Best Anime Like Grave Of The Fireflies

Grave of the Fireflies is as heartbreaking as it is controversial. That said, it is undeniably a masterpiece brought to life by Ghibli and Isao Takahata, who gave a voice and a face to the victims of the tragedy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and showed the horrors of war to an entire generation.

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Needless to say, the impact of this movie is felt up to this day among fans of anime, and it is bound to leave a powerful impression on all those who bear witness to its tragic storytelling. Though the narrative can be hard to watch unfold, those who enjoy what Grave of the Fireflies attempts to do in its 89-minute runtime have plenty of options if they wish to watch something similar.

5 Barefoot Gen

A Lost Jewel That Speaks About Loss, Grief, And Survival

The story of Barefoot Gen is as turbulent and tragic as its origins. It is a story about a child surviving the bombing of Hiroshima, and it is based on a manga named Ore Wa Mita, which is a biographical story about firsthand WW2 experiences and its consequences through the eyes of a child.

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With heartbreaking historical accuracy, it follows the story of Gen and his family as they struggle to survive in a society where food is rationed, and soldiers roam the streets. Gen's father's foreboding of something happening soon in Hiroshima sets the stage for a tragedy like none had witnessed before. Narrated with absolute truthfulness, the cruelty of what came to be during and after the bombing is brought to life masterfully. Though Grave Of The Fireflies is a masterpiece, Barefoot Gen is tremendously impactful and narrates the struggles of the survivors (and those who didn't make it) like no other movie or anime has ever done.

4 Tokyo Magnitude 8.0

Two Siblings And A Lonely Woman Band Together To Survive The Fury Of Nature

The story of Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 transports viewers to the middle of tragedy, where two siblings visiting a robotics fair in Tokyo end up trapped in the middle of the destruction caused by an earthquake. Desperately trying to get back to their families, they meet Mari, a biker courier who decides to help them get back home with their parents.

With masterful narrative and incredible depictions of the value of being human, this anime is a tremendously powerful statement for all those who are blind to tragedy and the pain of others. It has a lot of points in common with Takahata's masterpiece, though its narrative is less tragic and more sugarcoated in a sense.

3 Now And Then, Here And There

The Tragedy Of War Never Changes

Now and Then, Here and There focuses on a world devastated by the selfishness of humans, two children trying to escape vicious persecution, and the timeless and unchanging ghost of war that always looms over human society. It is an old isekai story, where Shu gets transported to an alternate reality/future Earth where nuclear war has devastated society.

Shu is trying to protect the mysterious Lala-Ru from her pursuers and becomes entangled in a conflict between factions where there are no winners. That's the moral of the story: War only feeds death and hate. Of course, since its argument diverts a lot from Grave of The Fireflies, one would never think that these two artworks have something in common. But in reality, there are many similarities to be found here - not only their melancholic tones and the depiction of the horrors of war, but the drama of Shu's spirit breaking apart piece by piece as he tries to find reason in a world that has lost all sense.

2 Higurashi When They Cry

A Dark Secret, A Young Man Seeking Answers, And A Great Tragedy

A series of mysterious disappearances drive the narrative of this tremendously tragic compound of events, where a solitary and kind young man will try to uncover a dark secret hidden behind one of the most expected celebrations in his new hometown. Since Maebara Keiichi and his family decided to move to a remote village in the mountains, his life changed forever. Though he made several friends and participated in school activities with them, he soon discovers that something sinister happens every year in that place.

During the local Wataganashi festival, one person dies, and another one disappears forever. Keiichi feels the urge to speak up, but everything around him occurs in such a natural way that it becomes surrealistically eerie. His friends are hiding something from him, and he will reach the bottom of the mystery involving the local deity and the annual tragedy that everyone seems to take as a natural thing. This anime speaks about how humans cope with death and the unfairness of the world. Though it has an even darker tone than Grave of the Fireflies and belongs to a different genre, it shares its symbolism and narrative power to depict the tragedy of the less-than-human condition.

1 Clannad

The Story Of How Different People Cope With Pain And Loss

Produced by Kyoto Animation and based on a series of light novels and a visual novel game, Clannad narrates sadness and the fragility of the human condition like few other series. The story of Tomoya and his fateful encounter with Nagisa changes both of their lives forever, with the young man's spiral of darkness finally coming to a stop and Nagisa finding the support she needed to become true to herself.

Though lighter in mood and, of course, focused on romance and not on tragedy, Clannad shares some interesting things with Grave of the Fireflies. One is the depiction of how different people cope with pain and loss: Tomoya's father falls into darkness, while his son tries to go on desperately, finding in the little things of life the support he needs to move forward. From Nagisa's perspective, sickness has left her hurt and devoid of self-confidence. Every character has their own bittersweet tale to tell, and the animation and soundtrack greatly accompany the resolution of this life drama.

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Grave of the Fireflies

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Not Rated

Animation

Drama

War

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Release Date

April 16, 1988

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Director

Isao Takahata

Studio

Studio Ghibli

Streaming Service(s)

Netflix

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