Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

Hotaru no haka (original title)

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Not Rated
1h 29min
Animation, Drama
26 Jul 1989 (USA)
Movie

8.5 (310,293)

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Top Rated Movies: #44

A young boy and his little sister struggle to survive in Japan during World War II.

Director:

Isao Takahata

Writers:

Akiyuki Nosaka, Isao Takahata

Stars:

Awards:

3 wins.
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Reviews:

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Still of Corinne Orr (I), Ayano Shiraishi, Tsutomu Tatsumi, J. Robert Spencer, Emily Neves and Adam Gibbs (II) in Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

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209 photos | 4 videos

Complete, Cast awaiting verification

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Tsutomu Tatsumi	...	Seita (voice)
Ayano Shiraishi	...	Setsuko (voice)
Yoshiko Shinohara	...	Mother (voice)
Akemi Yamaguchi	...	Aunt (voice)
Kôzô Hashida	...	Obayashi Chairman (voice)
Masayo Sakai	...	Woman who takes care of Setsuko (voice)
Kazumi Nozaki	...	Cousin (voice)
Yoshio Matsuoka	...	Gosaku (voice)
Masahiro Kanetake	...	Aunt's house guest (voice)
Kiyoshi Yanagawa	...	Patrolman (voice)
Hajime Maki	...	Man who arrests Seita (voice)
Atsuo Omote	...	Person in bank (voice)
Teruhisa Harita	...	Station worker (voice)
Hiroshi Tanaka	...	Person in bank (voice)
Michio Denpô	...	Station worker / Doctor (voice)
Shirô Tamaki	...	Person in bank (voice)
Tadashi Nakamura	...	(voice)
Mika Sekita	...	Nurse (voice)
Mariko Miyamoto	...	(voice)
Atsushi Matsumoto	...	Kid with fishing tackle (voice)
Haruko Matsuda	...	(voice)
Keiko Ueda	...	(voice)
Kazuhiko Takeoka	...	Kid with fishing tackle (voice)
Kiyomi Ajisaka	...	Person in bank (voice)
Makio Ueno	...	Kid with fishing tackle (voice)
Toyokazu Hiramatsu	...	Kid with fishing tackle (voice)
Kyôko Moriwaki	...	(voice)
Takashi Shimatani	...	Kid with fishing tackle (voice)
Ryûji Sanada	...	Kid with fishing tackle (voice)
Tamotsu Kuni	...	(voice)
Haruo Kaji	...	(voice)
Toshiko Ama	...	(voice)
Makoto Kobayashi	...	(voice)
Ken'ichi Sawada	...	(voice)
Ikuo Kokubu	...	(voice)
Yûsuke Yokoyama	...	(voice)
Yoshinaga Fusamoto	...	(voice)
Kôshirô Tanimoto	...	(voice)
Masato Moriya	...	(voice)
Tetsurô Nakayama	...	(voice)
Naoki Fujita	...	(voice)
Masafumi Jôno	...	(voice)
Tsukasa Ban	...	(voice)
Makiko Kinoshita	...	(voice)
Senkoku Yukuhara	...	(voice)
Yûko Kurokawa	...	(voice)
Mayumi Kawaguchi	...	(voice)
J. Robert Spencer	...	Seita (Central Park Media dub) (voice)
Corinne Orr	...	Setsuko (Central Park Media dub) (voice) (as Rhoda Chrosite)
Amy Jones	...	Aunt (Central Park Media dub) (voice)
Veronica Taylor	...	Mother (Central Park Media dub) (voice)
Nick Sullivan	...	Additional Voices (Central Park Media dub) (voice)
Shannon Conley	...	Additional Voices (Central Park Media dub) (voice)
Crispin Freeman	...	Doctors / Old Man (Central Park Media dub) (voice)
George Leaver	...	Additional Voices (Central Park Media dub) (voice)
Dan Green	...	Additional Voices (Central Park Media dub) (voice)
Adam Gibbs	...	Seita (Sentai Filmworks dub) (voice)
Emily Neves	...	Setsuko (Sentai Filmworks dub) (voice)
Marcy Bannor	...	Aunt (Sentai Filmworks dub) (voice)
Shelley Calene-Black	...	Mother (Sentai Filmworks dub) (voice)
Luci Christian	...	Additional Voices (Sentai Filmworks dub) (voice)
Justin Doran	...	Additional Voices (Sentai Filmworks dub) (voice)
Susan O. Koozin	...	Additional Voices (Sentai Filmworks dub) (voice) (as Susan Koozin)
Andrew Love	...	Train Station Worker 1 (Sentai Filmworks dub) (voice)
David Matranga	...	Additional Voices (Sentai Filmworks dub) (voice)
Rob Mungle	...	Additional Voices (Sentai Filmworks dub) (voice)
Sam Roman	...	Additional Voices (Sentai Filmworks dub) (voice)
Blake Shepard	...	Additional Voices (Sentai Filmworks dub) (voice)
David Wald	...	Additional Voices (Sentai Filmworks dub) (voice)

Directed by

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Isao Takahata

Written by

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Akiyuki Nosaka	...	(novel)

Isao Takahata	...	(written by)

Produced by

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Joey Goubeaud	...	executive producer: ADV Films
Tôru Hara	...	producer (as Toru Hara)
John Ledford	...	executive producer: Sentai Filmworks / producer: ADV Films
John O'Donnell	...	executive producer: Central Park Media
Ryôichi Satô	...	planning producer
Stephanie Shalofsky	...	producer: Central Park Media
Eiichi Takahashi	...	executive producer: Sentai Filmworks
Shin'ichirô Ueda	...	line producer (as Shinichirou Ueda)

Music by

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Michio Mamiya

Cinematography by

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Nobuo Koyama

...

director of photography

Editing by

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Takeshi Seyama

Editorial Department

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Hiroshi Adachi	...	assistant editor
Dekker Dreyer	...	re-mastering

Art Direction by

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Nizô Yamamoto

...

(as Nizou Yamamoto)

Production Management

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Shin'ichirô Ueda

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production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Norihiko Sutô

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assistant director (as Norihiko Sudo)

Art Department

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Katsu Hisamura	...	assistant art director
Michiyo Yasuda	...	color key

Sound Department

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Christopher Bourque	...	mixing: Sentai Filmworks dub (as Lash Bourque) / sound designer: Sentai Filmworks dub (as Lash Bourque)
Bill Donnelly	...	mix engineer: english version
Michihiro Itô	...	sound effects editor: &M Planning Center
Yasuo Urakami	...	sound director (as Yasuo Uragami)
Kiyoshi Ôhira	...	sound effects (as Noriyoshi Oohira)
Hisanori Ôshiro	...	sound mixer

Special Effects by

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Kaoru Tanifuji

...

special effects (as Kunji Tanifuji)

Camera and Electrical Department

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Masashi Abe	...	camera operator: Lucky More
Akitarô Daichi	...	camera operator: Lucky More
Shinji Ito	...	camera operator: Lucky More
Atsushi Kageyama	...	camera operator: Lucky More
Hideo Okazaki	...	camera operator: Lucky More
Tsugio Ozawa	...	camera operator: Lucky More (as Tsuguo Ozawa)
Naoyuki Taniguchi	...	camera operator: Lucky More

Animation Department

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Homi Abe	...	cel painter
Hideaki Anno	...	key animator
Toshie Aoki	...	cel painter
Reiko Aonuma	...	cel painter
Mieko Asai	...	cel painter
Tsutomu Awada	...	inbetween artist (as Tsutomu Awata)
Manami Beppu	...	cel painter
Yumi Enozawa	...	inbetween artist
Mayumi Fujimoto	...	inbetween artist
Tazuko Fukutsuchi	...	inbetween artist
Hideaki Furusawa	...	inbetween artist
Yumi Furuya	...	cel painter
Yukiyoshi Hane	...	key animator (as Yoshiyuki Hane)
Kasumi Hara	...	inbetween artist
Tokuko Harada	...	cel painter
Fukiko Hashizume	...	background artist
Yumi Hattori	...	cel painter
Shizuko Hirai	...	cel painter
Eiji Hirakawa	...	background artist
Kazue Hiranuma	...	cel painter
Eiichirô Hirata	...	inbetween artist
Shûichi Hirata	...	background artist
Tôru Hishiyama	...	background artist (as Toru Hishiyama)
Matsuko Horii	...	cel painter
Hiroyuki Horiuchi	...	inbetween artist
Akemi Hosoya	...	cel painter
Yumiko Ichihara	...	cel painter
Junko Igarashi	...	cel painter
Nobuko Igarashi	...	cel painter
Takuya Iinuma	...	inbetween artist
Junko Ina	...	background artist
Hiroshi Inada	...	inbetween artist
Atsushi Irie	...	inbetween artist
Junko Isaka	...	inbetween artist
Michiyo Iseda	...	cel painter
Kimie Ishida	...	cel painter
Megumu Ishiguro	...	key animator (as Iku Ishiguro)
Kuniyuki Ishii	...	key animator
Norichika Iwakiri	...	cel painter
Megumi Kagawa	...	key animator
Hitoshi Kagiyama	...	inbetween artist
Yoshimi Kanbara	...	inbetween artist
Yoshinari Kanebako	...	background artist
Masashi Kaneko	...	inbetween artist
Yuriko Kashiwakura	...	cel checker
Yûichi Katayama	...	inbetween artist
Yumi Kawachi	...	inbetween artist
Yoshie Kawahashi	...	inbetween artist
Hideo Kawauchi	...	key animator
Yoko Kida	...	inbetween artist
Yoshiji Kigami	...	key animator (as Masuji Kigami)
Yoshifumi Kondô	...	animation director / character designer
Mutsuo Koseki	...	background artist
Hiromi Kosuda	...	inbetween artist
Tsutomu Kosuga	...	cel painter
Takiko Kubota	...	cel painter
Kitarô Kôsaka	...	key animator (as Kitaro Kosaka)
Chieko Machida	...	cel painter
Harumi Machii	...	cel painter
Takao Maki	...	inbetween artist
Yukiko Matsushita	...	cel painter
Haremi Miyagawa	...	cel painter
Yoshiyuki Momose	...	assistant animation director / layout
Noriko Moritomo	...	key animator
Akemi Motohashi	...	inbetween artist
Midori Nagaoka	...	inbetween artist
Ikue Nakayama	...	cel painter
Yôji Nakaza	...	background artist
Reiko Nanami	...	cel painter
Tatsuji Narita	...	inbetween artist
Sumie Nishido	...	inbetween artist
Michiko Nishimaki	...	cel painter
Eiichiro Nishiyama	...	inbetween artist
Hiroshi Ogawa	...	key animator
Noriko Ogawa	...	cel checker
Yûko Ogawa	...	inbetween artist
Toshiyasu Okada	...	key animator
Reiko Okuyama	...	key animator
Hisako Sagara	...	cel painter
Toshitsugu Saida	...	key animator (as Shunji Saida)
Eiko Saitô	...	cel painter
Fumiko Saitô	...	cel painter
Yuriko Saitô	...	inbetween artist
Akio Sakai	...	key animator
Keiko Sakuma	...	inbetween artist
Taeko Sakuma	...	cel painter
Yoshimi Sakuma	...	cel painter
Michiyo Sakurai	...	key animator
Nobuko Sano	...	cel painter
Aya Satô	...	inbetween artist
Nobuko Satô	...	inbetween artist (as Nobuko Sato)
Michiko Shibata	...	cel painter
Shirô Shibata	...	inbetween artist
Kazue Shiki	...	cel painter
Chieko Shiobara	...	inbetween artist
Yukitaka Shishikai	...	cel painter
Eiko Sudô	...	background artist
Mayumi Suzuki	...	inbetween artist
Toshiko Tahara	...	cel painter
Yûki Takagi	...	cel painter
Naomi Takahashi	...	cel painter
Ako Takano	...	inbetween artist
Noboru Takano	...	key animator
Yoshiko Takasago	...	cel painter
Noriko Takaya	...	background artist (as Noriko Higuchi)
Tomoko Takei	...	inbetween artist
Seiki Tamura	...	background artist
Osamu Tanabe	...	inbetween artist
Nobuko Tanaka	...	cel painter
Seiji Tanda	...	inbetween artist (as Seiji Handa)
Shin'ichi Toyonaga	...	cel painter (as Shinichi Toyonaga)
Shigeto Tsuji	...	inbetween artist
Yasuomi Umetsu	...	key animator
Mayumi Watabe	...	cel painter
Nobuko Watanabe	...	cel painter
Midori Yamada	...	inbetween artist
Yasuko Yamaguchi	...	cel painter
Shôjurô Yamauchi	...	key animator
Natsuyo Yasuda	...	assistant animation director
Rie Yasui	...	cel painter
Fujino Yonei	...	cel painter
Sachiko Yoneyama	...	inbetween artist
Junko Yoshikawa	...	cel painter
Takao Yoshikawa	...	cel painter
Hiroyuki Yoshimura	...	inbetween artist
Takao Yoshino	...	inbetween artist
Emiko Ôno	...	cel painter
Tokihiko Ôta	...	inbetween artist
Kyôko Ôtake	...	cel painter (as Kyooko Ootake)
Atsuko Ôtani	...	key animator
Masahiko Ôuchi	...	inbetween artist
Noriko Ôzeki	...	key animator

Additional Crew

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Tadahiko Arai	...	production committee
Peter Bavaro	...	adr producer: English version: Cental Park Media release
Steven Foster	...	adr director: English version - Sentai Filmworks release
Kunioki Hatsumi	...	production committee
Atsushi Kamimura	...	production assistant
Kayla King	...	production assistant: Sentai re-release
Masanori Michiie	...	technical assistant: Stack
Goro Morita	...	production assistant
Mamoru Murao	...	technical assistant: Jôsai Duplo
Takuo Murase	...	production committee
Neil Nadelman	...	translator: english version: Cental Park Media release
Tomoaki Nishikiri	...	production assistant
Hiroshi Nitta	...	production committee
Naoyuki Oshikiri	...	production desk
Yoshirô Saitô	...	technical assistant: Stack
Tony Salerno	...	dubbing supervisor (Cental Park Media release) (as Anthony Salerno)
Kenji Sasaki	...	production committee
Shun'ichi Satô	...	production committee
Takanobu Satô	...	production committee
Shizuka Shibata	...	production committee
Fumihiko Shimo	...	production assistant
Yoshiko Tagami	...	titles
Hideo Takagu	...	titles
Chiyoshi Tanaka	...	production assistant
Eric Thomann	...	coordinator
Tim Werenko	...	production manager
David Williams	...	dvd producer: blu-ray authoring: Sentai Filmworks release / dvd producer: dvd authoring: Sentai Filmworks release
Kenjirô Yagi	...	production committee

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Toho (1988) (Japan) (theatrical) (as Tôhô)
Edko Films (1989) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
Film fra Sør Distribusjon (2014) (Norway) (theatrical)
GKIDS (2013) (United States) (theatrical)
Hoyts Distribution (1990) (Australia) (theatrical)
Les Films du Paradoxe (1996) (France) (theatrical)
ADV Films (2009) (United States) (DVD)
Blessed Filmes (2024) (Brazil)
Central Park Media (1993) (United States) (video)
HBO Max (2020) (United States) (video) (Internet)
International Channel (United States) (tv)
JONU Media (2003) (Spain) (DVD)
NRK2 (2010) (Norway) (tv)
Nippon Television Network (NTV) (1989) (Japan) (tv)
Selecta Visión (2008) (Spain)
Selecta Visión (2012) (Portugal)
Sentai Filmworks (2012) (United States)
Star Media Entertainment (2006) (Norway) (DVD)
StudioCanal Films (2004) (United Kingdom)
Universe Laser & Video Co. Ltd. (2002) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
Versátil Home Vídeo (2015) (Brazil) (Blu-ray)
Versátil Home Vídeo (2015) (Brazil) (DVD)
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2008) (Japan) (video) (Perfect Keepsake Edition)
Warner Home Video (2000) (Japan) (DVD)

Special Effects

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Other Companies

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APU Studio (sound recording studio)
Audio Planning U (post-production sound services)
Nippon Television Network (NTV) (funding)
Seraphim Digital (sound re-recording)
Studio Angel (cooperation)
Tokyo Laboratory Co. Ltd. (film processing)

Storyline

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Plot Summary	The story of Seita and Setsuko, two young Japanese siblings, living in the declining days of World War II. When an American firebombing separates the two children from their parents, the two siblings must rely completely on one another while they struggle to fight for their survival. Written by Kyle Perez Plot Summary Plot Synopsis
Plot Keywords	older-actors-younger-roles studio-ghibli piggyback-ride train-station year-1945 See All (268) »
Genres	Animation Drama War
Parents Guide	View content advisory »
Certification	Argentina:13 Australia:M Brazil:12 Canada:PG (Ontario) Canada:PG (Nova Scotia) Canada:14A (Alberta) Canada:G (Quebec) Canada:PG (Manitoba) Chile:14 Egypt:Not Rated (DVD rating) Finland:K-11 France:Tous publics Germany:6 Hong Kong:IIA Hong Kong:I Hungary:12 India:U Ireland:12 (DVD rating) Ireland:12A (theatrical) Italy:T Japan:G Malaysia:U Mexico:B New Zealand:M Nigeria:PG Norway:11 Norway:15 (TV rating) Philippines:PG-13 (self-applied) Poland:16 Portugal:M/12 Russia:12+ Saudi Arabia:PG Singapore:PG South Africa:A South Korea:All South Korea:12 Spain:13 Spain:16 (TV rating) Sweden:11 Taiwan:0+ United Kingdom:12A United Kingdom:12 (DVD rating) United Kingdom:PG (recommended rating) United States:Not Rated United States:TV-PG (DVD rating) United States:TV-14 (TV rating) United States:16+ (suggestion) United Arab Emirates:12 (Blu-ray rating) West Germany:6

Additional Details

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Also Known As	火垂るの墓（1988） (Japan, Japanese title) Grave of the Fireflies (United States) Grave of the Fireflies (Israel, English title) Hotaru No Haka (South Africa, English title) Grave of the Fireflies (Singapore, English title) See more »
Runtime	89 min
Country	Japan United States
Language	Japanese
Color	Color
Aspect Ratio	1.85 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix	Dolby Stereo Stereo

Box Office

Budget	$3,700,000 (estimated)
Cumulative Worldwide Gross	$25,220,794

Did You Know?

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Trivia	This film was initially distributed with My Neighbor Totoro (1988) because it was the only way that Miyazaki could have been able to make "Totoro." The reason being that the original film pitch for that film was rejected, so they pitched a double feature with "Grave of the Fireflies," and the project was eventually backed financially by the original writer of the book on which "Grave" is based. It often was overlooked as a film because whenever "Totoro" was screened first, people were left happy and did not wish to be saddened by "Grave" afterward. See more »
Goofs	Right at the beginning, someone places what looks like a rice ball loosely wrapped in some tree bark as a protective cover next to the boy known as Seita. The scene cuts to Seita's face and soon after he collapses, the wrapped rice ball is nowhere to be seen. See more »
Movie Connections	Featured in True Crime/Ravenous/The King and I/Forces of Nature/The Harmonists (1999). See more »
Soundtracks	Home Sweet Home See more »
Quotes	[first lines] Seita: September 21, 1945... that was the night I died. See more »

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