Short & sweet...
This movie did everything possible to take the pathos out of the story...
If you want to see a live action version that actually for many reasons, was much better than this film, and even better than the original anime vs. see the 2005 NTV drama remake. In this film (2008) there were many scenes that weakened the tale...since the death of Setsuko was the climax of the story, the many scenes of dead children prior, removed some of the horror and sting of her death. Also, in this 2008 remake, they didn't even show her dying, which was very sad and touching in both the anime and NTV vs. The box of droplets had a unique significance. Not only was the candy a comforting link to pre-fire-bomb normalcy, to the better days, that a 4 year old could understand, but it also became her urn to hold her bones.
NOTHING is said about this in the 2008 movie...the container of droplets was just another possession like Setsuko's doll.
The 2005 TV drama had all of this background information and more.It is more believable why the aunt was the way she was, rather than a parody of just a greedy, selfish woman. The character of Seta was more fleshed out in the 2006 drama. He is not just a 14 year old, with bad judgment.
In fact, the opening scenes of the aunt finding the discarded can, opening and symbolically releasing the spirits of Seta and Setsuko in the form of two fireflies, had me weeping just 3 minutes into the film!!!
Watch it and bring two boxes of tissues with you.
This movie did everything possible to take the pathos out of the story...
If you want to see a live action version that actually for many reasons, was much better than this film, and even better than the original anime vs. see the 2005 NTV drama remake. In this film (2008) there were many scenes that weakened the tale...since the death of Setsuko was the climax of the story, the many scenes of dead children prior, removed some of the horror and sting of her death. Also, in this 2008 remake, they didn't even show her dying, which was very sad and touching in both the anime and NTV vs. The box of droplets had a unique significance. Not only was the candy a comforting link to pre-fire-bomb normalcy, to the better days, that a 4 year old could understand, but it also became her urn to hold her bones.
NOTHING is said about this in the 2008 movie...the container of droplets was just another possession like Setsuko's doll.
The 2005 TV drama had all of this background information and more.It is more believable why the aunt was the way she was, rather than a parody of just a greedy, selfish woman. The character of Seta was more fleshed out in the 2006 drama. He is not just a 14 year old, with bad judgment.
In fact, the opening scenes of the aunt finding the discarded can, opening and symbolically releasing the spirits of Seta and Setsuko in the form of two fireflies, had me weeping just 3 minutes into the film!!!
Watch it and bring two boxes of tissues with you.