi

Aunt
(voice)

Yoshiko Shinohara

Mother
(voice)

Kôzô Hashida

Obayashi Chairman
(voice)

Masayo Sakai

Woman who takes care of Setsuko
(voice)

Kazumi Nozaki

Cousin
(voice)

Yoshio Matsuoka

Gosaku
(voice)

Masahiro Kanetake

Aunt's house guest
(voice)

Kiyoshi Yanagawa

Patrolman
(voice)

Hajime Maki

Man who arrests Seita
(voice)

Atsuo Omote

Person in bank
(voice)

Teruhisa Harita

Station worker
(voice)

Hiroshi Tanaka

Person in bank
(voice)

Michio Denpô

Station worker
(voice)
…

Shirô Tamaki

Person in bank
(voice)

Tadashi Nakamura

Mika Sekita

Nurse
(voice)

Director
- Isao Takahata
Writers
- Akiyuki Nosaka
- Isao Takahata
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
This film was initially distributed with My Neighbour Totoro (1988) because it was the only way that Miyazaki could have been able to make "Totoro." The reason being that the original film pitch for that film was rejected, so they pitched a double feature with "Grave of the Fireflies," and the project was eventually backed financially by the original writer of the book on which "Grave" is based. It often was overlooked as a film because whenever "Totoro" was screened first, people were left happy and did not wish to be saddened by "Grave" afterward.

Goofs
Right at the beginning, someone places what looks like a rice ball loosely wrapped in some tree bark as a protective cover next to the boy known as Seita. The scene cuts to Seita's face and soon after he collapses, the wrapped rice ball is nowhere to be seen.

Quotes
[first lines]
Seita: September 21, 1945... that was the night I died.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: True Crime/Ravenous/The King and I/Forces of Nature/The Harmonists (1999)

Soundtracks
Home Sweet Home
Written by H.R. Bishop (uncredited)
Performed by Amelita Galli-Curci
Courtesy of RCA Victor Red Seal, a division of BMG Classics

User reviews1K

Review

Featured review

10/10

More moving than you could ever expect

This film is utterly emotionally draining whilst being rewarding at the same time.

The animation is both realistic and stylized but that's not the point, the main focus of this film is the character development of the brother and sister protagonists. Their relationship is nothing short of beautiful and touching.

And without spoiling anything I have to say that this film touched me in a way no other film has ever touched me in my adult life. One or two films have upset me and reduced me to watery eyes but Grave of the Fireflies had me in fits of sobbing despair. I was a mess! I'm talking total emotional breakdown. Couldn't talk without sobbing! One of the best films I have EVER seen, animated or not.