So, here are some topic questions to respond to to get the conversation started:
- What was it like for you to be the Them that was causing so much fear and destruction (the bombings were caused by the American military)?
- Did you notice all the focus on little, everyday routines and actions that were animated with such detail (e.g. Setsuko getting undressed to swim, the candy sticking when Setsuko tries to get it out of the tin, Seita rolling in bed, etc.)? As we learned in class, this is characteristic of Isao Takahata's work. How do you feel these moments contribute to the overall film?
- Also, there were some cultural references in the film that would be fun to know more about. For your response, you could do a little research and report on one of the following: what is the symbolism of cherry blossoms in Japan? What is the symbolism of the fireflies and the movie's title? What is the significance of the uniform that Seita wears? What is the "Divine Wind" the characters talk about at the end of the film (after they've lost the war)?
So, after checking out one more interesting little thing I found, write your 2-3 paragraph response to the film below, jumping off one of the discussion points above or something else someone has said.
This is Rose. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, I don't understand the question. I think there is a typo.
Responding to the second question... yes! I couldn't help but admire every little detailed animation that the character's did. It was so good, and made the animated part seem so much more realistic. I find it easier to relate to, even if not by much, films if there are the simplest details that make a big impact put in. I also liked the blinking moments, I thought those best portrayed the emotions - whether more happy and okay, or dying and weak. You see it in their (animated) eyes and the way the lids move.
I will respond to the rest later. It's 1:33 am and can't think all that well.
Which question didn't make sense? The first one? I was trying to ask what it was like to see a movie where the enemy (the infamous "Them") is your own country and people.
DeleteI agree with you about how animating all the little details so well really helps this story to come alive. It's all part of the set-up that makes for such a powerful, tragic pay-off at the climax of the film.
Autumn here
ReplyDeleteJust want to say, I wasn't on the american side of the war, I was on the no man's land, I guess you could call it, since my family was in the internment camps.
This movie is crazy depressing. I liked the way Takahata represented the dead in that they were red. Even the fireflies became red when they died. I really did like the little everyday things that happened in the film, like Rose said, I think it really added to the film. It made it easier for us to relate because I'm sure something like that has happened to us once in our lives.
With the cherry blossoms, they mean the renewal of life and its transitory nature. So the cherry blossoms are beautiful while they last but they don't last forever. Just like life. Crazy how that work, huh?
With the fireflies, I think it has to do with when Setsuko (that's how you spell it right?) buried and asked "why do fireflies have to die so soon?" (or something to that effect). It's kind of like us. our lives are short, maybe not as short as a fireflies, but still short all the same. I feel like Takahata included them too. Which makes me happy because all living things have a soul and a life and I think that humans forget that sometimes.
I think this movie is trying to send a message "live everyday to its fullest because one of these days will be your last." And he portrayed it very well, because even though the characters were in a horrible, scary situation, they had the time to enjoy their life. They went to the beach. They got candy. Little things like that to be grateful for.
Over all I loved this movie and would recommend it to anyone. And I think it's a great way to get someone to look at their life and be grateful and happy with theirs. Thanks for letting us watch it!
Sir Whovian, OUT!
I appreciate the personality and wit in your posts! I too took away from the film the theme of make the most of each day. After watching the film, I wrote the following on Facebook: "Watched 'Grave of the Fireflies' today. I cried ... a lot. I don't think any film has more powerfully motivated me to appreciate every moment I have with my children. Time to live deeply."
DeleteInteresting thing to note that I read: for Takahata, the film is about having empathy of the circumstances of children and teens.
I also like what you said about the use of color in the film. I agree that Takahata uses red very deliberately to represent death, tragedy, and the lose of innocence. I notice that there is also a lot of green in the film. I think the green might represent innocence but I'm not sure.
Hey everyone, don't feel like you need to answer all of the questions I post. They are just there to get the conversation started. You just need to answer at least one of the questions or respond to something someone else has said and write at least three paragraphs. (And yes, this comment is copied and pasted from the one I wrote on "After Life").
ReplyDeleteWell maybe I wanna! :)
Delete"Grave of The Fireflies" is now one of my favorite anime movies ever! I don't think i've ever gotten into an anime movie like i got into this film. I love the story and how it is based on something that could have really happened. The details and feeling in this film are amazing. Japanese films have never disapointed me when it comes to details and color.
ReplyDeleteWhile watching the film i tried putting myself and my little sister in the same situation, the connection made it easier to understand what they felt and how The older brother probably felt when the little girl died. If my little sister died from malnutrition i'd probably lose it.
It seems like a lot of people I talk to who see this film imagine people they care about in the position of the characters. I guess this is way the film illicites such a strong emotional response. I imagine my son and my daughter and I freakin' lost it.
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed the film so much! It makes me feel good to know we're discovering new favorites.
P.S.: as noted in reply to your "After Life" response, be sure to give us three paragraphs in your responses.
I totally relate! This was such a great movie and I also put me and my little sister in their shoes. It would kill me if I had to lose my sister. Poor guy. And it sucks to realize this isn't just an anime. This really happened. This story happened to many people. Everyone lost so much.
DeleteSir Whovian, Out!
Good point that this really did happen to so many people. That is important to remember.
DeleteThe Grave of Fireflies was an extremely interesting movie that I enjoyed watching (even though I was unable to watch everything). The animation was stunning, was really well put together, and had amazing detail for the actions and detail.
ReplyDeleteThe director of the movie did really well in portraying his ideas and did excellently with the voice actors and the story of the film. I felt the story did really well in building up the suspense because Seita would always wait until the last possible minute to get out of danger.
With all the greatness in this movie, there were some things I didn't enjoy. For example when the Seita was stealing food for his sick sister, I don't think people would actually take him to the police. Another thing I didn't like was his aunt because she wasn't so nice.
Glad you enjoyed the film so much. I agree that the suspense and tension are masterfully constructed in this film. I'm glad that one of the things you didn't like about the film was a character the writer did not want you to like.
DeleteIt's so true! I was yelling at Seita in my head to GET OUT OF THERE!! It totally helped with the worry and anxiety that film produced.
DeleteI think with the guy taking seita to the police for stealing, I think it could happen. Think about it, this was back during the war and food was almost gone and that's all they had. And not to mention they were all scared, I think he could have reacted that way.
And I too hate his aunt. I thought she would be nice, but no! I think it helped the movie progress though because if they just lived happily ever after with their aunt and nothing bad ever happened again, how boing would that be? And the movie would be really short too.
I thought it was amazing too.
Sir Whovian, Out!
this movie was way sad. i freaking would have cried like a baby had i seen that little girl die. :'( i felt so bad for the whole family, how their mom died and then the little sister, that boys life must have sucked.
ReplyDeleteamericans are such assholes. like, why the flip do we have to blow everyone up, it's pretty messed up.
it was a bittersweet moment when the boy died cause he was reunited with his sister. i'd be happy to die at that point.
-ashley gray
ps josh, make sure you mark be present.
You are marked as present. Check.
DeleteYeah. The boy's life did suck.
P.S.: give us paragraphs that are a couple sentences longer in your next response :)
carlos
ReplyDeletethe grave ofthe fireflies is one of my favorite anime and the story lines the best plus i think that its got alot of great things. you know the movies good if you want to cry.
the director did his best to captur the strugles of every person waiting for the war to end and to find food
Is this response finished. It is a bit short. Remember to give me a full 3 paragraphs.
DeleteHad you seen the film before we watched it in class? Was this a new favorite that you discovered or have you always loved it that much? I agree that the story structure is masterful and the crying is evidence of that fact.
You were right Josh, this was one of the most depressing movies I've ever seen. And like Autumn said, it's all the more depressing when you realize that this kind of stuff actually happened to people. I don't like that the US dropped bombs on civilians. Actually, if the US had lost the war, it would have been charged with war crimes.
ReplyDeleteI did notice a lot of subtle things the characters did. There was one moment where Setsuko was trying to get up on a bench with Seita. And instead of just automatically jumping onto the seat, or sitting up off camera. She struggled to get up, one leg at a time, like a real little kid would. Another thing I noticed was the sound design. Every little object, every single movement made some sort of sound effect. All the little things in the movie like that, almost made me forget I was watching an anime.
If I have one thing to say about the movie that isn't good, it's that it seemed to end kind of abruptly for me. The movie threw me for a loop. When it started, Seita says, "September 21, 1945... that was the night I died." So throughout all the film, I thought it was going to end with him dying. Or at least dying then showing him and Setsuko walking around together with some fireflies. So when the movie actually did end I thought, "Is that it?" Okay, if there's ONE other thing I have to say about the movie, it's about Setsuko's death. It was pretty emotional to find out she died the way the movie showed. It's kind of like running into a brick wall. You just saw her alive, then instantly you're told she died. But I wonder if it would have been better to show when Seita found out Setsuko died. To see how he would have reacted, and for us to slowly find out at the same time he did, and share his realization.
Takahata did have a thing for those little details that really made it come to life. and yeah I agree with the abrupt ending. I thought it would have showed it all the way up to his death. And now I really want to know how he ended up where he dies. It was kind of jarring the way he ended it. I wonder why Takahata did it that way. But I definitely agree this is one of the saddest films ever.
DeleteSir Whovian, Out!
I assumed that September 21, 1945 was the day that Setsuko died and so Seita is saying that he died that same day too because that is when he no longer had a reason to live.
DeleteGreat thoughts on the movie, Jason. I agree with all you have to say about the subtle moments and sound design. These things really make the movie for me.
The bombing is definitely a very complicated issue. Before the U.S. entered the war, people in this country criticized the countries that were in the war for bombing civilians but then, after entering the war, the generals ended up doing what all the other countries were doing in order to compete and end the war. War is just plain ugly. Period.
This movie was very sad, how his sister died and he was trying to feed her, I was absent for most of this movie because I was at the hospital, but if it's on Netflix I will for sure watch it!! :)
ReplyDeleteI do like when the brother dies and meets his sister in heaven or whatever you call it. I loved how the anime was really good directed and I also loved the colors in the movie
ReplyDeleteThe detail and emotion to the movie was so real. The fireflies resembled some kind of after life or something to me.
ReplyDeleteGreat thoughts, Roe. I just checked and it doesn't look like "Grave of the Fireflies" is on instant view on netflix. I have access to a copy if you ever want to finish the film during lunch and get participation points back for some of the days you missed.
DeleteWhat did you love about the colors? Tell me more about the symbolism you saw in the fireflies.
grave of the fire flies was a very sad movie, generally when your at home and you see war. you only think about and see your side of the suffering.
ReplyDeletegrave of the fire flies gives us a chance to realize the fact that during war, the victims are everywhere. instead of thinking of the other country as a bad guy.
really changes your perspective on war. it makes you understand that even though theres war, were all still human beings reagardless.
This is very insightful, Tavis. Thank you for sharing. I am glad you are developing greater empathy and a larger world view through the experiences you are having in class.
Delete(Please give me even more in your responses. Make each paragraph at least 3-4 lines long. Thanks!)
The whole time I couldn’t stop thinking that, we really don’t see us as being such barbaric people. We just think, oh yay we won the war, but most show no remorse for what they did to thousands of people. It breaks my heart to see us be so destructive, although I understand that if we didn’t than they would have done the same but worse.
ReplyDeleteAll the little everyday routines just added to the sadness in the end. It makes me think how much we don’t just enjoy the annoying or regular things that happen in our lives. I think a lot about how I miss all those little things I used to do when I lived with my mom. I miss getting out of bed and her having breakfast for sitting on the computer trying to get her school work done before tasking me and my siblings to school. I miss sitting out with my mom and brother and playing with my dog in the back yard. And I even miss her yelling at me to wake up in the mornings. Just the smallest things I used to do with my family I miss the most.
The cherry blossom has much symbolism in japan, although I am sure there is a lot more to it then what I found. According to the Buddhist tradition, the brief beauty of the blossoms symbolizes the transient nature of life. The flowers last for at most a few weeks, but during that time, both the mountains and the cities are full of the pink flowers. The traditional Japanese values of purity and simplicity are thought to be reflected in the form and color of the blossoms. The cherry blossom is also tied with the samurai culture, representing the fleeting nature of the samurai’s life and symbolic of drops of blood.
Wow, Jenika. The second paragraph of this response is beautiful! Thank you for sharing.
DeleteI didn't know about the symbolism of the cherry blossoms. That is interesting. It is very Buddhist to focus on how everything in life in temporary in order to promote appreciating things while they are here.
Yeah ... it's a tear jerker. Pretty amazing story telling in its ability to elicit an emotional response.
ReplyDelete(Remember to give me three paragraphs.)
As people of the United States, I think it would be impossible to not be strongly affected by and reflect on the things that the US during the war after seeing this film. I’m assuming that many of us have considered what we did to be a devastating thing, but I know that (at least for me), I never had actually been empathetic to the people who had their lives crumble because of what we thought was necessary.
ReplyDeleteMany people on the blog posted about what they would do and how they would feel had it been them in this situation, or someone else they cared for. I definitely had this experience as well. I couldn’t imagine facing times like this. Or having to be as strong as Seita was for his sister. Which brings me to the point of what some others mentioned as well, their aunt. It was so hard to hear her putting these children down, especially Seita. It made you want to talk back to the aunt for him! He tried so hard to do all that he could to make life for his sister easier, but all the aunt could say was that he was doing nothing to help because he wasn’t in the military. How was he supposed to just leave Setsuko?!
Josh, you were without a doubt right to say that this film made us fall into a depressive abyss. That was the exactly feeling that Grave of the Fireflies gave me. Although it was an obviously sad movie, it is easily now a favorite anime movie of mine. Up there with Spirited Away (but come on, who doesn’t love Spirited Away?)
-Ryan Ditta
PS- I had quite a few absences a couple of weeks ago, resulting in me missing the entire movie. I wanted to let you know that I watched this film at home and was wondering if participation points could possibly be made up for doing that. Thanks!