Grave of Fireflies and Barefoot Gen are two famous anime dramas that depict the grave effects that World War II had on Japan. The devastations felt by the Japanese people after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are seen through the eyes of young children as they provide for their surviving family members. Each drama illustrates autobiographical journeys through the trials and tribulations of war. Throughout this paper I will analyze the two protagonists, similarities and differences between both films, and any messages portrayed in the films.
Each anime evoked an array of feelings as they casted the negative viewpoints of war. Grave of Fireflies and Barefoot Gen both illustrated mass destruction as seen through the eyes of its protagonists, …show more content…
Each film contained many similar anti-war messages, condemning Japanese imperialism. The tragedy of war and the importance of peace is heavily depicted by brutal scenes following the aftermath of the bombings in both Barefoot Gen and Grave of Fireflies. Both protagonists witness numerous deaths among members of the community and family members due to the bombings. The negative effects of war were also observed as families received their rations of food and struggled with food scarcities. At the end of Barefoot Gen, Gen and his family released a toy boat down the river with the new age Japanese flag. This signified the transition from imperial Japan to anti-war Japan. In my opinion, the directors included both Gen’s and Seita’s young age as a subliminal message towards the sacrifices families pay during war. As stated before, the young boys in each film were forced to become the head of their family at a premature age. Both Gen and Seita were exposed to the horrors of war at an early age and overcame it in order to provide for their families. In addition to the subliminal messages in each film, the directors placed meaningful metaphors in their productions to add depth to the messages they wanted to convey. Particular metaphors that I noticed in Grave of Fireflies were Seita and Setsuko’s mother’s kimono, gumdrops, and the fireflies. The kimonos being sold symbolized the loss of luxury and ties to loved ones in order
Each anime evoked an array of feelings as they casted the negative viewpoints of war. Grave of Fireflies and Barefoot Gen both illustrated mass destruction as seen through the eyes of its protagonists, …show more content…
Each film contained many similar anti-war messages, condemning Japanese imperialism. The tragedy of war and the importance of peace is heavily depicted by brutal scenes following the aftermath of the bombings in both Barefoot Gen and Grave of Fireflies. Both protagonists witness numerous deaths among members of the community and family members due to the bombings. The negative effects of war were also observed as families received their rations of food and struggled with food scarcities. At the end of Barefoot Gen, Gen and his family released a toy boat down the river with the new age Japanese flag. This signified the transition from imperial Japan to anti-war Japan. In my opinion, the directors included both Gen’s and Seita’s young age as a subliminal message towards the sacrifices families pay during war. As stated before, the young boys in each film were forced to become the head of their family at a premature age. Both Gen and Seita were exposed to the horrors of war at an early age and overcame it in order to provide for their families. In addition to the subliminal messages in each film, the directors placed meaningful metaphors in their productions to add depth to the messages they wanted to convey. Particular metaphors that I noticed in Grave of Fireflies were Seita and Setsuko’s mother’s kimono, gumdrops, and the fireflies. The kimonos being sold symbolized the loss of luxury and ties to loved ones in order