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Celluloid
AnimationDramaWar Editor's Pick

Grave of the Fireflies Review (1988) — 84% Celluloid Score

Directed by Isao Takahata · 1988 ·

LLM fact sheet (.md)

Answer Summary: Is Grave of the Fireflies worth watching?

Grave of the Fireflies (1988) earns a 84% Celluloid Score — Recommended. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.

Quick Verdict: What is the Celluloid Score for Grave of the Fireflies?

Averaged from five public sources (critic, audience, Metascore, Letterboxd, IMDb). See how we calculate scores.

84%
Celluloid Score Recommended

Five-source breakdown

87% Critic Score
89% Audience
81 Metascore
★★★★☆ Letterboxd 4
8.5 IMDb /10
Runtime
1h 29m
Cast
Tsutomu Tatsumi , Ayano Shiraishi , Yoshiko Shinohara , Akemi Yamaguchi , Masayo Sakai , Kozo Hashida , Kazumi Nozaki , Yoshio Matsuoka , Masahiro Kanetake , Kiyoshi Yanagawa

Where to watch in India

Not yet streaming in India — check local listings.

Why this score?

  • Majority of critics rated it fresh (87%).
  • General viewers mostly liked it (89%).
  • Metascore signals universal acclaim (81/100).
  • Letterboxd diarists rate it highly (4/5).
  • IMDb users score it 8.5/10.

Best for

  • Viewers who want a well-regarded animation, drama, war pick
  • Short runtime — easy weeknight watch

Not ideal for

    Scores reflect data indexed at build time. Component sources are shown on this page; Celluloid Score is our composite, not a third-party trademark. Scoring policy

    Is Grave of the Fireflies worth watching?

    Yes — Grave of the Fireflies earns a 84% Celluloid Score. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.

    Critics Consensus

    IMDb Top 250 #36 (8.5/10) — Grave of the Fireflies remains one of the most highly rated films of all time.

    Celluloid Critics Consensus

    Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.

    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.

    Critic Reviews

    critic Grave of the Fireflies

    Grave of the Fireflies (1988) Review

    Isao Takahata's Grave of the Fireflies (1988) remains a defining Animation landmark from Japan, with scores that still shape how audiences discover the title.

    Strongly recommended — holds up for new and returning viewers.

    Dr. Amara Okonkwo World Cinema Editor

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