The fairylike world drawn by the Studio Ghibli hides the war drama of the two protagonists. The teenage Seita and his four-year-old sister Setsuko lost their parents and struggle to survive in the Japan that is being convulsed by war. Following the siblings on a path that is more and more difficult, the film poses questions about the borders of compassion and empathy for the other person in the times of war cruelty.

The cult, anti-war Japan animated film, often compared to ‘Schindler’s List’ by Steven Spielberg.

Even though it is a film adaptation of a novel by Akiyuki Nosaka, one can easily sense a personal tragedy. The director was only 10 years old when the World War II came to an end and therefore he is able to identify with the situation of the protagonists.