New Post at Graphic Novel Resources!

[Stergios Botzakis]

Although much World War II literature in the US focuses on the European Theatre, there was also just as much activity in Asia. Keiji Nakazawa was a young boy living in Hiroshima, Japan during this time. He was in the city when an atomic bomb was dropped on it and lived to tell the tale. He began adapting his experiences into manga, and the Gen series began running in Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine in 1973. The magazine canceled the series after about a year and a half, but it reappeared in other, less popular manga anthologies until it was completed in 1985.

Barefoot Gen tells the tale of Gen, a young boy, and his family: younger brother Shinji, older sister Eiko, older brother Akira, their father, and their pregnant mother. Gen's father is an artisan who does not support Emperor Hirohito's decisions and policies, and his pacifist views brand the family as traitors by many in the community. This volume centers on the family's daily life and the various kinds of persecution at home and school the children have to deal with. The father has difficulty finding work; Akira joins to military to regain the family's honor; Eiko is tormented by a sadistic teacher; the younger boys turn to begging on the street to get money and food.

Nakazawa portrays a family full of spirit, and it is difficult not to develop positive feelings toward them. These positive feeling s make the devastation that comes at the end of the book that much more emotional. This volume is the first of ten, and it sets up a scene of discord, struggle, and vast destruction. The rest of the series deals with the effects of the destructive atomic act and the incredible rebuilding efforts needed to offset this tragedy.

Barefoot Gen is notable as the first Japanese comic to be translated into English. Project Gen, the name for the volunteer effort to spread the anti-war message of the series, has been operating since 1975. The last two volumes have recently just been published in English. The story has been adapted into other media, including 3 live action films, 2 anime films, and most recently a television drama series.

Most reviewers recognize the importance of the tale here and its antiwar message, as seen in these reviews by Rob at Panel Patter and Chad Boudreau. Barefoot Gen's frank depictions of the emotional, personal, and physical effects of war makes it difficult to read. The artwork in Barefoot Gen is in a very traditional manga style, a feature which dates the material and makes it additionally difficult to read, according to some reviewers, including Greg McElhatton.

Preview pages are available from the book's US publisher, Last Gasp.

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[Marek Bennett]

Wow, thanks for all these links!

[Ryan Goble]

This is so cool to know about - I got a copy of this comic at Hiroshima, but it was a real deal comic and not really available here in the US! Thank you for sharing!!

[Ryan Goble]

Oh, I also pasted a copy into World Lit & World history with the title - lots of credit to you in the paste...
COMIC: The Cartoon Story Of Hiroshima

[Stergios Botzakis]

Thanks for the love! :)

[Tim Albert]

As I sit here watching my Japanese Culture and Animation Club begin making posters for Asian Pacific Heritage Month, I am reminded that Barefoot Gen was also converted to Anime (with English subtitles) and is widely available. Much like the manga, it is dark and difficult to watch at times. This does however capture the truth of an event most of us (and our students) could not begin to imagine.