Orphans Seita and Setsuko fight for survival in post-World War II Japan. But society is harsh, and they come to the somber conclusion that they can neither escape the hardships of war nor find enough food to survive. Named the Best Animated Feature at the 1994 Chicago International Children's Film Festival, this film proves that not all anime tales are pixie-dust fantasies or brutal sci-fi standoffs.

[Source: Netflix]

After losing his mother during the war, young Mahito moves to his family’s estate in the countryside. There, a series of mysterious events lead him to a secluded and ancient tower, home to a mischievous gray heron. When Mahito’s new stepmother disappears, he follows the gray heron into the tower, and enters a fantastic world shared by the living and the dead. As he embarks on an epic journey with the heron as his guide, Mahito must uncover the secrets of this world, and the truth about himself.

[Source: GKIDS]

Mameko is unemployed and lives with her dog, Komachi, and three cats, Tabi, Shimba, and Melo. Even though she swears to try her best from tomorrow, the next day she always gets tired and quickly give up.

This is a slightly uneventful, but somehow entertaining, slice-of-life story.

[Source: Fuji Creative Corporation]