Have you ever had someone show you one of their favorite movies only to have them start sobbing as soon as they hit “Play?” That’s what happened to me. I was 20 and had only been seeing this person for a month. At first I gave their steady stream of heavy tears the side-eye. Why are you crying? Nothing has happened yet. But, by the end of those 89 minutes, I was an emotional wreck. Devastated. Forever changed. If I had been watching that movie for a second time, I would have been crying from the start right along with them. So many years later, I’m still haunted by a particularly tragic scene. It’s burned into my brain.
So what movie could elicit such a reaction? What movie could be so thoroughly, heart-breakingly sad that it’s always mentioned in the comments if it accidentally gets left off a list of the saddest movies? Today, we’re talking about the animated Studio Ghibli movie from 1988, Grave of the Fireflies, and it’s now available on Netflix.
I know what some of you are saying. How could an animated movie be the saddest of all time? But if the first few minutes of Up are any indication, compelling and dramatic storytelling can be effective in any form. And when it comes to the storyline told in Grave of the Fireflies, how could you not be sad? Here’s a brief spoiler-free rundown:
Set in Kobe, Japan during the Pacific War of World War II between America and Japan, Grave of the Fireflies follows big brother Seita and little sister Setsuko. After their mother dies, they attempt to survive the war at their aunt’s, surrounded by active bombings, air raids, and a lack of adequate food. They both soon realize that keeping their status as war orphans a secret has lasting consequences.
Even without knowing any of the background for the making of Grave of the Fireflies, it’s still the saddest movie ever made, yet the added context can’t be ignored. The film is based on the semi-autobiographical short story written by Akiyuki Nosaka. His relationship with one of his sisters closely matches that of the film and short story, including the tragic way in which the tale ends. Keep this in mind as you watch the story unfold.
There’s a connection that winds together those who have watched this movie. There are grave, knowing nods between people as they realize they have both seen Grave of the Fireflies. It’s one of those movies you’ll recommend, not because the movie is “good,” but because its story will leave an indelible mark on anyone who sees it, giving a vision of war that many in the Western world never see. Would I recommend watching it a second or third time, as my date did so many years ago? Not at all, but it should be viewed by everyone at least once.
Watch Grave of the Fireflies now on Netflix. (With a full box of tissues and a comforting household pet.)
