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Jan 14, 2018 7:11 AM

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Oct 2013
68
Anowser said:
I didn't bother reading all the comments, but basically this movie tells how much Seita is a dick. He could have saved his sister and himself if he swallowed his pride, but no his ego was too much to handle !


the film portraits the behavior and thinking of their relatives, it shows how no one cares about them except for their parents. It is realistic.
Jan 21, 2018 5:09 AM
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May 2017
2
I loved how realistic this film was. Seita made a lot of poor decisions and you could see how these choices would lead to their deaths unless something miraculous happened from quite early on. A lot of people criticise this part however this is probably what a 14 year old who has come from an incredibly comfortable life would have likely done in this situation. this is a great filmed and I cried a lot
Feb 8, 2018 9:19 AM

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May 2016
6248
That was Marvelous, but really tragic ending which I'm not a big fan of it but not many people can't live after what he went through, it was a really realistic movie great work Studio Ghibili you never disappointed your fans.
Apr 5, 2018 3:55 PM

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Dec 2008
4878
I should never have watched this movie. There are so many things that were right about this movie and so many that were also wrong! The mental conflict between the two is driving me into a full blown argument with myself!!
Apr 6, 2018 7:38 PM

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Feb 2017
727
I didn't cry while watching this, but man this was a depressing and sad movie.
Mankind knew that they cannot change society. So instead of reflecting on themselves, they blamed the beasts.
May 7, 2018 6:37 AM

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Feb 2018
601
Wow that was heavy. Cried so much at the end. She died from pellagra for anyone interested.

Going to rewatch asap, it really left an impression on me.
Sep 23, 2018 7:06 PM
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Apr 2018
1488
Idk, I feel the drama and all the tragedy was very well done, I didn't feel it was forced or anything like that. It made me think things like that do happen (I've always known that, it's just I had never thought too much about them). Great movie 8/10.
Sep 23, 2018 9:49 PM
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Jul 2017
69
Melhor filme aaaaaaaa
Oct 17, 2018 4:42 AM

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Nov 2009
202
Rewatched this just one month after first finishing it. Cried even more this time. A brilliant and realistic take on just one story of people, in this case, children affected by war. It's gritty, it's sad but it could well be true. Life is not fair, sometimes we lose. I have chronic illness which continues to get worse and am not sure what the future holds so I found it relatable in that sense. From a technical standpoint I couldn't find any flaws. The pacing and length were good for something so melancholy. Loved how they opened with his death then showed his story leading up to that point. Noticed lots of little details this time, they really put a lot of heart and thought in to creating it.
Oct 30, 2018 3:42 AM
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Aug 2018
115
I think this movie is really good. I cried a lot.
Dec 15, 2018 7:30 AM

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Apr 2018
1293
It felt more like half of a movie than an actual full movie smh and i blame the brother's stupidity and retardness for the death of his sister .

It is like they tried to make the brother as retarded as possible just to make the 2 characters die at the end cause their death would make the movie more "realistic" and would show even more how unfair life is especially during war time which isn't a bad thing but since the movie can't be too long they didn't have enough time to develop the events to acheive a happy or kind of happy ending (which may or may not have been what they wanted to acheuve at first) or to make make their death feel like an actual good ending . (cause a good message isn't enough to make the ending miracurously better)

It would have been way way better as a 12 eps anime tbh since they would have been able to flesh out the story,the characters,their relations ....a lot more

6-7/10 mainly because of the animation quality , the interactions between the characters and the cinematography and music and it was pretty untertaining for the most parts.

Poor little sister.
In my opiniom the aunt may be the "best" character but i still dislike her
AkerakaiDec 15, 2018 8:01 AM
Dec 25, 2018 1:32 PM

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Sep 2011
2632
"Why do fireflies die so soon?"

This is only the second time I watch this movie, but I don't think that I will include it the next time I decide to go through the Ghibli movies. It's so gut-wrenching, so heartbreaking, that I can't even, not even taking a deep breath helps right now. To watch these poor kids as they starve to death, I can't.

I also can't help but feel that Seita made some poor choices, but he was just a boy who was clinging to hope, believing that his father was going to come back for them, but it didn't happen. He should've asked that officer when he was caught to help him to find his other relative, but maybe he was afraid they were going to go through the same thing that they had gone through with their aunt, they were just kids.

I can't bring myself to sympathize with or forgive her. Things were hard for her too no doubt, but she was all too willing to eat their food, and to use their belongings, never truly wanting to help them. She was just relieved when they were gone, she had not a shard of empathy in her, and I could bet that she wouldn't even feel sorry for them if she knew how miserably they met their end.
Feb 17, 2019 10:28 PM

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Jul 2008
10993
This was a very sad movie. I was mad at the Aunt for how she treated them, but Seita's pride also led to his sister's death.

This gets a 9/10.
Feb 19, 2019 8:32 PM

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May 2013
4702
I knew this movie was popular, but I didn't know it was about a war. It was really sad :(

How the auntie interacted with them was accurate for most people. You're in someone else's home. Even though they're relatives, they don't give you the same kind of connection that makes it home. Such a shame, but it's the truth.

The policeman was nice, at least.

Poor Setsuko. Her rash, diarrhea, and hallucinations were heartbreaking :(
At least now the siblings are reunited. Now they gotta find their parents in the spiritual realm :3

7/10
Feb 27, 2019 10:14 PM

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Dec 2016
665
Well i know it's a 1988 movie but the quality is terrible, at the beginning of the movie the mom talks to her kids in the background and her mouth isnt even moving (yikes), the end is kinda spoiled since min 1 and after 10 mins in you guess what is going to happen at the very end, some (small) details arn't explained or are way too skipped.

But it's still a good movie, I particullary loved the fact that everyone can die and that Seita is so despaiered that he's jumping everywhere with a great smile about his city being bombed by americans which allows him to steal food or goods while the other citizens are hiding.

A deserved 7/10.
Signature removed. Please have a positive iq.
Apr 6, 2019 11:10 PM

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Aug 2015
984
I saw Seita's actions as a rebellion against the authority of institutions and the state (since the school burned down, he longer has a school to go to; he hears from adults the war is futile, so why contribute to the war?); the conflict arises because Seita is trying to preserve his and Setsuko's childhood while society expects him to work in a factory or be a soldier. I found his struggle to survive and care for Setsuko outside of society to be admirable, if heartrendingly futile.

If he had money he should have bought higher quality food for Setsuko before it came to fatal undernourishment, the dummy.

Nice touch to see the wealthy family return to their vacation home completely oblivious to the tragedy that's occurred nearby.

Ultimately the film concludes with Seta and Setsuko looking at modern Japan from atop the hill, which invites reflection on the remarkable change in the country from the postwar poverty years to prosperity.

May 9, 2019 11:51 AM
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Jan 2019
1009
A really sad story.
It leaves me a great lesson:
"Pride can be your worst enemy in times of war."
May 10, 2019 4:40 AM
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Jun 2017
5374
Dammit, people should not be allowed to make something so sad. 10/10
Jul 21, 2019 1:34 AM

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Aug 2013
199
Good movie. It has some obvious flaws but still provides a good watching experience.
7/10
The closer you get to the light,the greater your shadow becomes.
Aug 19, 2019 9:17 PM

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Jun 2007
1216
Oh wow, I just finished watching the movie and went to rate it and found that I have already rated it... wished MAL would keep track of when something is added to the list automatically or that I had made a comment when I watched it xD

I have ZERO recollection that I watched this movie, and I would think something so depressingly sad would leave a mark in my memory lol (or maybe it was added by accident.. I will never know)

Funny thing, I was going to give it the same score that I saw it on my list - 8.

Anyway, just like someone said, it was heartbreaking and it didn't feel forced. The movie felt very real- as it should since it was based on an autobiography. The pacing, the decisions that the main character made, it was just all very well executed.
I can't feel but wonder.. if he had swallowed his pride, would they had made it longer? or even survive? I don't know.. I feel like the aunt would have eventually kicked them out if they wouldn't have done it willingly...

Surprisingly though.. I didn't cry. And I am a HUGE crybaby... Who knows, maybe years from now I will watch it again, not remember, and cry.
Oct 24, 2019 1:25 AM

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Feb 2019
3447
Seita wasn't raised right way. He had money but he still sucked on aunt's house and played with his sister instead of finding work.
Nov 11, 2019 4:17 AM
Time Traveler

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Jun 2016
61
Do you hate yourself and like to make you cry and suffer?
If your answer is yes, then this masterpiece is for you!
Hey you!
Yes you!
Have a nice day!
And best wishes for your life's journey!

Mar 23, 2020 1:08 AM
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Nov 2015
496
Why do fireflies have to die so soon?

Why, indeed, Setsuko..

A part of me really want to hate this movie but when I see this as a movie intended for Japanese people living in the late 80s with its booming economy, I truly appreciate this bold & gritty piece of animation.

One of my favorite scenes is the first bombing scene. Seita was mulling over putting out the fires, Mr. Takahata clearly showed us the bucket & the water, but when he decided to just let it go, bam! even more bombs fell and there's no turning back.


I certainly prefer Mr. Miyazaki's storytelling but yeah, this movie deserved to be a masterpiece for any Japanese people. I recommend it to any Japanese millennial & Gen Z out there.
finestseeker17Mar 23, 2020 10:58 AM
May 7, 2020 9:06 PM

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Jun 2016
955
He killed his own sister figure it out.

enjoyable nonetheless. 7/10
Jun 13, 2020 8:13 AM
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May 2020
6
Even some time after watching this I am still on the emotional fence.

Pride took everything from him but he is only a child himself and faced with a difficult situation.

I spent a lot of time preparing for the emotions I knew this movie would stir up but I honestly didnt think they would have such an impact.
Jul 10, 2020 12:05 AM
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Oct 2019
4329
Who would you say the antagonist was? The Americans? The Japanese? The Aunt? Seita? War?

While I thought the Aunt was nasty, I can't call her *the* bad guy. War killed those children.

That said, I thought the ending - well, much of the movie, actually - was cute. And I also thought the ending was happy. Seeing the images of Setsuko playing at their shelter before their spirits overlook the modern city was nice. It *felt* good.

Now, there's nothing "nice" about the devastation of war, the way people treat each other during its hardships, or the harrowing death of innocent children. Learning early on that they both die, I think alleviated some of the otherwise impending sadness and heartbreak that I would've been dreading. And I found myself being able to enjoy their sibling relationship; the young, innocent girl and her caring big brother.

Even though a lot of the movie made me happy, there were still several scenes that made me cry a little. And if I think about them too much I might tear up again. But I just didn't feel that void inside me when the movie was over, that complete and utter emotional devastation. I didn't feel like bawling at any point.

I get that Seita's decision to leave their Aunt contributed to their deaths. But she was nasty, and he was just a kid. A kid with no parents in his life.

I really enjoyed this movie. It's definitely at least an 8/10 for me. I'm not sure it's quite a 9/10, but either way it was very good.
HagePotPotatoJul 10, 2020 12:08 AM
Jul 20, 2020 7:18 AM

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Dec 2017
102
midiii said:
Even some time after watching this I am still on the emotional fence.

Pride took everything from him but he is only a child himself and faced with a difficult situation.

I spent a lot of time preparing for the emotions I knew this movie would stir up but I honestly didnt think they would have such an impact.
I agree lol. I actually found this movie to be really haunting. It was really good in its purpose.
Jul 20, 2020 7:44 AM
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May 2020
6
It was haunting, it took me days to stop responding to thoughts of it.
Jul 25, 2020 6:28 AM
Shalltear

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Apr 2018
34426
Wow this is depressing and heartbreaking, the end almost made me sob.
The direction and art are very good, for the story and characters I think it's fine but there is no real plot and it feel like it's only made to be a tearjerker, but unfortunately the end was too much predictable, especially because of the beginning.
7/10
Aug 23, 2020 5:39 PM
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Aug 2020
630
that was so fucking sad man, the aunt is a real bitch tho! i understand she's not required to take care of them but still THEY ARE FREAKING CHILDREN they don't know what's wrong and right :'(

Sep 3, 2020 5:55 AM

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Aug 2018
2486
Some people might not like this film for few different reasons, but I think it doesn't need a long and complex story. It took such a simple plot to create something so emotionally haunting and beautiful at the same time. I have to admit I will probably hardly ever force myself to watch this again but I can safely say that everyone who thinks that this is one of greatest animated films of all time or one of the most powerfull films out there are definitely correct.

We simply will never see anything like this ever again, the only other animated film I heard of that has similarities is Waltz with Bashir. The fact that Studio Ghibli dared to listen to Isao Takahata to make this is gonna be remembered forever in the animation history.Imagine Disney or Pixar attempting to make something like this. Doesn't matter what year it would be, they never would've been given a green light to make it.

Thats all I wanted to say about probably the most dark Studio Ghibli film out there.
Oct 13, 2020 10:37 PM

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Jan 2019
25
Just finished watching and I feel cold now...

I read a lot of people mentioning Setsuko's pride as the reason for their deaths. As if there is really someone to blame here. To those posing this, I just want to ask, how does a good person just let two kids go off and survive on their own? I really don't think anyone's to blame here. I just think this movie is a depressing reminder that the world can be cruel and no place for children without their parents. Especially in war time...

Dec 4, 2020 10:35 PM

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Sep 2012
171
I didn't expect much from ghibli but it was an utter dissapointment. 3/10 only because it was somewhat historically informative, and technically competent. Shallow symbolization, none of the artistic choices, framing, animation pacing, design, characterisation etc. reinforced any of the themes, and nothing served a coherent purpose. Bunch of good-looking scenes randomly thrown together. Fact of it being animated was also inconsequential and wasnt utilized in any particularily creative way. Not a bad story, that could have been moving, reduced to shallow and incoherent pulp.
Stock troubled ghibli movie, but without creative imagery.
GaerledDec 4, 2020 10:54 PM
Dec 14, 2020 10:34 AM
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Jul 2020
10
Had forgotten what the feeling of a real heartbreak till now 😭
Dec 25, 2020 11:34 AM
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Oct 2016
190
this is by far the most overated ghibli movie if not one of the most overated anime movies of all time
Dec 31, 2020 11:50 PM

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Jan 2020
1093
okay.
i do like the message about war & how this stuff actually happens to people in real life. and that those of us watching this movie are lucky unlike many out there dying.

but uh, why does seita never cry. i only saw him cry twice. but i was expecting more. and the voice acting for the crying is quite medicore. it didn't sound like crying from pain to me .-.

6/10
3099Dec 31, 2020 11:59 PM
Jan 8, 2021 12:07 AM

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May 2014
2391
Ian-sama said:
The English dub is somewhat of a letdown though, definitely watch in Japanese.


I am too used to Japanese audio, so I totally agree. Also, I am used to subtitles (even with foreign movies).
Jan 8, 2021 12:09 AM

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May 2014
2391
danz said:
Their deaths felt unnecessary. I didn't understand why Seita refused to work. That way he could have lived in a house and fed his sister.


From what I understood, he couldn't get any work except for joining the military (and even that would be hard since he was a minor). But then he would leave his little sister and judge from their aunt's attitude, she would be probably thrown out because of the hard times during the war.
Jan 8, 2021 12:13 AM

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May 2014
2391
clannad4ever said:
yakyuu-addict said:
THIS IS AN ANIME ONLY DISCUSSION POST. DO NOT DISCUSS THE MANGA BEYOND THIS EPISODE.
----------------------------------------
A pretty powerful movie, I thought it would explain how he would die also.


wait,he died too?i think i missed that part :(...oh well,he didn't have what to live for...f**** war

this was an amazing movie,actually,it's the 2nd best japanese movie i've ever seen,after la maison en petites cubes

it's a masterpiece...9/10


He died at the beginning of the movie. It was probably due to malnutrition (just like his little sister).
Jan 8, 2021 12:19 AM

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May 2014
2391
A great masterpiece and a great way to depress yourself at the start of the new year.

Again Studio Ghibli delivers with music, animation, and plot. I loved the way they portrayed the 2nd WW in Japan and didn't censor anything.

Very sad to see both him and his sister died due to malnutrition. It's understandable since it's a sad tragedy movie. However, it's sad that he didn't go back to his aunt due to his pride, which could change the fate of both him and his sister. I have my doubt that their aunt wouldn't show any sympathy towards them especially seeing how malnourished they were.

I see from comments that people felt the movie was rushed or too slow. In my opinion, it was perfectly balanced. The pace made us feel with the main character and his little sister all the way. Also, the title describes the movie perfectly. It was indeed the grave of the fireflies (which probably refers to all the citizens who died during the war). It also shows the trauma a war brings in a great way.

All in all, a great movie that deserves 8/9. Loved it.
Jan 8, 2021 12:22 AM

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May 2014
2391
Shreeder4092 said:
I didn't cry while watching this, but man this was a depressing and sad movie.


I would if I could. I can hardly cry. It's not an easy task even when watching this. But God damn I was depressed and sad during the whole movie.
Jan 13, 2021 7:10 AM

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Nov 2020
5
8WhiteFox8 said:
5layer said:
This movie was a piece of shit. Hated it. Also, movies like these make me hate Americans lol.

Although from an artistic point of view, this movie was really good. Hence why I gave it a 6 and not a 1. I just dislike movies about wars. Too tragic etc.

So...you basically hate the movie because it fulfills its goals in every way?

Seems like that. *laughs*
Jan 13, 2021 7:10 AM

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Nov 2020
5
8WhiteFox8 said:
5layer said:
This movie was a piece of shit. Hated it. Also, movies like these make me hate Americans lol.

Although from an artistic point of view, this movie was really good. Hence why I gave it a 6 and not a 1. I just dislike movies about wars. Too tragic etc.

So...you basically hate the movie because it fulfills its goals in every way?

Seems like that. *laughs*
Jan 13, 2021 7:13 AM

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Nov 2020
5
8WhiteFox8 said:
5layer said:
This movie was a piece of shit. Hated it. Also, movies like these make me hate Americans lol.

Although from an artistic point of view, this movie was really good. Hence why I gave it a 6 and not a 1. I just dislike movies about wars. Too tragic etc.

So...you basically hate the movie because it fulfills its goals in every way?

Seems like that. *laughs*
Feb 14, 2021 12:49 AM
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Aug 2018
2
Fucking Shit anime
Apr 1, 2021 8:10 PM
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Nov 2020
19
what a powerful movie 10/10, love every bit of it
Apr 1, 2021 8:17 PM
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Nov 2020
19
It's 05.15 and still can't sleep SADDEST MOVIE EVER
Apr 5, 2021 1:14 PM
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Feb 2021
4
Quem diria que eu choraria em um filme?! Estou chorando até agora.
Apr 7, 2021 8:31 AM

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Mar 2020
309
This was a really well-made movie, the emotions hit hard in this. I didn't cry in it but it was still sad. This movie really taught to be grateful, Studio Ghibli always make the best movies. 9/10
AkaiWaZApr 7, 2021 8:38 AM
Joe, Joe Forever....
Apr 20, 2021 7:02 PM
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Jul 2011
22
I loved the movie, but I don't think I'll ever rewatch or recommend it.
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