Mrs. Yokokawa

"Setsuko, be a good girl, and listen to your brother.
 * —Mrs. Yokokawa to Setsuko Yokokawa before the air raid"

Mrs. Yokokawa (横川 さん Yokokawa-san) was the loving wife of Kiyoshi Yokokawa and the mother of Seita Yokokawa and Setsuko Yokokawa in the film Grave of the Fireflies.

In film
Mrs. Yokokawa is first seen tying a hood on Setsuko Yokokawa, telling her to be a good girl and to listen to her brother as the family prepares for the bombing. She then states that she best start for the shelter, and for them to meet her there as soon as possible. Seita asks her if she has her heart medicine with her, and she says yes and motions to her bag, telling him not to worry. Her last words were "Right here, don't worry" ("I have it right here, don't worry" in the English Dub) when Seita asked her if she has her heart medicine before she left to the shelter.

When Seita and Setsuko arrive at the shelter, Seita is told that his mother has been badly injured that he rushes to see her and finds her asleep on a bed, heavily bandaged, bloody and burned. Horrified, Seita painfully states that his mother has heart trouble and asks if she can have her medicine where the man there states he will find out. When he leaves, Seita tries to communicate with her, but he is greeted with only soft breathing.

When Seita returns to Setsuko, he tells her that she is hurt and in the hospital, but she will get better soon, afraid to tell his little sister the truth.

Seita's mother's dead body is then seen being put into a truck as flies and maggots move around her, while a man states that she is not unbandaged because her body is too gruesome to see; another man states that she must go on the truck that day with the heat they are having as Seita watches them carry her away and she is then cremated in a huge fire with many other dead bodies.

Relationships

 * Kiyoshi Yokokawa (Deceased Husband)
 * Seita Yokokawa (Deceased Elder Son)
 * Setsuko Yokokawa (Deceased Younger Daughter)
 * Seita's aunt (Sister or Sister-in-law)
 * Seita's Cousin (Niece)

Etymology

 * The surname Yokokawa means "side" (横) (yoko) and "river, stream" (川) (kawa).

Trivia

 * Mrs. Yokokawa is either the sister or sister-in-law of Seita's aunt and the aunt of Seita's Cousin.

Frau Yokokawa