The Brutality of War
Ghibli Month — Chapter 3: The Grave of the Fireflies
Director — Isao Takahata
Year of Release — 1988
Language — English
How Many Times Watched? — 1 time
Rating — ★★★★★
This is a Must Watch. Go have a good sob fest.
Grave of the Fireflies is the only Studio Ghibli film not available on HBO Max. The rights belong to Shinchosha, the owners of the work it was based on. It is available to stream on Hulu.
Spoilers ahead. Though the movie tells you how it ends in the first minute, so…
“Why do fireflies have to die so soon?”
Though adult fireflies only live for a few weeks, they emit a certain beauty that will be remembered by all that see it.
Grave of the Fireflies is a painful movie. As I sit here after the credits have already rolled, I feel my heart incredibly heavy in my chest. Isao Takahata pulls no punches, telling you how it’s going to end before you’ve even settled in your seat. My soul can’t help but ache in response to this film.
The story follows fourteen-year-old Seita taking care of his four-year-old sister Setsuko in the final months of World War II. They look for food and enjoyment in a time where the sky is orange of fire and debris fills the air. There is no hope, even in the slivers of beauty our protagonists attempt to create.
The best thing about Grave of the Fireflies is Takahata’s ability to weave levity and hope into a tale of turmoil and utter hopelessness. From the onset, you know there can only be one ending for Seita and Setsuko, and it’s going to be tragic. But, like a firefly, there is beauty if only briefly.
Seita and Setsuko have each other, and that’s all that matters to them. Even when they have no food or shelter, they find joy in each other. Whether it be playing in the ocean or catching fireflies or savoring that last piece of candy, there is beauty even in their tragedy. But this never is a respite from their situation. You know how it’s going to end, which makes all of this even more heartbreaking. They never even stood a chance. It’s unrelenting and, quite honestly, a tough film to watch.
But please do watch it. Grave of the Fireflies is a powerful experience that demands to be seen.
It’s difficult to talk about Grave of the Fireflies and not talk about the horrors of war. It never shies away from what Seita and Setsuko endured. But it never antagonises anyone. America bombed them relentlessly, leading to the deaths of their parents, but they are not the villains of the story. Japan cast them out and left them without any food or shelter, but they, too, are not the villains of the story. Isao Takahata, an outspoken voice on anti-war sentiment, has said time and time again that this is not an anti-war film, but a cautionary tale for the Japanese youth of the 1980s.
Takahata is scared of cultural change. In the 1980s, Japan was experiencing an economic boom. The politics were becoming much more left-leaning and consumerism was taking over. The youth were seemingly becoming much more distant and isolated as a result. Takahata feared this would destroy Japanese tradition and break apart the family unit.
According to Takahata, Seita sought isolation and individualism over collectivism. When his aunt says it would be better if they ate separately, he is relieved. They end up moving out and living life alone in an abandoned bomb shelter. It is this action that leads to his and Setsuko’s ultimate downfall. If Seita could get past his desires of wanting to do things for himself, he and Setsuko would have survived.
I want to honor Takahata’s intention as the filmmaker, but I’m just not too sure. I understand wanting to warn people about the effects of individualism on self and society, but I feel there is much more at play here. Yes, Seita ultimately makes the decisions that lead to his and Setsuko’s fate, but many of those decisions were made as a result of their situation.
Throughout Grave of the Fireflies, Seita and Setsuko are cast out and reprimanded by adults in positions of power. After their mother dies to the effects of an American firebombing, they go to live with their less than sympathetic aunt. She claimed they didn’t deserve her “help,” rebuking Seita for not working and doing his part in the war effort. In reality, he was taking care of his sister. Her actions led to them living on their own. To Seita, she left them no other choice.
Later in the film, Seita takes Setsuko to a doctor after developing a rash and suffering from bad diarrhea and a lack of energy. The doctor gave a simple diagnosis of malnourishment but offered no practical help or aid to them, moving on to his next patient before they even left the room. He could not be bothered to even give them a second glance. It is this disregard and contempt for them from the adults of society that ultimately bring about their demise.
But it’s not that simple. I think Takahata is saying that everyone needs to work together to bring good to everyone. Left to their own devices, Seita and Setsuko were doomed. There was no other option for them. But if the adults cared just a little bit for them, the outcome could have been different. There would have been a chance. When individuals seclude themselves, adults included, society suffers.
Life can only work collectively. It is our duty to make sure no one gets left behind.
Grave of the Fireflies is harrowing and brutal. It is heartbreaking and often difficult to stomach. But it’s worth it. Isao Takahata created a masterful work of art, and it wholeheartedly deserves your attention.
