War in “The Most Beautiful” and “Grave of Fireflies”

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Historical Accuracy
Self and Others
Context
Comparison
Works Cited

Introduction

Analyzing historical facts and events, it can be said that the timing of taking such an analysis might play a role in the way a particular historical event can be presented. If the event is a war, then the depiction of the war in the media can be influenced by the fact on which side the film writer or direction is. This fact is especially true for films, where a personal factor should be always present, either from the script or the director, unless it is a documentary. In that regard, a different portrayal of war events does not necessarily mean intentional demonstration of different sides of the same story, but rather a change in the context, which forces a specific focus in the film.

In the light of the aforementioned, this paper presents an analysis of two different motion pictures, in the context of the pacific war, the first is a Japanese drama film produced in 1944, titled “The Most Beautiful” by Akira Kurosawa, and the second is Japanese animated film produced in 1988, titled “Grave of the Fireflies” by Isao Takahata. The paper’s emphasis is specifically addressed the 44 years difference between them, and the differences in the portrayal of the Pacific war.

Historical Accuracy

Analyzing the historical accuracy in both films is a difficult matter, as the films were shot with two opposite intentions, propagating war and anti-war, for “The Most Beautiful” and “Grave of the Fireflies” respectively. In that regard, each film could be seen partially containing the truth. Nevertheless, it can be stated that “The Most Beautiful” is more different than the actual history portraying and emphasizing the sense of patriotism, while the war was at its highest points.

Although the patriotism of the Japanese is not questioned, the overall sense of optimism in the setting of a savage war, the emphasis in that regard is made on the sacrifice of individual interest over the national objectives. Such emphasis can be seen in the main goals of propaganda, i.e. raising the morale of the citizens and their obedience to a higher purpose. Such propaganda can be similar to other Japanese propaganda films showing “tens of thousands of arms being raised and lowered, in perfect synchronized obeisance to the emperor” (Dower 29).

“Grave of the Fireflies”, on the other hand, is more accurately portraying the war, in terms of showing the overall sense of desperation and survival. In terms of the historical moments, such as the bombing of Japan, the film realistically transfers the atmosphere, which assumingly was prevailing in the small towns and cities in which the bombing took place.

Thus, the film is can be said to be historically accurate in showing the planes “firing rockets and machine guns and bombing targets…” (Spector). Nevertheless, the bombing was not emphasized, acting as a mere setting to show the emotional and physical suffering of the protagonists. Such emphasis can be said to be showing the beginning of the defeat for Japan, psychologically rather than militarily in the first place.

In that regard, each film demonstrates different objectives for the war and accordingly a different nature. In “The most Beautiful” the nature of war is shown as a great mission of higher-order, for which every other personal matters, such as illness, relatives, and others, are not important. In the “Grave of the fireflies”, the mission of the war is not mentioned, and as the movie goes on, it demonstrates that it does not matter.

However, Kurosawa’s film through showing and propagating patriotism coincides more with the pragmatic objectives of the war, i.e. gaining control of the sea, a strategic objective, as indicated by the Japanese Navy required reading (Spector). “Grave of the fireflies” is aside from such pragmatism, where for the young protagonists the problems in their small world, such as the death of their mother and starvation, and for Seita, the objective is added in taking care of his younger sister. In that regard, it can be seen how the nature of the war in both films emphasizes different aspects.

Self and Others

The view of others in the films does not differ substantially, although a different context might be seen. In “The most beautiful”, although the Americans are mentioned only once through the whole movie, it can be understood as self-explanatory, which does not require mentioning. Such phrase as “To fight against the British and American enemies” in the film bears a patriotic call, in which both Americans and British are the invaders. Nevertheless, it can be said the film does not demonstrate an exaggeration of the enemies, which was usual for that period, especially in propaganda media, such as referring to the Americans as “its”, or “brutes wearing the mask of humanity” (Dower).

In “Grave of the Fireflies”, the Americans are viewed as an inevitable threat, and in that regard, such statement as “It’s disgraceful, having these bums here” about the Americans, is on the one hand depict them as invaders, and on the other hand, shows the sense of desperation, in that their arrival is inevitable. Accordingly, the portrayal of the Japanese is not much better, or at least it does not show the same self-sacrificing moments of idealism as in “The most beautiful”, where such character as Seita’s aunt, although not evil, demonstrates self-interest in a time of survival. Such survival does not show signs of pride or self-dignity, and in that regard, this film is not afraid to show such moments as sucking a marble in starvation.

Context

The influence of the context of the war is apparent in the content of both films. In “The most Beautiful”, which was produced in 1944, the war was at its peaks, and thus, the desire to show half-truths and exaggerated images can be understood as a means to reach specific objectives, such as raising the morale of the citizens.

In that matter, the film is taking a soft approach in showing the propaganda veiled in a story of girls working in a factory, and omitting direct attacks such as mentioning the cruelty of the enemy, or the showing the Japanese victims. In “Grave of the fireflies”, the film is assessing the war in a retrospective of 44 years.

It can be argued that the original novel, from which the animated film was adapted, was written in 1967; it nevertheless, passed 23 years in which the war was examined from a different prism. A prism of people who lost their family, friends, and what is most important a prism of people who survived. The animated film was made in a time of peace, where there is no emphasis on enemies and victims, but rather an emphasis on the consequences of war, regardless of its purpose.

Comparison

Comparing the films, it can be stated that they are different as much as war propaganda can differ from an anti-war call. They portray different events, emphasize different aspects, and serve different purposes. In terms of historical accuracy, although it is the main purpose of documentary films, “Grave of the firefly is more accurate in showing the real war and its real consequences, and at the same time, both films had little or no mention of the battles or political aspects.

Additionally, the films can be compared from the perspective that “The most Beautiful” more resembled the official views of the war, while the “Grave of the fireflies” was a real-life testimony of real human behavior. Accordingly, differences in the film can be traced not only to the timing and the context in which they took place but also to the target audience of both films.

It can be concluded that the context and the setting of a media describing a historical event can influence the way this media should be analyzed. In that regard, in terms of war events, a retrospective view suits the purpose of analysis better.

Works Cited

Dower, John W. War without Mercy : Race and Power in the Pacific War. 1st ed. New York: Pantheon Books, 1986. Print.

Grave of the Fireflies. Dir. Takahata, Isao. Perf. Tsutomu Tatsumi, Ayano Shiraishi and Akemi Yamaguchi. DVD. 2004. 1988.

Spector, Ronald H. Eagle against the Sun : The American War with Japan. New York: Free Press, 1985. Print.

The Most Beautiful. Dir. Kurosawa, Akira. Perf. Takashi Shimura, et al. DVD. 2006. 1944.

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