Grave of the fireflies (Hotaru no haka)

17 Dec 2004 2:44 pm

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

The anime Grave of the Fireflies, at one hour and 20 minutes, showcased as a touching story of two orphaned children, due to the World War II.

“September 21, 1945… that was the night I died.” The introduction started off with the brother, Seita, saying these words.

While the colours in this animation seemed a little bit dull (it’s a 1988 animation), I think it shouldn’t really hinder you from watching this. During one of the air-raids, Seita and Setsuko’s mother died from extreme burns. Seita, the elder brother at 14 years old, and Setsuko, the younger sister at 4 years old, strived to survive the war-ridden country.

Their auntie who took them in, was an ungrateful relative, and the children had to move elsewhere. They found a shelter of some kind beneath the mountain, next to the lake. The fireflies that the brother caught for his sister died the next day, and the girl was left pondering, “Why do fireflies have to die so fast?” The brother asked what she was doing and she replied, “I’m making a grave for these fireflies. Just like mother.”

It’s a brilliant show; this anime showed how they tried to survive through it all, with the innonece of Setsuko most endearing – with Seita trying to gather rice, and at one point, steal from other people, etc.

Seita eventually discovered that his father who was in the Navy died as well, while fighting the losing war. And when he reached the shelter his sister and him was living at, she was lying down, extremely weak due to diarrhoea and malnutrition. He left a watermelon next to Setsuko, and proceeded to cook.

“She never woke up.”