Hadashi no Gen
Barefoot Gen

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This manga is an *experience*. While it may seem like a dramatic analysis, there is simply no better way I have found to describe just how fundamentally impactful it was to read.

This review will be a short one, because I doubt any number of words placed here could even come close to properly conveying the masterpiece that is Hadashi no Gen.

(Regarding the manga vs anime question) As I will touch on later, I do believe this iteration of the story to be vastly superior to the already phenomenal movie adaptation, in all aspects except one.

It has been several weeks since I finished reading said manga, ... and yes, it has taken me this long just to digest the lingering emotions enough to finally write something about it. To put it simply, I spent the better part of two full years hunting for this on and off, and eventually had to delve deep into the archives to locate a full copy once and for all. It was a challenge, but one well worth the effort.

Story: 10/10

The main plot line here, despite quite literally being spoiled by nearly every world history book ever, manages to expand upon the individual experiences of those living through said events, portraying said issues with far more nuance and depth than any documentary ever could without using such personal anecdotes. It is far more than just a tale of the 6th of August 1945, instead extending to cover the following years and subsequent stories born from one particular event.

Characters: 10/10

In truth, it was actually one particular character, Katsuko, who drew me to read the manga as opposed to merely being satisfied with the second movie adaptation’s ending. I wished to see her story progress, and this manga truly did pay off with that and so much more. Taking place over the course of several years, even into the 1950s, readers are able to see the core cast of characters grow and change from their initially childish selves into strong-willed teenagers capable of nearly anything.

Despite appearing solely in volume 10, I have to give a shout out to Mitsuko, who was so very well-written that she ended up being one of my favourite characters in the entire series (alongside Natsue, Ryuta, Katsuko, and of course, Gen).

Art: 10/10

Perhaps the rather rounded and unpolished 1970s style of manga isn’t for everyone (and I can understand that point of view too), at least on a fundamental level, the illustrations here are incredible, with the backgrounds having an especially strong definition which allows them to truly stand out against anything else of the time.

Also, Gen has eyelashes to the heavens and it’s iconic. No mascara needed.

Enjoyment: 11/10

Alright, perhaps my interest in WWII, specifically the pacific theatre, makes me somewhat biased in this particular section. Nevertheless, I can confirm that this manga was the true definition of “I cannot put this down” for me, bingeing the entire series over the course of just a few days.

Practically every single detail I had stumbled across during niche research was portrayed here (Including, but not limited to: multiple Los Alamos staff cameos, the emperor’s visit, the absolute state of the ABCC, the increased Yakuza / gang activity, the Korean war, whatever insane idea that MacArthur is planning today, public knowledge of the bombings being silenced during the American occupation, imperial Japan’s horrific war crimes (yes, in a manga about the atomic bombings - Finally, a truly balanced narrative), human remains being taken / sold as souvenirs, and many more gruesome surprises for those who may have otherwise remained unfamiliar).

Overall: 10/10

Moral of the story? War sucks, and also I am probably going to dropkick the next politician who suggests we ever use nukes again ;)

Save for the single point where the movie prevails, that being the absolutely infamous ‘melting sequence’ which has traumatised many-a child, the manga is by far the superior version of Hadashi no Gen. I don’t think there is anything else to say besides: if I can only recommend a single manga for everyone to read (even above my other 10/10s), it would be this one, without a doubt.

What are you waiting for?

Go read it.

I wanted to write about this manga for a long time but I never had the necessary elements to take my courage in both hands. So now I'm going to describe you my memory of a few years ago.

Gen of Hiroshima is a poignant manga by Keiji Nakazawa that tells the story of a young boy, Gen, who survives the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
The manga that offers a unique perspective on the horror of war, especially on the consequences of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. This work is considered a classic of Japanese comics, largely due to the author's ability to ... tell a shocking and brutal story while providing a touch of hope.

It is important to note that the story is based on the personal experience of the author, who was also affected by the atomic bomb.
This story is incredibly violent and disturbing. It shows the devastating effects of war on the civilian population, especially on children.
Nakazawa accurately describes the suffering and horrors that Gen and his family endured, without hesitation in the representation of violence. The reader is confronted with images of unimaginable cruelty which do not leave indifferent.

Despite this, what makes this manga so powerful in my opinion is Nakazawa's ability to show the horror of war while offering a positive view of humanity. Even with the unimaginable suffering that the characters and Gen endure, they are incredibly resilient and determined, and continue to look for hope in desperate situations. This duality with Gen is illustrated through the character of Ryota, who brings a touch of humor and lightness to this otherwise very dark story. Despite the hardships he goes through, he retains a strong spirit of survival and a desire to make things happen. Ryota's character also adds a touch of humor, which helps to lighten the tone a bit and make the story more accessible to people who are not used to reading violent stories.

On the artistic side, Nakazawa's drawing style is simple and uncluttered, but he manages to capture the essence of the story in a moving and powerful way. The characters are expressive and well-developed in the style of the time, allowing readers to easily relate to them despite the tragic events they are going through.

Beyond its emotional aspect, Gen of Hiroshima also raises important questions about morality and justice. The story shows the devastating effects of weapons of mass destruction and the responsibility of governments in their use. By showing the terrible consequences of war on civilians, Nakazawa raises the question of the legitimacy of violence in times of conflict and the need for justice for the victims.

Gen of Hiroshima is a hard but essential read for anyone interested in history and war literature. This manga offers a poignant account of the horrors of war and its impact on civilians, while offering a glimmer of hope and humanity in the darkest of times. It is also a reminder of the importance of working together to prevent such disasters in the future.

If you ever want to try the manga, I still want to warn you again. It is an extremely brutal and violent story, but I think it is important to know it even by name.

Close to what Camus called Absurdist, there is no trace of hope during this whole autobiography manga written by a Hiroshima strike survivor. Hadashi no Gen is indeed one of the heaviest pieces of all literature. Nakazawa Keiji bleeds ink from his own veins in a clearly distressed, and perhaps the most angry, dissatisfacted writing out there. Although Gen Nakaoka's life is a heavy duty, he never gave up. But what for?

One of the things I appreciate the most in any form of writing is honesty. I'm someone who always struggled with depression, and I've been through harsh moments in life. To produce and ... consume art helped me keep going. Although I'm attracted by angst and the heavily emotional, depressive, or just generally weird and avant-garde material, I can sense when something is bullshit. Some works are seen as mature by throwing up "dark" themes when they're just teenage nihilism. By circumstances, and very unfortunatelly, this manga is the best example of something REALLY dark but honest and relevant. There's no philosophers' quotes, there's no need to understand what the author means; this is it and nothing else, no explanation, just the harsh reality. Good people fighting for good causes are totally disrespected. Poverty and difficulties. Then suddenly hell on earth arrives, the devastated land turns into a freak circus of deformed zombies and corpses. If you think fellow patriots left alive would help each other, you're wrong. Everyone is distrustful and selfish, sometimes due to their own state of need during scarce times; other times is just their hostile nature.

This work is extremely existential. The writing is filled with hatred and it doesn't refrain on telling the truth. The nuclear strike was one of the top hideous acts in history, but following Gen's daily life from before the nuke and years after, we see how japanese people were also arrogant, evil, and constantly turning their back to their own kind, despising and torturing chinese and other races. Nakazawa exposes and question japanese acts such as the outrageously brutal Nanking Massacre. So we ask ourselves if history would be any different in case atomic bombs were produced and handled by some other country. In the end, is not about a national flag, but mankind - we're disgusting, and power only emphasizes what's worse in each of us. It's wrong to say something terrible is "inhuman" when cruelty is very human. At this point, it's even sad to understand there are still good people in this world.

The true, devastating script and very detailed graphic content mixed with the 60s character design creates a very unique cynical tension. Reading this hurted me much more than reading Peter Sotos when I was a teenager. It was hard to finish this, such a relief when I reached the end. Hadashi no Gen is a document that was relevant to japanese people back then to know what was happening within their own country since news or any word about the bomb was prohibited by americans at the time. I heard kids studies this manga in history lessons at school, in Japan and some other countries in Europe. And it's still relevant today, to anyone, anywhere. Unfortunatelly, the looping is endless: people everywhere sucks and won't change their ego and stupid ideas, and I'm afraid the people who needed the most to read this shocking truth will never have a chance. But well, would it change their minds? Thomas W. Feerebee, the pilot who dropped the bomb over Hiroshima, said he has no time for regrets, and when he walked the ruined lands of Hiroshima later and saw personally the radioactive results, the suffering people, death and destrutcion, he thought something with himself: "Good Job!"