Hotaru no haka (1988)

Director:

Isao Takahata

Writers:

Akiyuki Nosaka (novel)
Isao Takahata (written by)

Release Date:

16 April 1988 (Japan)

Genre:

Animation | Drama | War

Plot:

A tragic film covering a young boy and his little sister's struggle to survive in Japan during World War II.

Plot Keywords:

Japan | Firefly | Food | Air Raid | Shelter

Awards:

3 wins

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Tsutomu Tatsumi	...	Seita (voice)
Ayano Shiraishi	...	Setsuko (voice)
Yoshiko Shinohara	...	Mother (voice)
Akemi Yamaguchi	...	Aunt (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rhoda Chrosite	...	Setsuko (voice: English version)
Shannon Conley	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Crispin Freeman	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Dan Green	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Amy Jones	...	Aunt (voice: English version)
George Leaver	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
J. Robert Spencer	...	Seita (voice: English version)
Nick Sullivan	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Veronica Taylor	...	Mother (voice: English version)

Also Known As:

Grave of the Fireflies (UK) (USA)
Tombstone for Fireflies (USA)
Tombstone for the Fireflies (Australia) (dubbed version)

Runtime:

89 min | Germany:85 min (DVD version)

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:G (Quebec) (video rating) (1994) | Canada:PG (Nova Scotia) (video rating) (2002) | Canada:PG (Ontario) (video rating) (2005) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) (video rating) (1993) | USA:Unrated | Finland:K-11 | Portugal:M/12 | USA:TV-14 (TV rating) | Chile:14 | South Korea:All | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | France:U | Hong Kong:IIA | New Zealand:M | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | West Germany:6

Company:

Shinchosha Company

Trivia:

In South Korea, the release of the movie was postponed indefinitely because of the concern that the movie somewhat justified Japan's role in World War II.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Wakko's Wish (1999) (V)

Soundtrack:

Home Sweet Home

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.