Spoilers · the ending
Grave of the Fireflies: the ending, explained
Isao Takahata · 1988
This page gives the ending away. Not seen the film yet? Its spoiler-free guide is here.
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Spoilers · the ending
Isao Takahata · 1988
This page gives the ending away. Not seen the film yet? Its spoiler-free guide is here.
What happens
Setsuko dies, and Seita cremates her himself, carrying her ashes in a candy tin. He drifts back to the station and dies there, exactly as the film opened. The film ends with their spirits together, looking out over modern Kobe.
The last image
The two children sit side by side on a hillside, looking out over the glittering lights of present-day Kobe at night.
What it says
The ending closes the circle the opening began, so nothing is left to hope for. It asks you to see what the world around the children let happen, and to carry that memory forward rather than look away.