Grave of the Fireflies

 Guys I watched this movie late last night.. I've been wanting to see it for a while. My first Ghibli movie ever!! 

Everyone said this movie is absolutely devastating so I was interested... Even saying they could never watch the movie again. Based on that and the description I thought it would be akin to a manhwa I read before, The Horizon. With these comparisons in mind, GoF wasn't as dark and depressing as I expected it to be. I did cry though and it was definitely still tragic.

Basically there are 2 main characters, Seita, a 14 y/o boy, and his 4 y/o sister Setsuko. After their home is bombed they have to move to their aunt's house. However, she is very stingy and sort of impassive towards the two and treats them as burdens, so Seita makes the decision to leave with Setsuko. They make a home out of a cave. Seita has to steal and bargain to get enough food and the kids still end up malnourished and disease-ridden. Despite that there are happy moments sprinkled throughout the movie and the kids retain hope. Also I like how realistic everyone acts throughout the movie especially Setsuko and there's not really and black-and-white villains/heros (although you could argue the aunt and even Seita are sort of villains). 

The tragedy of Gof is not only the circumstances and after-effects of war but also the devastation of pridefulness and selfishness. Seita being too proud is the point of the movie the author wanted to make. Because of Seita being too proud, some things happen (can't say bc spoiler). It's basically implied/foreshadowed through the beginning of the movie tho. Also kinda related he reminded me a bit of Joe Yabuki during some scenes. Seita is proud because of his upbringing with Japan being so stubborn (?) and nationalistic and viewing going back on things as dishonorable (prob why he didn't go back to aunt's house despite starving). He couldn't even believe Japan would surrender in the war when he got the news. But anyway I didn't really get the pridefulness aspect that much at first. It is shown through scenes, but my thinking was that Seita is literally a traumatized kid dealing with apathetic adults, death, destruction, and he's forced to take care of his sister. He isn't an adult and he's not mature enough to deal with everything and think things through carefully. Ofc he won't make the right decisions. 

Btw GoF is inspired by the author's life and makes the movie even more heart-wrenching. 

Apparently Nosaka felt guilty that he would eat food without sharing it to his sister while they were both starving and wrote Seita always giving food to Setsuko because he wished he would've acted that way. He also liked the ending of the movie because of Seita's fate compared to his. Ugh the ending of GoF made me cry the most. Not to be anj-brained but it gave me the same abrupt feeling as when I finished anj. Bro the ending scenes with Setsuko and the marble candy scene really stuck with me this movie is killing me... These poor kids.... 

I love the backgrounds in this movie though

rare happy moment </3333333333333

The rice field scenes were so nostalgic

Man I've been trying to watch more movies lately so this was nice tho. Yesterday (well technically 2 days ago now) I finally watched Fight Club. Might write a review on that idk. And before that I started "It's a Wonderful World" but I've yet to finish it. (It feels a little hard to watch a B&W movie.) I want to watch more Ghibli,, maybe My Neighbor Totoro bc I have a plush of Totoro lol. Princess Mononoke sounds interesting too.