Historically, Grave of the Fireflies has been more difficult to stream than other Studio Ghibli films, but that all changed when this heartbreaking war film landed on Netflix

If you're used to Studio Ghibli's whimsical projects, know that a very different experience awaits you Instead of taking you into the fantastical world of “The Boy and the Hare,” which recently made its streaming debut on Max, “Grave of the Fireflies” asks you to embark on an entirely different journey

Here, we see the horrors of war through the eyes of two young siblings as they try to survive Japan at the end of World War II If you haven't already figured it out, this is a very tragic film

You will almost certainly shed a tear or two, but “Grave of the Fireflies” deftly balances beautiful images and moments of childlike wonder with a heartbreaking mood It is a deeply moving film that deserves its 100% perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes

“Grave of the Fireflies,” by Isao Takahata, co-founder of Studio Ghibli, who also wrote and directed the film, depicts the tragic lives of two war orphans living in Kobe at the end of World War II

Based on a semi-autobiographical short story by Akiyuki Nosaka, the film follows Seita (voiced by Tsutomu Tatsumi/J Robert Spencer in the English dubbed version) and his younger sister Setsuko (Ayano Shiraishi/Rhoda Croxite) as they do their best to survive in this dangerous environment and face the horrors of war The film depicts

Of course While Grave of the Fireflies will never be one of your regular films (it's simply too subversive to watch on repeat often), it is absolutely a film that will have a lasting impact on you because of how it contrasts the harsh realities of war with moments of childlike glee

I am not alone in thinking this is a beautiful film, and as you might imagine from its 100% perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes, “Grave of the Fireflies” has been highly praised by film critics

Back in 2000, Roger Ebert gave the film a perfect 4/4, claiming that it “belongs on the list of the greatest war films ever made,” adding that it was “an emotional experience powerful enough to make you rethink animation as more than just 'for kids

Glenn Kenny, a 2019 New York Times Critics Pick, praised the film as “one of the most surprising and moving animated films ever made” and “one of the best films about youth in an indifferent world,” and called animation He said that the film “heightens the tragic realism” of the film through the medium of animation [Steve Rose, in a short discussion of the film in The Guardian, called it “a war story as heartbreaking as any live-action film” but with “magical moments of natural beauty and childlike joy () makes the tragedy all the more tragic”

Also in a four-star review in Empire magazine, Dan Jolin described “Grave of the Fireflies” as “a heartbreaking film” and “a beautifully constructed animated drama”

Not sure if you're ready for such a heartbreaking experience, but still want to watch something new?Check out Netflix's guide to the best war movies and Netflix's best movies for more streaming recommendations