Anime fans and admirers of director Isao Takahata can look forward to a special documentary-style book that traces the birth of the timeless film 「火垂るの墓」 (Hotaru no Haka / Grave of the Fireflies) in greater detail than ever before.
From NHK Documentary to Book
The book’s full title is 「高畑勲と「火垂るの墓」 ─「幻の脚本」と「7冊の構想ノート」を読み解く─」 (Takahata Isao to Hotaru no Haka — Reading the “Lost Screenplay” and “Seven Concept Notebooks”). It is scheduled for release on June 24, 2026, and its content is adapted from the NHK ETV documentary NHK ETV特集「火垂るの墓と高畑勲と7冊のノート」, which previously aired on television.
The author is Yoko Terakoshi, an NHK program director who closely followed the making of The Tale of Princess Kaguya (かぐや姫の物語) for more than two and a half years. During that time, she heard director Takahata say, “I released Hotaru no Haka even though I had not truly completed it.” That sentence stayed with her and became the starting point for a major investigation.
Seven Notebooks and Confidential Materials
Terakoshi was granted permission to study seven concept notebooks that had been carefully preserved like works of art. She then set out to meet members of the film staff and specialists one by one, investigating how the original novel was transformed into a film and what the director felt was “unfinished.”
One of the book’s highlights is its collection of rare production materials, photographs related to director Takahata, and an eight-page color opening section. That section contains 13 documents and images from the film, with two being released to the public for the first time.
Renewed Interest After Netflix
Interest in Hotaru no Haka surged again after Netflix began streaming the film worldwide in 2024 and then made it available in Japan the following year. The film was subsequently brought back to theaters in several countries. Even more than 38 years after its original release, it continues to move audiences around the world.
The book is not only suited to those who have already seen the film, but also offers an opportunity to revisit it from a deeper new perspective.
Book Details
- Title: 高畑勲と「火垂るの墓」 ─「幻の脚本」と「7冊の構想ノート」を読み解く─
- Author: Yoko Terakoshi (寺越陽子)
- Release date: June 24, 2026 (Wednesday)
- Format: 46-ban size, 224 pages
- Price: 1,980 yen (tax included)
- ISBN: 978-4-10-357081-3
Source: aniani
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