I'm going to compare this movie to Empire of the Sun, as they bear similarity, so spoilers for both
[spoiler] The main theme in both of these movies is; suffering. However, in GotF the suffering is mostly by choice. in EotS, Jamie does not choose to suffer and feel alone, he is thrust into a camp and the only choice he is given is to either further his suffering with the chance of reuniting with his parents, or join the pack of other westerners that will most likely lead him down a path of chaos. Seita chooses to isolate himself and his sister from his only living family simply because his aunt did not treat him well, and it ultimately lead to the death of him and his sister. He had a choice to suffer little, or suffer greatly, and he chose wrong. Both of these movies have a different outcome, yet somehow EotS had a more lingering presence in my mind despite the "happy" ending, because you knew he had no choice in enduring what he had to. GotF is still a visually remarkable movie with a dark and depressing story, however I feel as if the choices that Seita made impacted on my enjoyment of the movie. I understand he is only 14 years old and he felt like he could support himself and Setsuko, but everyone has a shitty aunt and if he had just stayed with her he may have survived. [/spoiler]

I recommend watching both of these movies close to each other to gain a perspective about both of them, as they are both movies that are great within their own merits.

before trying to write a couple word for a review, I bother myself reading other people's review which is pretty amazing, considering some people said sobbing after the ending and the other said this movie is boring and looks a bit dull, this however a movie that if you try to look from different perspective will give you different sensation and interpretation also this movie is not intentionally trying to break people's heart after watching it but its rather intended to show how war looks like at microscopic viewpoint of two children who desperately trying to survive in the midst of chaos, separated from their parents whilst witnessing the true horror of war, pretty much war movie is about bloodshed, bullets flying, explosion, warcry, soldier and etc that closely related to war itself but "Grave of Fireflies" wanted to present the audience, the image of how the terror of war impact the very miniscule level of life despite who causes it what reason behind it, or who win who lose. boring or not, sad or not this movie is more than worth watching not just as entertainment but as a remainder that this kind of situation still happens now and we are still fortunate as the audience not as those "two kids"

The terrible story of two orphaned Japanese kids during the ending of WWII.

Incredibly well told and totally moving, without using clichés. A must seen in the anime arena.

This was the first animated movie that made me cry as an adult.
It still does.

Two children are left as orphans in World War 2 and have to survive. Such a basic premise, but this shows intimately what the effects of war are on children (a topic not covered by other movies). And as it's about children, it has more of an emotional impact.
Described as one of the greatest war movies of all time by Roger Ebert, the work of art will impact you like no other anime.

Its interesting to note that this was released originally with My Neighbour Totoro. Both are films about childhood. But where Totoro is about innocence maintained and the joy of childhood, **Fireflies is innocence lost**, a light dimmed after a short period.