5 Films That Will Change Your Mind About Anime

1) Grave Of The Fireflies (1988)

For People Who Like: Watership Down (1978), When The Wind Blows (1986), Empire of the Sun (1987)

Originally released as part of a double bill with My Neighbor Totoro, Isao Takahata’s animated war movie initially turned audiences away as they expected more lighthearted child-friendly fare in the style of Miyazaki’s half of the release. Grave of the Fireflies became a commercial failure at first, but the popularity of merchandise from My Neighbor Totoro stabilized the company so that they could continue to make films. Despite this disappointing opening, Grave of the Fireflies went on to receive universal acclaim from critics worldwide and was described by the renowned journalist Roger Ebert as one of the most powerful war movies ever made.

Grave of the Fireflies tells the story of two siblings, Seita and Setsuko, who struggle to survive after their mother dies during the final months of World War II. Initially, the pair find shelter with their aunt, but as food rations grow more and more scarce, the reluctant care-giver begins to resent the children, until they eventually decide to leave and try to make it on their own… To say anymore would spoil the movie, but all we can say is that this is a surprisingly difficult film to watch.

Preconceptions of animation as a family-friendly heart warming medium fly out the window while watching Grave of the Fireflies. Many suggest that Takahata managed to make his masterpiece a devastatingly powerful movie to watch despite it being animated, but that would do the film a disservice. The beautiful hand-drawn animation perfectly captures the children’s innocence and lends a sense of awe to particularly poignant scenes scattered throughout the film, including one particularly impressive shot of the fireflies lit up at night.

Grave of the Fireflies is undoubtedly one of the most heart-wrenching movies ever made, and is an incredible example of what anime and indeed animation in general can achieve if the right filmmakers are involved. Anyone who disregards Takahata’s stunning movie simply because it is animated can watch a live-action version which was created years later, but if they do, they will certainly be missing out on one of the most powerful cinematic experiences, ever.

Tell us, do you think any of these five choices will change people’s minds about anime? What other movies would you have included in the list? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below and remember to share this list with anime newbies!