EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK: There’s a reason why Japanese WWII survivors are supporting Palestine

Featured photo: A still from Grave of the Fireflies.

I’m going to warn you right now, this is about to get depressing.

This week, I wanted to share something I watched for the first time that I think everyone should watch.

The film is called Grave of the Fireflies.

I grew up watching most Studio Ghibli movies due to the fact that my dad loved them. Some of my favorites include Nausicaa and Kiki’s Delivery Service. But I never got around to watching Grave of the Fireflies, which came out in 1988 and was directed by Isao Takahata, the co-founder of Studio Ghibli.

So when my sister was in town this past weekend, we decided to give it a go. From the description, we knew that it was going to be sad. But I think I was unprepared for just how sad and depressing this film is.

It follows 14-year-old Seita and his little sister Setsuko in the last months of WWII. They live in Kobe (which is where my dad is from) and have to fend for themselves in the midst of ongoing bombardment from American forces. They find themselves homeless for most of the film.

And although the film is almost 40 years old, it’s just as relevant as ever.

Over the weekend, the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, an organization made up of those who survived the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on Aug. 6 and 9 of 1945. During his speech, co-chair of the Nihon Hidankyo, Toshiyuki Mimaki , expressed his surprise for their group’s winning of the honor. Instead, he said that he expected those fighting for peace in Gaza to win. In one interview, Mimaki compared the situation of Gaza to “Japan 80 years ago.”

And that’s why this film is so important. 

Despite the different time period, different conflict, different war, different country, different people, the film does a painfully effective job at showing the devastating effects of war on the lives of children. Aid organizations estimate that anywhere from 11,000 to 14,000 children have been killed in Gaza by Israeli actions since Oct. 7 of last year. And they are no different than Seita and Setsuko from the film. They had no faults of their own. They did nothing to deserve the absolute devastation that has been wrought on their lands, their homes, their families.

And so, as we mark the 1-year anniversary of the ongoing genocidal campaign against Palestinians, I hope that we won’t turn away from the atrocities of the present, nor will we forget the atrocities of the past.

The film is streaming on Netflix now.