Hotaru no haka (1988)
Genre:
Animation / Drama / War (more)
Plot Outline: A tragic film covering a young boy and his little sister's struggle to survive in Japan during World War II. (more)
User Comments:
Haunting
(more)
User Rating:
 
8.1/10 (10,063 votes)
top 250: #222
Also Known As:
Grave of the Fireflies (USA)
Tombstone for Fireflies (USA)
Tombstone for the Fireflies (Australia) (dubbed version)
Runtime:
93 min / Germany:85 min (DVD version)
Country:
Japan
Language:
Japanese
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Sound Mix:
Dolby
Certification:
USA:PG (MPAA rating) / Canada:G (Quebec) (video rating) (1994) / USA:Unrated / Canada:PG (Nova Scotia) (video rating) (2002) / Canada:PG (Ontario) (video rating) (2005) / Canada:PG (Manitoba) (video rating) (1993) / USA:TV-MA (TV rating) / Finland:K-11 / Argentina:13 / Australia:M / France:U / Hong Kong:IIA / New Zealand:M / Singapore:PG / South Korea:All / Spain:13 / Sweden:15 / UK:12 / West Germany:6
Trivia:
From the start of production, director Isao Takahata wanted to cast appropriately aged children in the roles of Seita and Setsuko. Because the film takes place in Kobe, the search was limited to the Kansai region of Japan in order to find children that spoke the proper dialect. He was introduced to Ayano Shiraishi through a regional children's acting company, and decided to cast her as Setsuko after only hearing two sentences: "My name is Ayano Shriraishi. I am five years old." He was later told by one of the company's leaders that they expected Ayano was too young for the role, and so those were the only lines she had been instructed to recite in the audition.
(more)
Quotes:
[first lines]
Seita:
September 21, 1945... that was the night I died.
(more)
Awards:
3 wins
(more)
|
|
User Comments:
55 out of 58 people found the following comment useful:-
Haunting, 28 January 2001
Author:
Black Rainbow from Ontario, Canada
I was warned this movie would be emotional, but I had no idea just how
understated that was. By the end, my friend and I were huddled together,
pouring out tears I've never shed for any movie before. It was a mix of
horror, empathy, sadness, and so many more emotions I can't even begin to
list.
Visions of this film have haunted me since first watching it, and I
would
find it hard to watch again, simply from it being so heart-wrenching.
Only
one movie has ever hit me hard enough to keep me from subjecting myself to
it's strong emotions again (The thief, the cook, his wife and her lover).
I strongly urge all to watch this, as it rises well about any films I've
seen, anime or not.
Check for other user comments. - I have seen this movie and would like to comment on it
Message Boards Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Hotaru no haka (1988)
Recommendations If you like this title, we also recommend... Hadashi no Gen (1983) Show more recommendations
Add a recommendation
Email this page to a friend 
Update Information
|
company.�
Advertise on IMDb.�
License our content.
