Grave of the Fireflies
“Why do fireflies have to die so soon?”
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.
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Cast
18 people
Tsutomu Tatsumi
Seita (voice)
No other roles listed
Ayano Shiraishi
Setsuko (voice)
Also in
My Wife's Shell
Musashi no Ken
Yoshiko Shinohara
Mother (voice)
Also in
The Hidden Blade
Professional Killers
Akemi Yamaguchi
Auntie (voice)
Also in
Night of the Felines
Afternoon Affair: Rear Window
Masayo Sakai
Woman who takes care of Setsuko (voice)
No other roles listed
Kozo Hashida
Obayashi Chairman (voice)
No other roles listed
Kazumi Nozaki
Cousin (voice)
No other roles listed
Yoshio Matsuoka
Gosaku (voice)
Masahiro Kanetake
Aunt's House Guest (voice)
No other roles listed
Kiyoshi Yanagawa
Patrolman (voice)
Also in
Brand of Evil
Professional Killers
Hajime Maki
Man who arrests Seita (voice)
No other roles listed
Atsuo Omotem
Person in Bank (voice)
Also in
The Great White Tower
Isao Takahata Director · Akiyuki Nosaka Author Michio Mamiya Composer
Worldwide gross $5M · Budget $3.7M · United States release August 12, 2018
Box office
Budget
$3,700,000
Worldwide gross
$4,979,495
Gross vs. budget
1.3×
Production
Studio Ghibli
Production · Studio
Japan
Produced in
Languages
Original title
火垂るの墓
Original language
Japanese
Spoken on screen
Japanese
Release dates
Ireland · April 16, 1988
Theatrical
Japan · April 16, 1988
Theatrical
United States · June 2, 1993
Physical · VHS
United States · August 12, 2018
Theatrical · Studio Ghibli Fest
United States
September 1, 1998 · Physical · VHS (English dubbed)
October 7, 1998 · Physical · DVD (Dual Language)
October 8, 2002 · Physical · DVD (Collector's Series)
December 7, 2004 · Physical · DVD
July 7, 2009 · Physical · DVD
March 6, 2012 · Physical · DVD (Remastered Edition)
November 20, 2012 · Physical · Blu-ray (Remastered Edition)
February 11, 2020 · Physical · Blu-ray (SteelBook)
September 16, 2024 · Digital · Netflix
July 8, 2025 · Physical · GKids Blu-ray (regular and SteelBook)
August 10, 2025 · Theatrical · Studio Ghibli Fest
American Samoa
September 15, 2024 · Digital · Netflix
Australia
September 2, 1991 · Physical · VHS
Austria
September 16, 2024 · Digital · Netflix
Brazil
July 26, 1989 · Theatrical
August 20, 2026 · Theatrical · Relançamento
Canada
July 8, 2025 · Physical · Blu-ray & DVD Steelbook
Croatia
September 16, 2024 · Digital · Netflix
August 28, 2025 · Theatrical
France
June 19, 1996 · Theatrical
December 6, 2000 · Physical · DVD
November 15, 2017 · Physical · Blu-ray
December 1, 2019 · Digital
September 16, 2024 · Digital · Netflix
July 1, 2026 · Theatrical
Germany
May 17, 2002 · Physical · VHS
August 27, 2002 · Physical · DVD
September 27, 2013 · Physical · Blu-ray
September 16, 2024 · Digital · Netflix
June 30, 2026 · Theatrical · Re-release
Guam
September 16, 2024 · Digital · Netflix
Indonesia
August 29, 2025 · Theatrical
Italy
January 1, 1995 · Physical · VHS
November 10, 2015 · Limited theatrical
Japan
March 18, 2015 · Physical · DVD
July 15, 2025 · Digital · Netflix
Mexico
January 20, 2012 · Theatrical
Netherlands
January 15, 2008 · Physical · DVD
July 1, 2013 · Physical · Blu-ray
August 28, 2025 · Theatrical
Northern Mariana Islands
September 16, 2024 · Digital · Netflix
Panama
March 6, 2025 · Theatrical
Philippines
September 16, 2024 · Digital · Netflix
Poland
March 12, 2009 · Physical · DVD
January 24, 2014 · Limited theatrical
August 29, 2025 · Limited theatrical
Portugal
April 16, 1988 · Theatrical
Puerto Rico
September 16, 2024 · Digital · Netflix
August 10, 2025 · Limited theatrical · Studio Ghibli Fest
South Korea
June 19, 2014 · Theatrical
Spain
October 10, 2003 · Theatrical
Switzerland
September 16, 2024 · Digital · Netflix
Taiwan
July 8, 2022 · Theatrical
Thailand
September 16, 2024 · Digital · Netflix
U.S. Virgin Islands
September 16, 2024 · Digital · Netflix
United Kingdom
August 1, 2004 · Physical
May 24, 2013 · Theatrical · 25th anniversary re-release
September 16, 2024 · Digital · Netflix
Vietnam
November 7, 2025 · Theatrical · Re-release
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Some details come from TheTVDB.