Grave of the Fireflies

Isao Takahata is the master of anime – Japanese animated film. The subdued, soft colours – executed, as in paintings, with brushstrokes – contrast with a brutal reality. Two orphans try to survive in a bombed-out city: it is a hopeless battle fought by the helpless against the brutality of war and the egoistic indifference of their fellow human beings.

Isao Takahata was born in Ujiyamada, Japan, in 1935. This film is considered to be one of the best anti-war films.

Grave of the Fireflies / Hotaru no haka

Animated film, Japan 1988, 88 min, German subtitles