2. How Does It End?
Mon:
Storyline, Major Themes
Jeannie:
Cultural Aspects, Powerpoint,
Video Related Clips
Kristena:
Characters, Technical aspects of animation
and filming, Introduction to film
3. Introduction to Film
Grave of the Fireflies is based on the semi-autobiographical book by Akiyuki
Nosaka, published in 1967 that begins as a flashback and begins to replay the
story of the events that happened leading to the moment we meet Seita the main
character in the story. The anti-war story and then later made into the
animation by Studio Ghibli and directed by Isao Takahata. Grave of the Fireflies
is said by some to be the Shindler’s List of anime because it shows the Japanese
side of the story through the eyes of the children involved. This animation is
Takahata’s most serious animation as he is also well known for “Princess
Mononoke” “Kiki’s Delivery Service” and “My Neighbor Totoro.” The anime is
also said to be the first of its kind, because unlike the other animations of the
time such as “The Lion King”(1994) and “Princess Monoke” (1997), and others
of the 80’s and 90’s that are for the family and give a warm fuzzy feeling; while
Gave of the Fireflies is one that gives a very tearful and eye opening view of the
children.
4. Storyline
The films open up with Seita dying of starvation. A janitor noticed
he was gone and searches his body and found a tin can that he throws
away. The tin can glowed and Seita and his younger sister Setsuko and a
flock full of fireflies appeared. A flashback occurs and it started with an
air raid forcing Setsuko and Seita to a bomb shelter. Everything in their
neighborhood and most of the city was destroyed. They both survive the
air raid but their mom wasn’t so lucky being caught in the air raid and
died leaving them without a home and mom. Nowhere to go they move
into their aunt house. His aunt let them stay but had to give most of their
stuff to her for food. After giving almost everything they had, the aunt
complained on how they do nothing to earn the food she makes. Leading
them to choice to leave and moved into an abandoned bomb shelter.
5. Setsuko was afraid of the dark and they capture fireflies for light. The
next day Setsuko found them all dead and wonder why they have to die
like her mother. They ran out of rice and Seito was force to steal from
farms and loot homes during air raids. Setsuko became very ill due to
the lack of food and Seita withdraws all the money from their mom’s
bank account. Heading back to the shelter he overheard people saying
that japan lost the war and his father might be dead since all of Japan’s
navy is now at the bottom of the ocean. He returns to Setsuko
hallucinating and hurry to cook some food, but Setsuko dies shortly
after. He then cremates Setsuko and puts her ashes into that fruit tin
until he met his own death.
7. Seita
Seita is a young boy who is between 12
and 14 and throughout the video at some
points seems much older than just fourteen,
because he is taking care of his sister Setsuko
who is only four during the time of World War
II. His father was unreachable as he was
serving one the Japanese military, and his
mother was killed in a bombing. Seita in just a
few frames becomes the sole provider for
Setsuko, after their Aunt and Seita had a falling
out about what the siblings. Seita and Setsuko
8. find an abandoned cave to stay in next to a lake, where they often
spend time fishing and playing in. The two children find comfort in
the evening with the fireflies as they dance around the outside of
their cave and catch some to bring into the cave to help make it less
dark.
9. Setsuko
Setsuko is the little sister to Seita, only four years
old doesn't completely understand what is
happening, all she knows is her brother is taking
care of her and that her mom is in the "hospital"
(That is what Seita told her) and her father is
away on a Japanese Naval ship. Setsuko finds
comfort in the evenings from her fear of the dark
in the fireflies that fly around the places they are
staying whether it be their Aunt's or the
abandoned bomb shelter. The young girl loved the
fruit snacks that Seita put in their emergency pack
10. of food, Seita worked very hard to get her the
fruit snacks as much as he could, but as he was a
kid as well struggled to find food in general.
Setsuko, tried to bring happiness to this sad
story through her lightheartedness throughout
the movie up until she began falling ill where the
reality of what was happening began to set in.
The reality that she was lacking in nutrition and
couldn't get what she needed. She was having
delusions and creating "rice balls" that were
really mud balls because of her hunger.
11. Aunt
After the death of Setsuko and Seita's mother, their
aunt takes them in, but instead of attempting to
console them and help them through their greif of
losing their mother she is very harsh with them
about not working and helping with the efforts of the
war. She also is very stern with them about the food
that they eat that she prepared for them. Often telling
them that they are ungrateful and should go out to
get a job or go to school. the Aunt tries to compare
the children to her husband and daughter and their
efforts towards the war at hand.
12. Major Themes: Anti War
In the beginning of the film, there was an air raid destroying the
community and killed people. Japan had experienced fire bombing
raids in 1945 towards the end of World War II. Graves of the fireflies
is viewed as an anti-war film because it shared the struggle of life
during a war. Throughout this movie it showed hardship of life during
a war. Bombs fell like rain in the sky and It was estimated that more
than 650,000 people had lost their homes in these raids.
13. Major Themes: Optimism and Courage
Another theme would be courage and optimism both showed by
Seita. He always had a way to keep both himself and Setsuko happy
even though they are going through a hard time. When they lived in the
bomb shelter , they had a hard time gathering food. Seita had the
courage to take care of Setsuko even when the odds are stacked against
him. With problems Seita always tried to find a way to solve the
situation. Seita showed that it's important to always keep a positive
mine during hard times it keeps motivation up and a reason to keep
going.
14. Cultural Aspects: Family Values
Common cultural values that are seen in Japanese
films can include family values and social status. In
Japanese culture, family values are strong providing
love and support. In times of need like the fire
bombing raids portrayed in the film, family is what
is needed the most. They rely on each other in order to survive and you
can see that Seita steps upto take care of Setsuko when both their parents
are not present. This is a big responsibility for a young boy at 14 years
old to take care of his 4 year old sister. The ties of family support loosens
when Seita and Setsuko is under the care of their aunt. She no longer
treats them as her own family, and instead puts her own blood family in
the struggle for survival during this time period.
15. Cultural Aspects: Post War
In 1945, fire bombing raids were already taking place. August of
1945 was when Japan surrendered the attacks of the bombings. In the
film, civilization went back to normal, others still had their houses
intouched while some have lost theirs. Millions were homeless, injured
or died from the result of these fire bombing raids. Unfortunately,
Seita's life had came to an end at the train station, where no family
members were there to provide for him. He was reunited with Setsuko
in the spirit life.
16. Technical Aspects of animation and Filming
The anime of Grave of the Fireflies style is inspired of the 18th
century Hiroshige and modern day Herge who created Tin Tin. The
movie shows the characteristic of Anime characters of large eyes and
small mouths when closed yet large when open. Produced live action
animation and has won three awards, the first being the Special Award
in 1989, and the second and third being in 1994, the Animation Jury
Award and the Rights of the Child Award. The animation used
spherical cinematographic process, this relates to the type of lenses
used in the process of the animation. There are many different types of
lenses one can use. Spherical is often referred to the traditional lens.
17. Throughout this heavy topic to film is what is called “pillow
shots” just as Japanese poets use “pillow words” in their poetry to
separate each scene and as a way to create poetry of animation. The
Pillow shots in this film use shots of nature surrounding the scenes.
This allows the consequences of war and the devastation of what has
just happened set into the viewers mind and help them create a
stronger understanding of the consequences and dangers of war.
Others see the pillow shots as a breathing point for the audience as it
is a very heavy and difficult topic.
18. Video Clips
Animated film:
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAVD7qloRv0
Live action version:
Part 01
• http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5E7261B952FC0DF9
Part 02
• http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8706A20956ECDFCA
19. Discussion Questions
· Grave of the Fireflies is considered by many in the anime community to be a
classic describe some of the characteristics that made this film a classic. And
what would make a film a classic to you when viewing it?
· What might the fireflies represent throughout the film? What meaning does
it have for Setsuko and Seita? If the flashback scenes were not red but rather a
blue color, Would that change the feeling or aspect of the story?
· Takahata, the author of the story in a few interviews has said that Grave of
the fireflies is not an anti-war film, so what other major ideas does this film
relay?
20. Discussion Questions
· How different would the story be if Seita decided to stay with his aunt? Would this
story continue on into a happy ending? Or does this sorrow ending shows a different
perspective from how an animated film usually is?
· Grave of the Fireflies was also made into a live action film, unlike the animated
version the live action film tells the story from their cousins’ point of view. How
does the ending differ from both versions? Does having their cousins point of view
change how you viewed the original animation? Or was it better off to have it stay as
Seita’s story telling it?
· What effect did the war have on families, school/education, economy, and society
as a whole? Did this film change the way you look at World War II? Why or why not
and in which ways has it changed or not changed in your outlook?
21. Works Cited
Bennett. "Anime Abandon - Grave of the Fireflies." TGWTG Update. N.p., 28 May 2012. Web. 07 Mar.
2013.
<http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/bt/the-sage/anime-abandon/35418-anime-abandon-grave-of-the-
fireflies>.
Ebert, Roger. "Grave of the Fireflies (1988)." RSS. N.p., 19 Mar. 2000. Web. 07 Mar. 2013.
<http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20000319/REVIEWS08/3190301/1023
>.
"Grave of the Fireflies - Synopsis." Grave of the Fireflies. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Mar. 2013.
<http://www.wingsee.com/ghibli/fireflies/synopsis.html>.
"History Behind Grave of the Fireflies." History Behind Grave of the Fireflies. N.p., 2001. Web. 07 Mar.
2013. <http://www.animeacademy.com/grave_fireflies.php>.
"Review of Grave Of The Fireflies." 123HelpMe.com. 06 Mar 2013
<http://www.123HelpMe.com/view.asp?id=156971>.
