Thoughts On Grave of the Fireflies

On the Loss of Childhood Innocence

This article contains spoilers.

INTRODUCTION

Grave of the Fireflies is haunting but worth the watch. It’s based on the story of someone who lived through the horrors of war.

The story is written by Akiyuki Nosaka, who narrates the story from his real-life experience. Similar to the movie, the events are told from the perspective of the main character, Seita.

While Nosaka didn’t die from the same circumstances Seita did, the movie’s introduction may pertain to the trauma he underwent. Maybe, after undergoing such experiences, he lost his innocence and was never the same.

Like Seita, Nosaka lost his little sister to the destructive effects of war.

According to some sources, Nosaka wrote Grave of the Fireflies to come to terms with this loss. It is believed that he blames himself for her death and he carried this guilt throughout his life.

While the film depicts the effects of war on ordinary people, it didn’t show battles or soldiers engaged in combat.

The enemies were armed with fighter jets, but they were not the highlight of the film, nor are they portrayed antagonistically.