Grave of the Fireflies (2005)

AKA: Hotaru No Haka
Directed by: Toya Sato
Starring: Hôshi Ishida (Seita), Mao Sasaki (Setsuko), Nanako Matsushima (Aunt), Mao Inoue (Aunt’s daughter, Natsu)
Country: Japan; Effed Up Asian Cinema
Language: Japanese (Eng Subs), Effed Up Japanese Films
Runtime: 02:27:23
Genres: Based on a True Story, Siblings, Misery-Depressing

About:
A TV live-action version of the semi-autobiographical short-story that is most renowned by its 1988 anime adaptation.

This version concentrates a lot more on the aunt and her life. And because it’s longer, running almost 2 1/2 hours, it can afford to explore in more detail the breakdown of her kindly nature in the increasingly merciless WW2 Japan, as she loses the ability to indulge luxuries like valor, honor and nationalism.

There are two prominent live-action adaptations of Grave of the Fireflies, and this one, despite its obviously limited budget, is probably the more enjoyable one. That said, if you love the anime film, you should probably watch the other adaptation too.