I watched Grave of the Fireflies and didn't like it. I found it very sad and hard to finish (it's the only anime/movie that got me to cry at the end). But whenever I here of it, it always has great praise, comments, etc... I was just wondering how come? I was probably looking at it a different way then most people, or maybe its just my way of thinking or looking at things.

So basically, I'd like to know what your opinions on the anime is, how do you think I look at the anime that's different, how is the story supposed to be looked at, why many people love it or say its a good anime, and etc...

Live your life, don't just pass time in it.

Well, they probably like it for the same reasons why you didn't. It's very sad, very realistic. When we hear that someone died during the war, we assume that was a soldier, because that's how war is shown in the most of films - as something involving only soldiers. We'd rather not think about civilians (many children) whose death and suffering is a "side effect" of war - it's an unpleasant truth. Perhaps this is why you and some other people don't like this film.
I agree, it's very hard to finish - in fact, I couldn't finish it. It's on my shelf, waiting for the time when I'll be able to watch it whole.

I like it, cause it's not easy to make me cry and when a film,anime or such does it it's a plus for me.

As an anime the depiction of human relationship, human nature, human society is extraordinary. Everything in the whole movie is well danm placed and that is why it has such a dramatic power.
It's not easy to do that, especially in such a non-chalant way (imo). I say non-chalant way because, well, many films are way too obvious in the way they do things: "this scene is supposed to make you cry, so I'm gonna focus on this, that and that and there you go. Cry."; but in Grave of Fireflies, the film is more than that, everything is mixed really well and I found that there is enough (not too much or too less) of everything.

Like virtually all adaptations, the original novel is much better, but it's a solid film.

"It's too sad so it's difficult to finish" really isn't a criteria to objectively disparage something. It's a well-written film, filled with proper character development. The visuals are strong for the era in which it was made, and as it is autobiographical in many ways, the setting is more-or-less historically accurate. The fact that it easily stirs such a strong emotional reaction in its viewers only adds to the appeal. A story has to be very, very good in order to successfully pull at the heartstrings. Something overly melodramatic tries and fails to do that. This film simply succeeds.

All that said, Nosaka Akiyuki is a notoriously (and rightfully) bitter writer. What's interesting about Hotaru no Haka is that it's less angry and more tragic, which seems to make it stronger. One pass at "American Hijiki" often results in very different impressions, even though it's a technically equal work. It simply fails in some respects because the emotional quality is very different... but I'm digressing a bit...

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