Andres Gomez
9/10The 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.
Reviewed on January 4, 2013
Grave of the Fireflies(1988)
火垂るの墓
Why do fireflies have to die so soon?
8.4(6,769)1h 29m1988-04-16
AnimationDramaWar
Grave of the Fireflies Synopsis
In the final months of World War II, 14-year-old Seita and his sister Setsuko are orphaned when their mother is killed during an air raid in Kobe, Japan. After a falling out with their aunt, they move into an abandoned bomb shelter. With no surviving relatives and their emergency rations depleted, Seita and Setsuko struggle to survive.
Grave of the Fireflies (1988) is a animation, drama and war film directed by Isao Takahata, released on April 16, 1988 with a runtime of 1h 29m. It stars Tsutomu Tatsumi, Ayano Shiraishi, Yoshiko Shinohara and Akemi Yamaguchi. Viewers rate it 8.4 out of 10 across 6,769 ratings.
- Director:
- Isao Takahata
- Writers:
- Isao Takahata, Akiyuki Nosaka
- Producers:
- Tooru Hara
- Cinematographer:
- Nobuo Koyama
- Composer:
- Michio Mamiya
- Production:
- Studio Ghibli
- Budget:
- $3,700,000
- Revenue:
- $842,132
- Status:
- Released
Grave of the Fireflies (1988) Trailer
Watch the official trailer for Grave of the Fireflies before you stream it.
Grave of the Fireflies Videos & Clips
Official trailers, teasers, clips and featurettes for Grave of the Fireflies.
Ghibli Fest 2025 Trailer [Subtitled]
Trailer
Official Netflix Trailer
Trailer
Studio Ghibli Fest 2018 Trailer
Trailer
When they lost everything, all they kept was each other. [Subtitled]
Teaser
Clip: “You’re rich!” [Subtitled]
Clip
Setsuko eats fruit drops. [Subtitled]
Clip
Isao Takahata on Grave of The Fireflies (English Subtitled)
Featurette
Grave of the Fireflies Cast & Crew
Main cast
Tsutomu Tatsumi
as Seita (voice)
Ayano Shiraishi
as Setsuko (voice)
Yoshiko Shinohara
as Mother (voice)
- Akemi Yamaguchi
Akemi Yamaguchi
as Auntie (voice)
- Masayo Sakai
Masayo Sakai
as Woman who takes care of Setsuko (voice)
- Kozo Hashida
Kozo Hashida
as Obayashi Chairman (voice)
- Kazumi Nozaki
Kazumi Nozaki
as Cousin (voice)
- Yoshio Matsuoka
Yoshio Matsuoka
as Gosaku (voice)
- Masahiro Kanetake
Masahiro Kanetake
as Aunt's House Guest (voice)
- Kiyoshi Yanagawa
Kiyoshi Yanagawa
as Patrolman (voice)
- Hajime Maki
Hajime Maki
as Man who arrests Seita (voice)
- Atsuo Omotem
Atsuo Omotem
as Person in Bank (voice)
Key crew
Directed by Isao Takahata, written by Isao Takahata and Akiyuki Nosaka, produced by Tooru Hara.
Explore more Animation titles
Grave of the Fireflies Reviews & Ratings
Average viewer score of 8.4/10 from 6,769 ratings.
sykobanana
10/10This 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. Described as one of the greatest war movies of all time by Roger Ebert, the…
Reviewed on May 17, 2020
Alunauwie
10/10Grave 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.com)…
Reviewed on September 30, 2025
You may also like
7.9
In This Corner of the World
2016
7.5
When the Wind Blows
1986
7.4
The Boy and the Heron
2023
7.2
Mirai
2018
6.7
The Sky Crawlers
2008
7.1
Kensuke's Kingdom
2024
6.3
Waiting for Anya
2020
6.8
Barefoot Gen 2
1986
7.8
The Breadwinner
2017
7.5
Giovanni's Island
2014
7.3
The Island on Bird Street
1997
7.6
Barefoot Gen
1983
7.3
Macross: Do You Remember Love?
1984
7.9
Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero
2018
7.9
The Boy and the Beast
2015
6.8
The Young Lions
1958
8.1
Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll
2019
7.6
Belle
2021
7.6
The Six Triple Eight
2024
7.1
Lonely Castle in the Mirror
2022
Movies similar to Grave of the Fireflies
Häyhä - The White Death
Movie
5.7
No Songs of Love
2005
Otogi-Juushi Akazukin
2005
7.6
The Bridge
1959
7.7
What's Eating Gilbert Grape
1993
7.0
Nowhere in Africa
2001
Sirius
6.6
Sirius
1975
6.8
The Black Parachute
1944
6.2
Fat Girl
2001
8.0
To Kill a Mockingbird
1962
8.1
Full Metal Jacket
1987
6.7
The Bodyguard
1992
7.9
Downfall
2004
7.7
Stalag 17
1953
7.1
Soldier of Orange
1977
8.4
Life Is Beautiful
1997
7.2
A Blind Hero: The Love of Otto Weidt
2014
7.6
The Dirty Dozen
1967
7.0
State of Grace
1990
9.5
Nine Days and One Morning
2014
Grave of the Fireflies – Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I watch Grave of the Fireflies online?
+
Grave of the Fireflies (1988) is available to stream on Netflix and Netflix Standard with Ads, and to rent or buy from Amazon Video. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
Who stars in Grave of the Fireflies?
+
The main cast of Grave of the Fireflies (1988) includes Tsutomu Tatsumi, Ayano Shiraishi, Yoshiko Shinohara, Akemi Yamaguchi and Masayo Sakai. The film was directed by Isao Takahata. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
When was Grave of the Fireflies released?
+
Grave of the Fireflies was released on April 16, 1988 and runs for 1h 29m.
Is Grave of the Fireflies worth watching?
+
Grave of the Fireflies (1988) holds an average rating of 8.4 out of 10 from 6,769 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy animation, drama and war films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Is there a trailer for Grave of the Fireflies?
+
Yes. The official Grave of the Fireflies trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.