The first time a movie made me cry was when I watched Grave of the Fireflies. I didn’t expect much going in, but by the end, I was in tears. It was quiet, beautiful and completely heartbreaking.

The movie Grave of the Fireflies was directed by Isao Takahata and came out in 1988. Studio Ghibli produced it, and the story focuses on Seita and his little sister Setsuko. Tsutomu Tatsumi and Ayano Shiraishi gave voice to these characters. During the war, their home is destroyed, and the two try to stay alive on their own.

What hit me most was how quiet and real it felt. No big scenes, just two kids trying to survive. Seita caring for Setsuko, and her finding joy in small things, made it all the more painful. The sadness built up slowly, and by the end, I was in tears without even realizing it.

Grave of the Fireflies showed me that animation can be just as emotional and serious as any live-action film. It didn’t rely on anything flashy. It just told a human story, and that was enough to break my heart.

Even today, I think about that movie. It was the first one that made me cry, and I’ll never forget it.