Hotaru no Haka "Tombstone For Fireflies"

Today I just watched an anime called Hotaru no Haka a.k.a Tombstone For Fireflies. It is a 1988 production but the animation, color and the quality of this anime is excellent.
The fact that this film is animated does not take away from the realism of the film. The drama is real, and there isn't any trace of that "Disney" formula junk where everything ends up all right in the end, making it even more realistic.

Introduction

It is late in the Second World War in Japan, and there is a young boy sitting on the floor of a train station. He faints, then dies. The janitors, while cleaning, point out the dead, and approach the young boy. One of the janitors take a tin container from the boy's pocket, the container, supposedly for fruit candy. But when he opens it and finds an ashy substance. Not knowing what to make of it, he pitches it outside into a field. Startled by the container, a swarm of fireflies rise from the grass, and the small spririt of the boy and his sister appear among the insects, and their story is told.

Plot Synopsis

In the latter part of World War II in Japan, a boy and his sister, orphaned when their mother is killed in the firebombing of Tokyo, are left to survive on their own in what remains of civilian life in Japan. As the situation grows progressively worse in the war, things deteriorate proportionally on the homefront. We follow Seita and Setsuko as they do their best to survive in the Japanese countryside, battling hunger, prejudice, and pride in their own personal battle.

This anime is really very sad and heart wrenching. From the beginning till the end. ;_; I cried while watching this anime. The sister is really really cute. You can see the transformation from a hyper young kid to a under-nourished kid, the war and harsh environment have robbed away the happiness and the life of her childhood. The brother is very pitiful too.
This anime is not about whose fault is it in war, instead it focus on the struggle of the brother and sister.

On Friday night, I met up with my ex-colleagues to have dinner @ Pasta Fresca Suntec. It was wonderful :D Mac, Joyce, Felicia and Evon were there. At first, Mac and Evon were not there because they need to rush something in the office so only Joyce and Felicia were there. We shopped around abit. I realise Joyce loves to shop alot! Haha not surprising since she is from Hong Kong. She told me that she never saves and always used her money to buy clothes. I told her that I used my money to spend on CDs then she asked me CDs can wear meh? LOL
Went to quite alot of shops, Mango, Ebase, Topshop etc. Alot of nice clothing BUT very expensive. How can they spend so much on clothes!? O_O

We went to Pasta Fresca first then after awhile Mac and Evon arrived. Evon bought me a very cute piyo piyo toy! When u shake it, it will have this chick-chick sound. :) So we were happily eating our food and chatting away. We chatted on the topic of ghosts.
Then they talked about the company office. Last time that malay guy who worked for 10 years in New Era told Joyce and Mac that one night he was working very late in the office alone and when he walk pass this semi transparent glass panel. He saw a pair of eyes looking through at him! O_O
And the scariest thing is that this glass panel is near where i sit... ^^;;
Maybe the decision of quitting is right haha...
My ex company also have another branch office in Thailand. The staffs there all saw the "thing" before at a certain time at a specific place in the office. Even the boss himself saw before. He will avoid going to that corner at 'that' time.. I wonder what did they saw. Something hideous looking?

I have been asking myself whether quitting this job is my biggest mistake? But Jay told me I might quit for a good reason. I'm really glad that he is always there to say encouraging stuff to me and not pouring wet blanket.

My uncle was in the hospital and I went to visit him yesterday. He got gall infection. :( Luckily it's not something that is very bad. He didn't tell alot of relatives, not even my granny. When my granny got to knew it, she cried and asked over on the phone why my uncle hide it from her. I am just glad that my uncle is fine now. He will be discharged on Monday.

During the visit, my uncle asked me what I have been doing, then I told him I have quitted my job already. He was shocked. Haha... He asked me that I really have to have the motivation to do my job, he said that if I rest too long, I will become the way I am, don't feel like working, no motivation and no fuel.
He asked me whether am I interested in studying. Asked me to find out more on studying aboard or even better locally. Ahhh. How do I start to find? Local have 3D animation!? Hmm.. I really don't know. For overseas, I have to go to various embassy to find out which school has the course that I wanted to study.
Well we will see about that.

Today blog will be dedicated to the sister and brother of Hotaru no Haka.
My uncle may he have a speedy recovery.
And Jay. :)