We're safe here
So bright!
It's kind of pretty looking at it from here
It's like the fireworks we saw with grandmother and mother
Whoa! Setsuko look! Amazing isn't it?
-Over there! -Where? I can't see -Come here
-Setsuko look! -So big!
Don't separate with us like that!
It's decided that we go to the shelter with our tonarigumi!
Yes
You're not a child. You must start thinking about helping others
My neighbors criticize me because you don't help with the firefighting
I understand. But I can't leave Setsuko alone
Then I have something to say to you
Your mother's ring...
Why don't you exchange that for rice?
Because you are not part of the tonarigumi, you don't get rations
Special aid is very small. Even I sell my kimonos for food
But the ring is...
With that ring, we can maybe get 10 or 20 bottles of rice
10 or 20 bottles!? That much?
I don't want to say this but... She doesn't need it anymore
and your mother would probably be happier this way
I won't force you
I got it
Here, please
Alright
Then...
No, it's mother's ring!
No!
Setsuko, stop!
-Let it go -It's mother's! No! Mother! Mother!
Let's have this for dinner tonight
Setsuko, look! White rice!
Setsuko?
You smiled
-I give up! -Stupid brother! -The "Battleship Yamato" is strong!
Delicious!
White rice is good
-It fills the stomach -More please!
-Alright -Me too -Me too
-You still have some left -Oh right
Still haven't finished? Could you please hurry?
Everyone else has long gone to school or kinrou-douin
Umm...
Can you boil white rice tonight?
Setsuko doesn't like kouryan (Manchurian millet)
You mustn't ask for luxuries. Kouryan is a valuable food too.
You may be the son of an officer, but you are a guest right now
But there should be some of that rice left
I'm saving it for emergencies
If rations ended, we'd still have something to eat
But that's our rice
Are you saying I'm being unfair?
No. It's just that that rice was bought with mother's ring
What about all the rice you had been eating up until then?
You can't ask for free food doing nothing all day
Natsu and Hana are off at kinrou-douin
Even little Yuki and Teizo are helping me with the fields with our tonarigumi
You're the only one doing nothing
I'm protecting Setsuko!
My father is protecting our country and I am protecting Setsuko!
The military isn't protecting the country!
They force people to fight who don't want to and kill them like bugs
What's that look for?
I understand. If you are that dissatisfied, let's have separate meals
Then you won't have complaints
I wonder what happen to Aunt?
Before, she gave me droplets and was so kind
Who knows
Brother!
Here
Hold out your hand
No more...
I'm sorry, brother
It's okay. Let's go
You work like that and we won't finish by night
Work harder
By July, rations were sporadic
For people like us, who came to sokai from Tokyo
we didn't have relatives or friends
who could share food with us
Here, thank you very much
Here, good work today
What do you want with a stove?
We're making meals
Your aunt makes you meals
We're doing it ourselves now
A knife and eggs too
Yourselves? That's impossible
It's just until father gets back
How much?
200 yen... actually 170 yen will do
I don't know what happened, but don't be stubborn
We'll have good congee soon, Setsuko
Ok!
It's dinner, help out
It's because you were so harsh
I didn't say anything wrong
I just said we must help each other out in times of emergency
They're the ones being stubborn and trying to show us off
Setsuko, you don't have to eat so proper
Ah~ so delicious
-Seita-san? -Yeah?
Bad manners
Yes
Seita-san
If you're going to live on your own, you must provide your own water
-Brother? -Yeah?
What me to help?
You just hold the lamp
-Brother? -Yeah?
Isn't it cold?
Brother
Be quiet Setsuko
Fireflies!
You're right!
So glad! The fireflies came back this year
Over there too!
-They're pretty -Yeah
Over there too!
-Amazing -Yeah
Brother...
I don't like Aunt's place anymore
Then do you want to make this our home?
No one will bother us. We can do as we please
Yeah!
Mother didn't say anything
And even though we knew what was going on
we kept quiet too
Thank you for keeping us. We're moving elsewhere now
Where elsewhere?
It's a nice place
There's plenty of room for sleeping and playing and plenty of water
Right Setsuko?
Yeah!
Is that so, then no worries
What? Mother!
Well, good bye
Seita-kun
Seita-kun!
This is the kitchen
This is the entrance
This is the Japanese style room And that's dad's study
And that's mother's...
Brother
What about the bathroom?
What do we do?
Anywhere! I'll be with you
OK!
I wonder where Se-cchan went?
-I wonder if they're ok -They said it's a "nice place"
How could it be a "nice place"
Welcome home
How can you be fine at a time like this
Are you hungry?
Mother!
Sis
Oh, you're back early
You're not going to go look for them?
They left on their own. I didn't kick them out
But, two children cannot live on their own
If they must, they will come back
-This is unlike you -Yoshie-san?
Can you lend us some money?
You may think, "How hypocritical, after rejecting the offer earlier"
But there was no rations this week either
No more rice, no more soybean, and no more kimonos
We need to have you share the burden too
That's fine
You can't live off of pretty ideologies anymore. Pride and will can't feed you.
Am I wrong?
No, you aren't wrong
Setsuko, don't cry
Mother...
Setsuko
Setsuko, open your eyes
Ready? Let me show you something
What is it?
Just come over here and see
Ready?
Wow! Fireflies!
Now we're not alone
Brother, thank you very much (Kansai dialect)
The fireflies... they've died
Setsuko!
What are you doing?
I'm making a grave. A grave of fireflies
You're so kind, Setsuko
We have to make mother's grave too
I know
Mother died right?
She won't come back no matter how long we wait, right?
Setsuko
Sorry for not telling you
Mother, at the bombing
was burned by an incendiary bomb
Japan will win the war
and father will come home
and we'll have a grave made.
Then, let's pray there, the three of us
It must have hurt mother
Please use this (bankbook)
Thank you
I shall go now
You are really leaving?
Yes, a coworker says he can keep me
So sudden
Brother has died,
I can't stay here using my leg as an excuse
I don't want to see you changing more
Is that so? Then it can't be helped
No worries, I'm an adult
Please be well
Uncle Yoshie
Uncle!
You're terrible
You kick out Seita-kun and Se-cchan, and now Uncle Yoshie too!
Uncle has a bad leg! He just finally found a job!
You're too cold to throw him out on his own
Done. I've added more cotton so it should protect against incendiary bombs
You can't bribe me with this
Whatever. I'm going to get rice so come with me
I don't want to become like you
I don't want food if it means I have to abandon others
Then I don't have to cook for you?
I'm grateful
We just barely have enough rice, salt for five people
If we lose one person it'll be better for the rest of us
Devil! You're the devil!
10yen!? 10yen for just this?
if it's too expensive, don't buy it. I wasn't intending on selling it anyway
You're not buying?
With the rice and stuff
we spent a lot of mother's money, we should save some
Let's go
Brother?
-Setsuko, wait here -Why?
Just wait here
Hey, what are you doing?
Setsuko, let's go
Seita-kun...
You thief!
-Mister, stop! -Shut up!
-Are you with him!? -Huh?
Are you with this guy!?
Hey, stop!
Where were you?
I boiled white rice
Eat up today
From that point on, I never mentioned
Seita-kun or Se-cchan
Don't go! Our dinner escaped...
Everyone was desperate to live
Everyone was losing themselves
Everyone was forgetting something important
Tomorrow, we may burn and die from a raid
Tomorrow, we may have no food and starve to death
There's nothing greater than that fear and worry
Setsuko, dinner
I don't want it
You musn't have likes and dislikes, whether it be soybean or baby potato
Yeah, but
I have diarrhea
Setsuko, what's wrong? Setsuko!
It's a weakening due to malnutrition
She hasn't eaten anything good for two weeks
The diarrhea and fainting are also from the malnutrition
-Next -Wait, no medicine?
She needs nutrition, not medicine
Nutrition? Like what!?
Nutrition like white meat from fish or egg yolk
Oh, apples would be good for her too
Where the hell would I get that?
If you're a doctor, tell me! Where could I get them!?
-Where? Tell me! -Stop it!
Oh no.... we're even out of salt
Man am I hungry. What would you like to eat Setsuko?
Tempura
That sounds nice
and sashimi
and tokoroten
Anything else?
Congee with egg
and...
droplets
Eggs!
What are you doing?
You thief! Get all impudent after all our kindness
-I'm very sorry -Thanks for coming
You must be surprised how beat up he is
You have no right to complain. Thieving during a raid is a serious crime
I'm very sorry
If apologizing was enough we wouldn't need the police!
Leave this to the police. Be merciful. Merciful
It's woeful that a naval officer's son is stealing
If it happens again, you will take responsibility
Because of you, your aunt is in trouble too!
I'm sorry to butt in but
can you please take him back?
There must have been problems, but you don't want them to be tramps
You too. Bow and beg to be taken back
It's impossible to live on your own as children
Come on. It's not a shame. Your sister's still little right?
You have to have her feed you
Do you know why the kind general store owner got so mad?
His son was also a naval officer
and on the coast of Malaysia, he was killed in action
It's so depressing that a naval officer's son is stealing!
Um...
I...
Setsuko is...
You don't have to apologize, Seita-san
I can't have you apologize
I don't have food to provide you if I forgive you
Even if I had more rice,
even if it be one grain, I'd give it to Teizo or Natsu
I don't despise you
I just can't let Teizo,
Natsu, Hana, or Yuki die
Bear a grudge on me all you want
Seita-san, this is what war is about
This is what it means to be at war
I have no intention of apologizing!
I'm the first son of Naval colonel Yokokawa Kiyoshi!
Brother?
Setsuko, sorry for being so late
It's okay
What happened to your face?
Nothing, just got stung by striped mosquito
Does it hurt?
You have to call the doctor and get a shot
Don't say things like mother
Sponsors
Brother
Setsuko, you feeling better?
Is that so! That's great!
I got better after having a droplet!
Droplet?
Dummy! What are you eating!? It's an ohajiki!
Setsuko?
Brother, here. It's dinner. Do you want a bowl?
Let me give you an okara
Setsuko...
You're not having it?
Setsuko, wait here
Let me get you something good with this (bankbook)
Brother, don't go
I don't need any food
I just want to be with you
Setsuko
But you need to eat
Let me buy eggs and make congee with egg
Then I'll hold you, blow your food, and feed you
It's a promise. This time for real
What is it?
Showa 20 (1945) August 15
What does it mean?
Japan lost
The war is over
What? The war is over...?
Then no more bombings?
-I suppose so -No more B-29s?
-Yes -Yay!
-No more running! -No more kinrodouin, right? -Of course!
What's going to happen?
Who knows...
Dad died for this war... how could they lose?
What's going to happen to Seita-kun and Se-cchan?
If Japan lost, that must mean
Seita-kun's father also died
Time to eat
At a time like this?
Regardless of Japan losing or what happens to the country, the body gets hungry
Excuse me?
-What's going to happen? -How should I know?
The devilish American soldiers are going to come?
Um... did something happen?
We surrendered
Surrender? Japan lost?
Yeah, "unconditional surrender"
Then what happened to the unified fleet?
They've long sunk and disappeared
No way
Like I will be fighting for the sake of the country
you must defend your mother and Setsuko. Don't ever yield.
No way! My father can't have died!
What the hell
It can't be!
-Idiot! Japan has lost! -No way! No way!
Stop!
Seita-kun, are you okay?
Seita-kun!
Stupid, stupid father!
Sis
It's been a while
Yoshie-san!
You were fine!
Thankfully
I'm glad. Come in
What are you doing from now on?
I don't know yet
I will be getting a ticket to return to Tokyo
Where at?
I haven't decided
But there are no more raids. I will be fine
I suppose
I saw Seita-kun
He was living by the river, all thin
I'm sorry
Why do you apologize?
I acted all moral in front of you
but I too was too busy with my own business
and couldn't do anything for them
I didn't understand anything
Like brother was fighting on the battlefield,
you were also...
Yoshie-san,
be careful
We may never see each other again, but I pray for your well being
Give my regards to your children
Come on, now
You must hide it all. If there's a riot, it'll all be taken
yeah...
There's nothing we can do about the country losing
I'm sorry, we're closed for....
You thief! Why are you here?
Give me rice and eggs
We have nothing to sell to thieves
My sister's sick
I don't care how many, please sell me some
Please
-He's gone mad! -Go home, Japan's lost
That money's worthless
I don't care. Sell me eggs. Give me rice!
Setsuko's going to die! I beg you
I beg you! Please! I beg you!
Mother?
I'm going
The war is over
Setsuko, I'm back
Look! Eggs and rice!
Setsuko?
fireflies...
Setsuko, I'll make congee with eggs real quick, okay?
Brother, thank you very much (Kansai dialect)
Just wait
Mother's egg congee used to be so good, huh?
The eggs were soft and the right saltiness.
So good my tongue would melt. Right, Setsuko?
So stupid, Setsuko
The congee with egg was almost done
Setsuko...
Setsuko!
Why Setsuko? What am I supposed to do?
Mother...
Seita-kun, Se-cchan!
Setsuko
I'm sorry
I couldn't find the other one
Mother will probably have it
Seita-kun put Se-cchan's little bones into the can of droplets
and left, never to return to Yokohana
Seita-kun died at San'nomiya Station
and was cremated with the other tramps
about a month after the war ended.
It was the day after the law to protect child war victims was passed
We're going
Wow, so pretty. Setsuko, look!
-Over there! -Over there too!
-...rations are getting smaller... -Don't worry
Here, Se-cchan. Now you won't lose it
Thank you!
Delicious!
I...
I don't want to live
because
we killed them, Seita-kun and Se-cchan
We killed them!
Ow!
Don't be stupid!
The war isn't over yet!
The real war starts now!
If you die, you lose
If you die, it's over
Afterwards, mother
brought us back to Tokyo
and raised us
without a single tear or complaint
And until she died at the age of 95,
she never mentioned the war.
Here?
This was our sokai, Manchidani
And over there. the entire city of Kobe was in ruins
It has completely changed
Nothing remains of its past
This is the first time
huh?
This is the first time you spoke about the war
I didn't want to recall
the war nor the events that took place here
Even Seita-kun and Se-cchan who died here
But
But mother remembered...
And every time she looked at this,
she probably felt the weight of having survived
I guess the war isn't an old tale
It's because great-grandmother survived,
that you survived, and mother was born
and why I'm here.
-Grandmother? -Yes?
I wonder how far this river flows...
translated by expo1970
This drama is fictional. However, there are many children worldwide like Seita and Setsuko