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Grave of the Fireflies

Isao Takahata (Director) Format: DVD
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 4,824 ratings
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1
$307.99
$307.99 $87.99
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— $35.99
DVD
Special Edition
2
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DVD
March 6, 2012
Remastered
1
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Genre kids & family
Format Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC, Original recording remastered, Subtitled
Contributor Isao Takahata
Language English, Japanese
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Product Description

As the Empire of the Sun crumbles upon itself and a rain of firebombs falls upon Japan, the final death march of a nation is echoed in millions of smaller tragedies. This is the story of Seita and his younger sister Setsuko, two children born at the wrong time, in the wrong place, and now cast adrift in a world that lacks not the care to shelter them, but simply the resources. Forced to fend for themselves in the aftermath of fires that swept entire cities from the face of the earth, their doomed struggle is both a tribute to the human spirit and the stuff of nightmares. Beautiful, yet at times brutal and horrifying. Based on the retellings of survivor Nosaka Akiyuki and directed by Iaso Takahata (co-founder, with Hayao Miyazaki, of Japan's legendary Studio Ghibli,) Grave of the Fireflies has been universally hailed as an artistic and emotional tour de force. Now digitally remastered and restored, it is one of the rare films that truly deserves to be called a masterpiece.

Product details

  • Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.78:1
  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.6 x 5.4 x 7.5 inches; 1.6 ounces
  • Item model number ‏ : ‎ 26387168
  • Director ‏ : ‎ Isao Takahata
  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ Multiple Formats, Color, NTSC, Original recording remastered, Subtitled
  • Release date ‏ : ‎ March 6, 2012
  • Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
  • Studio ‏ : ‎ Section 23
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B006LLY8LY
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 4,824 ratings

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
4,824 global ratings
Hauntingly Captivating.
5 Stars
Hauntingly Captivating.
An absolute must-watch for fans of wartime films, anime, or the works of Studio Ghibli. Wartime movies often focus on grandeur, its cast swelling with nationalist pride, but this movie is far more personal, highlighting the struggles of ordinary citizens in the wake of unimaginable destruction and despair. Movies like these need to be celebrated as reminders of what awaits us if we continue to choose war over peace.
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Top reviews from the United States

Emily Fanslow
5.0 out of 5 stars Best and most melancholy film
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2024
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Studio Ghibli really outdone themselves this time. This movie is a masterpiece and a commentary on war. It is incredibly sad, be prepared to cry
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Bex
5.0 out of 5 stars Works for US Regions Bluerays
Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2024
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The movie itself was really good, no issues with the playing and we will definitely watch it again. I was happy to have made the leap to a source that for sure played on US region machines since it seems like that was a common complaint for others looking to get this movie. Worth the money for a perfect product.
3 people found this helpful
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Sean
5.0 out of 5 stars Responsive seller
Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2024
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Great movie and responsive seller, came 4 days before estimated delivery date.
One person found this helpful
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B. L. Wray
5.0 out of 5 stars Very well done movie, worth watching (not for children)
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2014
Verified Purchase
I purchased the blu-ray copy. (Amazon seemed to combine every version into the same review)
Art/Animation - well done for 1980's standard, no issues that others reported.
Sound - also well done, again no audio issues that others reported.

This movie is a very touching and well told story of war from a child's view. This movie does not try and paint Japan as a victim nor does it try and paint the American's as demons in fact I wouldn't say it was anit-war. It paints a picture of a boy and his sister having a stable life and slowly over time losing everything. At no point does any character go into any dialogue about the war other than when Seita learns Japan lost. I see some of the chief complaints as the boy runs off when the Aunt starts complaining and so on and so forth. There can be two reasons for this, poor translations or poor acting. The scene is painted that as the war continues to get worse the Aunt is growing more and more frustrated at her increased burden of care and as food becomes scares she can't hide her feelings. As I watched the scene the dialogue seemed forced and awkward so I am leaning towards poor translation. Seita decides to leave the Aunt's care taking his little sister with him and again the Aunt says something that I think was mistranslated. Seita and his sister move into an abandoned cave next to a lake and for awhile things are okay. But slowly over time they run out of food and they have to resort to more desperate measures to survive. Again, there is no vilifying of either side, Seita just tries to survive.

The hard part.

Over time Seita's little sister Setsuko is withering away from malnutrition (forcing Seita to do more and more daring things to find food) but to no avail. The film does a bad job of conveying this to us on three parts. First, the animation of the girl doesn't portray her getting thinner, they do slowly draw red dots on her over time and in the end her eyes are small but she still looks the same size as the move goes on. Second, there is no sense of time in this movie. It starts off and they say it is September 45 and that is the last time you know what date it is. Third, possible translation or bad writing, the Aunt was the turning point of the story it was a pivotal part and it wasn't done right, so it messes up the film later on. Towards the end the farmer tells Seita there is no more food go back to your Aunt and he refuses ... based on what the film presented it made Seita seem callous and directly resulted in the end result but it really feels like we (the audience) was missing something. Pride is one thing, stupidity is another, Seita at no time demonstrates either until that point, thus way out of character. Even stranger, at the end of the movie it seems like Seita has a handle on the situation with acquiring food because they have scene after scene of him getting food.

Final thoughts:

This movie is sad. The weight of the story is based on real life grief and regret. A lot of weight and responsibility landed on Seita from the get go of the movie and he tried his best, and it just wasn't enough. To me it seemed like the harsh moments were toned down or not adequately translated and misconstrued the point.
14 people found this helpful
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Just a Girl
5.0 out of 5 stars A touching, depressing story of love and endurance.
Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2002
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For those who insist that cartoons of all forms, and particularly anime, are for children, I present you with Grave of the Fireflies. This amazingly well-done anime has some of the most touching, most depressing scenes I've ever seen on a screen, regardless of format.
This film is set in Japan near the end of World War 2. Seita and Setsuko live in Kobe with their mother, whom they adore. When the air raid sirens sound, Seita and Setsuko run ahead to the bomb shelter, leaving their mother (who has a heart condition and cannot run) to follow. Seita is obviously not happy with this situation, but the early teen youth cannot carry both his toddler sister and his mother, so he agrees, sure his mother will join them at the shelter.
From here begins the long, sad tale of the losses that Seita and Setsuko suffer through together. This is very much the story of a young man forced into the role of provider, protector, and nurturer years ahead of time, and of his little sister who adores him. Seita struggles to provide for himself and for Setsuko, and refuses to surrender himself to despair, regardless of the obstacles he is presented.
I feel that this movie is all the more heart-wrenching for the way that the hurt and the pain and the fear are interspersed with the moments of joy and lightheartedness. For much of the movie, it is almost possible to believe that Seita and Setsuko will come out of this together. Of course, since the movie opens with Seita dying, alone, you know that your hope is misplaced, but you want them to survive. The love they share, and the joy they take from one another make you root for them.
The characters in Grave of the Fireflies are remarkably well acted. Seita, standing strong, doing whatever is necessary to take care of his little sister. Setsuko is the perfect toddler. Happy one moment, crying the next, unsure of why anything is happening, but sure that Seita can fix everything. The childrens' aunt, a cold, sarcastic, bitter woman, taking every opportunity to ensure the children, especially Seita, is aware of how much they impose upon her and her patriotic family.
In addition to the quality of the story and the caliber of the actors, the beauty of the artwork is just incredible. The facial expressions, the landscapes, the atmosphere. It's all wonderful, drawing you into the story. I found myself checking to see if the prone form of Setsuko was breathing as she lie ill, then realizing that wait, this is animation.
This provocative, compelling tragedy is based upon a true story. The original author, Nosaka Akiyuki, wrote a novel based upon his real-life experiences at the end of the war in Japan. This story was then turned into a manga (Japanese comic book), and the story became very popular and well-known.
Trivia buffs might be interested in knowing exactly how this movie made it to the screen. A director by the name of Hayao Miyazaki was working on a project named "My Neighbor Totoro" but the production company was worried that nobody would be interested in the tale of two little kids and a monster living in rural Japan. Therefore, they decided to make a movie they felt would draw viewers based upon the familiarity of the tale and for the educational value of the story, and make it a double-feature with "My Neighbor Totoro", billing and packaging the two movies together. Those who are familiar with both movies find the concept of packaging or viewing the cheery, light-hearted romp that is Totoro with such somber, depressing fare as "Grave of the Fireflies" mind-boggling, but the tactic seemed to work, though Totoro has become far more popular and well-known of the two movies.
I cannot recommend this movie enough. It is a poignant story of the love shared by a pair of siblings in the worst possible conditions. And you'll never look at fruit drops the same way again.
62 people found this helpful
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Dizzy
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredibly powerful and haunting
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2024
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This film is VERY powerful and hauntingly sad. It is well worth all the outstanding reviews and acclaim. But is is ABSOLUTELY NOT for young children!!
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Alberto Pedraza
5.0 out of 5 stars Simplemente conmovedora
Reviewed in Mexico on February 10, 2021
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Película reflexiva y conmovedora

El Blu-ray contiene audio en inglés y español (latino), la imagen es de buena calidad al igual que el sonido. Llegó en muy condiciones y antes de la fecha estipulada. No dejes pasar la oportunidad de que esté en tu colección o bien hacer un regalo con ésta genial película. Anexo fotos de portada, contraportada e interior para más detalles.

SUGERENCIA: A los que compren un dvd o bluray cuando escriban una reseña por favor tengan la atención de detallar el audio si viene en inglés o español, ya que en la mayoría de los casos Amazon no da detalles en estos puntos y también no publica la parte trasera del producto. He notado que muchas personas están interesadas en este detalle y sería bueno hacerlo saber a futuros compradores.

Frases que he visto como: "muy bien", "genial", "para pasarla en familia", "me llegó bien" la verdad no aportan mucho a una reseña.

Saludos.
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Alberto Pedraza
5.0 out of 5 stars Simplemente conmovedora
Reviewed in Mexico on February 10, 2021
Película reflexiva y conmovedora

El Blu-ray contiene audio en inglés y español (latino), la imagen es de buena calidad al igual que el sonido. Llegó en muy condiciones y antes de la fecha estipulada. No dejes pasar la oportunidad de que esté en tu colección o bien hacer un regalo con ésta genial película. Anexo fotos de portada, contraportada e interior para más detalles.

SUGERENCIA: A los que compren un dvd o bluray cuando escriban una reseña por favor tengan la atención de detallar el audio si viene en inglés o español, ya que en la mayoría de los casos Amazon no da detalles en estos puntos y también no publica la parte trasera del producto. He notado que muchas personas están interesadas en este detalle y sería bueno hacerlo saber a futuros compradores.

Frases que he visto como: "muy bien", "genial", "para pasarla en familia", "me llegó bien" la verdad no aportan mucho a una reseña.

Saludos.
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24 people found this helpful
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Karl Mauk
5.0 out of 5 stars Wunderbarer Film
Reviewed in Germany on December 20, 2021
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Einer der schönsten Anime Filme überhaupt aber so traurig. Den Schluss hab ich nur durch einen Schleier von Tränen gesehen. Bild- und Tonqualität der Blu-ray ist hervorragend. Für Liebhaber von Anime mit Tiefgang ein absolutes Muss!
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snaketurtle
5.0 out of 5 stars Un classico
Reviewed in Italy on November 10, 2021
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Per chi ama la storia del Sol Levante una tra le tante
One person found this helpful
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baibaibo-i
5.0 out of 5 stars 綺麗な品物が届きました。
Reviewed in Japan on March 31, 2024
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宮崎駿アニメ作品の中で自分の中ではトラウマ作品。14歳兄の清太妹節子4歳可哀そう。特に兄の清太がとにかく悲惨。一度見たけどもう見れない。とにかくいろんな意味で泣きたい人は見た方が良いと思います。
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PzP
5.0 out of 5 stars Conmovedora historia
Reviewed in Spain on February 25, 2015
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Junto con Senderos de Gloria de Stanley Kubrick me ha parecido la película que mejor refleja los horrores de la guerra. Producida por Studio Ghibli y estrenada a la vez que la famosa "Mi vecino Totoro" está dirigida por Isao Takahata autor de Heidi y Marco, recuerdos de la infancia de una generación de españoles. Es una película de animación pero, en absoluto, no es infantil. Es una auténtica tragedia donde se cuentan los horrores de la guerra y los crímenes, que los hubo, de los Aliados. Lo único reconfortante es la inocencia y la alegría de vivir de los niños, no tiene más concesiones a lo que podría ser un relato amable. Esta basada en la novela homónima de Akiyuki Nosaka, esta película se centra más en la destrucción de las familias durante una guerra, así como en la indiferencia ante el sufrimiento que genera en las personas, que en la guerra en sí. Se habla sobre todo de las emociones que rodean a los niños, que son los personajes principales.
"La tumba de las luciérnagas" ofrece una excelente visión de la cultura de Japón, donde las necesidades del individuo no son tan importantes como las necesidades de la familia y la nación. En España hay una excelente traducción publicada por Acantilado: http://www.amazon.es/tumba-las-luci%C3%A9rnagas-algas-americanas/dp/8496489868/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1424861044&sr=1-3-catcorr&keywords=la+tumba+de+la+luciernagas
5 people found this helpful
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