Comments on: Friday Afternoon Movie: Grave Of The Fireflies

By: Thomas

Thomas — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 18:55:02 +0000

ErinSamedi and eman–

I think you might consider that Seita is at the age when he is between being a man and a boy. In that context, his reactions are not those of a “punkass kid.” He has seen his mother die and learns his father is also dead. He goes to rely on relatives who treat him callously despite he and his sister being recently orphaned and feed him and his sister a smaller ration even though he brings them something of a financial windfall. The aunt, for example, is shown as being overweight and taking food for herself as she prepares it. His reaction as a boy is, understandably, indignant and prideful. His reaction as a man is thinking that he is self-sufficient and independent enough to care for his sister. We are asked as an audience to think about how a war took fairly average characters with otherwise normal reactions, and certainly with no more flaws than any of us at that age, and created from it a very tragic outcome.

Also, keep in mind that this work is semi-autobiographical. “Seita” wrote this as an adult, implying that he wishes he had died instead of being alive after his sister’s death.

I know we all like to imagine that we’d be perfectly logical and virtuous in such circumstances, but sometimes being human (at any age) means being illogical and less than ideal. Hopefully this helps you appreciate the movie more.

By: Ross Rosenberg

Ross Rosenberg — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:29:49 +0000

ErinSamedi – The aunt’s indifference has nothing to do with Seita being lazy it has everything to do with the fact that once she can no longer get any food out of them (she procures rice by convincing him to sell his mother’s kimonos and he retrieves some leftover supplies he had buried) she wants them to leave. So her entire motivation is selfishness; once she has gotten everything she can get from him she wants him to leave.

By: eman

eman — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 23:58:57 +0000

Hello Erin. If you feel this way pleaaase watch the movie or find the books of Barefoot Gen

That’s a truly sad book where the kid does keep trying to save his family and himself. You are so right about the brat in this movie. If you read Barefoot Gen before watching Graveyard there’s no way you can feel sorry for this punkass kid who gets his sister killed.

By: ErinSamedi

ErinSamedi — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:56:37 +0000

I think I may be the only person on the planet who just doesn’t like this movie. I don’t find it heart-wrenching, it doesn’t resonate with me on the emotional level it works on everyone else. (I understand this might mean I’m a replicant) but every time I see it, I can’t help think… the aunt WAS right, he SHOULDN’T have been puttering around the house, he SHOULD have been going to school or working towards a reconstruction effort. Also, living with a cold, uncaring realitive is better than starvation and it wasn’t the coldness and indifference of his countrymen that killed him and his sister, it was his pride.

By: Miss E

Miss E — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 04:07:05 +0000

I would’ve never expected to see this movie posted here but, then again you folks have great taste. This movie is probably one of my favorites but also one of the saddest I have ever seen. It is the only movie that I can think of that has ever made me bawl and makes me bawl every time I watch it. The first time was probably the worst though as I was watching it with my youngest sister and towards the end I found myself imagining being in the position (especially the ending) and it was simply too much. We fight and bicker and snarl at each other constantly but, if I would rather be shot, poisoned, hung and incinerated alive than to ever have to watch her die and not be able to do anything about it.

Gah…now I’m crying again. I’m going to go hold her again. She’s 16 so you know how that is, but whatever…

By: Erin

Erin — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 23:14:39 +0000

Thanks for posting this. As an incredibly depressed teenager I watched this movie many times, but really haven’t brought it out in my happier days. I’ll have to watch my copy again soon.

Such a moving film though. It’s quite good at creating this pervasive atmosphere that just makes you feel sick to your stomach. That sounds bad I guess, but I think that was partly the intention, so the film succeeds beautifully.

By: The Right Rabbit

The Right Rabbit — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 12:06:01 +0000

Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this. This film has made a great impact on my childhood more than anything else, even though I’ve only watched it once. If you’ve ever heard of the dispute between the Chinese, Koreans, and Japanese about the war crimes the Japanese did during world war two, then you would have known that a lot of kids were brought up with (at least some degree of) hatred towards each other. This film made me realise that it doesn’t matter what race we are for war to be charring for us, and it’s been held really, really dear to my heart ever since.

Thank you.

By: Stagger Leah

Stagger Leah — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:20:11 +0000

Once again the FAM has brightened my day…although in this case that probably seems like the wrong choice of words.

If anyone else is interested in animated movies with rough themes like this one, another awesome movie (and also a graphic novel) is “When the Wind Blows”, an English movie I think. I’m only watching this one now, but so far it’s been number one in my “Saddest movies ever” spot.

Thank you Ross!

By: Mer

Mer — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:04:30 +0000

Oof. Excellent/harrowing choice, Ross. This is the only Studio Ghibli film I’ve only ever watched once. I just can’t bear to. Amazing film.

By: Rick

Rick — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 21:30:31 +0000

My wife brought this home from the library a few weeks ago (the movie, not the book) and said she’d heard great reviews of it. I don’t remember if she watched it all the way through, but I was extremely depressed by what little I saw.

That’s not to say it wasn’t *good*. It was just… very depressing.