(aka 'Grave of the Fireflies' or 'Hotaru no haka')
by Isao Takahata
Japanese 1994

 

Two children die of starvation in the wake of the American bombing of Japan. The story is simple, and arresting. There is no maudlin sentiment here, no deliberate manipulation of the viewer's feelings. It all unfolds in quiet dignity, and breaks the viewer's heart. I could not bear to watch it in its entirety, but had to view it in two sittings, a week in between. There is no need to talk about the animation, to try to justify it as a valid means of serious cinematic expression. It is a masterpiece of World Cinema, one of the most searlingly intense depictions of war and its consequences ever created by anyone, anytime.

 

Setsuko is about 4 four years old. Her brother Seita is 12-14. We know they are dead from the beginning. Seita's ghost leads us like Virgil through
Paradiso, Purgatorio and Inferno, all on the earth, and all in the experience of two young children. Their mother dies of injuries sustained in an Allied attack. Seita stands in mute horror as, wrapped in bloody bandages and covered in wriggling maggots, she is dumped into a hole with the bodies of others who have died in the makeshift hospital. He never had the chance to say goodbye. Now he must be mother and father to little Setsuko. He hides their mother's death from her. but she misses Mama intensely. The portrayal of a little girl is delicate and true to life. She tries hard to be brave, shifting her shoulders back and forth as she
struggles not to cry when it becomes clear Mama is far away. Seita, the burden of caring for them both laid upon his inexperienced shoulders, does all he can to care for her. The love between them is indescribably affecting. Seita tries to cheer her with little games, and candies. But he is fighting a battle against the great void that will eventually engulf us all. An aunt they go to for shelter humiliates and starves them. Eventually they leave and try to live in a bomb shelter. They develop terrible rashes and diarrhoea through malnutrition. Seita is beaten for stealing vegetables to keep his little sister alive. Setsuko grows weaker. One day, after eating dirt she imagines to be rice balls, she falls asleep for the last time. He cremates her, and carries her ashes in the little candy tin she loved.

Excerpt from Ramcharan's review found HERE

Posters Left - Book Right    Script

 

 

Reviews    More Reviews    R0 DVD Reviews   R2 DVD Reviews     R1 SE DVD Reviews

DVD Comparison


 Kaze (FR) Region 2- PAL vs. Warner Bros. Japan R2 - NTSC vs. CPM CS Region 1- NTSC

Big thanks to Vincent Bouche of DVD Compare for the Kaze screen captures!

(Kaze Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Warner Bros. Japan Region 2 - NTSC -MIDDLE vs. Central Park Media SE R1 - NTSC - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers

 

  

    
Distribution Kaze
Region 2 (France)		 Warner Bros. ( Japan )
Region 2 (NTSC)		 Central Park Media / Us Manga Corps
Region 1 encoded 
Runtime 1:24:54 1:28:09 1:30:03
Video

1.85 Original Aspect Ratio - 16x9 enhanced
Average Bitrate : 7.79 Mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1.78:1 Letterboxed WideScreen 16x9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 6.0
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

Widescreen 1.85:1

16x9 enhanced

Average Bitrate: 10.99
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

Bitrate:

Kaze Region 2 - PAL

Bitrate:

Warner Bros. Japan

Bitrate:

CPM CS Version

Audio Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0
- French Dolby Digital 2.0

Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0)

English (Dubbed) (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Subtitles French, German or none English, Japanese, None English, None
Features Features :
Discographic information :
- DVD encoding : region 2
- Layers : dual
- Available Audio Tracks: Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0) and French (Dolby Digital 2.0)
- Available subtitles : French, German and none
- Limited collector's edition (only 15 000 ex.)
 
In the box, you find :
- a booklet (24 pages) with photos
- the original novel "Grave of the Fireflies" by Akiyuki NOSAKA.
 
Extras :
- 6 Theatrical Trailers (but none for Grave of the Fireflies)
- 3 Image galleries
- Making of (7:18) (Japanese with French subtitles)
- Isao Takahata interview (26:40) (Japanese with French subtitles)
- Interviews (about 1:40:00) (French)
  • Japanese Language
  • English Subtitles
  • Original movie trailer
  • Making of Hotaru no Haka

NOTE: Extras are in Japanese and UN-subtitled.

  • Running Time: 89 mins.
  • DVD Video
  • Color
  • Layers: single-sided/single-layered
  • Aspect Ratio(s): 16:9 LB Vista
  • Regional Encoding: 2
  • Subtitles: English Japanese
  • NTSC Format
  • Audio Track :
      Japanese /Dolby Digital /Surround
Edition Details:
• Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only)
• Animated, Color, Widescreen
• Number of discs: 2
Commentary Track
 Biographies
 Restoration Featurette
 Storyboards
 Art Gallery

 2nd Disc:

  • Interview with Roger Ebert (12 minutes) and director Isao Takahata (18 minutes)

  • Creative Team Extras

  • Production Extras

  • Historical Perspective -12-minute interview with historians Theodore and Haruko Taya Cook

  • DVD ROM

  • Trailers

DVD release date : August 19, 2002
Special box
Chapters : 8		 DVD Release Date: 12 April 2000
Keep Case
Chapters: 12 		DVD Release Date: October 8, 2002
Transparent  Keep Case
Chapters: 12
Comments:

The picture quality of the Region 1 SE release is quite stunning.  Central Park Media obtained a brand-new video master directly from Japan and then cleaned it up through a state-of-the-art DVNR (digital video noise reduction) process. (A look at the original Japanese trailer on the DVNR featurette –  on the second disc, packed with 71 minutes – will show you what an awesome improvement it is over the older R0. Overall I would say the Region 2 Japan is sharpest and the French (no Eng subs) is quite dark but makes the other two look like they have had  some color manipulation.   

Gary W. Tooze

Recommended Reading for Japanese Film Fans (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)

Check out more in "The Library"

DVD Menu
(Kaze Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Warner Bros. Japan Region 2 - NTSC -MIDDLE vs. Central Park Media SE R1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)

 


(Kaze Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Warner Bros. Japan Region 2 - NTSC -MIDDLE vs. Central Park Media SE R1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)

 

(Kaze Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Warner Bros. Japan Region 2 - NTSC -MIDDLE vs. Central Park Media SE R1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)

 

(Kaze Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Warner Bros. Japan Region 2 - NTSC -MIDDLE vs. Central Park Media SE R1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)

 

(Central Park Media R0 left, Warner Bros. Japan right, Central Park Media CS Below)

 

(Central Park Media R0 left, Warner Bros. Japan right, Central Park Media CS Below)

 

Report Card:

Image:

Japan R2 

Sound:

 -
Extras: CPM CS - R1
Menu: CPM CS - R1
DVD Box Covers

  

    
Distribution Kaze
Region 2 (France)		 Warner Bros. ( Japan )
Region 2 (NTSC)		 Central Park Media / Us Manga Corps
Region 1 encoded 

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