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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.
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.
Studio Ghibli Movies on Blu-ray – Limited Edition Steelbooks
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.
If you’re a fan of releases, we’ve gathered all the Studio Ghibli movies below that come inside of this sturdy protective cover. These all feature a uniform style across them–Grave of the Fireflies with this particular style has been sold out forever–and they’re all in a standard Blu-ray format, save for The Boy and the Heron, which includes 4K and standard Blu-ray discs.
- Ponyo: Steelbook Edition (Blu-ray) — $18.89 (
$27) - Porco Rosso: Steelbook Edition (Blu-ray) — $17.89 (
$27) - From Up on Poppy Hill: Steelbook Edition (Blu-ray) — $17.89 (
$27) - When Marnie Was There: Steelbook Edition (Blu-ray) — $17.89 (
$27) - Princess Mononoke: Steelbook Edition (Blu-ray) — $18.43 (
$27) - Spirited Away: Steelbook Edition (Blu-ray) — $18.89 (
$27) - Kiki’s Delivery Service: Steelbook Edition (Blu-ray) — $18.89 (
$27) - My Neighbor Totoro: Steelbook Edition (Blu-ray) — $18.89 (
$27) - Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind: Steelbook Edition (Blu-ray) — $18.89 (
$27) - Howl’s Moving Castle: Steelbook Edition (Blu-ray) — $18.89 (
$27) - The Secret World of Arietty: Steelbook Edition (Blu-ray) — $18.89 (
$27) - The Wind Rises: Steelbook Edition (Blu-ray) — $18.89 (
$27) - The Boy and the Heron: Steelbook Edition (4K UHD + Blu-ray) — $28 (
$45) - My Neighbor Totoro: 30th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray) — $35 (
$50) - The Tale of The Princess Kaguya: Steelbook Edition (Blu-ray) — $22 (
$27) - Only Yesterday: Steelbook Edition (Blu-ray) — $22 (
$27) - Grave of the Fireflies: Steelbook Edition (Blu-ray) — $23 (
$27)
Studio Ghibli Film Comics – All-in-One Editions
For fans of Studio Ghibli’s signature art style, you might also want to grab the new All-in-One Edition hardcover omnibuses published by Viz Media. These are essentially a collection of screenshots taken from each movie and used to retell those stories in print, allowing you to really admire the art of each film.
- Spirited Away Film Comic: All-In-One Edition (Hardcover) — $26 (
$35) - My Neighbor Totoro Film Comic: All-in-One Edition (Hardcover)??? $30
- Kiki’s Delivery Service Film Comic: All-in-One Edition (Hardcover) — $18 (
$30) - Ponyo Film Comic: All-in-One Edition (Hardcover) — $30 | Releases July 22
Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Kiki’s Delivery Service are available now, and Ponyo is up for preorder. Each book is a chunky, surprisingly affordable hardcover filled with gorgeous full-color art.
Other new and upcoming books based on Ghibli films include The Art of the Boy and the Heron, which releases on May 27, and My Neighbor Totoro: The Official Cookbook, which released earlier this month.
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.
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