The first half of this movie is paced like absolute shite, simultaneously rushed and drawn out to make for a confusingly boring spectacle. In a movie with limited time, every minute is important. But here, things just happen and they feel pointless because we can be in, like, May 1944 and thirty seconds later it's June. Instead of trying to max out quantity, they should've focused on quality. I would've liked more intimate focus on our characters' lives, romances, dreams, hobbies, motivation given the ordinary people in war thing this movie is going for. Suzu's marriage to "whoever that guy" could've been so stinking cute. Speaking of characters, I couldn't remember their names, except for Suzu, their importance or really any defining qualities. Suzu, the fucking protagonist, her whole character can be summed up as art and clumsy. The hell is this, Wattpad!?!??!?! She's not endearing, she's infuriating to watch and boringly stereotypical. I wanted to punch her stupid face open when she wasted the sugar in a goshdamn famine. The further I went, the further I was waiting for August Sixth to bomb the hell out of everyone.

So I was like, they're gonna kill the kid, right? They always kill the kids in these movies. The movie was already unoriginal and generic as fuck. And I was right, they did kill the kid; it just happened a little earlier than I was expecting in the firebombs rather than Hiroshima or Nagasaki. Since I wasn't attached to the brat, I felt nothing. I didn't care that everyone was sad or grieving. The whole movie at this point was just...nothing. Even still, after that lazy shock value the story was actually rather good. That's because they actually allow the story to breathe this time over. I could feel the frustration of being propagandised to think your country is so awesome and great only for them to surrender rendering all your losses meaningless. Suzu's loses her only talent, her family has been reduced to ashes. It turns into a story about grief and trying to live after unimaginable tragedy. The scene that ripped of Attack on TItan, with her just breaking down after all the shit they've been through was beautifully directed and voice acted. And the ultimate lesson that life keeps moving is beautiful.

This could've been a great slice of life during war and post war but the during stuff is so bad that it drags the post stuff down with it.

Disappointing.

Side note: I don't even like Grave of Fireflies as much as everyone else but it managed to tell a more in depth story with thirty less minutes. If you like the idea of a slice of life in war: Sound of The Sky/Sora no Woto is remarkably good in that category.

Anywho: buh-bye.