Grave of the Fireflies (movie)

The fruit drops that Setsuko eats were made by the Sakuma Confectionary Company, which in real life was established in 1949 (four years after the events in this movie took place). A few years ago, Sakuma released limited edition tin cans that resembled the one seen in the movie. Some variations of these tins also had a picture of Setsuko looking through her tin for the last drop.

This is the only Ghibili theatrical feature film to not be part of the Disney-Tokuma deal.

Takahata was the only living animator involved on the project who had survived bomb blasts.

According to an interview, director Isao Takahata held a casting call among pre-school children in the Kansai Prefecture. He eventually chose 5-year-old Ayano Shiraishi to play Setsuko after listening to an audio sample of her voice.

In the scene where Seita and Setsuka release the fireflies in their shelter, Seita recalls a naval review he saw before his sister was born. Two warships appear in the flashback: the first is a Kongo class battlecruiser, probably IJN Haruna from the size of the second funnel and the shape of the rear bridge; while the second is their father's ship, the heavy cruiser IJN Maya. Maya was sunk on 23 October 1944 while Haruna was sunk on 28 July 1945. Kobe was firebombed on 17 March 1945 and 5 June 1945, so Seita and Setsuka's father is probably already dead when the events of the film take place. Hideaki Anno, director of Neon Genesis Evangelion, was the key animator for the sequence.

Production of Grave of the Fireflies began on February 1, 1987 and finished production on April 11, 1988, just five days before its world premier.

A total of 54,660 cels were used with a total palate of 304 colors.

During its initial 35-day theatrical run, 801,680 people saw the film.