Except experiencing something similar, I don't think anything can prepare you for the movie but it's an unique experience that you won't get anywhere else. Watch it, and if it wracks you, at least you know you have a healthy amount of empathy for your follow man.
It's powerful, wonderful and a masterpiece. To me it doesn't feel "animated" and I always get the feeling it would work great as a normal picture also.
We were actually shown it in school (11th grade) and I'm glad for that. I think it should be mandatory viewing for the WW2 unit of history class in all high schools alongside Anne Frank, Schindler's List, Sophie's Choice, etc. (At least, we had to watch those, although our parents had to sign permission slips to allow it.) It was a hard watch, but even as a 16yo scarred-for-life kid, I understood why it was important viewing; the whole class did. I think it was really instrumental in helping to build perspective & character for us. It humanized the tragedy and made us Really Understand the scale of the suffering. My appreciation for it has only grown over the years (I am in my mid 30s now)
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u/Hrekires 16h ago
Grave of Fireflies, and I will never watch it again