The streaming service Crunchyroll announced today that it will be bringing the anime classic “The Last Fireflies” (Japanese: “Hotaru no Haka”) to cinemas in a few weeks together with Sony Pictures Germany. We summarize.
Cinema release in June 2026
According to current plans, the approximately 89-minute drama film “The Last Glowworms” can be seen in German cinemas from June 30, 2026. It has not yet been revealed which language versions will be offered.
Studio Ghibli was responsible for the production of the film, which premiered in Japan on April 15, 1988, with Isao Takahata (“The Legend of Princess Kaguya”) directing and Riko Sakaguchi writing the script.
The publisher Crunchyroll last released the evening filler in a steelbook edition on Blu-ray in November 2025. This has previously appeared in several editions and is also available on Netflix.
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After a bombing raid during World War II, two orphans try to survive in a Japanese province. For Seita and his four-year-old sister, the indifference of those around them is more serious than the attacks themselves.
Hunger, despair and loss make their lives fragile, while their solidarity is touching.
© Akiyuki Nosaka / Shinchosha, 1988