Hans Bethe once said, “The physicists have known sin. And this is a knowledge which they cannot lose.” With the new Oppenheimer movie garnering world attention as it nears its release on 21st July 2023, we revisit the most significant anime on nuclear weapons and the aftermath of the war; Barefoot Gen. It’s said that the physicists became so intent on the intellectual challenge of building an atomic bomb that they lost sight of the profound implications of what they were creating.
- Those implications became all too clear when Robert Oppenheimer and other scientists spent three years working in secrecy to develop a new type of bomb. They at last succeeded but their achievement is not yet known to the world and certainly not to the citizens of Hiroshima in the summer of 1945 when a gun-triggered fission bomb dubbed “Little Boy” fell on Hiroshima, killing an estimated 70,000 to 130,000 people.
- Three days later, the implosion-triggered “Fat Man” was dropped on Nagasaki, adding another 45,000 human casualties.
To mark this somber occasion, we revisit the most significant Anime on Nuclear, Barefoot Gen which best reflects the complicated legacy of the atomic bomb.
Barefoot Gen(1983)
Barefoot Gen is a series created by Keiji Nakazawa. It is based on Nakazawa’s own experiences as a survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima during World War II. The story follows the life of Gen Nakaoka, a young boy who survives the bombing, along with his pregnant mother, Kimie; but he loses the rest of his family as they are buried alive under the rubble from the accompanying shock wave.
The bombing scene is probably the most famous thing from Barefoot Gen, and it’s extremely hard to watch. It’s gory to be exact: eyeballs melt out of skulls, skin and hair burn off, and bodies curl into purplish-black husks.
The scene seems like it goes on forever as one by one the people are hit by the bomb: the first is a little girl, there’s an old man, a mother with a baby on her back who futilely tries to shield the infant from the blast. Shards of glass and pieces of wood impale men, women, and children as they are caught unaware, unable to protect themselves and their loved ones.
Scene from the 1983 Japanese anime Barefoot Gen depicting the dropping of the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima. pic.twitter.com/G16NSbrKHH
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Gen and his mother struggle to survive in the harsh post-war conditions. They face starvation, illness, and discrimination from those who blame the survivors for the war. Despite the hardships, Gen remains resilient and determined to rebuild his life and create a better future.
The baby is born, and Gen struggles to find sufficient rice to feed himself and his family, especially after they take in another small boy, Ryuta. He earns some money taking care of a man dying of radiation sickness and, despite the grim daily existence, finds hope when he sees wheat beginning to grow again.
Barefoot Gen 2(1986)
The sequel, Barefoot Gen 2, is set three years after the bombing. Gen and his family are still scavenging for food and any scrap metal they can sell on the black market. Gen and Ryuta eventually join forces with a gang of orphaned children and an old man suffering from depression as they come together to support each other and form a makeshift family.
Reality is still harsh, however, as many orphans still die lonely deaths, and the grim reminders of the past linger everywhere. The story delves deeper into the social and political climate of post-war Japan.
Gen realizes that his mother is losing weight fast and after taking her to the doctor learns that because of the atomic bombing, she is suffering from radiation sickness that progressively worsens with time. Despite many attempts to save her, their mother succumbs to her sickness as Gen carries her to the hospital on his back.
Running against time and his own fate, Gen retrospects on everything that has happened to him as he loses his last blood family and looks ahead on to a future that was taken from him by the times.
Where to watch Barefoot Gen
Barefoot Gen is available to watch on the Amazon streaming platform. You can also buy the original copy of the manga here to support the author.
Concluding
On top of its disturbing imagery, what’s even more disturbing to the human conscience is that it’s based on a true story. The atomic bomb did detonate in real life, the countless innocents did lose their lives in vain; it’s not simply a work of fiction that we can see once and forget about. It’s the living history of the world. Barefoot Gen will take away your faith in humanity and give it back to you at the same time. Gen’s experience and perseverance are a testament to historical events and their impact on individuals and society as a whole.