This book was written by Jonathan Lack as his Master's Thesis in 2015 for the University of Colorado, and is a 3-chapter exploration of loss and transience in the works of Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata, featuring in-depth close readings of the films GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES, ONLY YESTERDAY, and THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA, placed in the context of Takahata's overarching career. While this was written as an 'academic' text, it is accessible and, hopefully, enjoyable for more casual fans of Takahata and anime in general, including many revelatory quotes from Takahata himself, and images and illustrations alongside the writing. This book is the second volume in a 2-part 'complementary' series of texts on the Studio Ghibli co-founders, which also includes "Seeing with Eyes Unclouded: Representations of Creativity in the Works of Hayao Miyazaki," also available here on Ko-fi.