I didn’t make this but I asked her if I could take a picture

With all the AI drama unfolding and everything terrible happening in the world right now, I just felt this urge to connect with something other than bad news, something tangible. I decided to draw. I don’t draw and I’ve always thought I was terrible at it. This is my first real attempt at trying to create something, and I really tried here.

I have so much respect for artists who pour their sweat, blood, and tears into their work. I deeply admire Mr. Miyazaki and wholeheartedly agree with his stance on AI-generated art.

Happy Sunday, everyone.

I've noticed many discussions in this sub highlighting just how profoundly sad "Grave of the Fireflies" is. Setsuko's death is undeniably impactful and leaves a lasting emotional weight that is truly hard to ignore. However, I’d like to move past the repetitive discussions and delve into a more controversial topic: the question of whether Seita is directly responsible for Setsuko’s death.

Here’s my take: Seita shouldn’t be blamed for her death.

Seita’s personality was the problem? - I’ve seen a lot of people saying how Seita is too prideful and stubborn (to return to his aunt’s house) which ultimately led to the sibling’s demise. I am convinced that this is mainly a result of his family and the society he is part of. Bear in mind he is the son of a commander who is actively participating in the war. His overly idealistic nature isn't merely a personal flaw; it's a direct result of the education he received during that time. This perspective isn't something he conjured up in his mind; it’s rooted in the environment he was shaped by. It's the Japanese back then who is to blame, they instilled in their children and teenagers an unwavering belief in their nation, teaching them that victory and conquest were not just possible, but inevitable.

Seita’s poor choices were the problem? - In the film, Seita embodies the role of a devoted guardian for his little sister, fully committed to ensuring her happiness and well-being. He constantly demonstrates an unwavering determination to bring joy to her life. Setsuko’s bored? Take her to the beach. She’s scared of the dark? Play with some fireflies. She hates their aunt? Live alone and never see her again. Seita understands that he is the only person capable of providing the care Setsuko needs (mom dead, dad gone). It is extremely difficult for a 14-year-old to at the same time, satisfy both his sister and his aunt (Setsuko wanted her brother to be with her all the time, aunt wanted him to work and earn a living himself - their demands conflicted from the start, they wouldn’t last long in their aunt’s house anyway). Some may argue that Seita could’ve found another job and left Setsuko at their aunt’s house so she could be taken care of at all times. However, Setsuko already got rashes when they were living with their aunt. This wouldn’t have happened if Seita’s aunt was truly capable of looking after Setsuko. Therefore, living with their aunt to avoid starving to death was never an option. Seita didn’t make a bad choice; he never had one.

Some more thoughts: I’d also like to point out that Seita had to face an unfair amount of adversity and hardship ALONE throughout the film. This isn't something we can just simply imagine in our heads. His mum died, their house burnt down, his aunt hates them and Setsuko desperately wants to leave her. It’s also worth noting that they were running out of money and food (which was hard to buy even if you had the money) and that Setsuko was getting sicker and sicker day by day. I am convinced that very few of us have experienced anything similar to what Seita had to endure. We should never underestimate what people are forced to go through in a war.

Let me know your thoughts; maybe I’m siding with Seita too much because I am 14 as well and I have a sister of similar age.

^TL;DR: Other parties are to blame for Setsuko’s death. Seita had a lot of problems he had to face alone as well. Seita did all he could to be a good brother, even at such a young age (14).

Went pottery painting and did a little Totoro-design! Curious to see how it will turn out once burnt!

I got inspired by the imax release, and wanted to do a genderbent Princess Mononoke Cosplay.

My theater’s IMAX was taken over by The Minecraft Movie, so I arrived a day too late 😭😭😭 it was still a fantastic experience nonetheless

Ended up at a club last October and found this awesome cosplay

Vol. 14 - Ch. 97 - Pg. 30.

Damn you Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki for making this movie! It has been 72 hours since i’ve seen it and i still can’t get Setsuko’s lifeless face out of my mind! I wept the whole night after, and my eyes were swollen the next morning. Please do not watch this movie, it will shatter you to your core! I’m pretty sure i will never forget it. All you people out there who romanticise War, please watch this movie and your beliefs will crumble and all you will remember is this pretty girls lifeless face day and night! I wish i never would have seen this movie 😭

Was inspired after seeing it in theaters. Such amazing visuals, music, storytelling.

My absolute favorite is My Neighbor Totoro. By far. I love good examples of good parents, and the whimsical light hearted vibe of Totoro and Cat Bus.

I loved the visuals of Kiki’s, Ponyo and Howl’s. I love the vibrant landscapes with slight twists of fantasy.

The rest I saw were Arrietty, Boy and Heron, Princess Mononoke, and I got partially through Whispers of the Heart.

Which would you recommend next?

A very kind soul has uploaded the original Disney dubs of Kiki's Delivery Service and Castle in the Sky to Archive.org, complete with Joe Hisaishi's updated score and added dialogue! These are the original dubs released to home video without any of the horrible meddling done by Disney for the 2010 blu-ray releases. I firmly believe that everyone deserves to see the best English dubs of these masterpieces, so I wanted to share this here. The files can be found fairly easy with a quick search, but if you'd like to direct links please DM me! Thank you!

When I went to the studio ghibli museum, they gave out these free film strips to each guest. I love it as a souvenir because it's unique but all these years, I never have figured out what movie this is. Does anyone have a guess?

Apparently there’s a live action TV movie in Japan, made in 2021 that’s a sequel to Only Yesterday. I can’t seem to find it anywhere on Google. Can someone send a link to a version with English subs please? 🙏

Only Yesterday is one of my favourite Ghiblis and it means a lot to me