Essay On The Wind Rises And The Grave Of The Fireflies

Criticisms of Japan Among the films in FCLT 306, The Wind Rises & The Grave of the Fireflies were my favorites to watch. Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata created masterpieces of animation, films that promote the beauty of life and examine the effects of war. In the aftermath of World War II, Japan had entered a new era, a time of American occupation and westernization. It was in this time that Japan created a new identity for itself. During the late 1980s, Japan had become one of the largest economic powerhouses in the world. Thus, creating a culture of materialism and conspicuous consumption. The Wind Rises & The Grave of the Fireflies are films that challenge an ideology of nationalism, violence, and materialism. The Wind Rises is a film that explores the morality of its main protagonist, Jiro Horikoshi. Jiro dreams of becoming an aerospace engineer. Through hard work and determination, he becomes one of Japan’s most renown inventors. Once the Mitsubishi A5M had been built, Japan became a powerhouse, killing thousands through air force. Jiro felt intense guilt because his creation had caused thousands of deaths. Miyazaki conveys technology as a tool, a …show more content…
However, the film has a tragic tone. Seita and Setsuko are children who are experiencing the effects of World War II first hand. Seita ultimately fails at keeping his little sister alive. He signifies Japan during the war, believing out of sheer will that he could achieve the impossible. Japan lost its identity much how Seita lost his sister, out of ignorance for reality. The fireflies within the movie suggest beauty in time, the ongoing cycle of life and death. Within the final scene of the film, Seita and Setsuko’s ghosts are shown in a field of fireflies. The fireflies are revealed to represent souls, each one having its own individual light, collectively illuminating the night