All I can say is wow. I've always heard good things about it, and decided to give it a shot. From the moment it started, I knew this wasn't your typical anime film. The level of emotion and depth present in this film is overwhelming. I'm not gonna lie, I'm not one to cry in films (very few at least) and this one made me bawl. I usually watch anime for the entertainment, but never have I become so attached to characters. I hated the aunt, I loved the innocence of Setsuko, and I admired the courage of Seita. I must say this film stayed with me for days after.

Sorry for the random post- I just felt like I had to say something about this film. It really was an unexpected emotion ride.

Did this film affect anyone else, or did anyone else think this film was exceptionally well-done? I just wanted to hear some other people's thoughts on the film!

Well half a year later and I thought there'd be some form of reply...

Does nobody really have any thoughts on this?

Oh well.....

I'm new here, but going to toss my hat in the ring on this for a first post lol

This is the most horrifyingly depressing and beautiful film I think I've seen. Of course produced by the then fledgling studio ghibli, so the production quality is top-notch. For westerners it certainly is a different look at World War II, which for Japan (sort of like Germany) has become a dark stain on their history. But with all the "evil empire of Japan" crap that most people spin, it's easy to forget that there were plenty of innocent civilians like this film's heroes who were caught up in it. And if there is one thing that Japan and the UK and a lot of countries had to deal with in WWII that we didn't it was fire bombing and civilian casualties. It's a very sad film, I'll agree, but certainly a very good one. Still one of the holes in my Ghibli collection, though.

Interesting fact about the film is that when Miyazaki wanted to produce My Neighbor Totoro, the company that was funding them at the time thought Totoro wasn't enough to be released on its own. So the other Ghibli big-wig Suzuki (now a producer) pitched Grave of the Fireflies. Both films were produced simultaneously, and then released as a double-feature. Really? Totoro and Fireflies back-to-back? Talk about manic depressive - I hope they ran Totoro second ^_^;;

I'm not sure if anyone checks this thread anymore but...THIS MOVIE!!!!! I first watched this in my Intermediate Japanese class back in high school. The ENTIRE class balled; even the boys. I mean, who shows this in class!? After my teacher admitted as she wiped the tears from her eyes that maybe she should have watched this at home first. You think!?

Regardless of location, this film was by far one of the best and most heart wrenching things I've seen. I never really gave a thought to Japan's view of WWII besides that their emperor should have been a man and given his general what for before the situation had become that bad. This film though, I honestly cannot describe how I felt watching those siblings suffering. It did open my eyes and I'm now more sensitive to things like that.

Totoro would for sure have to be second or that would the worst night ever. I think it would have been fine on its own. Those two movies together don't sound like a good mix... >.<

Yes, I gave my high school art teacher a copy of Princess Mononoke - you know, the one where the giant bore vomits blood? - and she showed that in class. I guess the idea is that it was only Pg-13, and everybody was at least that old ^_^; It's too bad other Ghibli films like Laputa or Howl's Moving Castle weren't out yet in the States, they would have been more appropriate.

But yeah, the idea of Japan's view during the war - I mean, not everybody in the country was an Imperialist soldier. I personally, on a humanist level, am appalled by the use of atomic weaponry on civilian population centers...but I do understand what the strategy was, and how many more thousands might have died on both sides if we had gotten up to invading Japan proper. I don't like it, but it is what it is. But yeah, there are always people on both sides who don't want the war, and who suffer for the actions of zealous - Grave of the Fireflies just happens to tell what has to be the most gut-wrenching story of it I've ever seen.

Honestly this didn't really make me cry or anything. I felt depressed but it didn't move me to tears...the only anime that's done that are movies based on Kenji Miyazawa

-Spring and Chaos
-A Night on the Galactic Railroad - the end just automatically laid a sadness on me
- A night on the taneyamagahara

watch these...please

I read Night on the Galactic Railway, but evidently I have some weird translation where they made all the Italian names Japanese for some reason. Still a very interesting book, I would like to check out the movie sometime

I don't handle gut-wrenching too well, but watching this film will broaden my experience as a person.

I read Night on the Galactic Railway, but evidently I have some weird translation where they made all the Italian names Japanese for some reason. Still a very interesting book, I would like to check out the movie sometime

Both Notgr and SaC are of print, so extremely difficult to find.

if you want to download here

http://www.bakabt.com/140229-night-on-the-galactic-railroad-ginga-tetsudou-no-yoru-cor.html


http://bakabt.me/150443-spring-and-chaos-h264-544p.html

I've always meant to watch but I am still waiting for a HD version. Nearly all the other old Ghibli animes got one too, so I guess it's only a matter of time until Grave of the Fireflies gets one as well. :fingers crossed:

I've always held this movie in very high regard. I bought this movie around 10 years ago. I know the first time I saw it. I was so speechless that I didn't know what to say. I was so overwhelmed that people would allow children to suffer like this. War doesn't discriminate against it's victims. One can't not possibly walk away from this movie and gain something from it.

All I can say is wow. I've always heard good things about it, and decided to give it a shot. From the moment it started, I knew this wasn't your typical anime film. The level of emotion and depth present in this film is overwhelming. I'm not gonna lie, I'm not one to cry in films (very few at least) and this one made me bawl. I usually watch anime for the entertainment, but never have I become so attached to characters. I hated the aunt, I loved the innocence of Setsuko, and I admired the courage of Seita. I must say this film stayed with me for days after.

Sorry for the random post- I just felt like I had to say something about this film. It really was an unexpected emotion ride.

Did this film affect anyone else, or did anyone else think this film was exceptionally well-done? I just wanted to hear some other people's thoughts on the film!

I watched it once. A long time ago. Unforgettable.

I watched the movie. There was not many sad scenes but I wished they could've added more to make me even more sadder.

The posthumous montage near the end was heartbreaking.

I can't believe I just praised a montage. :notgood:

A really great movie.

Easily one of the saddest movies I have ever seen, anime or otherwise. Broke my heart, and I loved it.

Easily one of the saddest movies I have ever seen, anime or otherwise. Broke my heart, and I loved it.

I agree

Easily one of the saddest movies I have ever seen, anime or otherwise. Broke my heart, and I loved it.

Totally agree, one of the saddest movies, get me everytime.

I'm an adult male and I cried watching this movie

I know how everyone feels. This movie is really a very sad movie. It made me cry at the end.

One of the saddest animes of all time.

Grave of the Fireflies is a powerful film. So powerful than no other animation in the world can touch it.

Yeah, I have seen the best summery of the film on another website once. "It's the best film I never want to see again." I think that fits the film to a T.

Why negative?