Relative's Aunt
Widowed relative who takes in Seita and Setsuko
A widowed relative to whom Seita and Setsuko turn during wartime. She gradually comes to resent the two, creating the cause for them to leave the house.
Quotes
- If you value your lives so much, why don't you just live in a cave?
- You've really brought a plague god into the house.
Trivia
- Based on Akiyuki Nosaka's real experiences, but the aunt's treatment was not as cruel as in the novel.
- The aunt is a widow, from the family of the wife of a paternal cousin of Seita and Setsuko's father.
- Unlike the anime film version, in the live-action film version, the aunt is cold from the beginning.
- Akemi Yamaguchi voiced her in the anime film version, and Keiko Matsuzaka played her in the live-action film version.
Alternate names
Auntie
Aunt
Widowed Aunt
Profile
- Species
- human
- Gender
- Female
Appearance
- Overall appearance
- Middle-aged woman, a widow living in Nishinomiya City. In the story, she has a somewhat harsh personality and behaves coldly, but does not directly drive them out; the two leave due to the deteriorating living environment.
Personality and abilities
- Core personality
- strict
- Detailed personality
- At first, she superficially treats Seita and Setsuko well while taking them in, but gradually shows hostility and coldness due to the burden of daily life and dissatisfaction with the children, coming to resent their presence. A character symbolizing human relations under the oppression of wartime society and the stagnation of the war.
- Keywords
-
- strict
- realistic
- cold
- resentful
- lack of understanding toward war victims
- Motivation
- Prioritizes her own and her family's survival and stability above all, lacking mental leeway in the harsh wartime life, and does not hide her irritation or coldness.
History
- Backstory
- Widowed aunt living in Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture. She is the wife of a cousin of Seita and Setsuko's father, and temporarily takes in the siblings after their home is destroyed in an air raid, but relations deteriorate due to worsening war conditions, food shortages, and irritation toward the children, leading them to leave the house. In reality, she does not directly expel them, but her attitude makes the home uncomfortable for the two.
- Debut date
- 1967-10
- Work title
- Grave of the Fireflies
- Media type
- Manga
Takes in Seita and Setsuko
- Significant event
- Takes in Seita and Setsuko
- Description
- After the Great Kobe Air Raid, the siblings take refuge at the widowed relative's home.
Relationship deteriorates
- Significant event
- Relationship deteriorates
- Description
- As the war progresses, the aunt comes to resent the two, with constant conflicts and increasing discomfort.
Decides to leave the house
- Significant event
- Decides to leave the house
- Description
- Seita takes Setsuko and leaves to live independently. The aunt did not drive them out but also did not stop them.
Relationships
Media appearances
Grave of the Fireflies
Anime / Supporting
April 16, 1988
Grave of the Fireflies - Hotaru no Haka -
Drama / Supporting
November 1, 2005
Grave of the Fireflies
Movie / Supporting
July 5, 2008 live-action version
Voice cast and creators
Akemi Yamaguchi
- Voice actor
- Akemi Yamaguchi
- Language
- Japanese
- Version or series
- 1988 anime film version
Keiko Matsuzaka
- Voice actor
- Keiko Matsuzaka
- Language
- Japanese
- Version or series
- 2008 live-action film version
- Notes
- Essentially appears in the role of the villain in this work
Akiyuki Nosaka
- Creator name
- Akiyuki Nosaka
- Role
- Original author
Yoshifumi Kondō
- Creator name
- Yoshifumi Kondō
- Role
- Character designer
Studio Ghibli
- Creator name
- Studio Ghibli
- Role
- Animation studio
Isao Takahata
- Creator name
- Isao Takahata
- Role
- Director
Related goods
Grave of the Fireflies DVD
- Item name
- Grave of the Fireflies DVD
- Category
- Digital
- Availability
- Regular