The saying, “history is written by the winners” is used too often for good reason as winners write their version of the events that took place. This quote is not 100 percent true as there are a few exceptions to the rule. The perfect example proving this quote wrong is the movie Grave of the Fireflies. This movie is not for the faint of heart but is one of the greatest movies ever made. It depicts the struggle of the Japanese during World War II. The movie takes some creative license but is based on the autobiography of Akiyuki Nosaka. The movie is a studio Ghibli film directed by Isao Takahata.
The quick synopsis of the movie is about a brother and sister living in Japan during World War II. The two siblings are sent to live with their aunt who treats them badly and takes their food rations that they are given by the government. As a result these two children are trying to survive a war-destroyed Japan as it has been firebombed and eventually is subjected to the atomic bomb. The story’s focus is on these two children and what they go through as civilians in a war torn country.
Akiyuki Nosaka’s autobiography, the basis for the movie, is an amazing story. Nosaka describes how he survived in this environment when everyday sections of cities were getting firebombed. He raises the bar as he discusses the demise of his family members including his father, and his two sisters. When you read these accounts it pierces your heart and shows the true evil that war has on citizens of a land. Nosaka, the only survivor of his family, captures their voice and the reader realizes that war is far worse then hell.
The movie captures and delivers the same emotion. In certain scenes it delivers a more powerful message of what war is and the struggle children face in war. One painful scene is when the boy is lying to his sister about rice buns as he is scraping together dirt for her to eat as they ran out of food. This scene states the message for the entire film. Furthermore the scene instantly triggers emotions that will make your eyes water. It captures the hard decision that had to be made and transfers pain upon the viewer. This is only reinforced by his sister as she smiles eating the dirt, knowing that it is dirt, to ease her brother’s pain while he is trying to care for her. This was made over 20 years ago and the animation is less advanced, but there is no story out there like it.
Grave of the Fireflies is a painful anime movie to watch but is one of the most important films of all times. The film uses many tactics that are extremely difficult to pull off. Finally the film addresses a segment of World War II from a Japanese perspective. The Japanese do not focus on World War II due to their involvement and loss. It is unusual for a movie showcase that viewpoint, especially as an autobiographical piece by a Japanese writer who lived it. Additionally, the movie was directed by a Japanese director and is a major step to start a discussion about World War II in Japan. For all the reasons I mentioned above and many more this is a movie that all anime fans need to own and watch.
You can purchase Grave of The Fireflies here.
