A Close Look at Grave of the Fireflies | Big Joel

[@kot4311]

Honestly, this is my idea of a perfect war movie. It’s not a glorious battle between good and evil, it’s a series of small sad events not caused by any individual force which ultimately ends in a tragedy

[@Rik-B]

Exactly. It also is one of the few war movies that are not from the perspective of soldiers, but from the perspective of complete outsiders who just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. And there's much more of those in actual wars.

[@elderly_gentleman9489]

It kind of reminds me of Dunkirk in that sense.

[@Predestinated1]

Game of Thrones S8E5 was very good in showing the tragedy of people suffering from war

[@cchonkerson]

The aunt was directly responsible for the death of the children and so were the cops, farmers and doctor. The aunt with her bitterness and being literally evil to them while profitting off of them at the same time. The absolutely toxic environment she created for both children, which essentially forced them out. The farmer who found an obviously malnourished child stealing a bit of produce from him and instead of trying to help, beat said child brutally and turned him over to the police. The cops, the doctor and the rest of the farmers with their "can't help you" attitudes, the disgusting "as long as I'm good nobody else matters" mentality, even towards children in need. The apathy and cruelty/ direct actions of many of the individuals we saw killed those children. Just like in real life, the apathy and cruelty of people kills other people. It's easier to be irresponsible and shut your eyes/ ears while continuing to live pretending like random "little events" lead to somebody's tragic demise but in many cases, it's other people slowly pushing that somebody to that point. There's no such thing as "small sad events not caused by any individual force" that lead to tragedy.

[@zacharyliu571]

Though from the soldiers perspective, you'd love "All quiet on the Western front"

[@ra1n1sm49]

I don't know if you knew this but Grave of the Fireflies that was published in 1967 and is a semi-autobiography short story by the author Akiyuki Nosaka and is based on his experiences before, during, and after the firebombing of Kobe during 1945. When his little sister died of malnutrition he blamed himself for her death and wrote this story to come to terms with his grief and loss.

[@chabisaplateau3068]

Prince Jeng What do you mean by that

[@peterprime2140]

@Prince Jeng Edit: Big Joel literally mentions Pearl Harbor. It was World War 2, you probably already know why there was a war.

[@vampirzii]

@Prince Jeng hahahaha

[@rence5785]

It is based on a true story, but there really was no little girl. They're both brothers

[@venvilph6799]

@@rence5785 if u just try to search in wiki about the author you would know more about his story. And yeah its his little sister who died lol.

[@joshuadeem2026]

I think another central point of thematic conflict in the film is the struggle between Seita's legitimate love for his sister and his desire to satisfy his own pride. We see consistently throughout the movie in scenes such as Seita's dream of the military parade that he greatly admires his father and wants to be "the big man" for his sister. This desire leads him to try to care for his sister in ways that are often detrimental to her well-being. This is another example of what you brought up- everyone is to blame for Setsuko's death, and most of them do so with no kind of intention or malice. Seita is simply a normal, tragically flawed individual, and it's writing like this that makes the film so excellent. Great job on the video!

[@a_lethe_ion]

yeah, I think its a view at pride in general, at failing and a way for the writer to deal with his traumatic past where he survived, but his setsuko didnt

[@jadchahhal1748]

No it isn't about his pride, he's a child too don't forget. He makes mistakes and he thought that he could make a living outside easily. He doesn't understand the way things work in the adult world. He's a kid. The sadness is the innocence of it all. They don't know what is happening outside but are victims of it all.

[@itskitty808]

Indeed. This movie is full of flawed characters and highlights that the world and the people in it are simply not perfect.

[@alexandresobreiramartins9461]

@@jadchahhal1748 I disagree. Seita is teenager, plenty old enough to understand the consequences of his actions. The problem is he's selfish and wilful to the point of blindness.

[@daisugoi]

@@jadchahhal1748 I can't say I agree with this at all, especially when looking at this from the author's perspective as a semi-autobiographical story - the difference is that, in reality, he didn't show enough/any care for his sisters when push came to shove and someone had to eat, but the character was altered to show more remorse and concern. He was also written to be 'spoilt', which sounds more reminiscent of being stubborn or prideful rather than simply naive or innocent. In the real world, the author lost his sisters and this was his apology to them, of sorts, because he held himself responsible. Honestly? With good reason.

[@mintsavanna]

I'll recommend this movie to everyone but I'll never watch it a second time. Too sad.

[@EAGalvez]

Same bro, I did watch it a second time but the experience was nowhere the same.

[@FlyFreely8272]

@@EAGalvez : what was your 1st and 2nd thought?

[@EAGalvez]

Fly Freely It’s hard to get the same outcome if you already know the process. In my first viewing I cried like in some very other few times I’ve ever had in the film but in the second one that feeling wasn’t matched. Still, this is a masterpiece.

[@FlyFreely8272]

@@EAGalvez : I just wanted to know your reason.😊 I also cried after the 1st watch. I couldn't watch again. The aunt was so heartless.

[@jf6591]

Same. It scares me to go again to the dark places of my mind that this movie took me...

[@Definitely_not_Andrew_Yoshiaki]

I know I am a bit late, but I wanted to add something to this. I'm Japanese-American, my mother is fully Japanese, and my father is half American-Japanese. Both of my parents were born and raised in Japan and aside from my grandpa on my father's side, everyone else is Japanese. I am heavily invested in both my identities that, for college, I went to Tokyo, to further learn about myself and my parents' homeland, and lived with my grandfather in Saitama (a prefecture outside of Tokyo, and from my location barely an hour away from Tokyo). Judging by the age of the main character, my grandfather was about the same age, as he was high school age working in the factories building parts for a fighter plane. This story is deeply personal to him that he only viewed it once, but that's not a point I want to get. I wanted to point out something interesting that most audiences outside of Japan would get the chance to know. You see, in Japan, this movie is released as 火垂るの墓 or Hotaru no Haka which literally translates to "Fireflies' grave" but mean "Grave of the Fireflies." Now this is nothing to write home about, but I wanted to point out, that that's not how we spell Fireflies today. Hotaru or Firefly in Japanese is spelled 蛍 and this is an update of the original spelling from Edo Period: 螢. Now this is the interesting point that I wanted to make that I believe the director Takahata wanted to emphasize. 火垂る、the way hotaru is spelled for the movie, is spelled as: "Fire which falls", as 火 is the character for Fire, and 垂る is a term used to emphasize something is dropped or fallen. thus, 火垂る gains a new meaning in this way. Another thing which must be emphasized is that the older character of firefly, 螢, is a mix of characters into one, you see Chinese characters are interesting in that, characters with their own meanings are sometimes combined to make something new, and if you look closely, the old character has a pair of 火 or hi (which means fire) atop a カンムリ or Kanmuri(crown) (for visual purpose) atop 虫 or mushi, which translates to bug. Fireflies traditionally has been associated with carrying fire in this way. So this adds a layer of symbolism, of fire being dropped, pertaining maybe to the bombs which were purposefully designed and meant to set the wooden Japanese houses on fire, as well as to the fireflies, to the actual dropping of the firefly carcasses in the grave, and the lost souls during the war ( interesting to note, there are many ways to signify death in Japanese, similar to English, but one of them is 命を落とした、or his/her life "fell" or "dropped"), and finally to the innocence lost during the war. It should be noted that the setting of the film is Kobe, an area which were hit with at least 1000 more tonnes of the fire bombs as compared to Tokyo. I hope this opens up a new avenue of seeing this film, as this is a film, my family, and my surviving Japanese grandfather on my mother's side have hard times to see for reasons I will never truly understand. Thank you for the incredibly interesting take on the film by the way, it made me think of this film in a new light.

[@labrujanat]

Thank you for taking the time to write this. Its very insightful

[@zingzangspillip1]

Agreed. I have no Japanese, but I enjoy Japanese culture and the language is fascinating. Very interesting to hear the layers of meaning in the title.

[@tenmark7055]

Thank you for that

[@carsonkoenig8562]

Thank you for sharing this.

[@seiyasugano8522]

俺日本人やけど、そこまでの意味考えたことなかった。 新しい見方ができた。ありがとう！

[@animecafe1142]

and the worst part is this movie is based on a real story

[@alianbaba9330]

kartik khatri same thing happened in Syria in 2015

[@tegarmsadat883]

@@alianbaba9330 its happen there almost everyday, and people doesnt care bacause they are muslims

[@petardjordjevic2967]

The real story is even worse

[@lolsers747]

WHAT

[@marcoscarrasco92]

In a way, you could say it's based on hundreds of thousands of real stories. But yes, the original story is autobiographical.

[@tsundere62]

my mom who's a huge Ghibli fan let my 4 year old ass watch this movie and apparently I cried the whole night.

[@Linnytic]

I was was 10 when I watched it and cried the whole night too...

[@DsantosGE4PA]

Crazy mom! LOL

[@DsantosGE4PA]

this movie is for adults!

[@veronepillay3643]

Im 20 and the movie is literally stuck in my mind

[@vibing6530]

Showed this to my mom, youngest brother and oldest sister. My mom commented "I hate sad movies, man.."

[@pssurvivor]

Even thinking about this movie makes me cry

[@Tb0n3]

T_T

[@Renicent]

what makes it worse is that this probably happened to children in japan in wwII

[@iisgray]

It probably happened to thousands of children in Japan during and after WWII, they had a massive orphan crisis

[@Ghoststone1]

Pallavi Sanyal I saw it on IFC years ago it will haunt me forever.

[@feliciaf8]

@@iisgray the same as any country in war at that time, the worst one would be in eastern europe

[@forestgrump4723]

Personally I think this movie is all about pride. Pride is what fueled the foolish war that took away their mother. Pride is what drove the aunt to treat the children poorly, because she felt she was working harder than them and they should be doing their part. Pride is what prompted the children to leave. Pride is what made the made beat Seita almost to death. Pride even kept Seita from burning his sisters body at a church as he was instructed. If the woman hadn't been so self proud about taking in kids that weren't hers she might have seen that she was making them unhappy. If Seita weren't so self proud he would have taken his sister back as soon as the doctor said she just needs food. This movie is mostly about the danger of being too proud in my eyes.

[@voltagebinary1006]

Forest Grump The foolishness of pride is definitely a theme here. It's not the only one, though.

[@Anna-wd8ox]

Forest Grump YES! I was so frustrated

[@daniellxnder]

this comment deserves more recognition

[@teukuakhnukh8232]

Beautifully spoken

[@HumeanPiano]

I think selfishness is also a key theme in the movie. The aunt is selfish, the farmers aswell, and the doctors and everyday people have no time to waste on the same child crying for help they have seen... what? 5 times? 12 times? Even when he cremates his sibling, he doesn't go to the temple, he wants to see her one last time, he wants to be alone in the moment, one last time. It isn't the only theme ofcourse, but when I say selfish, I don't mean selfish as a vice, it can be a virtue, in its own way. Selfishness is portrayed as a vice in the beginning, then we see the farmers who can't afford to give more from their crops, and in the end, we see the brother cremate her sister alone, not taking into consideration the value of the temples, because now all he cares about is seeing her sister one last time. When their is war, and you are devastated, sometimes selfishness comes out naturally for all of us, and the line between good and bad is indistinguishable. We can't distinguish who caused all of this, we can only accept for what it is, and make do what we have, we either give up, or move on, and sometimes even those two choices result in an indistinguishable outcome, like how the two children had no liberty of choice really; live unhappily in a selfish environment, or starve and live selfishly to run away from the selfishness. All result in the same outcome.

[@NiDeCo]

Fun fact: this movie was shown back-to-back with My Neighbor Totoro and kind of marketed towards small children. Guess who got emotionally scarred by the droves when this movie came out in theaters in Japan.

[@iisgray]

By pure coincidence I WATCHED this movie back to back with My Neighbor Totoro. The incredibly pleasant mood of Totoro really set me up for how crushing GotF is. I guess I'm.. well, no I'm NOT glad I saw them in that order. I was barely able to handle it.

[@Randome0205]

@@iisgray FYI, in Totoro, both kids died too. The scene where the sisters ride the magic bus? Don't you think it's similar to GotF scene where the siblings ride the train in the beginning of the movie?

[@iisgray]

@@Randome0205 I absolutely hate you people who think that just because you came up with or read a fan theory somewhere it automatically is canon. There's like 15 different valid ways to interpret that movie and only like two of them are that the kids are dead.

[@Randome0205]

@@iisgray Chilll

[@Randome0205]

@@iisgray So explain the ending then.

[@eleanoramner1613]

I remember when I was around 10 or 11 my dad gave me a flash stick with movies on it for me to watch with my friends and Grave of the Fireflies was on there. So one afternoon my best friend and I put the movie on with no expectations or any idea of what it would be about. It was the original Japanese version with subtitles and we almost didn't watch it because neither of us could read very fast. But we did end up watching it. I remember entering this kind of surreal space as we watched the film. We were both talkative kids usually but neither of us said a single word throughout the movie. I think the fact that we had no idea what we were getting into kind of made the movie just a little bit more horrific. I remember when it was over I just switched it off and we sat for about a full minute in silence. There was this strange quality to the silence, like it was full of something heavy and strange. It was one of those weird shared experiences that you hardly ever come across. It's hard to forget.

[@dantefloressq]

That's not a movie i'd let my ten year old watch lol

[@dragastarr2926]

Eleanor Amner Did your dad know what it was about? I don’t think I’d let two 10 year olds watch this alone either.

[@WildpawShecat]

The same happened to my sister and I when we were younger. We got the movie from the library and watched it, expecting just a slightly different Ghibli style movie. Oho we were wrong, and we also sat in silence after the movie...

[@erasmusb.draggin2022]

Draga Starr Why not? Would you let your kids hunt at 10? Slaughter & prepare a rabbit or chicken? See a dying friend at hospital? Attend an open casket wake?

[@hyperludicrous9143]

I remember watching it when I was 13 or 14 and flat out bawling for hours because it depicted a cruel universe that I didn't want to be apart of. I also think it made me feel guilty about my own life.

[@SgtPepper2411]

I watched this movie with my boyfriend at the theaters during a Ghibli special this summer, knowing very well that I would cry. My boyfriend is American, and a very pragmatic and logical engineer and he watched the film with the same amount of detachment that you did. I'm Venezuelan and graduating from medical school next year, I have seen too many malnourished children, mistreated by their family members, or children die from dehydration because of their family's ignorance. I cried and cried until my eyes hurt. It hit very close to home for me. I came out of the movie theater crying and my bf kept trying to console me saying that it was just a movie, I kept telling him, it isn't the movie that bothers me, it's the fact that there are still children living in similar conditions and I can't stand feeling so powerless. I feel like that's the beauty of this film, its original audience would have felt the same way I did because they may have been survivors or may have seen children in the streets during the war and could have explained that to their children. So their reaction was surely more visceral. If you see it as an outsider, without having witnessed similar situations, it makes you uncomfortable, powerless and sad but you don't feel the true severity of it. You know from the start that they die, so you just watch it unfold without being able to do anything. But you know it is in the end, just a film.

[@alexcarter8807]

I grew up in the US in the 1970s, a very hard time in the US. We went from middle-class to very very poor. I almost lost my beloved youngest sister to malnutrition, and when she barely pulled through and then learned to connive and steal etc she'd become a different person, to survive. I'm sure I became a different person too. I learned to forage and to find new things to eat, that others didn't consider food, like sweet potato leaves. I learned to work all afternoon for a few dollars so my younger sisters and I could eat in the evening. So I am always affected when I see kids going hungry.

[@SgtPepper2411]

alex carter I’m very impressed by your story. Thank you for sharing it with me, I’m glad you lived to tell it. Are you and your siblings ok now?

[@c_wyz]

@@alexcarter8807 what are you talking about. sweet potato leaves are a delicacy in South East Asia...

[@rebekahjcowan]

Maria Alejandra Bastidas Torres is this about the film or you and your boyfriend?

[@Ebichuchu]

I don’t know how your boyfriend didn’t cry...I think anyone no matter what culture or experiences you’ve had realizes the magnitude of this movie because this really HAPPENED to people. We all tend to feel an even greater sense of sadness when it comes to children because of their helplessness.

[@HebaruSan]

Grave of the Fireflies says 'No'

[@antsvic1287]

HebaruSan ‘No’ Says the Vatican it belongs to God, ‘No’ Says the man who watches grave of the firefly’s

[@euminkong84]

Yes hahahhahahahha

[@warrenparker7002]

@@antsvic1287 Nice Bioshock reference

[@lithostheory]

Warren Parker could you explain that please? I’ve never played that game.

[@raveneskridge3143]

Seita's ghost acting as the framing device really feels like we're watching the movie through his guilt. even though he was just a boy he could only do what he thought was right and it ended his sister's life and then eventually his. if Setsuko's childlike wonder is eternal in death, Seita's guilt seems to be eternal in his.

[@chesterdonnelly1212]

We literally are. The author is being semi autobiographical. So the ghost of Seita is basically the author who survived this situation whilst his sister perished. It is, in part, his way of immortalising his sister whilst dealing with his own survivor's guilt.

[@cathmaguica]

That actually makes it more depressing if you think about it that way... :(

[@lilyfinch9131]

My favorite thing about being single is that my emotional constipation isn't ruining a relationship.

[@RegstarRogstar]

OH MAN

[@AmandaFromWisconsin]

@minxymissy1 I'm a 39-year-old woman who's never been in a romantic relationship. At least when I'm alone, I'm not miserable.

[@khwaga11]

“Grave of the fireflies says no, sometimes we need to stay in broken systems. Sometimes we have two choices: remain in a bad place, or die trying to escape it” this reminded me of The Giver.

[@nancyomalley6286]

that could be a no-win situation too. What if the Aunt slowly starved them anyway?

[@weefslider]

@@nancyomalley6286 Thats the point - you lose either way.

[@penglipur_lara]

@@nancyomalley6286 fuck his aunt, that monster dont have any heart.

[@anthonytitone]

Seta’s pride is represented as his form of innocence rather then the mean spirited notion of pride we usually associate, every kid believes they can be a hero and protect the weakest of society, just as Setsuko’s loss of innocence is portrayed through the comprehension of death, Seta’s loss of innocence is portrayed by the understanding that there is nothing he can do to be a hero and save his sister no matter how much he truly loves her

[@matildegd9965]

I think you missed a big theme. Seito's decision to leave his aunt was due to pride and that is what eventually led to his sister's death. This was a commentary on Japanese culture at the time, as Pride is a big, if not the main, reason why Japan didn't want to surrender in WWII.

[@DsantosGE4PA]

Agree! Kind of dumb to not follow his aunt

[@pushpasharma2014]

You are wrong

[@user-mv5tm8eu5z]

maybe the crossover in pride and ignorance/innocence ? and how it blinds them to the consequences

[@charlesrs]

watch the movie Seito's aunt was hording food and not giving them their fair share

[@kamrankambang7953]

@@melindad3643 like the movie, bot of your replies is right. And also wrong. In the end... Setsuko dies.

[@PavarottiAardvark]

So something I noticed in GotF (and something present in a lot of Ghibli) is how impersonal the machines of war are - we see no humans in the planes and boats. Their warfare is just an inhuman thing that happens.

[@MrRys]

@@duxveritatis2569 are you joking or what

[@duxveritatis2569]

@@MrRys You think there was no actual rape on the "Rape of Nanking" or what?

[@MrRys]

@@duxveritatis2569 that was my question to you... (yeah, so it was joke... good one :D )

[@duxveritatis2569]

@@MrRys I just don't see the point in Aspiring Marauder comment. Grave of the Fireflies puts the blame in everyone and i don't think him would want that in his hypothetical "yeah it happened to them also" movie since he seems to put the blame in the japanese exclusively.

[@MrRys]

@@duxveritatis2569 if they did the Rape of Nanking they would hardly be able to put the blame on anyone other than Japanese soldiers... but yeah it couldn't have much to do with this movie

[@hobihope2981]

Love this movie, but I flinched when I heard the dub I usually don’t care about dub vs sub stuff, but the authenticity of this film is only preserved in the sub version. Watching the dub of Grave of the Fireflies is like watching a dubbed version of Life is Beautiful. There’s a better understanding of historical and cultural woes when you hear the stories like these in their own native language. I know it’s hard to read subtitles through teary eyes, but it’s worth it to experience the film and the Japanese historical perspective of WWII in it’s purest form. Aside from that, thank you so much for discussing this movie. It’s so underrated and gives us a perspective on something that’s rarely ever discussed, how citizens of countries that start wars are actually affected by the horrors of war, regardless of which side they’re on.

[@IsThatEtchas]

He most probably used the dub because subtitles in the movie would fuck up subtitles in the video. It was probably for logistics reasons.

[@hobihope2981]

IsThatEtchas Oh true, I didn’t even think of that!

[@BigJoel]

I’m of two minds when it comes to this stuff. Generally, I prefer dubs when it comes to animation. I feel like a better vocal performance just isn’t worth my eyes being glued to bottom of the screen and not immersed in the film’s world. That said, the original vocal performance of grave of the fireflies is much much better than the dub, so it was a tossup. In the end, I figured I should go with the version that makes my video as accessible as possible.

[@nm9688]

The Book Thief, too

[@Justanotherconsumer]

The quality of the voice acting is... also not so good. Using an actual child to voice Setsuko was more or less necessary - adults voicing children are never convincing. It’s an uncanny valley thing - especially after hearing the original, it’s outright grating.

[@Ashfen]

My dad and I watched the film together, and his first thing to say after it ended was "did he go back and kill the aunt?"

[@farneze2]

I have a love and hate feeling for the movie thats why i will be succeful in my life i hate watching things happen and cant do anything about it,,,

[@nekozombie]

@@farneze2 I don't get your comment :(

[@simonwong7807]

@@nekozombie yeah lol neither did i

[@shashasharan1744]

@@simonwong7807 I think he/she's saying that he/she's very prone to action and wouldn't have just sat around, which would therefore make him/ her successful.

[@zVillin]

Did you guys skip the first scene or?...

[@Kirungi_Birungi]

11:26 "Everybody is to blame, everybody is complicit ans there is no one source of any problem". "Sometimes we need to stay in broken systems, sometimes we have two choices, remain in one place or die trying to escape it." *depression put into words*

[@Syn]

watching this movie makes me feel even more blessed and grateful that i didn't have to live in this time period with wars and compared to back then it's easier to get help now and be connected to relatives if you ever need help

[@MsLuath]

You live in a time period of wars where people are bombed and children die sensessly: Gaza, Yemen, Syria...It just does not make the news.

[@infidlus5078]

Yup,must have been depressing to live in that time period

[@robertocosme3421]

nah, time period don’t got anything to do with it, be blessed you live in a developed country, there are still developing countries out there that don’t have access to the things you do, stuff like this can still happen to people

[@killerfoxes2909]

War is still happening today, in many regions of the world. Yemen, Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Myanmar, Ethiopia. All of these places, these things are still happening. Also, many of the things in the movie, starvation and death for example, are happening in more places than the ones I listed. You feel blessed you live in a developed country. When I went to the Philippines the first time, I went to a small island called "Boracay". The original people of Boracay, in fact the original people of all of the Philippines, could still at the time be seen there. Most were poor, and most look half starved. The act of being kicked off their land was literally happening real time, in the modern era. It wasn't something from history. I don't know enough to know what happened to these people. I know I didn't see them begging for food in my more recent trip to the Philippines. I know there are international organizations trying to help them. However, I don't know what happened to the little girl I handed my lunch. I don't know if she is alive or dead. I know it is at least possible she is dead though. The world is still awful. We just pretend its not.

[@voltagebinary1006]

I watched this for the first time last night. I was really moved by this film, even though I pretty much knew what was going to happen plot-wise right off the bat, due to the opening subway scene. I like that the film didnt take a defiant, woe-is-Japan type of stance, or villainized America for bombing. It really just focuses on two people struggling to deal with the civilian aspects of full scale war at home. This movie is something every human should see. Especially Americans. P.S. I watched the subbed version and liked that much better than what I saw of the dubbed version....Setsuko's "Nee-san" cries are heartbreaking....

[@endstudios1834]

Being Japanese, This movie had a huge impact on our culture. And helped protray our pain after ww2 especially after the atomic bombs, Thanks for covering it also there is a manga, i think is it about the same thing or at least similar

[@ksenijas1783]

I literally cannot and won't relate to the pain of the Japanese people. Except the fact that the atomic bombs were thrown more like an experiment than anything.

[@IsThatEtchas]

>I literally cannot and won't relate to the pain of the Japanese people. How exactly do you mean that? Are you saying that you can't because you didn't experience it and therefore cannot exactly relate to the pain i.e you can sympathise but not empathise?

[@ksenijas1783]

+IsThatEtchas The latter.

[@ksenijas1783]

+IsThatEtchas Japanese were massive aggressors in WWII, and they had it coming so to say.

[@endstudios1834]

ksenija s Well yes, we were aggressors but now we are extremely regretful about it. Nontheless the point i was trying to make was that the war was terrible and devastating with scars that last to this day

[@phantasiai]

In an interview about Grave of the Fireflies, Takahata said "It's about two children who apparently died. There wasn't anything else". I think this is an important lens to view the film. Even the war is more just the setting than the subject. The film gives no context for the war and does not present any message about it, because that's not what it's about. It's about Seita and Setsuko, that's it. But there's one "message" that Takahata admits the film has: it's warning of the consequences of isolation. Seita's stubborn unwillingness to rely on others and persistent attempt to live outside the system is what leads to the death of his sister and himself. What the viewer is meant to learn from the film is that it's important to rely on others and be part of society, while trying isolate oneself and become fully independent is dangerous.

[@allenhooper8532]

I'm glad you said this. Man vs. society type thing. I can totally see that theme. People without civilization means death.

[@RealLukeWilson]

Two things that I always think about when watching this movie are the fact that Seita dies 3 days *AFTER* Japan surrendered, acting as a sobering mirror to the oft-talked about death of Anne Frank two weeks before the liberation of Auswitz; and the law of the Qu'ran that states anyone who steals food due to starvation must be allowed to keep it unpunished (though I don't know whether or not most Muslim societies have stayed true to this). The complexities of the histories we remember and the histories we never know; and the different rules of law in societies in times of desperation, are extensions of themes you talk about, but outside of Japan. This was a beautiful analysis, so thanks for that. :)

[@FlyFreely8272]

Are you same Luke from Duolingo Spanish?

[@khadijaelboushi7742]

Yes that rule is true you get to keep the food and a lot of other rules that are made to make life easier that people just ignore like sadga giving money food clothes or anything honestly to people in need or forgiving people

[@CaptainFracture]

This is such a dumb comment lol

[@noufilasif]

Im pretty sure its not 'must be allowed to keep it' just the unpunished part. But hey, im just a dumb 14 year old

[@FlyFreely8272]

@Mint Chocolate Hot Sauce No there's no response.

[@hitandruncommentor]

I think you hit it right on the head. One of the things Grave of the Flies does is makes us very aware that we cannot relate to these kids. We can't because the wars like WWII are rare, the absolute desolation and prolonged hardship of the war for Japan is something most people in the world never experience, especially in non-failed state countries. And that is what gives the film so much weight and effects the viewer so deeply. These are two people living lives we cannot imagine and be in, and what makes the tragedy cut all the more is that it does lay the blame at out feet. The film says "Look at what you have done" and in the end where the two ghosts the modern world it almost demands that we do better simply if only to avoid just tragedies again.

[@SakiMcGee]

My favorite thing about being single is that it means I’m the only one who can disappoint me.

[@WobblesandBean]

That's so sad...and also really, really relatable

[@neo187420]

Careful, much later on in life that disappointment/regret can weigh an awful lot for only one person to bare, trust me.

[@angelrock30]

if i graduate i want to quote this sentence

[@Livin4Jesus00]

You’re not single my friend, you’re married to this dark world, just like Seita and Setsuko were... and just like we all are.

[@xingcat]

My SO and I work together on a lot of creative projects. We're both puppeteers and produce plays, shows, and videos together. One thing I think may be looked at in your analysis of "Grave of the Fireflies" is also the different audiences who watch it. A Japanese audience in 1988 (around 40 years since the events of the movie) and a western audience from 2018 (70 years on) are coming at the story from different states of remove, so this flattening effect you talk about may not have been quite as intentional as it may seem from a viewing from here and today.

[@GeahkBurchill]

xingcat Well hello there! I’m also a puppeteer and builder. I make and perform marionettes. I rarely run into other puppeteers outside of Facebook. I think you are right. When I first saw this film, in about 1992, it had a profound impact on me. I’m white, and American and didn’t know anyone who was in WWII. I saw a subtitled version, but didn’t feel any flattening or emotional distance as far as I can recall. I remember being totally invested and totally devastated by it. I don’t think it was about chronological distance, it had more to do with my age in relation to the kids. I was barely a decade older than them.

[@xingcat]

Ah, marionettes! I've never been able to master that style of puppet, but I love them. I make and perform with hand puppets, in the Muppet/Avenue Q style. Good to "meet" you!!

[@GeahkBurchill]

xingcat For me, it’s the engineering and performance challenge that attracts me. I’m not naturally a person who likes the spotlight, I like marionettes because I am behind a curtain and a backdrop, anonymous to the audience. They can totally focus on the puppets. Another thing I find interesting is the uncanny valley. Most puppeteers seem to dislike even the mention of the concept. They don’t want their puppets labelled “creepy”, but I decided to tell disquieting stories, so I find marionettes really aide me in that way.

[@ivaliciantea]

I came into the comments hoping to find something like this here-- given that the film was based off of a partially autobiographical text by a survivor of these events as well as directed by a survivor of the US firebombings of Japan, it seems a bit narrow-minded to assume that the film intended to create distance between the viewer and the emotions the protagonists' experience just because it's your personal viewing experience. Especially when these things refer to a time period that is the lived trauma of the filmmakers.

[@dillzee]

For a western audience I'd say it'd be from the early 90's rather than 2018 since that's when it was translated

[@branuhlig8476]

I am married and have been for almost 10 years now. I often find that the thing I appreciate most is the same thing that bothers me about companionship. Relying on one another. My wife is always there, and always attempts to help and comfort when times are bad. She shares with me when they are good and she occupies my mind when times are mundane. This though, is a lovely trap. I can't be as impulsive as I pretend to want to be. I can't quit my job suddenly and take off exploring the world. She relies on me, and more importantly I rely on her.

[@WobblesandBean]

My husband did that. Applied for a job in London, and didn't tell me. His excuse? "I didn't think they'd show any interest". Ugh....anyway, hello from London.

[@lolacook6522]

This movie was really so straight forward and that’s what made it so sad.

[@WobblesandBean]

My husband is just, the sweetest, most adorable person alive. When he gets excited about something, the world melts away and he just laser focuses on it with these twinkling eyes and a big grin, and I fucking love him for that.

[@AlbertKekstein]

Amelia Bee That was actually something i needed to hear - thanks!

[@WobblesandBean]

Albert Kekstein Yay 💜

[@Princess-Pulcella]

Amelia Bee that's so sweet

[@AlbertKekstein]

Amelia Bee It might sound silly but i think this comment just re-wired something in my brain Today was the best day i had in a long time and for the first time, maybe ever, i have the feeling that i got this, so thanks again! I wish the two of you all the best in the world - pls give him a hug from me, he sounds like an awesome guy

[@WobblesandBean]

Albert Kekstein He is, and I will 💜 I know world is really scary right now, I myself find that I feel more and more depressed every day...but I see Ben and how much he loves to see the beauty in all the small this nobody else notices, and it gives me hope. I'm really glad you're feeling better, we all gotta fight to make this shithole a better place and I think we can do it.

[@mothcub]

I love the way this movie creates this sense of alienation and it so weirdly reflects my own emotional experience growing up, like I was so concerned throughout childhood and adolescence with the fleeting nature of happiness and the horrible, helpless reality of things, so I feel like there's a strange, distant level of comfort nestled in the tragedy for me, somehow? Because it felt like a secret that I couldn't talk about, but in this it's all there, the dread of everything. And then the fireflies and the ghosts are like "we're here and we see this". idk. This is maybe one of my fav videos from you.

[@mothcub]

Returning to this comment to add something I forgot but really wanted to say, which is that when you said "no one's to blame" it reminded me of the song 'No One Is To Blame' by Howard Jones ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/jF6kZ4p-ZtCEgsU ), and it fits so well with the theme of being a bystander to tragedy, particularly inaction in your own life and specifically in the song's context concerning two people who really want each other but can't act on it for undefined reasons. It's also just some really nice piano work.

[@Sea_witch_]

THE FRUIT DROPS. NOT THE FRUIT DROPS! :'( even that damn can of fruit made me cry so hard. My dear baby, whyyyyyyyyyyy D':

[@carolinejoseph1654]

yeah, i know. i just got my own can of fruit drops. sakuma's drops, from japan. m a proud owner of this can now... seal still intact. i mean... how can this be possible... a simple can attached emotionally... mind blowing how we can get affected deeply!

[@zxakiten]

www.amazon.co.jp/s?k=%E3%82%B5%E3%82%AF%E3%83%9E%E5%BC%8F%E3%83%89%E3%83%AD%E3%83%83%E3%83%97&i=prime-instant-video&__mk_ja_JP=%E3%82%AB%E3%82%BF%E3%82%AB%E3%83%8A&ref=nb_sb_noss これは昔の日本人にとって非常に魅力的なお菓子でした。

[@thomasfplm]

I think that's the saddest film I ever saw. My way to describe it is that it's a movie with just enough happiness so you are not numbed by sadness.

[@lindatruyens9036]

You can really feel the guilt experienced by the author through this film: the main character is presented as an almost selfless hero while making childish decisions that are even shown to be the right ones. It’s almost like it’s being told by the main character at the age they are in the story, with selfish decisions (such as leaving their aunts house and idealistically believing that he could independently solve all of their problems) being presented as the only solution. in reality, it’s an avoidable situation that the two kids should never have been put into in the first place, which truly brings home the impact and loneliness that war brings.

[@64_bit80]

I'm like 90% sure that portrayal is supposed to be symbolic of Japanese military pride during WWII

[@sakuradeva555]

Amazing analysis I burst into tears as soon as the movie started. What I enjoy most about being single is the crippling loneliness.

[@enviousleaf123]

Watched this movie when I was in 9th grade. My friend had this cd case full of anime and I was slowly making my way through the material. I had no knowledge of this movie or what it was about. The title just caught my eye as I was flipping through cd after cd. (For context, I was in a private international boarding school in the south Indian mountains). So I start watching this movie and it was like nothing I have experienced before. I didn't understand the thematic scheme that was the ghost watching. To me I was heavily invested in each character. The death of their mother. The anger I felt towards all of the adults. The frustration I felt towards his decisions. The questions I asked myself what I would do if my and my younger sister were in the same situation. The tears and despair and anguish I felt watching his sister slowly die. We have all have watched War movies but rarely do they focus on the civilians and their struggles.

[@stanleyperry]

Same for my whole family we are going through all the studios movies and watching them together .... we had no clue what we were getting into ... we are all sad ... my son is sad ... weird family movie night none the less ...

[@thomasp6034]

Many good points in this video! I think the most important moment in the film is the final shot, in which Seita's ghost sits on a bench overlooking a modern Japanese cityscape. I think the flash-forward is a very important artistic choice. Japan has been rebuilt and is unrecognisable: it seems that the world has moved on. But the film says emphatically that the war dead are still with us, they haunt our modern society, much as we try to ignore them and repress the memories. Also, I think this is the most beautiful and sad film ever made.

[@hank_says_things]

I’m not crying. Actually yes, I am. This movie traumatised me in a way no other movie ever has, and I can never watch it again. It’s quite possibly the best war movie ever made.

[@sabujdutta-9561]

*anti-war

[@kenirainseeker539]

To me, seeing those other dead kids just reminds me that every single one of them had a story like the one we see and just shows how widespread the suffering was.

[@moonlitskyes]

Some words of advice when watching this film: keep tissues on hand and please, please, PLEASE watch the original Japanese version subbed and not the dubbed American version. The beauty of this film is its child actors and their ability to bring their characters to life; something the American version is unable to do.

[@thesherlockhound]

Setsuko's Japanese voice actor was actually 5, and the producers were worried she wouldn't be able to handle the script.

[@owari-9628]

100% agree

[@skieeskieee]

High Commander Squealer i hope you’re kidding.

[@freindmaker4473]

@High Commander Squealer even if you're kidding I hope that nobody thinks that you're telling the truth

[@skieeskieee]

High Commander Squealer Yeah what you’re spilling is absolute bs. The only reason you’re saying that is because it’s in English, and you an understand it. If you could understand Japanese, you would definitely not be saying that. The film is made by Japanese people. The film depicts Japanese people during war. THEY ARE Japanese. what is said in the Japanese version is the true and raw version of it, while the English one is translated and may not translate well. I’m going to guess that you’re just trolling, because you’re the only person I’ve met who thinks this way. EVERYONE watch the Japanese version and you’ll get a more raw, emotional movie instead of the one with weird voice actors who don’t sound like children.

[@themonsteraddictmmxvi1564]

I'm currently in a long distance relationship. Honestly, the one thing i love most.about my girl is her voice. Even on the worst.days, a short call will be able to steer me back on track. Her laugh and hearing her rant about everything to the traffic in her area to how different everything is to her cats being dumb, listening to her say that brings me a form of serenity. It brings me peace.

[@MusicalBloodDrop]

Personally, I didn't feel very pushed away at all, despite the framing device. One of my own tragic flaws is throwing my whole heart into whatever media I consume, despite what the media may do to it haha. We all die, one way or another. We all leave, and some of us do it painfully. That doesn't make our lives any less meaningful or beautiful or transient - what you said here is very true, that beauty and happiness are only found fleetingly and only kept in death. Just because I knew they would die by the end of this story doesn't distance me any more than it does with any of the other people that have died when I retell their story; they lived like the rest of us, and they had moments of pain and happiness just like the rest of us. I think that's what keeps me even more invested. Rather than be pushed away, I try to hold on to whatever existed of them even tighter.

[@forgetfulstranger]

I resonate with this comment so much

[@kigut7443]

when i first saw this movie, it actually put me in to a state of grief. i was old enough to understand the feelings, but so young that they hit a lot harder. around 14 or 15. i actually mourned these characters for a good hour afterwards, and had a good sob during the little compilation of happy moments after the little girl died.

[@porassrivastava8242]

After watching the movie, I googled "why do fireflies die early?" The answer was pollution and lack of clean resources.

[@jeldoh]

holy shit lmao

[@KingPantocrator]

That goes to show how thik the propaganda is and the fact behind this "climate change" narative there is a political agenda

[@Andrea-fd2bw]

@@KingPantocrator science can’t lie

[@liverskins]

Yeah but bugs in general dont live very long. because they are bugs.

[@mca_a1131]

3:15, The girl didn't say, "Did she give it to me?" . What she said was, "Doesn't mama need this ring anymore? Do I get to keep it?" And the boy also did not say, "Be careful not to lose it." He said, "You'd better put that away." It's a lot better to watch the movie in Japanese with the correct English subtitle. That English version has some dubbing inaccuracies.

[@garypotter5569]

One of the worst English dubs of any masterpiece ever.

[@sophia-nb5xp]

i just want to say that i first watched this movie when i was 10 thinking it was for kids lmao. i was traumatized but it also ultimately contributed to the person i am today. it’s one of my favorite movies of all time. i wish i could get an analysis of this movie from my innocent 10 year old perspective and compare it with my current analysis, with all my new vocabulary and understanding of the world. yeah. sad and good. edit: also one of the most impactful scenes from this movie (for me) is where it’s revealed that setsuko is so malnourished that she had been eating stones, imagining them as candy. i guess i could analyze that and figure out why that scene is the one that comes to mind every time i think of this movie (most likely cause i was a child who had never experienced malnourishment & was extremely freaked out by that depiction of starvation/delusion in a toddler), but it also feels very incidental. just like the entire story is incidental. after watching grave of the fireflies, i’m always left feeling like.... a sigh. passive and sad and disappointed. just a breath. but all of this is what it is. it just exists you know? history can’t be changed. knowing about it is never going to be comforting. i think this movie informs but it also just serves as a way to practice empathy. idk. i’ve never had a definite idea of what i’m supposed to take from this film. empathy and humanity is the best i can come up with. edit: “All we can hope to be is observers on the margin. Looking on from very far away.” FUCK dude. god yeah literally. fuck . encompassing this entire feeling at age 10 and not have the ability to explain it is so fucking weird but thank you for this video sorry for commenting so much all at once kfhdkgsafjdb this is just so good, i love you.

[@aceofspades4930]

I think this movie is a good movie for older kids. But I don’t think anyone who hasn’t been in that situation can really understand the pain of starving or watching someone you love starve and not being able to do anything.

[@angelovassalo7655]

I watched a lot of cool films like this when i was 6 to 9 and i think this made me a better understanding person

[@sgurlrox67]

Omg I was 10 when I watched this too and I was scarred. It was probably one of the saddest movies I've still seen up to date. I kept waiting for something good to happen to the children, not understanding what the movie was about.

[@aceofspades4930]

sgurlrox67 I was also waiting for something good to happen. we’re just used to happy endings .

[@Nuvizzle]

It is for kids. They have a somewhat different understanding of what's considered appropriate for children to see in Japan.

[@lolathompson5922]

This video essay, and all of your others truly, was such a treat for me. I motivated myself to write an essay for class by knowing that once I finish, I can finally sit down, relax, and watch this video for, probably the third time in my life. I absolutely love it.

[@tigerbalm20000]

It’s one of those movies you never forget and will recommend to everyone, yet you will never watch twice. I don’t remember many of the details since I watched it over 15 years ago, but somehow it still leaves a deep emotional scar. For me, it’s not about the images and sounds of this movie anymore. It’s about the emotions I feel just thinking about the story and the characters.

[@icebox56]

Tears started to well up in my eyes as soon as the music played. I first saw this movie about 10 years ago and I still cannot find the courage to watch it again.

[@brian837]

The one scene i’m surprised isn’t mentioned is at the end when the family comes back to their home and play their music enjoying themselves as they’re in their home with a view over the lake and cave showing the big difference between the privileged and the ones who struggle

[@minhphung8479]

i have seen this movie when i was a child, or a teenager for no more than a couple of times. I'm 30 now and its the most haunting movie ever, that i haven't been able to rewatch

[@WhimsicalPictures]

I think this film, while universal in a lot of aspects, is also speaking a lot more directly to a specifically Japanese audience than a lot of people give it credit for. Takahata and the author of the original book have both talked a lot about the political apathy of Japanese young people in the bubble economy, and how they wanted to depict a protagonist whose selfish and self-righteous actions lead to ruin for both him and his baby sister. And while the film came out in 1988, I still find myself listening to the careless words of people my age and younger here in Japan that make me wish they would take a look at this film and really think about it for a while. It begs us all to be just a little better, to care just a little more, and to learn from the mistakes of the past. In many ways, it feels more relevant now than ever. RIP Isao Takahata, you won't be forgotten

[@bobbyjonesface]

Being single, I don't have to wait for anyone, and I don't have to be waited for. And I'm never disappointed with being single because I've been single for most of my life - I don't have any unrealistic expectations, unlike the ones I do for relationships.

[@WobblesandBean]

What "unrealistic expectations", exactly?

[@bobbyjonesface]

@@WobblesandBean Uh well I wrote this two months ago and I'm not exactly sure what I meant. I've actually been in a relationship since I wrote that comment (I got dumped last Sunday oof). Keeping that whole relationship and other experiences I've had with in romance in mind, I don't think I have unrealistic expectations, but I think I meant that I find it hard to connect with people romantically. Very hard. I assume I was thinking that since my connecting with people is so rare, it's unrealistic for me to expect for it to ever happen (shit that got depressing). But I could be completely wrong.

[@rexremedy1733]

It’s all the aunts fault. She could have brought them their share of ration even after they left the house. After all, she knew where they were staying.

[@ETRdav1d]

This reminds me of Pearls (Steven universe ) line about how humans like to Blame a single enemy instead of a complex network of complicated issues that are beyond our control

[@hecunt3633]

@@rebeccak3835 *Tojo, and the Japanese High Command*

[@croatoan6562]

@@carlosniebla7534 You need to chill. Steven Universe is "SJW" how, exactly?

[@NeedForMadnessSVK]

I am so very glad you analyzed this movie, especially the part about numbness and detachment. I do not shy away from emotions movies bring, even if they are uncomfortable, like sadness. I expected this movie to be full on cry fest. I mean, its literally a story about two children dying. But as you said, I felt uncomfortable, the whole story was absolutely tragic, which I understood, but I didnt cry or feel especially sad. I felt depressed, but in a nihilistic rational way, not emotionally. I thought I was either sociopath or that I simply couldnt relate myself to two children in wartime Japan. Which is bullshit, because I related to much more different characters. I am glad you broke the story down and showed its actually normal reaction and the narative structure of the story actually tries to achieve this. Now I know I am not emotionally broken!

[@valeriae6053]

Went to a friend’s house and she was super excited to show us this movie. She popped the DVD on, and an hour and a half later we were all just like “...why would you do this to us?”

[@LordofBroccoli]

Oh man, I love this film. Didn't Miyazaki also contribute to this film?

[@hobihope2981]

Marc Shanahan Yep! Actually, when this film was released, it was a double feature with My Neighbor Totoro. The reason people forget it’s a Ghibli film is because Disney didn’t buy it in their deal with Ghibli, so it never had a theater release in the US and has no representation with the Disney corporation. So people think not Ghibli = not Miyazaki, which isn’t true.

[@punchyroux]

Wow, what a double whammy. Was this movie before or after My Neighbor Totoro?

[@Maya-ew8uz]

This movie was originally released as a double feature with My Neighbor Totoro, which means it was played at the same time as Totoro. This movie was played first and then directly after it was Totoro, which is why Totoro flopped when it was first released, later on Totoro was released seprately and that's when it grew popular.

[@Snowfoxie1]

Also Totoro was set just after WW2. It's highly implied that the girls' mother was hospitalized because of radiation poisoning and that their adventures with Totoro and the spirits were a sweet coping mechanism. It's definitely much lighter and has a happy ending, but it still explores some of the same dark themes as Grave of the Fireflies.

[@punchyroux]

Wow... that does explain her sickness pretty good, and how they moved out into the countryside in the first place. I always thought it was a bit weird that the father lived far out into the country and worked at a college.

[@scarstalgia3947]

Man... I started crying again after you played that song... Just thinking and listening to you talk about this movie made all my sorrows of this movie resurface.

[@yames3991]

My favorite thing about my girlfriend is knowing at the end of the day that I care for someone and someone equally cares about me back. It's just a good feeling.

[@Eeter26]

Sure sounds great sadface

[@ZimVader-0017]

I watched this movie for the first time when I was 17. I felt the same way, kinda detached while still feeling sympathy over the horrible things that were happening. For some reason, I finally broke down at the end when they show the kids sitting on a bench looking out at modern day Japan.

[@ssharkbait]

My favorite thing about my boyfriend is his kindness. His heart is so full and he's honestly inspiring just to be around.

[@malva1363]

this video started playing while I was still crying from watching the movie for the first time. my head hurts.

[@almac97]

My partner sometimes falls asleep while cuddling me, and it's the loveliest thing.

[@steingar7820]

Another stellar video Big Joel. If you like "Grave of the Fireflies" you'll definitely be interested in some of Takahata's other films, like "Only Yesterday" and the true masterpiece "The Tale of Princess Kaguya". Their use of expressionism in the animation style to tie in with themes of memory and emotional trauma is really something unique, and might be worth a video analysis of their own some day! Oh, and since you asked, I love how my SO and I can talk about anything anytime, including pop culture; hell, you can be sure there'll be 10 minutes of our lives dedicated to deconstructing this video some point soon. Keep it up buddy!

[@EtherealBlueRainbow]

I watched this movie as a child & even though I don't remember most of the events from it if any, I cannot bring myself to watch it again, it had such an impact on me. Mostly, I remember death, overwhelming sadness & the fireflies. To these days, I can't watch anything related to fireflies without feeling this bittersweet melancholy & a visceral understanding of how ephemeral life is. How fragile & heartbreakingly beautiful it is.

[@SavannahVu1985]

This man is so articulate, I appreciate the way he explains/describes things in such detail and the way he takes the time & care to structure his words so he gets his point of view across but not to offend anyone. Such a lovely man, any movie he says will make you cry, you DARN sure will!! This movie shattered me........ I felt a overwhelming feeling of deep sadness that I just couldn’t shake off no matter how hard I tried. I am not upset that I watched it, I just that my overly sensitive, empathetic heart/personality and the way I am is just not cut out to deal with so much hurt and pain. The movie is absolutely beautiful but Should come with a warning that you will turn into a blubbering mess followed by massive bouts of sadness.

[@aias8209]

The first time I saw grave of the fireflies, I was going through some depression. A friend gave me a few animated movies, like my neighbor totoro, howl's moving castle, kiki's delivery service, etc. I was really sad and just wanted to watch something light and without actually looking at what I put in the dvd player, I curled up in my bed and pressed play. I soon realized this was not going to be a light movie, but I could not stop watching and just stared paralyzed while tears poured down my face.

[@monugupta32]

This made me feel, I definetely need a rewatch. Thank you for covering this, absolutely loved it!

[@JohnTLyon]

This film broke my heart. Beauty is indeed transient and fragile by its very nature. Anime has the ability to take on these difficult subjects and face the truth of our own darker nature. Thank you for making this.

[@BrandonB...]

'Sad,' as a term, doesn't come as close to describing this movie as maybe 'existentially horrifying'

[@Forlorn-Bagel]

The ending scene where their spirits sit on a bench and look outward towards the wave of modernity, forgotten by the world is just. CRUSHING.

[@crunchybones3165]

I think that showing the character’s deaths at the beginning establishes a very, VERY high standard of the entire film. It’s essentially a spoiler, but the film still dares you to feel compassion for what these characters go through. It eliminates any and all shock factors that the film could have used in order to convince the audience that “war is bad”, so it’s expected when Setsuko starts to starve and when the siblings’ living conditions spiral lower and lower as the movie goes on. The spoiler also tells the viewer that, like this video said, this is not a story that can be looked at in a feel good “at least i’m not in that condition” sort of way. It’s almost a threat. The character’s detachment to the viewers also show what it’s like to be a victim of war. They don’t have the luxury to blame anyone, and having anyone feel bad for them won’t save them. It feels like a rejection from the characters, a rejection that says “this was my experience, and my life. Nothing can change it, and it is my responsibility to live through it. I do not want you to watch my life, and use it to feel pity towards me.” It allows the audience to relax, and truly just live through the experience. No amount of wishing that “if they use didnt leave their aunt’s house” would actually give them a better experience. It prevents the audience from thinking about what could have been, and instead allows them to live out and try to accept the condition of their world.

[@Mayakran]

This movie made my manly man tough as nails father cry (for reference, the only other time I’ve seen him cry is when my sister died). I first saw this movie when I was 12 and while it could be argued that I was “too young,” it’s made a huge impact on me as a creator and how I think of creative works in general. It’s interesting watching this analysis, though, and seeing it not through the eyes of a child (in broad, thematic strokes and emotional motifs), but as an adult with more life experience and knowledge regarding the context of the events in the movie.

[@Wanderer5888]

This is the type of movie I’d recommend to anyone who asks. Not to make them feel sad but because it’s a true masterpiece.

[@sprootoveralls1450]

Yet another amazing essay. I love these videos sooooo much. Thanks for all your hard work. Favorite thing about my boy is that he's my best friend.

[@Johnfromthedesert]

Hard to believe the debut of this movie was a double feature with My Neighbor Totoro. It's so relentless. Every time I watch it, it feels like I just got beaten up several dozen times in quick succession. Truly underrated. Thanks for this thought-provoking analysis. It was very well-done.

[@luciostheimer3850]

A beautifully thoughtful analysis of a beautifully heartwrenching film that everyone should see. Thank you Joel

[@ngman002]

Thank you for bringing this film into the spotlight again. It is one of the most powerful movies I have ever seen and thank you for bringing out Takahata's ideas to the public. This is one of the few reasons I love KZbin.

[@zoetice433]

To answer your question at the end about "what is your favorite part about your significant other?", I would have to say how much we relate to each other. We (a lesbian couple) have the same morals, a fair bit of musical taste, video games, and more in common. I also love the way she laughs at my terrible jokes and her smile that accompanies her. Thank you for asking Big Joel

[@itskitty808]

I saw this movie back in middle school with my aunt and uncle. We all cried like babies during the film, however we watched the original Japanese version because at the time the dubbed version hadn't been released. As Japanese-Americans, this movie hit my aunt and I hard as we heard of these those terrible atrocities of wartime Japan. Even though my uncle wasn't born during the war, he felt the struggle his mother felt during the war from watching this movie.

[@MrEnaric]

An intense, sublime and absolutely heartbreaking anti-war movie which I will never be able to watch with my wife. It's just too gruesome to see children suffer like this.

[@camrynhowe4321]

My favorite movie of all time since I was three, thank you for this video man. 🙏🏽

[@jsull81]

"Capital M, Masterpiece..." Absolutely ! One of the best war movies, and saddest, that I've ever seen

[@killswitchlee123]

This film is one of the greatest films ever made. I showed my ex (my daughter’s mum) this film when we were together because she loves Studio Ghibli, but she had never seen this one. I told her “... be prepared. You will cry”. She said it was one of, if not the, most depressing films she’s ever seen, but it was great. The best thing about being single is that me and my daughter’s mum get on better as friends. It works for our little girl too. I don’t have to pretend to be someone I’m not.

[@YourIngrownToenail]

So weird that throughout the whole movie, i kept a stoic face. But then when the credits ended, i just broke down crying for the next five minutes. I guess the whole situation finally got me at the end.

[@MW_1994]

History is written by the Victors. What I love about Grave of the Fireflies is it wasn't. This film depicts the harrowing loss of those who were dealt the deepest blow because of war and famine, and that is what makes it so powerful to me. There's a devastating poignancy to the narrative, which gets you thinking in a way that no other film can. I've only watched it the once, but I still haven't managed to work myself back up to seeing it a second time, though I really hope to. This was a fantastic video essay! Thank you for uploading it.

[@rain74925]

I had a hard time watching this movie this first time, that's when I was young. Even then, I knew this was a masterpiece in animation. It's profound, it's serious and the quality of the animation is superb. As sad as this movie is, I highly recommend it.

[@simonrowland3995]

I think this is the best movie I have only watched once. It’s so unremittingly sad that I got 2 min into your video and had to stop. Just can’t take it. If it’s like any of your other videos I’m sure it’s great x

[@doggodoggo3000]

some of the most compelling media i have ever watched i have a hard time watching a a second time. Its just too heavy. Grave of the fireflies and come and see are two war examples. The most recent one i cant bring myself to rewatch was Midnight Gospel, even though its incredibly impactful and brilliant.

[@porassrivastava8242]

I rarely cry in movies, whenever I do they're happy tears, like crying at the end of a silent voice knowing the protagonist is happy, but this movie is probably the first one to make me cry because it's so sad.

[@abramthiessen8749]

Well. That is my sister's favourite film. And that is why I have seen it 3 times. There are no villains in real life, just people going about their lives doing what they think is best. And often what we think is best is actually a terrible idea. Justice is rare, people often suffer for no reason and then we die. All we can do is hope to do good. Hopefully you read that as doing good for others.

[@enterurnamehere27]

Actually there are a lot of villians irl. Even in the movies there are villians too

[@NegativeAccelerate]

Enter Ur Name Here by villains do you mean selfish people? People who commit immoral acts? How can you decide what is moral when morality is a subjective concept? People always have reasons for doing things. Mass murderers are nearly always psychologically traumatised or born with a dysfunctional brain. Those that are ‘good’ are usually blessed with a good brain a good family and a good upbringing. They were given an advantage. There are villains in movies which is a trope that makes it easy for children to understand. Most adult movies aren’t as silly and will explain the “villains” background to explain how they became the way they are. They are both the villains and the victims

[@shaydawn7376]

As an older/oldest kid, this movie is way more heartwrenching, because we know, as the older, this is an honest portrayal of what it means to be siblings. The oldest always buffering and protecting the younger, no matter the cost.

[@TheAMarino8]

I read a comment about the cultural significance of this film, and I have to agree. As I'm watching, I'm placing myself in this time with these characters, and as you said, I also don't live the same life with the same emotions, but there's a possibility that we could. This presents a large opportunity to engage in empathy. To understand further the generational responses to tragedy and the implications those serve. I think it doesn't grant us the answers or satisfaction we search for, but it presents a window of opportunity for us to see.

[@goombie8962]

This video is amazing my man, blows my mind how much I love it. Really great essay.

[@ZoeZhang-fg4ux]

We can't assume the duel would survive if Seita stayed with the aunt. The ration is only 65% of the minimum needed for survival, and only 70% of the rations are actually delivered. That means everyone gets less than half of what is needed to survive. Someone were going to die. I read from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_in_the_Occupation_of_Japan

[@SirRichard94]

I cried the whole video, because of that impotence at looking at those kids again and al the tragedies around them. This kind of movies really get me. My favorite thing about being single is I don't need to wear a boyfriend mask, I can just be me.

[@ashleyirvin7350]

One of my all time favorite movies. Its so profound and opened my eyes to the realities of life and the difference of how war is portrayed in different countries.