| The story begins about a year before the end of World War II. Fourteen-year-old Seita and his little sister Setsuko are seemingly-normal Japanese kids, trying to survive amidst the regular air raids and bombings by American forces. When their mother dies and their home is destroyed, they are forced to move in with a rather thoughtless aunt and her family. When her endless nagging and resentment at having to take them in finally push them over the edge, they decide to go out on their own. But surviving outside of the system is not easy, and survival becomes a real struggle, as they deal with malnutrition, poverty, and finally, Japan's defeat. |
