This film (or anime) should be seen by anyone interested in the history of Japan, especially WWII history, and not just anime fans. Actually, it should be seen by everyone with the possible exception of children.

I have known of Grave of the Fireflies for some time but saw it for the first time just recently. For those who don't know, it is the story of two children in WWII Japan who witness the firebombing of Kobe and the tragic events which follow. The film was very powerful and I was surprised by two points in particular.

1) There was little mention of "the enemy". The story remains focused on the characters without delving into historical commentary or opinion. Regardless of your views on the events, you will find yourself engrossed in the lives of these two characters rather than contemplating who did what and why.

2) I'm not an anime fan. I almost forgot it was anime after the first few minutes. The voices and actions of the characters are so well done that they take on a life of their own. The young girl in particular, named Setsuko, is adorable. Watching the extra features I learned they actually employed a 5 year old girl for the voice and, contrary to typical productions, allowed her to read the lines in her own way and then animated the character to fit the emotions and tone.

Rent or buy this movie! You can find it at Blockbuster and you won't regret it. Be sure to watch it in Japanese with English subtitles. You may be tempted to watch it in the default English language voiceover but the voices were poorly done in this version and you'll miss an important part of the film.

I don't think I would recommend this one for children. There is little or no graphic violence but the story is very tragic and very adult. It is a sad film which would need to be explained to a younger audience lacking historical perspective and maturity.

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