The Only Star In Heaven
Completely Average High School Student
What it says in the title, discuss what's your personal favourite from the genre.
Favourite anime set in WW2 Japan?
- Thread starter The Only Star In Heaven
- Start date
kuuderes_shadow
Thousand Master
I came in here expecting to talk about anime set in the Warring States period.
I don't think I've ever actually seen any anime set during WW2.
I don't think I've ever actually seen any anime set during WW2.
NoSurprises
Hunter
Fix this!
Giovanni's Island is worth adding to the poll if you can, though it doesn't stand up to most of the ones you have listed in my opinion, it's still very much worth the watch.
Also I'd have voted for Millennium Actress if you'd put it up, even though WW2 is only a part of that film.
Voted for In This Corner of the World in the end, as Suzu's 'what's the point of it all' outlook was probably the most resonant for me. It was brilliantly animated and acted, and didn't feel like it was pushing any morals too hard, one of those films that I can sit through multiple times and still appreciate. Sort of looking forward to the revised version, though I'm not sure how it'll change my outlook on the original.
Poppy Hill is among my favourite Ghibli films, but I think in this corner of the world beats it out in this particular category.
Grave of the Fireflies is just a bit too miserable for me, sorry.
The Wind Rises was great, but there are a lot of other Ghibli films to pick from.
Can't say I've seen Barefoot Gen.
cudwieser
Student Council President
Not going to elect a fave as there's only one I've watched (which is technically WWII but only just as it was at the very end) and refuse to watch it again for it's honesty. That was Grave of the Fireflies. A brutal kick in the teeth of an anime and worth watching once, but never again.
The Only Star In Heaven
Completely Average High School Student
Phobos
Titan
Only ones I really remember watching are giovannis island and grave of the fireflies.
Might be going against the grain here but can’t say I enjoyed grave of the fireflies, didn’t feel much from it. It probably didn’t help that I expected a pull at the heartstrings at the very least but not feeling connected to the characters in general left me feeling very much that I simply didn’t care about them.
Giovanni's island on the other hand I did really enjoy, would definitely recommend giving it a watch to anyone that hasn’t.
Might be going against the grain here but can’t say I enjoyed grave of the fireflies, didn’t feel much from it. It probably didn’t help that I expected a pull at the heartstrings at the very least but not feeling connected to the characters in general left me feeling very much that I simply didn’t care about them.
Giovanni's island on the other hand I did really enjoy, would definitely recommend giving it a watch to anyone that hasn’t.
D1tchd1gger
Shrine Maiden
Voted In This Corner of the World as it had the most to offer in terms of showing life during the war. Grave of the Fireflies would be second, but it's quite focused on the 2 characters. I would say Grave is actually the better film though.
Now I'm going to be a pedant, sorry
Giovanni's Island is set right at the end of the war with most of it taking part after 15th August thus not 'set during' the war, and although I haven't seen it Barefoot Gen sees the Hiroshima bomb quite near the start with most it dealing with the aftermath of the war.
The Wind Rises is mostly set in the build up with a brief scene just after the war. See my research here.
Millennium Actress has scenes from before WW2 during the Second Sino-Japanese War which started in 1937 and a few from right at the end. I guess the films she was making between these scenes were being made during the war, but it didn't impact on them.
From Up On Poppy Hill is 'set' in 1963 with one scene from the war.
I don't think I've seen any live action stuff set in Japan during. A few in the aftermath and one set in China under Japanese rule (Empire of the Sun, which is great).
Now I'm going to be a pedant, sorry
Giovanni's Island is set right at the end of the war with most of it taking part after 15th August thus not 'set during' the war, and although I haven't seen it Barefoot Gen sees the Hiroshima bomb quite near the start with most it dealing with the aftermath of the war.
The Wind Rises is mostly set in the build up with a brief scene just after the war. See my research here.
Millennium Actress has scenes from before WW2 during the Second Sino-Japanese War which started in 1937 and a few from right at the end. I guess the films she was making between these scenes were being made during the war, but it didn't impact on them.
From Up On Poppy Hill is 'set' in 1963 with one scene from the war.
I don't think I've seen any live action stuff set in Japan during. A few in the aftermath and one set in China under Japanese rule (Empire of the Sun, which is great).
serpantino
Thousand Master
Added my vote for Grave of the Fireflies. I don't think any other anime has captured the essence of it quite as well as that anime did and unlike films such as The Wind Rises, it doesn't make light of it.
It's not my favourite on the list but it's certainly the most historically relevant and important piece of anime I have seen on the matter.
I really need to see Barefoot Gen. >_<
It's not my favourite on the list but it's certainly the most historically relevant and important piece of anime I have seen on the matter.
I really need to see Barefoot Gen. >_<
D1tchd1gger
Shrine Maiden
Forgot to add if you liked In This Corner of the World, you really should read the manga. It has a load of notes on the history of the period.
Plus storywise the parts the adaptation cut out gives a greater understanding of Suzus feelings towards her marriage and husband.
Plus storywise the parts the adaptation cut out gives a greater understanding of Suzus feelings towards her marriage and husband.
It's The Wind Rises all the way for me here. It's not only my favourite film in this selection, but also my favourite Ghibli.
I did have to hold back and think for a moment before voting, because Giovanni's Island was a real contender. In the end, though, there are just a lot of things about The Wind Rises that make it a personal favourite of mine.
I'm a big Poppy Hill fan, too; I find it to be very under-rated. Grave of the Fireflies took a few viewings spread over a few years to really appreciate, but now I like it.
Millennium Actress is only fourth out of four in my personal list of favourite Satoshi Kon films. Barefoot Gen, for me, is hamstrung by its voice acting; Giovanni's Island director Mizuho Nishikubo proved that having actual children voice the child characters can be used to stunning effect.
I saw In This Corner of the World at the cinema, and thought it was as dull as ditchwater. I cannot see the appeal of it at all.
I did have to hold back and think for a moment before voting, because Giovanni's Island was a real contender. In the end, though, there are just a lot of things about The Wind Rises that make it a personal favourite of mine.
I'm a big Poppy Hill fan, too; I find it to be very under-rated. Grave of the Fireflies took a few viewings spread over a few years to really appreciate, but now I like it.
Millennium Actress is only fourth out of four in my personal list of favourite Satoshi Kon films. Barefoot Gen, for me, is hamstrung by its voice acting; Giovanni's Island director Mizuho Nishikubo proved that having actual children voice the child characters can be used to stunning effect.
I saw In This Corner of the World at the cinema, and thought it was as dull as ditchwater. I cannot see the appeal of it at all.