Studio Ghibli fans can get the recently reissued movie Grave of the Fireflies for cheap at Amazon. Like other Ghibli animated movies, Shout Factory handled the new Limited Edition Steelbook and standard edition Blu-ray, both of which launched July 8. If you need to complete your Studio Ghibli collection, Grave of the Fireflies Steelbook Edition is on sale for $22. The standard Blu-ray is discounted to just $18.
Grave of the Fireflies is just one of many Studio Ghibli films you can buy in a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack with a collectible steelbook case. A bunch of Studio Ghibli Steelbook Editions are on sale for under $20.
$22 (was $27)
Grave of the Fireflies Limited Edition Steelbook comes with 1080p Blu-ray and DVD versions of the film. For the extras, there’s a deep dive into its storyboards, several deleted scenes that were only produced as storyboards, image galleries, a collection of trailers, an interview with director Isao Takahata, and an interview with the late film critic Roger Ebert.
Unlike many Ghibli movies, the 1989 film directed by Isao Takahata isn’t exactly suitable for the whole family. Rated PG-13 due to blood and gore, this dark journey is set during the final days of World War II in Japan.
$18 (was $25)
You can save four bucks by picking up the standard edition with a plastic case and cardboard sleeve. Outside of the packaging, this $18 (was $25) edition is the exact same as the Steelbook Edition.
While films produced by Studio Ghibli regularly focus on fantasy and contain environmentalism themes, Grave of the Fireflies is one of the rare exceptions here as it is based on the personal accounts of World War II survivor Akiyuka Nosaka. Grave of the Fireflies centers around 14-year-old Seita and and his four-year-old sister Setsuko, war orphans struggling to survive in the Japanese countryside food shortages, abusive relatives, and bombing raids by the Allied forces.
The film pulls no punches with its subject matter, but it’s still an all-time animated classic with a strong message at its core and fleeting moments of happiness during this bleak story. Just be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster with this movie.
Grave of the Fireflies’ case design looks more like last year’s The Boy and the Heron Steelbook release than the earlier releases in the Studio Ghibli Steelbook series. Grave of the Fireflies previously released on Blu-ray in 2012 and has received a steelbook release with the old, singular background color aesthetic. Prior Blu-ray releases of the film have been out of print for years, though.
For a more whimsical, lighter adventure, you might want to look at Studio Ghibli’s other movies, especially the ones directed by Hayao Miyazaki. You can’t go wrong with greatest hits like Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke–which are beautifully animated and have timeless stories to tell–while other movies like Howl’s Moving Castle and Kiki’s Delivery Service are also fan favorites.
For fans of Studio Ghibli’s signature art style, you might also want to grab the recently published All-in-One Edition hardcover omnibuses published by Viz Media. These are essentially collections of screenshots and dialogue/text from each movie, allowing fans to experience the story in a different medium. Plus, you get to admire the lovely artwork without needing to pause your TV.
Ponyo’s All-in-One Edition just released on July 22, and preorders for Princess Mononoke’s omnibus are live now.
Meanwhile, Howl’s Moving Castle fans should also check out the upcoming Deluxe Limited Edition of Diana Wynne Jones’ novel, which served as the basis for the Miyazaki-directed film adaptation.
