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WSR Detailed DVD Review
Grave Of The Fireflies


Genre: Animation

Reviewed In Issue 43 (Nov 2000) Of Widescreen Review®

Stars:
The English Voice Talents Of J. Robert Spencer, Rhoda Chrosite, Amy Jones & Veronica Taylor

WSR Review Scores
WSR Picture Rating: 3
DD Sound Rating: 3
DTS Sound Rating: NA
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score: 4
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Special Features
Interestingly, the disc producers chose to put the chapter stops and liner notes on the reverse side of the cover paper so you pull it out of its sleeve (they did it to save printing costs and it works fine as long as consumers see the notation to look there). Includes a Meet the Cast segment, an historical background, and bonus trailers for other Japanese animation titles: Area 88, Grappler Baki, Ayane


 DVD General Information

(Studio/Distributor): Central Park Media
(Catalog Number): CPMD1729
(MPAA Rating): Not Rated
(Rating Reason):

NA
(Retail Price): $29.98
(DVD Type): Single Side, Single Layer (DVD5)
(Widescreen Edition): Yes
(Full Screen Edition): No
(Anamorphic Widescreen): No
(Running Time In Minutes): 88
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): No
(Regional Coding): 1
(Theatrical Year): 1988 & 1998
(Theatrical Release): Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release): No
(DVD Release Date): 10/06/98
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

 Credits Information

(Director): Isao Takahata
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  DVD Picture Information

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  DVD Sound Information

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  WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Based on the novel by Akiyuki Nosaka, Grave Of The Fireflies is a film that shows, as gently as possible, the effect that war has on the innocence of children. The story takes place in 1945 Kobe, Japan, just after the allied forces dropped atomic bombs and firebombs on their cities. Many of the children were left orphaned and homeless including 14-year-old Seita and his four-year-old sister Setsuko who are the focus of this story. (Laurie Sevano)

DVD Picture:
The non-anamorphic and windowboxed , animated 1.66:1 DVD picture exhibits simple animation, with limited range in colors. Lots of browns, yellows and grays are probably appropriate for the depressing tale. The animation is generally sharp, but the image is slightly jumpy with apparent enhancement noticed due to occasionally visible halos around the images. Artifacts and print scratches prevail throughout the picture.

Soundtrack:
The Dolby