Movie Review: Grave of the Fireflies by Hayao Miyazaki What was the story about? Grave of the Fireflies tells the deeply moving and tragic story of two siblings, Seita and his younger sister Setsuko, as they struggle to survive in war-torn Japan during the closing days of World War II. The film begins with Seita’s death, and the rest of the story unfolds as a flashback, revealing how the siblings' lives were torn apart after the firebombing of Kobe. After losing their mother and becoming estranged from relatives, Seita and Setsuko are left to fend for themselves, battling hunger, sickness, and despair. The fireflies in the film serve as a poignant symbol of their fleeting joy and innocence, juxtaposed against the bleakness of their circumstances. The film doesn't follow a traditional narrative arc filled with hope or resolution. Instead, it slowly builds a sense of inevitable tragedy, drawing attention to the often-overlooked civilian cost of war, especially on child...
