Grave of the Fireflies (Blu-ray SteelBook) [USA]

Space Cadet

[Far above the moon]
Premium Supporter
Nov 26, 2017
8,100
Finland
Release date: February 11, 2020
Purchase link: Amazon
Price: $40

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Note : Grave of the Fireflies is an anime film directed by Tsao Takahata which is housed in a Steelbook Case and includes a glow in the dark art card. As the Empire of the Sun crumbles upon itself and a rain of firebombs falls upon Japan, the final death march of a nation is echoed in millions of smaller tragedies. This is the story of Seita and his younger sister Setsuko, two children born at the wrong time, in the wrong place, and now cast adrift in a world that lacks not the care to shelter them, but simply the resources. Forced to fend for themselves in the aftermath of fires that swept entire cities from the face of the earth, their doomed struggle is both a tribute to the human spirit and the stuff of nightmares. Beautiful, yet at times brutal and horrifying. Based on the retellings of survivor Nosaka Akiyuki and directed by Iaso Takahata (co-founder, with Hayao Miyazaki, of Japan's legendary Studio Ghibli,) Grave of the Fireflies has been universally hailed as an artistic and emotional tour de force. Now digitally remastered and restored, it is one of the rare films that truly deserves to be called a masterpiece. Special Features: Storyboards, Japanese Theatrical Trailers, Japanese Promotional Video, Production Sketches
 
$40 has to just be a placeholder price for now. Can't see this being above $25, maximum.
Incidentally, this is the ONLY Studio Ghibli film I haven't watched. Just the thought of the story depresses me.
 
$40 has to just be a placeholder price for now. Can't see this being above $25, maximum.
Incidentally, this is the ONLY Studio Ghibli film I haven't watched. Just the thought of the story depresses me.

Agree.

Tho there is this glow in the dark card included. Worth ???

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A hauntingly beautiful film, and a harrowing watch. One of the few animated films to have me openly weeping at the end. The innocence of children versus the selfishness of adults. I seriously doubt I could stomach watching it again.
 
Originally released in Japanese cinemas on a double-bill with MY NEIGHBOUR TOTORO !
However unlike the delightful TOTORO I've got to admit that GotF was as much an assault upon my senses as any other film I've ever watched.

Blood red steelbook not exactly subtle yet the simple design is profoundly moving with Setsuko by herself (usually pictured on posters etc. with her brother, Seito) contrasting her childhood innocence saluting with one hand (reminding me of the famous gladiatorial line, "Those who are - - - - salute you") and holding some sort of cooking pot on her head with her other hand in a pathetic attempt to protect her from falling bombs . . . an image that hints at the content of the film yet could still pass - at first glance - as a poster for any of the other 20 or so Ghibli animations.

More revealing of the story is the artcard/postcard which shows what appears to be a bunch of magical fireflies floating around Setsuko's head but after looking at other posters with similar imagery (one with the B-52 in silhouette, another clear as day) it's apparent that some of these balls of light are in fact something rather more sinister (also hinted at on the steelbook front with the balls of light with some brighter/larger than others).

The Japanese title can also be translated as "Fire Dropping Down" / "Raining Fire" / "Firefall" which are all of course less poetic than "Grave of the Fireflies".

As much as I love this animated film not sure if I'd want to watch the live action remake of what is after all a true story:-
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RE: Images relating to the artcard showing 'the whole picture':-
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... and the type of plane responsible for the firebombings - the B-52:-
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$40 is too much for a barebone non-4K steelbook release domestically. Hopefully it's just a placeholder.

How does amazon ship a single steelbook order nowadays? Box or bubble mailer? The only recent time they shipped a single item in a box for me was a vinyl LP, which had already been pre-packaged in a pizza type of box anyway, so they just stuck it in another box to ship.
 
How does amazon ship a single steelbook order nowadays? Box or bubble mailer? The only recent time they shipped a single item in a box for me was a vinyl LP, which had already been pre-packaged in a pizza type of box anyway, so they just stuck it in another box to ship.

Bubble mailer, 100%

Only time you'd get a box would be if you ordered other stuff and they felt like throwing it all in there, then it would be bouncing around, lol



Would definitely try to get it in store somewhere so you can inspect before you buy.
 
Bubble mailer, 100%

Only time you'd get a box would be if you ordered other stuff and they felt like throwing it all in there, then it would be bouncing around, lol



Would definitely try to get it in store somewhere so you can inspect before you buy.

That's what worries me. I'll see if Best Buy will carry it.

Btw, thanks for the illustration. Now I can't unseen it :wtf:
 
Damn, Amazon now has it for $46.49, that's discounted from a listing price of $69.98 wth lol, crazy for a steelbook with just a blu-ray and a GITD card.
 
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The price for this ugly steelbook is laughable. What's so special about it? The glow-in-the-dark card? :LOL: It doesn't even have 4K at least.
 
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