i would hear that this film be very sad before i saw it and know how it end but that do not prepare me for just how harrow this film be . instead of focus on the military this war film focus on two child and seita a boy in his early teen and setsuko his four year old sister . the action be not fast pace a we follow the child live from the death of their mother in a fire bombing raid through a stay with an unpleasant aunt and try to live on their own in an abandon air raid shelter to their inevitable end . by take it slow and show the mundane aspect of their life the viewer grow to care about the character and especially the delightful setsuko to such an extent that that i be smile during flash back show her playing while simultaneously sob at her loss . this be not a film to be watch if one be depress but it should certainly be see by a many people a possible at least once and it may show two child in war torn japan but it could easily be set in any war zone at any time in history .