Grave of Fireflies (Hotaru No Haka) - Setsuko animation cel

Another Holy Grail piece obtained! From one of my favorite emotionally packed Studio Ghibli films by Isao Takahata, GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES (HOTARU NO HAKA), comes this exceptional animation cel of Setsuko. This is from the scene when her brother Seita tells her that their mom isn’t coming back. Her expression and action during this scene is right on point, filled with emotion as she does body twists, almost frozen in thought trying to absorb this heavy information while her brother goes to do gymnastic flips behind her trying to distract her from these heavy thoughts. It is a prime example and theme for this very emotionally distressing film.

It’s a hard film to watch and not get emotionally involved. This cel is a tiny piece of something based on a real history, a hard reality of horrific events that had a horrible effect, which you see very clearly in Setsuko and Seita’s story. But a story that is so well done and perfectly represented in some of the highest quality of animation and rendering that makes it a must see film. So happy to have a little piece of this monumental film’s history.