Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no Haka): The Japanese perspective on the horrors of WWII...
Almost all of the people reading this post will, in all probability, be from Western countries... So, with almost certainty, I can tell you that, almost all of us will have grown up with the perspective of the victors of World War II; the Allies, the United States of America... But beyond that curiosity, what is shocking is what Ghibli Studios did in 1988; not only did it create one of the most important feature films in the history of Japanese and world animation; but it also showed us what the horror of having survived two nuclear bomb drops, and having been part of the losing side of the war, could feel like?
Based on hundreds of thousands of anecdotes from the time, this is the story of two siblings. A boy and a little girl... But before giving details about the plot, I want to emphasise that the striking thing about this Japanese-style animated film (a masterpiece of anime) is the delicacy with which it deals with the most atrocious of horrors.... There are no exaggerated scenes or shots to make anyone vomit.... This is about what two young children of their time have to do to survive in a Japan devastated by destruction and famine.
Their parents are killed in the conflict. The father, a Japanese naval commander stationed in Pacific seas to defend the defeated Japanese Empire against the United States, and his mother has died, along with hundreds of others, as a result of bombing and the underlying aftermath of the war itself. There is no empathy, no humanity, and even less compassion. These are orphaned children, who need help, especially from their families, and no one does anything to help them.... Their uncles see them as nuisances and treat them as worse than a pest. They don't share food with them and mistreat them... the children run away and accept loneliness as opposed to humiliation.
Life is pure survival. Between illness, hunger, theft to be able to eat, hiding in the street from those who might hurt and harm them, and overcoming the death that stalks them at every moment, the children manage to overcome, as best they can, by sheer sacrifice, the obstacles? Life is hard, weaker and weaker, especially the girl, who is smaller; hunger is never satiated? In the hands of the older brother, a small tin can with a nauseating content but which will be symbolic for the meaning of the film. We see, through the Japanese perspective, how a war is suffered...
As heroism abandons all logic and all that remains is survival at all costs, indolence and a marked sense of loneliness.... It is a country adrift, without hope, but where fraternity, love and the values that make us all human; we can witness them through the circumstances that the two brothers have to endure. It is impossible not to be moved and shocked, in similar proportions, by Grave of the Fireflies.... And the most inexplicable thing is that this film only arrived in Latin America in 2005, in Europe in 2005 and in the United States in 2000. More than 12 years after its original release in Japan.
Censorship and bias is a part of every society... There is a rhythm and a starting point that seems to be culturally and historically imposed ... Not to mention, that in war, and even more so in World War II, there is always a high price to pay. It is a heart-rending, profound animation, with settings of real places and striking colours. Montage sequences that remind us of the harshness of a period we were lucky not to have lived through? And the sound that will make you never forget what you have heard in this animation... Grave of the Fireflies is the masterful perspective of the ‘soulless’ Japanese enemy thrown overboard... It is what, surely you and I would do, if instead of those two unfortunate children; it would have been one of us. Please, what a work of pure Japanese art. Bravo!
Aún tengo recuerdos de la niña, esta y el castillo vagabundo son las más impactantes a mí parecer
The while film, for me at least, is totally mind-blowing. That's why more than 36 years later we still talking about its impact and beauty.
se ve bonita, me encanto tu reseña!
looks beautiful, I loved your review!
Thank you, @yasmarit I appreciate your words
The consequences of war can be devastating and go beyond "simple" destruction of infrastructure, buildings and cities. War brings out the worst in people but also the best; resilience is vital in that movie. I remember seeing it many years ago and yes, it is very captivating and sad. The reality was very hard for those people. Studio Ghibli as always making works of art. Maybe I'll see it again, the movie deserves it.
Greetings!!!
If thus post, has the impact to me you watch again the film, I'd be more than just happy. It really works the time to sit and enjoy it. Thanks for your comment @javyeslava.photo
This movie generated endless emotions in me, the ones who suffer the most from the confrontations of adults are the children and to see them trying to survive in deplorable conditions breaks your heart because this really happened and continues to happen 💔
A touching movie with a very deep message 😢
This film show us how really mean actually we all can be... It does matter age, time or anything... Of course. We all could reach love and sympathy for others but in crisis, we tend to act like people does in the movie. And, that's the scary, st least for me.
There are really no winners in war, and it's really horrifying how war doesn't only affect the country it colonized but also the country of the colonizers itself. In WW2, the Japanese had colonized our country (Philippines) and reading the surviving records from the horrors that happened during the Japanese brief colonization period in our country really made my heart heavy. From the comfort women to merciless mass killings—it really made my blood curdle. But seeing this movie somehow opened my eyes to the fact that it's not just the colonized countries that suffered in those times. However, I can't say I'm not grateful to the U.S. for helping our country break free from that really dark era— tho the bombing was sure ruthless—because I believe that it's not the citizens' fault that their government is greedy enough to colonize other countries.
It's a film that really strikes a deep chord and shows us the cruelty of war from an unusual perspective. The way Ghibli deals with the suffering of these children is heartbreaking and, as you mention, without the need to exaggerate. I find it impressive how he manages to convey the loneliness and helplessness in the midst of devastation. I've only seen it twice, and I always cry my eyes out... it's definitely a gem. 🙌
It's incredible that out of all the films and works I've seen from Studios Ghibli, I've never had the opportunity to see this wonder that many talk about. I have to watch it one of these days since I'm a big fan of this type of anime.
Excellent review and recommendation.