Dragonfly, directed and written by Julia Morizawa, opens with the young Sumiko (Miya Kodama) chasing a dragonfly through the woods near her home. The flying insect leads the girl to her brother’s grave. Yoshiko (Morizawa), Sumiko’s mother, comes out, and the flashback begins.
Yoshiko, her husband Susumu (Thomas Isao Morinaka), and their baby boy live daily on edge as World War II is in full swing. When the air raid sirens go off, pandemonium ensues. Many died, and others were horrifically injured but survived.

“…details the March 9-10, 1945, firebombing of Tokyo.”
Dragonfly details the March 9-10, 1945, firebombing of Tokyo. This underrepresented event caused more immediate deaths than the direct aftermath of Fat Man and Little Boy hitting ground zero. The simple character designs give way to startling depth when the bombs start going off. It is devasting to witness, which is the point.
The voice actors all do well in their parts, bringing a lot of depth in a short time. The pacing is incredible, and the message and history lessons are as important and timely as ever. Dragonfly is a fantastic short that demands to be seen by everyone.
Dragonfly screened at the 2023 Dances With Films.