Cracked Voices

I watched Isao Takahata’s adaptation of Akiyuki Nosaka’s Grave of the Fireflies yesterday. I was amazed at the coincidence when the narrator and the lead in the story opened the film with his death on the 21st of September. Completed in 1988, the film is one of the most celebrated animations of all time. It is the story of a young boy, Seita, and his little sister, Setsuko, and their adventures and mishaps during and after the World War II in Japan. They lost their parents in the war at such young ages and went on to live on their own. Towards the end of the movie, Setsuko died of sickness and malnourishment.

“She never woke up”. That was how Seita announced his little sister’s passing. All throughout the movie, I had cracked voices and tears welling up my eyes. It was the first time I tried really hard not to let the tears roll down my cheeks. Towards the finale, I ended up crying just the same.

Shinchosa, the studio who did the animation definitely captured the essence of the war. The falling bombs, burning houses, rotten corpses, the expression on little Setsuko’s face, and everything else in the film were rendered to touch the human heart. I recommend this film to everyone especially those who have hard hearts. Iiyak din kayo.