Barefoot Gen

ja-Latn
Hadashi no Gen
ja
はだしのゲン

1945, Japan. Gen Nakaoka is a spirited six-year-old boy who lives with his poor yet loving family in wartime Hiroshima. As the second World War rages on, Gen's father Daikichi stands among the few outspoken who are opposed to the emperor and stand for the innocent civilians bearing the brunt of the war. However, in a society with nothing but feverous support for their nation, Gen and his family are ostracized as traitors. Unbeknownst to them, a terrible fate awaits the people of Hiroshima...

One quiet morning, the US forces drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. In an instant, the city is completely destroyed, leaving thousands dead and many more exposed to radiation. Though Gen manages to survive the blast, he finds his life irreversibly changed. Regrouping with what's left of his family, Gen must now grapple with starvation, destitution, and an unsympathetic public who see survivors as little more than disease-ridden beggars.

Based on author Keiji Nakazawa's real-life experiences, Hadashi no Gen follows Gen and his fellow survivors in their struggle to survive in post-war Hiroshima. Gen resolves to soldier on with unwavering determination, while never forgiving those who caused the atrocity, never forgetting the pain of the bomb, and never letting his spirit be broken by the tragedy.

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Themes
Autobiographical Man-Made Disasters War Coming of Age Death Educational Philosophy Real Life Facts Reflections on One's Childhood Suffering Violence Animal Cruelty Military Culture › Japanese Society Death › Suicide Economics › Money Problems History › Historical Persons Horror › Body Philosophy › Reflections on Human Existence Politics › Fascism
Health
Illness Disability Disability › Amputee Illness › Malnutrition
Kinship
Adoption Dead Parents Found Family
Violence
Gore Cruelty Revenge
Activities
Crimes Daily Life › Agriculture
Crimes
Murder Attempted Murder
Murder
Mass Mass Murder › Massacre
Professions
Prostitution › Debt-Motivated
Audience Demographics
Male Oriented › Shounen
Character Traits
Age › Young Male Lead Human Anatomy › Scars
Character Types
Male Lead Children Female Lead › Strong Male Lead › Strong Outcasts › Homeless
Protagonists
Child Protagonist Hard-Working Protagonist Tragic Protagonist Poor Protagonist
Derivative Work
Based on › Real Life
Locations
Foreign Asia › Japan School › Middle
Narrative Tropes
Survival Character Change › Rebuilding Death Tropes › Death of Loved One
Backstory
Dead Family Member Overcoming the Past
Objects
Bombs
Occupations
Court › Emperors Creative Arts › Artist Public Service › Politicians
Criminals
Delinquents Yakuza
Education
School Boy School Girl
Relationship
Friendship
Family Relationship
Family
Family
Brothers Parent-Child › Mother and Son
Sexual Content
Child Abuse Nudity Intensity › Mature Sexual Acts › Rape
Time Period
Post-War
Period Piece
Late Modern & Contemporary › 20th Century
Historical
World War II Showa Era
Work Info
Biography/Autobiography Art Style › Old-Style Drawings

Anime

start
Vol 1, Chap 1 (movie 1) Vol 5 (movie 2)
end
Vol 4 (movie 1) Vol 7 (movie 2)

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