Grave of the Fireflies
Why do fireflies have to die so soon?
1988 • 89 min • Animation · Drama · War
Our family guide
Best from age 14- 100 Reviewers · 3 · 53%
- 84 Audience · 6723 · 47%
In the final months of WWII, orphaned siblings Seita and Setsuko struggle to survive in war-torn Japan after their mother
- Violence & peril
- 5/10
- Language
- 1/10
- Drinking, drugs & smoking
- 0/10
- Romance & sensuality
- 0/10
- Scary moments
- 6/10
Heads up
- Depicts the harsh realities of wartime, including starvation and loss.
- Emotional and heartbreaking scenes involving child suffering.
- Aunt's treatment of the children can be upsetting.
What it models well
- Resilience in hardship
- Unconditional sibling love
- Sacrifice and selflessness
Talk about it after
- The devastating impact of war
- The importance of family and care
- Finding hope amidst tragedy
Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for Grave of the Fireflies. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.
Where to watch
Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
Amazon VideoLinks go straight to each service. Some are affiliate links that support Movie Knight at no cost to you. Availability data by JustWatch via TMDB.
Top billed cast
Director: Isao Takahata • Crew: Isao Takahata
Tsutomu Tatsumi
Seita (voice)
Ayano Shiraishi
Setsuko (voice)
Yoshiko Shinohara
Mother (voice)
- A
Akemi Yamaguchi
Auntie (voice)
- M
Masayo Sakai
Woman who takes care of Setsuko (voice)
- K
Kozo Hashida
Obayashi Chairman (voice)
- K
Kazumi Nozaki
Cousin (voice)
- Y
Yoshio Matsuoka
Gosaku (voice)
- M
Masahiro Kanetake
Aunt's House Guest (voice)
- K
Kiyoshi Yanagawa
Patrolman (voice)
Trailers & clips
Clip: “You’re rich!” [Subtitled]
Setsuko eats fruit drops. [Subtitled]
When they lost everything, all they kept was each other. [Subtitled]
Ghibli Fest 2025 Trailer [Subtitled]
Official Netflix Trailer
Isao Takahata on Grave of The Fireflies (English Subtitled)
Studio Ghibli Fest 2018 Trailer
Reviewer notes
RecommendedGrave of the Fireflies masterfully portrays the human cost of war through a deeply emotional and well-structured narrative. With powerful animation, moving performances, and a haunting soundtrack, the film delivers a timeless and heart-wrenching message about loss, survival, and humanity. It's a must-watch war film that emphasizes empathy over action. Read the full review here: (Indonesian version : alunauwie.…
RecommendedTrusted family reviewersThis was the first animated movie that made me cry as an adult. It still does. Two children are left as orphans in World War 2 and have to survive. Such a basic premise, but this shows intimately what the effects of war are on children (a topic not covered by other movies). And as it's about children, it has more of an emotional impact.…
RecommendedTrusted family reviewersThe terrible story of two orphaned Japanese kids during the ending of WWII. Incredibly well told and totally moving, without using clichés. A must seen in the anime arena.
Fan reviews
Sign in to rate and reviewBe the first fan to review this.
Gallery
