Hotaru no Haka

A line from Apocalypse Now sums up Barefoot Gen, in particular: "The horror, the horror..." Essentially the same film. Barefoot Gen has always, rather unfairly, existed in the shadow of Ghibli's own 'war through the eyes of innocent children' masterpiece. Both films are based on the true accounts of child survivors of the bombing of Japan during World War 2. And in both films children are suddenly thrust into the world of adults: having to find it within themselves to protect their loved ones as their world falls apart around them and chaos ensues. In Gen it's the lead's mother; in Fireflies it's the lead's younger sister. Gen is far more horrifying than Fireflies, simply because Gen deals with the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, where as Fireflies deals with the fire-bombing of Kobe. The atomic bomb sequence where skin is shown melting off people's faces is one of few instances where anime disturbs more than any live-action war movie could ever hope to. In both films the main focus is on the aftermath as the child leads try to survive; the bombing setting up the rest of the narrative. And in Gen the aftermath is also more unsettling due to radiation sickness.  read more 

Similar tales of surviving through Japan in WW2. Similar everyday people suffering from the effects of their country.  

Both are stories that deal catastrophes and it's effects in a realistic approach. Both have siblings as the main characters whom develop a strong bond through out. 

Grave of the fireflies had a similar kind of setting, hardship, death and sadness. both animation are set in the period of after and before war. unbreakable bond.  

Both with with how tragic and devastating war is seen through the eyes of children. 0080 shows how war is not a game and only results in death and suffering while Fireflies depicts how hard it is for individuals to survive in a war torn country. 

Extreme circumstances invokes the true human nature in our hearts. Let that be kindness, bitterness or perhaps any other emotions and the consequences that follows. In just the first few minutes of the films, they managed to show an already clear difference between them. Giovanni no Shima beginning on a clear, bright sky while Hotaru no Haka begins in darkly lit places filled with despair. Though both films does show how there is a brighter side to everything, Giovanni no Shima has a different sweetness that Hotaru no Haka lacks. The sweetness or perhaps bitterness to be able to face ethnic differences. Both films being about war times where siblings walk together for a chance towards a better tomorrow. If not anything more, the two managed to be a heartbreaking tale on the regards of war.  read more 

War is horrifying. But what amplifies the horror tenfold is when children are forced to confront human nature that even adults cannot cope with, as they struggle to survive in the midst of war. And this is a subject anime depicts more disturbingly than live-action ever could. 'Grave of the Fireflies' is a period piece set during World War 2, when Japan was being bombed and innocent civilian lives and families were destroyed. An older brother and his dependent younger sister are left with only uncaring relatives as food becomes scarce and starvation becomes a reality. Desperation and despair is the least spolierific way to describe its ending. What makes it especially unnerving is that the movie is based on a true story, wrote as a sort of attempt at atonement. You might assume 'Now and Then, Here and There' would be easier to watch, given that its first episode has its two leads transported from our modern world to another one. Many viewers either wrote the series off or were lured into a false sense of security based on how it began. But what follows goes to darker depths than most fiction ever dares. In its alternate post-apocalyptic world where water is almost non-existent, child soldiers are brainwashed and raised into killers by a deranged Hitler-esque madman... basically, anime's take on real world Africa. Killing is second nature and even underage females are used and abused like breeding cattle. I won't spoil but what happens to Sara is more disturbing than 99% of fiction. It could only be done in anime.  read more 

"The ghosts of ones past..." For anyone whose seen one of the series, I am hoping that clues them into why these two series are similar without providing spoilers for those who haven't seen either series, yet also draw in those looking for that particular element the moment they see that line and realize what I'm talking about. For those who don't, both series handle the above theme I mentioned quite well, but I found them both memorable for that above reason. Neither is a series one can easily forget as they're sure to have an impact on the viewer. 

Both movies involves around young children living in a world that seems too cruel for even an adult, things get worst and worst for both of the protagonist, but not even a second did they give up. The animation is great with supporting soundtracks that drives some to tears.... 

war movies from a child's perspective. 

Both anime are about the WW2 bombings in Japan as seen through the eyes of innocent children. 

Both are Ghibli films which focus on World War II. Unlike other Ghibli works, these anime are more realistic. Both have similar art and character designs, as well as tragic moment that make the watchers emotional. 

Both anime is about the second world war and the animation style is quite the same. If you liked Anne No Nikki, you will definitely like this one! 

Loneliness, Sorrow and family. This are the most impelling issues of the film. It is has few main characters and some supporting ones, but are all genuine and belivable. We get an insight of a small family that has lost almost everything but themself. The way they try to find their purpose in life and a place to be accepted in the society is the core reason to watch this animation. This is not a film you want to watch if you expect to laugh, but you can find some comical relief or likeable icebreakes. For the most part it is a tragic story about broken people finding their way out of it and a way of living with it. If you like a melancholic driven story with grounded well written characters that you care for, this is for you.  read more 

Both are about children which strive to be happy and loose parents - though in the GOTF it's much more tragical, girls in MNT are worried about their mother too. Both let you enter the world of kids, which is a good and interesting thing. And both have deeper meanings and very nice visual part. 

War is tragic. War is cruel. Both of these delve into the aspect of how war tears ones life apart. The fact they occur in different eras doesn't change the fact, nor does the fact one is more fictionalized than the other. 

They both tell the story of sibling love, the innocence of children and their games and the often tragic lives of orphans. While Grave of the fireflies is based on facts of the lives of war children, Oseam is based on a legend/fairy tale. Oseam doesn't have the feeling of a brutal reality as Grave of the fireflies and has a more religious tone in the story using the ideas and believes of Buddhism. Simply put, they both are beautiful and tragic stories, and if you like the one, you'll definitely like the other 

Childhood is meant to be a sweet and innocent thing, something both of these movies illustrate quite well, but the other thing these movies illustrate is how a simple tragedy can take all of that innocence away.  

Both of these animes focus on the harsh realities of war and are both very tragic. Versailles no bara starts out sweet and focused on marie Antoinette but then it focuses on Oscar and the French Revolution. The moments that showed the poverty stricken characters that were forced to starve are tear jerkers. They are both portrayals of real tragedies from history. 

From the very beginning of the movie, it's given that the main character(s) of these movies will die at some point of the movie, and then the stories are being told retrospectively about the short remaining time of their lives, and the emphasis that even though they're in hopeless situations, humans still try and will found some specks of happiness in life. The difference between the two is that 1945 Japan is a far bleaker setting than modern day Japan. 

Both extremely sad gibili films that will leave you in heart if you liked Grave of the Firefliesyou should definitely watch The Tale of the Princess Kaguya 

Both anime show a realistic depiction of war through the eyes of children. Even though the art styles are different, both anime have similar imagery, depicting destruction, tanks and airplanes in a war zone, and use the contrast between the purity of children and the hell caused by war to give their message to the viewers. 

Both show the harsh reality of what happens to civillians in wartime. 

Dark Shell and Hotaru no Haka both show the devastations of war and the suffering of ordinary people. Both are realistically sad from the bad things that happen in war. I've seen many hentais, but Dark Shell is one of the few hentais I love because it is so well done and impacting. 

Jin-Rou also has war as central theme, a lot of disturbingly realistic violence, beautiful animation and will mostly likely depress the hell out of you by the time you reach the end of the movie. (don't watch Jin-Rou and Grave of the Fireflies in the same sitting, you'll go suicidal) 

Both of these films hold similar theming for the characters, both movies tell similar stories and have very emotional parts to them. Personally I think Grave of the Fireflies holds itself above Maquia in many ways as it relies less and less on plot convenience, lack of foreshadow and reason, aswell as being much more relatable and realistic. 

Both are historical stories that revolve around main characters dealing with troubles and sad lives. 

Both deal with the hardships of children in difficult times, looking for a way to improve their situation. Looking at both works, Marco is a bit more on the uplifiting side. 

Binbou shimai monogatari isn't as sad and depressing as Hotaru no haka, but both of the animes have the elder sibling trying to protect their younger sister after their mom died. If you liked Hotaru no haka then you can check this anime out. 

Are both very depressing. Both deal with loss and the difficulty coping with it. 

Both the Ghibli movies focus mainly on adult audiance and Despite being 90s anime both have very good animation. Both have character driving and very realistic plot and event takes place in countryside ,  

Stories about the tragic effect of war on civilians.  

Both titles show the unfairness of life and the ugly side of our fellow humans. Towards the ending, Mitsuganae displays even more concrete parallels to Hotaru no Haka. I don't want to become too specific (that would be spoiiling), but they both run towards a similar, depressing finale. Both made me think that killing by neglect may be the cruelest way of killing someone... If you suffer from too much happiness in your life, both titles may ease your pain. (I wonder if these could be counted among the opposite of Iyashi Kei) 

Human being is probably the cruellest thing ever made. Both animes make us cry like we have never done thinking about it. 

-Both are historical with a fact happened in real life -Show the difficult of people in the show -There are consequences  

In both movies, siblings try to overcome the struggle of life with their capabilities.  

Both very calming, dramatic, and sad. Also slightly twisted.  

Like Saikano, Grave of the Fireflies is an emotionally intense anime that revolves around people trying to find normalcy while living through a war that is beyond their control. 

They are both about love in the midst of war, and have high-tension moments where you aren't sure the characters will survive. They are also about on the same quality level plot-wise. 

Both show a conflectual and distant relation between an aunt and her niece. The settings are completely differents and Air has supernatural elements, but they have themes in common: death at a young age, loss of one loved and the the heavy responsability that is taking of one relative, whether you're an aunt or a big brother. However Air doesn't try to degrade one part to make us pity the other, it shows the best side of each characters. And a mother that looked immature at first may carry for her daughter more that it seemed, an absent father may be concerned for his daughter and make decisions for her sake. Unlike Grave of the Fireflies which has villains characters that are just villains and miserable characters that are just miserable. Also in Grave of the Fireflies the characters don't try to think of their situations to make things better, they are just passive, while in Air the characters try to repair what has been broken and this till the very end. In this point of view, Air is more complete and honest than Grave of the Fireflies.  read more 

Both have a scene that involves firebombing, and both show the attitudes and culture of the Japanese people during WWII. 

Both are movies that have panfull stories with deep inner meanings about the human heart and our attempts to make sense of our chaotic lives. 

A young man fights for one person he cares through amid a war that is going on. He fights it despite all the odds against him just to have a little bit of happiness for the person he cares about left. 

Both of these movie detail the livees of children during World War II and their fates, going through the tragedy and hopes of both. 

While one is a movie and the other a short, both are influenced by real life tragic events which happened in Japan, but the style of the short which is a music video reminds me of the style for Hotar no Haka which is different from the other works produced by Studio Ghibli in that the art style is more realistic, but both styles have a profound effect on the viewer. 

Children coping with the ravages of war. Grave of the Fireflies is decidedly more realistic but The Boy Who Saw the Wind isn't total fantasy in its depiction of events and emotions. Both are excellent. 

These two Movies are vastly different while offering a similar perspective on life's achievements. Sadly, Grave of the Fireflies is a tearful, historic, tragedy of the pain suffered by a brother and sister on the day Japan cried. Howl's Moving Castle offers the prospects of a young girl on a completely random journey in a magically entertaining world of love and adventure. Oddly, both are capable of emotionally startling their viewers with astounding events, encompassing their polar opposite stories. 

even thought Hotaru no Haka not an action or horror movie , but these two movies share an idealistic story on how can people survive when crisis fall upon them or how they will react, will they change?  

Relationships of brother and sister are similar. 

Both movies are based on a story of the WWII Both movies main characters are children who suffered from the war 

Both movies tell a tale of civilian suffering during WW II, but Grave's story is much more sadder. Chocchan could be described as "Grave of the Fireflies lite". 

Tear-terking historical anime about the consequences of war. They both take place in a thoroughly defeated Japan. 

Zipang and Grave of the Fireflies are stories about Japan's experience in the Second World War. Zipang shows the experience of its military in 1942. Grave of the Fireflies shows the experience of its civilians in 1945. Both anime have complete different tones and themes, but offer an insight into how some Japanese view the Second World War in the dialogue and experiences of its characters. Note that some viewers may consider Zipang to be supportive of Imperial Japan, but not to the extend of denialism.  

- Both anime shows a civilians' tragedy from the World War II. - Both anime has a shocking dramatic atmosphere. - Both anime is about surviving during war time. 

Though they take place in different settings, I feel like these two share a very smiler sad feeling. Both are sad short stories that are defined by their wonderfully developed characters. 

Both are anime about surviving children from war with fireflies as friends.