Kids playing war games don't know real fire is coming June 19.
The year is 1945. Everything as usual in the Fukuoka city. Some places in Japan have already been scorched by the fire of war, but here it is relatively peaceful and calm. The school still working, and the boys play war in their spare time. Daichi and his friend are the commanders of rival squads. One day a newcomer appears in the class - Yoriko, a girl evacuated from Tokyo. Yoriko takes life very seriously, she has good reasons - her childhood ended after the loss of loved ones in the bombing. Children get to know each other and become friends. They, as the rest of the city, do not yet know that on June 19 their life will be divided into "before" and "after".
Direction
Arihara builds dread through mundane school days
Writing
Yoriko's Tokyo trauma haunts without flashbacks
Sound
Silence before the date we know is coming
Director
Seiji Arihara
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The June 19, 1945 bombing of Fukuoka killed over 1,200 civilians; this anime is one of few Japanese works depicting it.
Released the same year as Grave of the Fireflies, this film was buried by Studio Ghibli's shadow—arguably the more honest work.
JP
