After 30 years since it was released, Studio Ghibli’s Grave of the Fireflies brought its fans to tears once again. This was after fans uncovered a heart-wrenching truth hidden in one of the film’s promotional posters.
色を解析したら蛍と弾でちゃんと描き分けてて更に鳥肌立ちました。#火垂るの墓 pic.twitter.com/oXDLF65ahb
— treetreenew (@TreeTreeNew) April 14, 2018
At first glance, it seems that Seita and Setsuko are merely admiring the fireflies. But when you adjust the color of the poster, you’ll notice that it’s not all fireflies. Some of it were actually bullets that came from the plane above the siblings.
火垂るの墓のポスターのホタルが全て蛍じゃないという説をいま読んで、画像を解析してみたら本当だった。
知らなかったです…#火垂るの墓 pic.twitter.com/ZY9QVVhySb— コミナミ・コミ (@comicloverhouse) April 13, 2018
What was ironic was that these two seemed to share a rare moment of joy admiring the field of fireflies — only to realize that looming in this sweet moment is the reality of war. And fans couldn’t help but express how much they cried after watching this film.
I cried so much, I was in a depression crisis when I watched it. I couldn't go out for like two days. I had to heal watching other stuff. Listening to music trying not to think about it
— ♕فديريكو♕ (@DiamondQueer) April 16, 2018
how many times can my heart break over grave of the fireflies?
— belle (@newbiekj) April 16, 2018
I actually just got watery-eyed sitting here in this bus and looking at my phone. I really might cry. 😢
— Nivens McTwisp (@ucheobidi) April 16, 2018
Those images instantly provoked the exact feeling of despair I felt when I first watched it, at least a decade ago. What a powerful film.
— Sarah Cannon (@Saille) April 16, 2018
The Grave of the Fireflies is a Japanese animated film released in 1988 written and directed by the late Isao Takahata. It was based from semi-autobiographical short story of the same name by Akiyuki Nosaka. The film is about the two siblings who were desperately struggling to survive in Kobe city during World War II. Because of its powerful depiction of the realities of war, it became one of the most critically acclaimed war films ever made. And it continues to rend hearts even after 30 years.
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