In this new episode of Anime Breakfast we want to tear our hearts from our chests and talk to you again about The Tomb of the Fireflies, Studio Ghibli’s masterpiece which doesn’t really suit the Christmas spirit, but which today is more relevant than ever
collection collection, how difficult this Anime Breakfast will be. Not only because of the difficulty of dealing with certain themes in spaces that are normally light and distant, but also because we in no way want to give spoilers to those who have not had the opportunity to enjoy this Studio Ghibli film. We have also bizarrely recommended it to you in Japanese animated films which, perhaps, you could use to spend the Christmas afternoon (here is the complete list!), opting for a deeper and certainly less cheerful solution. Here we want to delve into it a little, without, as already mentioned, ruining the experience for anyone. And so nothing, we tear our hearts from our chests and in this episode of Anime Breakfast we dredge up The Tomb of the Fireflies from our memories. Ouch ouch.
Haha no shi | Anime Breakfast: The Tomb of the Fireflies
The Tomb of the Fireflies was published in 1988, produced by Studio Ghibli and directed this time not by master Miyazaki, but by the equally deceased master Isao Takahata. It was actually presented at the same time as My Neighbor Totoro, which was decidedly distant in terms of themes. Perhaps also for this reason, the film was little publicized and is still one of the least known Ghibli films even in the West. Based on the short story by Akyuki Nosaka, The Tomb of the Fireflies stands out from the company’s distinctive genre for its touching and powerful narrative which focuses on the devastation of war, seen however not from the eyes of the powerful, not of the soldiers, not of the strategists. Seen from the eyes of two brothers not even teenagers.
Seita and Setsuko are two… children, we don’t know how else to define them. They live day by day, trying to survive the last months of the war. We are in fact in 1945 and the two young people, already separated from their parents for different reasons, are forced to flee home because the American bombs also reached Kobe, their small hometown. All once familiar places will become, with the passage of time increasingly hostile and terrifying. The horrors that Seita witnesses are unspeakable and he always tries to protect little Setsuko, although it is not always so easy. Or perhaps it would be better to say that she never is.
Moving from one refuge to another, from which they are always forced to escape for a whole series of reasons, Seita and Setsuko live day by day, with the food they manage to recover and with what they managed to take away from the rubble of their home, completely alone and defenseless in the face of a world in constant decline, between rationing of resources and a defeat that is getting ever closer for Japan .
Sakura no Shita | Anime Breakfast: The Tomb of the Fireflies
Let’s not go any further: you will have already understood that the strong point of La Tomba delle Lucciole is its narrative section. Confronting the cruelty of war through the innocence of two children’s eyes in such a raw way is both annihilating and emotionally devastating. Takahata is a director who has nothing to envy of the more famous Miyazakiand precisely with his skill he manages to capture frame by frame the vulnerability of the two little protagonists, but also the strenuous strength they put into the continuous struggle to survive in a world that seems to have forgotten what it means to be human.
The innocence that characterizes the entire film increases that sense of tragedy that underlies the entire film: Seita and Setsuko are forced, despite their very young age, to face mourning, hunger, illness, the sense of impotence and the loss of everything what they had always known. If they already had a very close relationship, as brother and sister, as the narrative continues their connection becomes more and more authentic. Takahata’s ability to paint them so authentic and so mutually responsible and protective he perfectly embodies the strength of brotherly lovealbeit in a context of absolute and overwhelming desperation.
Ike no Hotori | Anime Breakfast: The Tomb of the Fireflies
As you can well understand from these words of ours, La Tomba delle Lucciole touches deep emotional chords which, even just by writing down these lines, are awakened. To accompany the events, the precious and moving soundtrack composed by Michio Mamiya, in perfect harmony with the poignant images represented on the screen and composed mostly of traditional Japanese music tracks. A further way to immerse the viewer in the culture and atmosphere of the period, although so distant both in time and in mentality.
Even visually, despite being a film from 35 years ago, Tomb of the Fireflies is still impressive. Studio Ghibli has always known how to stand out for its attention to detail and in this film everything is transliterated to the nth degree: from the firefly garden to the destroyed city, every setting, every place, every moment They are masterfully represented. Equally masterful are the animations of the facial expressions of the two protagonists, which reach heights of empathy, pain and understanding that transcends any language barrier.
Hotaru no Haka
We conclude this Anime Breakfast dedicated to La Tomba delle Lucciole with a small reflection. Although Studio Ghibli’s film is now over three decades old, it is more relevant today than ever. And it is not just a representation and criticism of war, but it aims to be a reflection on human resilience and the loss of innocence. Seita and Setsuko represent precisely this: the fragility of human life, the struggle to maintain at least a glimmer of humanity and empathy in a world devastated by violence. Exactly like what we experience every day.
Let us know what you think of La Tomba delle Lucciole below in the comments and continue to follow us here on TechGameWorld.com!
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