「Grave of the Fireflies(Official Studio Ghibli)」 is a 1988 animated feature film directed by Isao Takahata.
For many Japanese people, this is likely the “No. 1 movie they never want to see again,” but because of that, it’s also true that they have taken a lot from it (though it may be difficult to put into words what that is).
This time, I’d like to reflect on the characters and voice actors of “Grave of the Fireflies” and consider their individual appeal and the story. What kind of people brought “Grave of the Fireflies” to life?
Please be aware that the following text contains sudden spoilers.
*This article is an English translation of the original Japanese article, “【火垂るの墓】登場人物＆声優一覧とキャラクター考察そして人物相関図“
Let an AI walk you through the highlights of this post in a simple, conversational style.
“Grave of the Fireflies” Main Characters & Voice Actor List
| Name | Age | Voice Actor |
|---|---|---|
Seita | 14 | J. Robert Spencer |
Setsuko | 4 | Rhoda Chrosite |
Aunt | ? | Amy Jones |
Seita and Setsuko’s Mother | ? | Veronica Taylor |
Character & Voice Actor Basic Information and Analysis
Seita | Voice Actor: J. Robert Spencer
Seita’s Basic Information
The protagonist of the story, a 14-year-old boy. “Grave of the Fireflies” is a story told in Seita’s flashback, which begins on the day of his death, September 21, 1945.
His father is a captain in the Imperial Japanese Navy, and he lived in Kobe with his mother and younger sister, Setsuko. However, they lost their home and mother in the Kobe air raids, and he and Setsuko go to live with their aunt.
However, his relationship with his aunt deteriorates. Relying on the “7,000 yen in savings” his mother left behind, he and Setsuko begin living in a nearby cave shelter. Ultimately, this leads to Setsuko’s death from malnutrition, and he himself dies of malnutrition a month after Setsuko’s death.
Depiction of Seita’s Character
His reckless actions led to the death of his sister, Setsuko, and also brought about his own death. But what kind of person can we say Seita was?
One way to describe him is, of course, “selfish.” One would think he could have behaved a little better, as he was in the house of a relative, a stranger in a sense.
However, what I personally feel strongly is that rather than being selfish, he was terribly frivolous and lived for the moment.
What Seita tried to build with Setsuko was a so-called “secret base,” which is a bit childish for a 14-year-old. But he had a powerful ally that a normal child wouldn’t have: the “7,000 yen his mother left him.”
Based on that, he embarks on his secret base project, but his frivolity meant he didn’t fully understand the immense importance of “connections with people.”
In peacetime, it might not matter if you’re isolated, but in a chaotic time like that, you must not be isolated at all costs. Of course, many frustrating things happen. Still, the probability of survival is often higher than taking the risk of isolation. His inability to practice this makes me think that “frivolous” is the correct description.
That said, we must not forget that he was a 14-year-old boy. He was someone who should have been protected by the adults around him.
While one could blame Seita for Setsuko’s death, I think the essence of their deaths should also be attributed to the fact that no one tried to save them. Of course, there’s a reason for that too: it was the chaotic period of war.
I have summarized my more detailed personal views on this matter in the following article:
What does everyone else think?
Setsuko | Voice Actor: Rhoda Chrosite
Setsuko’s Basic Information
Seita’s younger sister, a 4-year-old girl. She goes to live with her aunt after the Kobe air raids with Seita.
Seita couldn’t bring himself to tell Setsuko about their mother’s death until they left their aunt’s house, but in fact, Setsuko had already been told by the aunt. This means she lived her life without showing that she knew.
It’s a heartbreakingly brave story, but after leaving her aunt’s house with Seita and starting to live in the cave shelter, Setsuko dies of malnutrition.
The Debate Surrounding Setsuko’s Death
In most cases, people who have seen “Grave of the Fireflies” find Setsuko’s death so sad that they can’t watch it a second time. Therefore, I think there’s very little “discussion” about this movie (people haven’t seen it enough to talk about it, and don’t really want to).
However, if we were to dare to discuss “Grave of the Fireflies” on that premise, the focus would usually be on Setsuko’s death.
Specific topics would be “How could Setsuko have been saved?” and “Who is responsible for Setsuko’s death?”
And the positions on this issue are divided into the “It’s Seita’s fault” camp and the “It’s the aunt’s fault” camp, and I think that today, the “It’s Seita’s fault” camp is the majority.
I have also summarized my thoughts on this in the following article:
Director Takahata himself had anticipated that many people would think “it’s Seita’s fault,” but he said he was “surprised” that at the time of its release, there were many opinions defending Seita (for example, in an interview included on the Blu-ray). Director Takahata was well aware of Seita’s “selfishness” when he made the film.
Compared to today, that era may have been a time that forced more “endurance” on individuals, and the memories of the war may have been more vivid. I think this film ultimately becomes a mirror that reflects “our current selves.”
Aunt | Voice Actor: Amy Jones
Aunt’s Basic Information
Seita and Setsuko’s aunt who lives in Nishinomiya. She took in the two children after the air raid.
At first, there were no problems, but gradually her relationship with Seita worsened, and eventually, there were scenes where she was quite harsh on him.
She is the direct reason why Seita took Setsuko and started living in the nearby cave shelter.
How to view the aunt’s attitude.
The aunt’s attitude towards Seita is a bit blatant, and I think it’s depicted in a way that makes us, the viewers, think, “You don’t have to go that far.”
However, if you think about what lies at the root of that attitude, it would be “endurance” (gaman). And this “endurance” becomes an important keyword when thinking about “Grave of the Fireflies.”
Seita, who was at his aunt’s house, seems to have been quite spoiled; he shows no sign of caring about others or trying to contribute to the situation. And above all, he is depicted as fundamentally lacking the concept of “endurance” (though he may have been enduring desperately in his own way).
On the other hand, the aunt, who shows such blatant harshness, is socially forced to “endure” in the situation of war. Or rather, everyone except Seita lives in that state of “endurance,” and Seita’s existence is rather the anomaly.
In that era, everyone was a victim of the circumstances. We cannot blame the aunt’s harsh attitude on its own.
I suppose we have no choice but to weigh “Seita’s selfishness” against “the aunt’s harshness” and think, “What could I have done if I were Seita in that era?” or “What could I have done if I were the aunt?” And the answer to that will depend on my own state of mind at that moment.
Therefore, you should never watch “Grave of the Fireflies” when you are not mentally at ease. Never.
Seita and Setsuko’s Mother | Voice Actor: Veronica Taylor
Seita and Setsuko’s Mother’s Basic Information
During the Kobe air raid, she evacuated to the bomb shelter first while Seita was burying supplies (like pickled plums) in the garden.
However, she ended up suffering severe burns, which caused her death.
The hints about her personality are almost zero, but from the scene where she has a brief conversation with Seita before evacuating, we can see that she is a very calm and gentle person. She also has a weak heart.
Regarding her relationship with Seita, you can see her placating him with “yes, yes,” which is a clear contrast to the aunt who appears later.
It seems that Seita was unable to change himself from how he was when he lived with his mother, even though his living situation had completely changed. I’m sure his mother would have embraced even a Seita like that.
Well, as I’ve said many times in this article, considering he was a 14-year-old boy, it might have been unavoidable.
Other Characters
Seita and Setsuko’s Father
He is a rising captain in the Navy and only appears in photos and flashback scenes in the main story. Seita desperately tries to get in touch with his father, but never receives a reply.
He learns after the war that his father’s Combined Fleet was annihilated (at a bank where he went to withdraw money). However, his father’s life or death is not clearly depicted.
Aunt’s Daughter
She appears infrequently, but there are scenes of her eating with Seita and Setsuko. She was present at the “gruel incident,” where the aunt served Seita and Setsuko rice gruel that was mostly broth, while serving a normal portion to her own family. She seemed to feel uncomfortable, as a child would.
The Lodger
A lodger in the aunt’s house. A young man enthusiastic about his labor service.
When I first watched “Grave of the Fireflies” as a child, I always thought he was the aunt’s son, but he is a lodger, not her son.
Like the aunt’s daughter, he is slightly concerned about Seita and Setsuko but did not get actively involved. Given his position as a lodger, he probably couldn’t speak up to the aunt, and likely didn’t have the power to do anything for them.
Female Acquaintance
At the beginning of the story, she is the person who tells Seita that his mother, injured in the air raid, has been taken to the school. She also showed concern for Seita and Setsuko. She is the one who creates the only scene of kindness in the story of “Grave of the Fireflies.”
Perhaps Seita should have relied on this woman. Of course, he would have been scolded, but it seems unlikely she would have let two children live in a cave shelter. I guess sometimes in life, “a neighbor is better than a distant relative.“
Also, the post-recording script included in the commercial Blu-ray says she is “the high-miss from the house opposite,” indicating she was a neighbor. By the way, “high-miss” (haimisu) means “an unmarried woman past the marriageable age,” a term that should definitely not be used today.
The Four Elementary School Students
Elementary school students who came to “heckle” Seita and Setsuko at the cave shelter where they started their life together. It’s not a pleasant scene to watch, but I think that depiction also conveys the fact that “there were elementary school students who were having fun one way or another.” I think this kind of aspect was one of the things Director Takahata wanted to preserve on film.
The Man Who Lent Them the Cart
After Seita decided to leave his aunt’s house, this man lent him a cart to move their belongings to their next base, the cave shelter. He also sold them a small amount of food.
However, when asked for food again, he admonishes Seita and urges him to apologize to his aunt.
Perhaps the fact that he provided food the first time had become a neighborhood rumor. Structurally, it would be seen as supporting Seita’s coup d’état, so considering neighborhood relations, it was probably unavoidable for him to tell Seita to apologize to his aunt. I don’t know what he thought inwardly, though.
The Man Who Beat Up Seita
The owner of the field where Seita broke in to steal food near the end of the story. He discovered Seita, beat him to a pulp, and then handed him over to the police.
It seems a bit excessive, but Seita’s resistance probably fueled his anger. In the end, Seita resorted to a “tearful appeal,” bringing up Setsuko, but as with these things, the beginning is crucial. If you’re going to apologize, do it right away without a moment’s hesitation.
The Police Officer
The police officer at the police box visited by the man who beat up Seita. The man seemed to expect harsh measures, but because the police officer was quite understanding, Seita was able to return to Setsuko without any particular punishment.
As he was a local “resident officer,” he probably knew what kind of life Seita and Setsuko were living, and may have had a hunch that Seita was the culprit behind the recent thefts in the neighborhood. And above all, he was likely strongly aware that Seita was the son of a Navy captain.
I think it was a so-called “comprehensive judgment.”
The Doctor Who Wanted Them to Get Nourishment
Near the end of the story, the doctor who examined Setsuko when her condition took a decisive turn for the worse. The diagnosis was “weakness due to malnutrition.”
Seita demanded some kind of treatment, but the doctor made an extremely correct assertion: “She needs to get nourishment.”
This might have been the moment for Seita to get on his knees and apologize to his aunt, but instead, he flew into a rage at the doctor, shouting, “Where am I supposed to find nourishment!” and returned to his unchanged life.
Time and again, I think this was the last chance.
The Three Old Men at the Bank
Near the end of the story, the three old men at the bank where Seita went to withdraw money. At first, two were talking, and then another one joined.
And it is from these men that Seita learns of the “defeat” and the “annihilation of the Combined Fleet.”
In other words, it becomes clear here that Seita, separated from the community, had already become “information-poor” and did not even know the extremely important fact of the “defeat.”
This is where the fundamental problem of cutting ties with people is depicted. Being unable to get information can be a more essential problem than being unable to get nourishment.
The Man Who Gave Them Charcoal
The man who gave Seita a bale of charcoal to cremate Setsuko. I don’t know what explanation Seita gave, but the man taught him how to burn the body in a cheerful and lively manner.
In a way, it seems like an inhuman response, but it might have been that “that’s just how it was,” or perhaps “being able to cremate the body with care was good enough.”
However, this sense of incongruity suggests that a world where Seita can live no longer exists. To put it another way, that scene is the biggest turning point in “Grave of the Fireflies.” What comes after that is a “world of flip-flopping attitudes,” and Seita is incapable of such a thing.
It is implied that Seita will end his life while being left behind by the changing times.
About the Author
Recent Posts
- 2025-06-22
Grave of the Fireflies: Characters, Voice Actors & Analysis - 2025-06-22
Grave of the Fireflies: Full Synopsis & Analysis (Spoilers Explained) - 2025-06-21
Grave of the Fireflies: An Analysis – Why Did Seita and Setsuko Have to Die? - 2025-06-21
Grave of the Fireflies: Isao Takahata’s Potential Mistake and the Mystery of Molotov’s Bread Basket - 2025-06-19
Grave of the Fireflies:Considering Seita’s Emotional Scars – A Comparison with the Perception of Evangelion’s Shinji Ikari
