A classic Studio Ghibli movie will be back in print this summer. Shout Factory is releasing a Limited Edition Steelbook Blu-ray of Grave of the Fireflies on July 8. 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. Grave of the Fireflies Limited Edition Steelbook is up for preorder for a nice discount at Walmart and Amazon. Alternatively, you can preorder the standard edition Blu-ray for only $18.
Grave of the Fireflies: Limited Edition Steelbook (Blu-ray)
$22 (was $27) | Releases July 8
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.
Amazon was originally charging the full $27 MSRP, but now the price has dropped to match Walmart’s $22 deal. If you order now from either retailer, you’ll automatically get any additional discounts offered until your preorder ships.
Grave of the Fireflies Standard Edition (Blu-ray + DVD)
$18 (was $25)
Grave of the Fireflies is also receiving a new standard edition Blu-ray with a plastic case and cardboard sleeve.
For the first few weeks after preorders opened, the Limited Edition Steelbook was actually cheaper than the standard edition, but now there’s a 25% discount at Amazon and Walmart that drops the price to $18 (was $25).
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.