Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)

Grave of the Fireflies

Original title: Hotaru no haka
  • 19881988
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 29m
IMDb RATING
8.5/10
267K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,273
23
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Hotaru no haka (1988)
Trailer for Grave of Fireflies
Play trailer1:47
4 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Animation
  • Drama
  • War
A young boy and his little sister struggle to survive in Japan during World War II.A young boy and his little sister struggle to survive in Japan during World War II.A young boy and his little sister struggle to survive in Japan during World War II.
IMDb RATING
8.5/10
267K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,273
23
  • Director
    • Isao Takahata
  • Writers
    • Akiyuki Nosaka(novel)
    • Isao Takahata
  • Stars
    • Tsutomu Tatsumi(voice)
    • Ayano Shiraishi(voice)
    • Akemi Yamaguchi(voice)
Top credits
  • Director
    • Isao Takahata
  • Writers
    • Akiyuki Nosaka(novel)
    • Isao Takahata
  • Stars
    • Tsutomu Tatsumi(voice)
    • Ayano Shiraishi(voice)
    • Akemi Yamaguchi(voice)
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 915User reviews
    • 137Critic reviews
    • 94Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Top rated movie #48
    • Awards
      • 3 wins

    Videos4

    Grave of the Fireflies
    Trailer 1:47
    Grave of the Fireflies
    What to Watch When You Need a Good Cry
    Clip 1:48
    What to Watch When You Need a Good Cry
    What to Watch When You Need a Good Cry
    Clip 2:25
    What to Watch When You Need a Good Cry
    When You Need a Good Cry
    Video 1:51
    When You Need a Good Cry

    Photos200

    Hotaru no haka (1988)
    Hotaru no haka (1988)
    Hotaru no haka (1988)
    Hotaru no haka (1988)
    Hotaru no haka (1988)
    Hotaru no haka (1988)
    Hotaru no haka (1988)
    Hotaru no haka (1988)
    Hotaru no haka (1988)
    Hotaru no haka (1988)
    Hotaru no haka (1988)
    Hotaru no haka (1988)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Tsutomu Tatsumi
    • Seitaas Seita
    • (voice)
    Ayano Shiraishi
    • Setsukoas Setsuko
    • (voice)
    Akemi Yamaguchi
    • Auntas Aunt
    • (voice)
    Yoshiko Shinohara
    • Motheras Mother
    • (voice)
    Kôzô Hashida
    • Obayashi Chairmanas Obayashi Chairman
    • (voice)
    Masayo Sakai
    • Woman who takes care of Setsukoas Woman who takes care of Setsuko
    • (voice)
    Kazumi Nozaki
    • Cousinas Cousin
    • (voice)
    Yoshio Matsuoka
    • Gosakuas Gosaku
    • (voice)
    Masahiro Kanetake
    • Aunt's house guestas Aunt's house guest
    • (voice)
    Kiyoshi Yanagawa
    • Patrolmanas Patrolman
    • (voice)
    Hajime Maki
    • Man who arrests Seitaas Man who arrests Seita
    • (voice)
    Atsuo Omote
    • Person in bankas Person in bank
    • (voice)
    Teruhisa Harita
    • Station workeras Station worker
    • (voice)
    Hiroshi Tanaka
    • Person in bankas Person in bank
    • (voice)
    Michio Denpô
    • Station workeras Station worker
    • (voice)
    • …
    Shirô Tamaki
    • Person in bankas Person in bank
    • (voice)
    Tadashi Nakamura
      Mika Sekita
      • Nurseas Nurse
      • (voice)
      • Director
        • Isao Takahata
      • Writers
        • Akiyuki Nosaka(novel)
        • Isao Takahata
      • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
      • All cast & crew

      More like this

      Princess Mononoke
      8.4
      Princess Mononoke
      Your Name.
      8.4
      Your Name.
      A Silent Voice: The Movie
      8.1
      A Silent Voice: The Movie
      Life Is Beautiful
      8.6
      Life Is Beautiful
      City of God
      8.6
      City of God
      Grave of the Fireflies
      7.5
      Grave of the Fireflies
      Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
      8.0
      Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
      Hara-Kiri
      8.6
      Hara-Kiri
      Modern Times
      8.5
      Modern Times
      Cinema Paradiso
      8.5
      Cinema Paradiso
      Parasite
      8.5
      Parasite
      The Wind Rises
      7.7
      The Wind Rises

      Storyline

      Edit

      Did you know

      Edit
      • Trivia
        This film was initially distributed with Tonari no Totoro (1988) because it was the only way that Miyazaki could have been able to make "Totoro." The reason being that the original film pitch for that film was rejected, so they pitched a double feature with "Grave of the Fireflies," and the project was eventually backed financially by the original writer of the book on which "Grave" is based. It often was overlooked as a film because whenever "Totoro" was screened first, people were left happy and did not wish to be saddened by "Grave" afterward.
      • Goofs
        Right at the beginning, someone places what looks like a rice ball loosely wrapped in some tree bark as a protective cover next to the boy known as Seita. The scene cuts to Seita's face and soon after he collapses, the wrapped rice ball is nowhere to be seen.
      • Quotes

        [first lines]

        Seita: September 21, 1945... that was the night I died.

      • Connections
        Featured in At the Movies: True Crime/Ravenous/The King and I/Forces of Nature/The Harmonists (1999)
      • Soundtracks
        Home Sweet Home
        Written by H.R. Bishop (uncredited)

        Performed by Amelita Galli-Curci

        Courtesy of RCA Victor Red Seal, a division of BMG Classics

      User reviews915

      Review
      Top review
      10/10
      A powerful film that shows the true cost of war
      "Grave of the Fireflies" is one of the most ambitious, depressing, and quite frankly, best films that I've ever seen. I was nearly moved to tears by this film's brave treatment of such critical subject matter. Yes, it's an Anime' piece, but surprisingly, it came out in 1988, during a time where most Japanese animation films were either relentless bloodbaths, borderline pornography, or both.

      As a fan of the Anime' genre of film-making, many great pieces have achieved some sort of cult status here in America, yet none have really reached mainstream success. Some have broken through the barrier and have gained acceptance with American critics, like Katsuhiro Otomo's "Akira," or "Princess Mononoke," or "Spirited Away" (both films directed by Hayao Miyazaki). One that I've seen and has been barely mentioned by most critics is "Grave of the Fireflies."

      What we have with "Grave of the Fireflies," is a story of innocence lost and two children who ultimately face a losing battle with trying to survive in a small Japanese village in the closing days of World War II. WWII was the costliest conflict in world history, with millions dead and thousands left to pick up the pieces.

      In the center of it, are the aforementioned two children, who are pretty much left to fend for themselves after their mother is killed in a bombing raid. Because their father is off fighting in the war and they have no way of contacting any other family, they're sent to live with their aunt, who is at first warm and welcoming to them, but eventually becomes very cruel and the children are forced to live in a nearby bomb shelter. From that point on, the two children embark on a journey that is every bit as unpleasant and difficult as the grim realities of the world around them.

      Very easily one of the best Anime' films that I've ever seen (or any animated film for that matter), I find it difficult to believe just how truly overlooked "Grave of the Fireflies" is. The animation is beautiful, though certainly not dated by any means (even though Japanese animation has progressed well since this film was made).

      We get a sense of the dread of the two lead characters, who watch as the world around them crumbles into heaps of ashes, and aircraft loom ominously overhead, dropping their deadly, incendiary cargo on unsuspecting Japanese villagers.

      The director, Isao Takahata, obviously has a special resentment of the war, but manages to avoid condemning it outright. The director instead lets us focus in on the conflict as seen through the eyes of the two children, who watch unflinchingly as the realities of their world begin to falter before them.

      "Grave of the Fireflies" is a bold statement on the condition of the human soul during conflict. I probably shouldn't say this but I am anyways, but this film has to be the "Schindler's List" of animated pieces. It's brave, it's not overly sentimental, but it is relentless in its dramatization of a dangerous reality. It should be required viewing in any high school world history class.

      A beautiful film; not to be missed by anyone.
      helpful•327
      23
      • dee.reid
      • Aug 28, 2004

      FAQ3

      • Is this movie based on a (graphic) novel?
      • What's in the box that Seita carries with him?

      Details

      Edit
      • Release date
        • July 26, 1989 (United States)
      • Country of origin
        • Japan
      • Language
        • Japanese
      • Also known as
        • La tumba de las luciérnagas
      • Production companies
        • Shinchosha Company
        • Studio Ghibli
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Box office

      Edit
      • Budget
        • $3,700,000 (estimated)
      • Gross US & Canada
        • $516,962
      • Opening weekend US & Canada
        • $158,101
        • Aug 12, 2018
      • Gross worldwide
        • $516,962
      See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

      Technical specs

      Edit
      • Runtime
        1 hour 29 minutes
      • Color
        • Color
      • Sound mix
        • Dolby Stereo
      • Aspect ratio
        • 1.85 : 1

      Related news

      Contribute to this page

      Suggest an edit or add missing content
      Hotaru no haka (1988)
      Top Gap
      What is the streaming release date of Hotaru no haka (1988) in Germany?
      Answer
      • See more gaps
      • Learn more about contributing
      Edit page

      More to explore

      View list
      List
      The 10 Most Anticipated Marvel and DC Movies
      See the full list
      Image caption not available
      2:14
      The Most Anticipated Movies and Shows to Watch in May
      Watch the video

      Recently viewed

      Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
      Get the IMDb App
      • Get the IMDb App
      • Help
      • Site Index
      • IMDbPro
      • Box Office Mojo
      • IMDb Developer
      • Press Room
      • Advertising
      • Jobs
      • Conditions of Use
      • Privacy Policy
      • Interest-Based Ads

      © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.