The film explores the impact of World War II on two Japanese children. This recent Japanese animated movie is based on a made-up story. After Japan’s defeat in World War II, the narrative focuses on how people were affected by the war's aftermath. The movie begins with two older individuals traveling to their childhood village, prompting them to remember past events. The entire film unfolds from the viewpoint of the children and what they witnessed. It tells the story of two young boys living on a secluded Japanese island who are fascinated with toy trains and dream of seeing real ones. When Soviet forces invade the island and impose their rule, the boys must learn to live under this new authority. Daily life continues relatively normally; the children attend school where they befriend a young Russian girl. Subsequently, difficulties intensify, and survival becomes increasingly difficult. It wasn’t quite the exceptional anime I had hoped for, but it did have a reasonable plot and characters. It felt like a conventional presentation, which was enjoyable to watch. It evoked some memories of 'Grave of the Fireflies', though it lacked that film's emotional power. The ending resonated with me deeply; I sensed its significance. That strong conclusion proved to be the movie’s best quality—otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have liked it so much. I don’t know if everyone will appreciate it, but I would recommend it only if you are persuaded by something other than my opinion. 6½/10

Source on TMDB