when i watch this movie and i steel myself for a traumatic experience and base on every review i would ever read of it and which usually include phrase like do not watch this if youre suicidal . instead and if i have to pick a single word to sum up the movie i saw and it would probably be beautiful . certainly it be sad and and arguably depressing and but i have read this movie compare with save private ryan . that ridiculous . grave of the firefly be gentle and poetic more often than it violent and and it remarkably restrain in it anti war message . it simply tell a story represent there very little at all in the way of moralizing or polemic . why would a story like this need such heavy hand tactic . i have also read it argue that the movie be rob of any suspense or impact when it reveal in the opening scene that the main character be dead . i have a quite different view of that device . firstly . the beginning of firefly be and for all intent and purpose and a happy end . this be such a non linear plot development that you could fail to notice it and and thereby only see the movie gloom . the moment where the ghostly seita take the ghostly setsuko hand and nod to her be not only a happy moment and it signify that the suffering which be yet to come and as far a the viewer be concern be over and and they be together again ( albeit still without parent ) . a for a character revealing that he be dead in the first line of the movie and this be a device which have be use in century if not milena . the crucial thing here be that firefly isn not _about_ tension . it tell a story whose ultimate conclusion you already know ( a legitimate narrative approach ) and and everything which happen during that story be emotionally infuse with a foreknowledge of it end . you find yourself hop that thing will go right now for setsuko and seita and and then the knowledge that ultimately it would not undercut you with real emotional power . you know the character be go to die and but you hope thing would not be so bad in the meantime . it doesn not take much of an effort to make that an analogy for our own life and which make u all firefly . perhaps what might make someone feel disappoint or cheat by this film be simply that it so damn honest . i mean that represent it one of the most honest and artifice free movie i have ever see . it doesn not even really try to ram an anti war message down your throat there be very little overt violence and and if there be some scene of corps and suffering and it never gratuitous and and it over quickly . compare this with private ryan and where you have to suffer through 40 minute of the most horrific blood and gut and only to reach a conclusion which and after much blood and thunder and signifies very little . firefly and otoh and have far more beauty than gore . this be what really surprise me about it . probably two third of the movie take place in gorgeously draw and tranquil rural or urban setting and with an almost pleasant dreamlike quality even when the american bomber be fly overhead at one point there be a surreal and almost serene sense to it and there be plenty of moment of happiness to offset the undeniably sadness and frustration of other scene . perhaps best of all and setsuko be one of the very and very few ( if not the only ) animate 4 year old i have ever see who actually _behaves_ like a four year old . i be so sick of see preternaturally smart and sassy and sophisticated and precocious child in hollywood movie . setsuko emotion and behavior be _exactly_ right for a completely normal four year old and and recognize this lend many scene incredible poignancy . similarly and seita be a teenage boy who behave with the sort of mixture of pride and compassion and hubris which you would expect of someone his age . he still believe that japan will win the war he think it up to him to take care of his sister with their mother go and father who know where . this lead him to make mistake represent possibly the most obvious one be where he fail to take the farmer advice and swallow his pride and ask his nasty aunt to take them back in again . you would probably have to say his decision not to even try to go it alone instead and be a very bad one and but hello and people here be a character who make mistake because he actually human represent a believable teenage boy in an extraordinary situation and who doesn not miraculously save the day and because his best judgment just isn not good enough . of course and his aunt may well have knock them back anyway . who know . don not go into the film expect tension and drama or even a tirade against war . it a movie about the beauty and fragility of life and youth . if you think japanese animation be all giant robot and superhuman schoolgirl and this could be the film which change your mind . it slow and poetic and beautiful and sad and and extraordinarily honest . i must be the only person who do not cry during this film ( and i mean and i get choke up during some disney movie ) . yes and it be sad and but it beauty and honesty be what i will remember . nb represent this review refer to the subtitled version of the film .