Graves of the Fireflies

By: James Nguyen |Ralph Mallare Khanh Nguyen |

Benjamin Petrisor

Popular CultureBridging the East and the

West

OverviewOur film topic was on the Japanese animated drama film Grave of the Fireflies. This film was made in 1988 and directed by Isao Takahata and animated by the critically acclaimed Studio Ghibli. This movie was based on a 1967 semi-autobiographical novel by Akiyuki Nosaka. This film is considered to be many an anti-war film, but our topic focuses not only on the theme of anti-war, but also on other themes that this powerful movie portrays. Set in Japan during World War II, this film shows the story of a young boy named Seita who has to take care of his younger sister Setsuko alone when their mother dies.

Video Clip

In this intro scene for the movie, not only are we able to see such a gloomy and surprising start to the movie, but this scene helps provide the structure of the rest of this film, seeing the main character Seita and his story and how it led to this very scene. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWhu2vKEsro

Characters

SeitaHe was a 14 years old, stubborn, tough and mature boy. While his father is away in the Navy, he was the responsible member of the household. During the air raid, he took care of his little sister while his mother went to shelter first. He became very mature and responsible after the death of his mother and became his sister only ‘’parent’’. He parented his sister and tried his best to keep her safe. He strongly believed the Japanese army wouldn’t lose the war.

Characters

SetsukoShe was 4 years old. She was little, innocent and cheerful girl who laughed a lot. She adores her older brother Seita, and was eager to help him whenever she could. At first, she seemed not understand the war. However, when she knew that her mother is dead, she became aware so she cried a lot and terrified of losing her brother, Seita.

Characters

The motherShe loved her children very much and well controlled of her family while the husband was away.

Characters

The auntShe was very strict and somehow cruel. She gave the children hard time for eating herfood and singing during the war. She treasured hard work and gave the peopleshe thought who deserve to have.

Characters

The cousinShe was a nice, sympathetic and thoughtful child. She helped Seita sometimes during the film.

Characters

FirefliesThe actual fireflies dies and buried by the children. It was indeed the symbol of the childrenthemselves, especially Setsuko, who die at a young age. Fireflies play a role in a magical scene of comfort and joy, but also serve to remind us of the transience of life.

Storyline* During an American air raid, Seita and Setsuko’ mother is killed while seeking the shelter.

* With their house burned down and the father is

away serving in the Imperial Navy, they have no choice but to move in

with their aunt.

Storyline* While living there, the aunt convinces Seita to

sell his mother’s kimonos for rice, even with

Setsuko’s disapproval. * After a while, the food ration shrinks as tension arises, unable to tolerate

with the aunt’s insults anymore, Seita decides to

takes Setsuko to an abandoned shelter, where

they catch fireflies for illumination

Storyline* Once their food supplies run low, Setsuko is caught

with an illness due to malnutrition. Seita is

forced to steal clothes and food from the village in

order to feed little Setsuko.

* About a couple weeks later, Seita hears about

Japan’s surrender news at the bank, he also learns

that his father isn’t coming back.

Storyline* He then returns to the shelter,

only to find that Setsuko is hallucinating. He feeds her a

piece of watermelon as Setsuko slowly closes her eyes. She

never wakes up after that, as Seita loses the last important

person to him. * He puts her ashes inside the

candy tin, which he carries along with his father’s

photograph, until his own death at the Sannomiya

Station.

History of FilmThe story is based on the semi-autobiographic novel by the same name, whose author, Nosaka, lost his sister due to malnutrition in 1945 wartime Japan. He blamed himself for her death and wrote the story so as to make amends to her and help him accept the tragedy.

Themes

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As we mentioned before. We do not want to focus too much on the theme of war. One of the reasons why is because the film focuses so little on the Americans (the antagonists of the film). In a review done by Roger Ebert, Roger talks about his encounter with some Vietnamese filmmakers right after the war in Vietnam. They said in their films, they did not put any focus on their enemies, because they’ve had so many. Instead they take an “us vs them” approach when film making. With this in mind. The theme of relationships becomes so much more powerful.

Themes ( Cont’)In Grave of the Fireflies, all of the focus on the war is taken away from the enemy and instead focused on the bond between those who are suffering in times of war. This is why the movie is so powerful compared to other films about war. The theme is usually good guys against the bad guys, but Grave of the Fireflies provides a more realistic approach to what war is really like.

Animation In Graves of the Fireflies, Isao Takahata used a very ionic animation with realistic backgrounds. According to Scott McCloud, this masking effect helps to create a tangible world while also having relatable characters. Additionally, Takahata’s direction style is simple and straightforward, but also very effective. By mixing limited animation to lesser degree than most Anime in this film, it gives the film a more realistic feel about a tragedy event. The animated landscape resembles the traditional Japanese woodblock prints where detail if often balanced by empty space and simplicity. Emphasize the slow and painful fight for survival among the nation’s civilian populace during wartime.

AnimationCombining with the moralistic and social resonance the war had on Japan, Takahata wasable to deliver to the audience a truthful narrative about World War II in Graves of the Fireflies.   

Cultural AspectsGrave of the Fireflies does not give too much attention to the enemies. They did very little in labeling the enemy. This is interesting in that it reflects how the Japanese look at their enemies. When you compare this to how things actually were for the Japanese in WW2, it gives some understanding as to how the Japanese people were willing to put the war behind despite Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Grave of the Fireflies does a lot to reflect the cultural aspects of Japan. You see it in the food they eat, and the clothes they wear. It even shows in their customs and behaviors when they are with relatives.

About us!

James Nguyen:

Technician, Animation,Storyline.

Final Project

Ralph Roy Mallare:

Overview,Intro,Video.

Khanh Nguyen:

Characters,History,Cultural aspects.

Benjamin Petrisor:

Discussion questions,Themes.

Work Cited* Colcord, Marisa. ‘’Japanese Animation Film and Auteur Theory.’’ (2008). Web.

27 May. 2013.

* Goldberg, Wendy. ‘’Transcending the Victim’s History: Takahata Isao’s Graves of the Fireflies.’’ Mechademia 4.1 (2009): 39-52. Project MUSE. Web. 27

May. 2013.

* ‘’Graves of the Fireflies.’’ StudioGhbli. Studioghbli.wikia.com, n.d. Web. 1 June 2013.

 * ‘’Graves of the Fireflies.’’Tvtropes. Tvtropes.com, n.d. Web. 1 June 2013.

* ‘’Graves of the Fireflies." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 27 May 2013.

* Ebert, Roger. ‘’Graves of the Fireflies Movie Review.’’ (2000). Web. 27 May. 2013.