Grave of the Fireflies
火垂るの墓
“Why do fireflies have to die so soon?”
Synopsis
In the final months of World War II, 14-year-old Seita and his sister Setsuko are orphaned when their mother is killed during an air raid in Kobe, Japan. After a falling out with their aunt, they move into an abandoned bomb shelter. With no surviving relatives and their emergency rations depleted, Seita and Setsuko struggle to survive.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Ghibli Fest 2025 Trailer [Subtitled]Official
Type: Trailer • Published 2025-07-30
Top Cast
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Tsutomu Tatsumi
Seita (voice)
Ayano Shiraishi
Setsuko (voice)
Yoshiko Shinohara
Mother (voice)
Akemi Yamaguchi
Auntie (voice)
Masayo Sakai
Woman who takes care of Setsuko (voice)
Kozo Hashida
Obayashi Chairman (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 Omotem
Person in Bank (voice)
Teruhisa Harita
Station Worker (voice)
Hiroshi Tanaka
Person in Bank (voice)
Michio Denpo
Station Worker / Doctor (voice)
Shiro Tamaki
Person in Bank (voice)
Mika Sekita
Nurse (voice)
Kyoko Moriwaki
(voice)
Release History & Theatrical Window
August 12, 2018
Wide Cinema Exhibition
September 16, 2024
VOD & Digital Platforms
March 6, 2012
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$3.7M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$842K
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.23x
-$2.9M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Isao Takahata
- Screenplay & Story
- Isao Takahata
- Original Score
- Michio Mamiya
- Original Title
- 火垂るの墓
- Country of Origin
- Japan
- Spoken Languages
- Japanese
- Runtime
- 1h 29m
- Production Budget
- $3.7M
- Worldwide Gross
- $842K
- Production Studios
- Studio Ghibli
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Isao Takahata
Isao Takahata, Akiyuki Nosaka
Michio Mamiya
Nobuo Koyama
Takeshi Seyama
Tooru Hara
Department Leadership Roster
Isao Takahata
Director
Isao Takahata
Screenplay
Takeshi Seyama
Editor
Michio Mamiya
Original Music Composer
Nobuo Koyama
Director of Photography
Tooru Hara
Producer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
Parental Guidance Suggested.
FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.
12 Accompanied — Under 12s must be accompanied by an adult.
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Grave of the Fireflies.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Grave of the Fireflies
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Grave of the Fireflies about?
In the final months of World War II, 14-year-old Seita and his sister Setsuko are orphaned when their mother is killed during an air raid in Kobe, Japan. After a falling out with their aunt, they move into an abandoned bomb shelter. With no surviving relatives and their emergency rations depleted, Seita and Setsuko struggle to survive.
Who directed Grave of the Fireflies?
Grave of the Fireflies was directed by Isao Takahata.
Who stars in Grave of the Fireflies?
The principal cast of Grave of the Fireflies includes Tsutomu Tatsumi, Ayano Shiraishi, Yoshiko Shinohara, Akemi Yamaguchi, Masayo Sakai.
When was Grave of the Fireflies released and how long is it?
Grave of the Fireflies was released in 1988 with a total runtime of 1h 29m.
What was the box office and production budget of Grave of the Fireflies?
Grave of the Fireflies had a reported production budget of $3.7M and grossed $842K at the worldwide box office (0.23 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for Grave of the Fireflies?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Grave of the Fireflies was composed by Michio Mamiya.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Grave of the Fireflies?
Grave of the Fireflies holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); CA: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested.); DE: 6 (FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.); FR: TP; GB: 12A (12 Accompanied — Under 12s must be accompanied by an adult.); US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).