Grave of The Fireflies

Quite amazingly, the two great achievements by Studio Ghibli - My Neighbor Totoro and Grave of The Fireflies - were released around the same time as a type of double kill - an event that we are certain have confounded lots of audiences back then, especially given the completely different vibes between them. My Neighbor Totoro is a type of featherweight fantasy movie, while Grave of The Fireflies is more realistic, revolving around The Second World War.

Many people disregard animations and cartoons, viewing them as an entertainment platform for children. Yet, this movie represents the unique potential to handle topics too dark to be introduced in live-action movies.

Considered one of the best Ghibli movies of all time, the picture presents its audience with Japanese' viewpoints on this devastating war, shedding more light on the consequences that the war brings about to two children - a 14-year-old Seina with his 3-year-old sister named Setsuke, both of whom lost their parents due to U.S.'s bombing in Kobe. (All these were inspired by actual air raids from which the directors survived, an event later introduced in Ghibli's subsequent release, "The Wind Rises".)

Both the children, starving and homeless, tried to protect each other and distract each other from all the nightmares surrounding them. Though the movie's ending is very tragic, there are still some rare moments of happiness in the film that will warm your heart.

Year of Release: 1988

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%