Grave of the Fireflies

"Hotaru no haka" has been out on DVD for many years now, but it is still one of the most accessible examples of the exquisite beauty of Japanese Anime. Every frame is a work of art; every character is a fully drawn person; sadly, the story is an all-too common one throughout the world and the poignant ending is a wrenching reminder of the inhumanity of war.

We follow the trials and tribulations of two orphaned children as they desperately struggle to find food and shelter. The older child, a devoted brother, is doing his level best to protect and care for his helpless little sister. By the way, the animation and voice for that little girl is inspired!

This tragic masterpiece is from Studio Ghibli ("Spirited Away" and "Princess Mononoke"). It is based on the award-winning novel by Akiuki Nosaka. The film is in Japanese with English subtitles.

My thanks to a JayFlix participant in Nevada for this tip.

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One look at this trailer and you'll see what I mean:

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1017839897 

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