The Pacific War Channel Reviews 🎬 Grave of the Fireflies

This history film review is on Grave of the FirefliesShow more

Grave of the Fireflies is Studio Ghibli’s tragic masterpiece, a personal story of trying to overcome guilt and grief, of hope and hopelessness, the dangers of nationalism, the fragility of life and importance of family and community. Upon seeing the film, many would believe it to merely be an anti-war film, depicting innocent victims of wartime violence, though the director adamantly says this is not at all the case.

Graveyard of the fireflies is based on the very personal story of author Akiyuki Nosaka. His 1967 novella was based on his experience during the Pacific War. As a teenager he was adopted by his maternal aunt after his mother died during Childbirth. His aunt was badly wounded by firebombs, and he never saw his father again. However the death that haunted him the most was that of his younger sister who died of starvation at the age of 16 months. He agonized for years, blaming himself for her death, thinking he could have done more.

Grave of the fireflies depicts the horror that was the firebombing campaign against the Japanese home islands during the Pacific War. Upon seeing the film, many would believe it to merely be an anti-war film, depicting innocent victims of wartime violence, though the director adamantly says this is not at all the case. Some critics of the film argue it emphasized victimhood to avoid a sense of responsibility for the atrocities committed by the Japanese during the Pacific War. Victimization, responsibility and nationalism are major themes played out in this film, its honestly too complex for one video to possibly cover.

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