Fireflies (Part 1)

Caught a tear-jerking movie - Grave of the Fireflies over the weekend. Made in 1988, the animated film is written and directed by Isao Takahata. According to Wikipedia, it is an adaptation of the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by Akiyuki Nosaka.

The writer has lost his sister due to malnutrition in 1945 wartime Japan. As he held himself responsible for her death, he penned the story with the intention of offering a personal apology to sister and aid him to accept the tragedy.

The gist of the story tells the touching relationship between the two orphaned siblings, Nii-Chan and his younger sister in the end of World War II in Kobe. The children have lost both parents in the war - their mother in the air raid, and their father in service to the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Consequently, they seek refuge at their distant relative, but are forced to survive on their own when they are ill-treated by their very aunt. In my opinion, the indifference of the extended family members, among others, is one of the breaking points that leads them to their demise in the midst of widespread famine and poverty.

For an "excerpt" of the film, please click:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88jF99ikO-8