Remembering the War: A Study on Japanese War-Themed Animation

The medium of animation is a beautiful one that reflects life. So many things like music, lighting, art styles, and people, themselves, all come together to tell a story. Some can be fun and lighthearted like a romance or a comedy. Then, others can be more somber and dark like in a tragedy or thriller. Often it is those more somber ones that can stick with us, and looking to Japan brings a good example. After the effects of World War II, Japan was impacted greatly, and means to cope, they use the arts to deal with those pent-up emotions and send a message of how truly horrible those effects were. Though there are many pieces we could look at, we will be just looking at three: Pico-Don (1983), Graveyard of the Fireflies (1988), and In This Corner of the World (2016). By comparing and contrasting these films with each other, we can gain better enlightenment and understanding of the horrific effects of WWII and nuclear warfare had on the people of Japan. Moreover, we can hopefully come to further spread the message these pieces wish to give which relates to the idea of peace and unity among all people