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Animated drama

Grave of the Fireflies (1988) (1989): Cast, Ratings & Box Office

Grave of the Fireflies (1988) movie poster

Grave of the Fireflies (1988) is a 1989 animated drama directed by Isao Takahata, starring Tadashi Nakamura, Hiroshi Tanaka and Akemi Yamaguchi. It runs 1 hour 29 minutes and earned $841,612 worldwide. Critics gave it 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and 94 on Metacritic.

Rotten Tomatoes
100%
worldwide gross
$841.6K
Metascore
94
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Grave of the Fireflies (1988) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 29m (89 min)
Director
Isao Takahata
Genres
Animation , Drama , War
Original language
Japanese
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Grave of the Fireflies (1988) About?

The premise of Grave of the Fireflies (1988) without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

During the final months of World War II, a young boy and his younger sister struggle to survive in Kobe, Japan, as the Allied firebombing campaign intensifies. Orphaned and displaced, they face starvation, illness, and the loss of their home, relying on each other for comfort and protection. Their journey is a poignant and heartbreaking portrayal of the human cost of war and the enduring strength of familial love in the face of unimaginable hardship.

Grave of the Fireflies (1988) Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • food
  • orphan
  • studio ghibli
  • 1940s
  • survival
  • firefly
  • older brother younger sister
  • theft
  • insect
  • homelessness
  • ghost
  • illness
+38 more
  • horrors of war
  • doctor
  • older actors younger roles
  • piggyback ride
  • train station
  • year 1945
  • child
  • maggot infested corpse
  • imperial japan
  • burning houses
  • tin can
  • abandoned mine
  • 2d animation
  • anime animation
  • mature animation
  • female frontal nudity
  • traditional animation
  • yankee
  • housefly
  • for grown ups animation
  • fish
  • sibling relationship
  • hugging
  • hand drawn animation
  • female full frontal nudity
  • stand alone movie without sequel
  • period drama
  • asia
  • tragedy drama
  • sad ending
  • japan
  • shelter
  • japanese
  • hunger
  • air raid
  • disaster
  • in medias res
  • imitating the firing of a gun
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Cast & crew

Grave of the Fireflies (1988) Cast

Tadashi Nakamura leads the cast, with Hiroshi Tanaka and Akemi Yamaguchi. Directed by Isao Takahata; 20 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from Isao Takahata

More films directed by Isao Takahata, best-rated first: The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, Pom Poko, My Neighbors the Yamadas and Panda! Go Panda! (1972).

Full filmography
Ratings

Grave of the Fireflies (1988) Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Grave of the Fireflies (1988) 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and 94 on Metacritic.

Plot

Grave of the Fireflies (1988) Plot Summary

What happens in Grave of the Fireflies (1988) from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

As March 1945 transitioned into the grim realities of warfare, American Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers unleashed havoc over Kobe, leaving a trail of devastation. In the midst of the destruction, two siblings, Seita and Setsuko Yokokawa, faced the harrowing reality of being orphaned after their mother succumbed to her injuries. To protect his sister from the harsh truth, young Seita chose to conceal their mother’s death, fabricating a facade of normalcy amidst the chaos surrounding them. They sought refuge with a distant aunt who, absorbed in her own struggles, was more inclined to exploit their vulnerability rather than offer any genuine aid.

Full summary

The whole story of Grave of the Fireflies (1988), scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Grave of the Fireflies (1988) Box Office

Grave of the Fireflies (1988) grossed $841,612 worldwide. $516,962 came from the US and Canada and $324,650 (39%) from the rest of the world.

1989 box office

Worldwide gross

$841.6K

US & Canada
$517K
International
$324.7K
US & Canada 61% Rest of the world 39%
Videos

Grave of the Fireflies (1988) Trailers & Videos

5 videos: 2 trailers, 2 clips and 1 featurette.

Studio Ghibli Fest 2018 Trailer
  • Trailer Official Netflix Trailer
  • Clip Setsuko eats fruit drops. [Subtitled]
  • Clip Clip: “You’re rich!” [Subtitled]
  • Featurette Isao Takahata on Grave of The Fireflies (English Subtitled)
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Grave of the Fireflies (1988)?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

In what year does the story of 'Grave of the Fireflies' take place?

Cars

Cars in Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

4 cars on screen, including the 1973 Ford LTD and the 1967 Ford Mustang.

  • 1973 Ford LTD in Grave of the Fireflies (1988) 1973 Ford LTD Important role
  • 1967 Ford Mustang in Grave of the Fireflies (1988) 1967 Ford Mustang Important role
  • 1988 Buick Regal in Grave of the Fireflies (1988) 1988 Buick Regal Minor role
  • Ford Econoline in Grave of the Fireflies (1988) Ford Econoline Minor role
Details

Grave of the Fireflies (1988) Also Known As

47 alternative titles, including “再见萤火虫” and “Die letzten Leuchtkäfer”.

Also known as
  • 再见萤火虫
  • Die letzten Leuchtkäfer
  • 再見螢火蟲
  • Graf van de Vuurvliegjes
  • Cemitério dos Vagalumes
  • Căn hầm đom đóm
  • Jaanimardikate haud
  • Jonvabalių kapas
  • سيتا الحنون
  • Mormântul Licuricilor
  • Могила светлячков
  • Una tomba per le lucciole
+35 more
  • ग्रेव ऑफ फिरेफ़्लिएस
  • Túmulo dos Vagalumes
  • Grave of the Fireflies สุสานหิ่งห้อย
  • O Túmulo dos Pirilampos
  • Ateşböceklerinin Mezarı
  • La tumba de las luciérnagas
  • 반딧불의 묘
  • Atəşböcəyinin Məzarı
  • Hotaru no haka
  • Die letzten Glühwürmchen
  • La tomba delle lucciole
  • Le Tombeau des lucioles
  • Tulikärpästen hauta
  • 萤火虫之墓
  • Grobowiec świetlików
  • Hrob světlušek
  • Eldflugornas grav
  • Ildfluernes grav
  • 반딧불이의 묘
  • Szentjánosbogarak sírja
  • Гробът на светулките
  • קבר הגחליליות
  • O Túmulo dos Vagalumes
  • 螢火蟲之墓
  • Могила світлячків
  • Hrob svetlušiek
  • สุสานหิ่งห้อย
  • قبر اليراعات
  • Ildfluens grav
  • Mộ Đom Đóm
  • Магіла светлячкоў
  • La tomba de les lluernes
  • مدفن کرم‌های شب‌تاب, ციცინათელების სასაფლაო
  • Grob kresničk
  • Гробље Свитаца

Seen Grave of the Fireflies (1988)?

FAQ

Grave of the Fireflies (1988) FAQ: Cast & Box Office

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, post-credit scenes and language of Grave of the Fireflies (1988), each answered in a sentence.

How long is Grave of the Fireflies (1988)?

Grave of the Fireflies (1988) runs 1 hour 29 minutes (89 minutes).

When was Grave of the Fireflies (1988) released?

Grave of the Fireflies (1988) was released on July 26, 1989.

Who directed Grave of the Fireflies (1988)?

Grave of the Fireflies (1988) was directed by Isao Takahata.

More films by Isao Takahata

Who is in the cast of Grave of the Fireflies (1988)?

Grave of the Fireflies (1988) stars Tadashi Nakamura, Hiroshi Tanaka and Akemi Yamaguchi, among 20 credited actors.

How much did Grave of the Fireflies (1988) make at the box office?

Grave of the Fireflies (1988) grossed $841,612 worldwide ($516,962 domestic, $324,650 international).

How is Grave of the Fireflies (1988) rated?

Grave of the Fireflies (1988) has 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, 94 on Metacritic and 85% on TMDB.

Does Grave of the Fireflies (1988) have a post-credit scene?

No. Grave of the Fireflies (1988) has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is Grave of the Fireflies (1988) in?

The original language of Grave of the Fireflies (1988) is Japanese.

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