Hotarubi no mori e

"Into the Forest of the Fireflies' Light" is a sweet gentle tale about a spirit and a young girl and the close friendship they develop over the course of years. Their interactions are heart- warmingly sweet. The animation is neat and the background score is good. Though there is nothing much in the story, the serenity and magical vibe of this short film keeps one's interest alive. The main characters receive just enough characterization to make us feel slightly nostalgic by the end.

It is just a basically relaxing story which is recommended when you want to watch something peaceful.

A romantic, sweet and simple feature that hits the heart. A story of friendship and love without sin that lasts over time and over the years. I loved it so much that I wished it would last longer!

Really worth 45 mins of your time. The film may be short but by the end of it, you will definitely feel a variety mix of emotions.

Hotarubi no mori e/ To the forest of Firefly Lights, is basically a 45 minute anime film, and is about Hotaru who is the main character, and she recounts a memory of her past with meeting, a spirit named Gin, and what happened after this event. The film is very emotional at times, especially, the ending which will pull your heart strings. It's also a very small film, in terms of characters, and story. This film can be watched at anytime (cause of the run time) and yet you feel many emotions after the film, and it will leave a small hole in your heart after being watched. Overall:8 out of 10

Short, sweet & sentimental, To the Forest of Firefly Lights (Hotarubi no Mori e) is a simple yet moving coming-of-age story following a young child who is rescued by a spirit after she gets lost in an enchanted forest, and covers her decade-long friendship with the same entity despite the limitations of their interactions.

Directed by Takahiro Omori, the film addresses first love, memories & passage of time in an apt manner, and is as exquisitely animated as it is beautifully told. The story unfolds at a breezy pace, while the interaction between the two characters plus their growing intimacy for each other is sensibly handled & finely portrayed.

Overall, To the Forest of Firefly Lights would've sufficed as a short film instead of aiming for feature-length but it still makes fab use of its 45 mins runtime, taking viewers through plethora of emotions. The simple story, serene quality & magical vibe helps keep the interest alive while evoking feelings of nostalgia in surprising ways. Worth a shot.