Beloved for their captivating animation and whimsical atmosphere, Studio Ghibli films can rarely be described as “heart-wrenching.” But “Grave of the Fireflies,” the poignant 1988 war drama set against intricate watercolor landscapes of rural Japan, is one notable exception.

Directed by Isao Takahata and based on Akiyuki Nosaka’s short story of the same name, the film takes place in the final months of World War II, where military children Seita (J. Robert Spencer) and Setsuko (Corinne Orr) must suddenly fend for themselves upon their mother’s death in an air raid. As the two grapple with their sudden loss, compounded by the absence of their stationed father, they must also reckon with the poverty, greed and lawlessness that mires a war-torn world.

As is typical of a Studio Ghibli production, the cinematography both stuns and accentuates the emotion brimming behind every scene, starting with the initial air raid on the siblings’ hometown. Within minutes, the crystalline blue backdropping a hand-painted village of thatched-roofed houses is broken by a barrage of industrial gray bombers — leaving a hauntingly beautiful spectacle of red-orange fire and smoke plumes intermingling against a purpling sky.

This dichotomy between tragic and mesmerizing, only accentuated when viewed in tandem, persists throughout the film, with the sandy expanse of beach where the siblings once played suddenly covered in powdery ash on account of overhead fighter jets and the dirty, destitute cave in which they later reside bathed at night in warm, golden firefly light.

Also among the film’s strongest aspects is its writing, as the minimalistic dialogue makes the quiet tragedy leap meaningfully to life on-screen. For example, the air raids that become routine throughout the movie are punctuated only by the occasional “You’re not afraid, are you?” or “Is it okay?” exchanged between the siblings, underscoring their deep mutual affection through the most difficult times. Setsuko’s childlike innocence especially deepens the sorrow inherent in their situation, especially as she buries a mound of firefly carcasses — as families do for their fallen — while exclaiming, “Why must fireflies die so young?” in one harrowing scene.

“Grave of the Fireflies” is a carefully-paced, visually-impressive and courageous feat of storytelling that leverages a conflict commonly perceived as a dark mark on Japanese history with immense profundity in its 90-minute runtime. Although emotional nuance was arguably lost in adapting Nosaka’s story for the big screen, it packs a cinematic punch that easily renders it one of the best war movies all the same.