「Barefoot Gen Vol. 1 - Vol. 10」(Amazon.com) (Amazon.co.uk)
[Japanese][French]
About the Book
Over 30 years after its completion, the definitive edition of anti-war manga is still read not only in Japan but in more than 20 countries around the world. Based on his experience of being exposed to the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima, the author Keiji Nakazawa's representative work depicts the terror of the atomic bomb, the preciousness of life, and a strong desire for peace. After serialization began in Weekly Shonen Jump in June 1973, it was serialized in magazines such as Shimin, Bunka Hyoron, and Kyoiku Hyoron for about 15 years, ending in February 1987.
June 1973 to February 1987, 10 volumes, 2614 pages
About the Author
Keiji Nakazawa: Wikipedia
was six when the atomic bomb dropped on his city. His first published cartoon work appeared in 1973 and he has since has had over fifty book-length serials published. Now retired from cartooning, Nakazawa lives in Tokyo.
Today is the memorial day in Hiroshima. 78 years ago today, an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. It was one of the US military operations set at 8:15 a.m. when Hiroshima citizens were out on their way to work or school to inflict maximum casualties and discourage the Japanese.
I watched the anime version (English subtitles version) (English dubbed version) (Barefoot Gen 2, English subtitles) a few years ago, but it's been a while since I thought I should read the manga someday. This year, I was recommended by a much younger friend, and I learned that I could read it on my Kindle device, so I was able to finish reading all the volumes. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the serialization of this manga. We can watch the anime version 1 (1983) and 2 (1986) with French subtitles.
The first thing I noticed was that the anime version only shows up to the first volume of the manga. The anime version is only the beginning of Gen's boyhood, and the atomic bombing and the devastation are included in the first volume, but the manga volume 2 and later depict Gen until he grows up to be a young man. It turns out that the author, Keiji Nakazawa, wanted to convey not only the hellish scenes he witnessed, but also how the tragic and merciless things continued on and on.
I would like to think that it is a virtue of Japanese people to help each other when they are in trouble. And that spirit may be demonstrated during natural disasters such as heavy rains and earthquakes. But what happened during and after the war? What happened in the atomic bombed city of Hiroshima? You can't show compassion when you're just trying to survive. Children who have lost their parents become vagrants and are ostracized from society. Boys and girls steal to survive. Some children are taken care of by the yakuza and become their minions, even committing murder. This manga contains everything that the author, Mr. Nakazawa, has seen and experienced.
The words "atomic bomb" and "Hiroshima" are associated with "requiem" and "memorial." However, this manga depicts Gen and the citizens of Hiroshima at the time, anger to the United States that dropped the atomic bomb and anger to the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC). The Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC) entered Hiroshima shortly after the bombing, did not provide any medical treatment to the survivors, and treated the victims as guinea pigs in order to study the damage caused by the atomic bombing. Spreading the horror and damage of the atomic bomb was prohibited by GHQ for six years. It has been 78 years since the end of the war, and many of the A-bomb survivors, including Mr. Nakazawa, who had feelings of anger, have passed away. I think this is the reason why this work should not be excluded from the scene of education.
G7 Hiroshima Summit
At the G7 Summit held in Hiroshima this year, the leaders of each country visited the Hiroshima Peace Museum. At that time, a “nuclear button” commonly known as “football” was brought into the Peace Museum by an attendant to President Biden.
The US nuclear button was brought to the Peace Memorial Park... Carried by President Biden's attendant at the Hiroshima Summit to prepare for the ``eight-minute'' nuclear counterattack decision (Chugoku Shimbun)
Google Trans (English)
https://www.chugoku-np.co.jp/articles/-/311698
The summit also included in its declaration the legitimacy of "nuclear deterrence." In other words, it is a contradictory statement that legitimizes the possession of nuclear weapons by the G7 countries and does not recognize the possession of them by Russia or North Korea. I had a strong feeling that ``Hiroshima was used for the summit.'' If Mr. Nakazawa were still alive, how would he have evaluated this summit?
Exclusion of Barefoot Gen from Peace Education in Hiroshima City
I deeply regret the decision this year to remove Barefoot Gen from the Hiroshima City Board of Education's own peace materials. The reason for this was recently broadcast by NHK on Close-up Gendai, but he process leading up to the decision is opaque, and it becomes clear that conservative groups that influence the current Kishida administration's efforts to revise the constitution and double the defense budget were involved in the Hiroshima City Board of Education's final decision. The groups are mainly made up of members of an organization called Nippon Kaigi, a well-known far-right group. It will be broadcast on NHK Plus until August 9th, so be sure to check it out.
Play（Delivery deadline: Until Wednesday, August 9, 7:57 pm）
In Hiroshima City, it is said that Barefoot Gen will be replaced with the memoirs of other A-bomb survivors, contrary to the opinion of the teachers on the ground. It's completely out of the question. This is because teachers in the field perceive this work as a peace teaching material.
Teachers who used "Barefoot Gen" in "Peace Note"
It was an effective teaching material 61%
There were parts that worked, but there were parts that I felt weren't as effective 36%
Teaching materials were not effective 1%
no answer 1%
Barefoot Gen is a work that depicts what happened in the society of Hiroshima and Japan after the atomic bombing that Nakazawa experienced, so it introduces things that cannot be known in a personal account of the atomic bombing.
Even if only a small part of Barefoot Gen is introduced in the classroom, some elementary school students will probably try to read the entire volume, and it is essential for considering the atomic bombing and war from multiple perspectives based on actual experiences. This is because it is a work that cannot be done other than this manga. So far, all volumes have been translated into 24 languages. Furthermore, the reasons for exclusion such as ``The scene of stealing carp is inappropriate for education'', ``The appearance of Gen singing rokyoku (old style Japanese song) is not suitable for modern times'', ``The teaching materials should be able to withstand criticism from anyone'', etc. It's not understandable.
This issue was also taken up in TBS's "News Special".
TBS "News Feature" What Barefoot Gen has conveyed（Play）
Related Videos
You've Gotta Read This: Barefoot Gen
Barefoot Gen 1983 Japan (Japan Version) (English subtitles)
Barefoot Gen 2 Movie(English subtitles)
Hadashi no Gen はだしのゲン film 1 1983 vostf (French subtitles)
Hadashi no Gen はだしのゲン film 2 1986 vostf (French subtitles)
Related Pages
[Full text of the Governor's speech at the Peace Memorial Ceremony] "I would like to ask a nuclear deterrence advocate" Hiroshima Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki
https://hiroshimaforpeace.com/en/2023peace-memorial-ceremony/
[Full text of the peace declaration] Mayor of Hiroshima: “World leaders should face the collapse of nuclear deterrence theory”
https://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/site/english/158103.html
Address by Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony
https://japan.kantei.go.jp/101_kishida/statement/202308/06hiroshima.html
Nagasaki Peace Declaration: Mayor of Nagasaki (Shiro Suzuki)
https://www.city.nagasaki.lg.jp/heiwa/3070000/307100/p036984.html
The Nagasaki Peace Declaration has been translated and published in 11 languages.
https://www.city.nagasaki.lg.jp/heiwa/3070000/307100/p036998.html
Video Message by Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio at the Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony
https://japan.kantei.go.jp/101_kishida/statement/202308/09message.html
[Japanese][French]
About the Book
Over 30 years after its completion, the definitive edition of anti-war manga is still read not only in Japan but in more than 20 countries around the world. Based on his experience of being exposed to the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima, the author Keiji Nakazawa's representative work depicts the terror of the atomic bomb, the preciousness of life, and a strong desire for peace. After serialization began in Weekly Shonen Jump in June 1973, it was serialized in magazines such as Shimin, Bunka Hyoron, and Kyoiku Hyoron for about 15 years, ending in February 1987.
June 1973 to February 1987, 10 volumes, 2614 pages
About the Author
Keiji Nakazawa: Wikipedia
was six when the atomic bomb dropped on his city. His first published cartoon work appeared in 1973 and he has since has had over fifty book-length serials published. Now retired from cartooning, Nakazawa lives in Tokyo.
Today is the memorial day in Hiroshima. 78 years ago today, an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. It was one of the US military operations set at 8:15 a.m. when Hiroshima citizens were out on their way to work or school to inflict maximum casualties and discourage the Japanese.
I watched the anime version (English subtitles version) (English dubbed version) (Barefoot Gen 2, English subtitles) a few years ago, but it's been a while since I thought I should read the manga someday. This year, I was recommended by a much younger friend, and I learned that I could read it on my Kindle device, so I was able to finish reading all the volumes. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the serialization of this manga. We can watch the anime version 1 (1983) and 2 (1986) with French subtitles.
The first thing I noticed was that the anime version only shows up to the first volume of the manga. The anime version is only the beginning of Gen's boyhood, and the atomic bombing and the devastation are included in the first volume, but the manga volume 2 and later depict Gen until he grows up to be a young man. It turns out that the author, Keiji Nakazawa, wanted to convey not only the hellish scenes he witnessed, but also how the tragic and merciless things continued on and on.
I would like to think that it is a virtue of Japanese people to help each other when they are in trouble. And that spirit may be demonstrated during natural disasters such as heavy rains and earthquakes. But what happened during and after the war? What happened in the atomic bombed city of Hiroshima? You can't show compassion when you're just trying to survive. Children who have lost their parents become vagrants and are ostracized from society. Boys and girls steal to survive. Some children are taken care of by the yakuza and become their minions, even committing murder. This manga contains everything that the author, Mr. Nakazawa, has seen and experienced.
The words "atomic bomb" and "Hiroshima" are associated with "requiem" and "memorial." However, this manga depicts Gen and the citizens of Hiroshima at the time, anger to the United States that dropped the atomic bomb and anger to the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC). The Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC) entered Hiroshima shortly after the bombing, did not provide any medical treatment to the survivors, and treated the victims as guinea pigs in order to study the damage caused by the atomic bombing. Spreading the horror and damage of the atomic bomb was prohibited by GHQ for six years. It has been 78 years since the end of the war, and many of the A-bomb survivors, including Mr. Nakazawa, who had feelings of anger, have passed away. I think this is the reason why this work should not be excluded from the scene of education.
G7 Hiroshima Summit
At the G7 Summit held in Hiroshima this year, the leaders of each country visited the Hiroshima Peace Museum. At that time, a “nuclear button” commonly known as “football” was brought into the Peace Museum by an attendant to President Biden.
The US nuclear button was brought to the Peace Memorial Park... Carried by President Biden's attendant at the Hiroshima Summit to prepare for the ``eight-minute'' nuclear counterattack decision (Chugoku Shimbun)
Google Trans (English)
https://www.chugoku-np.co.jp/articles/-/311698
The summit also included in its declaration the legitimacy of "nuclear deterrence." In other words, it is a contradictory statement that legitimizes the possession of nuclear weapons by the G7 countries and does not recognize the possession of them by Russia or North Korea. I had a strong feeling that ``Hiroshima was used for the summit.'' If Mr. Nakazawa were still alive, how would he have evaluated this summit?
Exclusion of Barefoot Gen from Peace Education in Hiroshima City
I deeply regret the decision this year to remove Barefoot Gen from the Hiroshima City Board of Education's own peace materials. The reason for this was recently broadcast by NHK on Close-up Gendai, but he process leading up to the decision is opaque, and it becomes clear that conservative groups that influence the current Kishida administration's efforts to revise the constitution and double the defense budget were involved in the Hiroshima City Board of Education's final decision. The groups are mainly made up of members of an organization called Nippon Kaigi, a well-known far-right group. It will be broadcast on NHK Plus until August 9th, so be sure to check it out.
Play（Delivery deadline: Until Wednesday, August 9, 7:57 pm）
In Hiroshima City, it is said that Barefoot Gen will be replaced with the memoirs of other A-bomb survivors, contrary to the opinion of the teachers on the ground. It's completely out of the question. This is because teachers in the field perceive this work as a peace teaching material.
Teachers who used "Barefoot Gen" in "Peace Note"
It was an effective teaching material 61%
There were parts that worked, but there were parts that I felt weren't as effective 36%
Teaching materials were not effective 1%
no answer 1%
Barefoot Gen is a work that depicts what happened in the society of Hiroshima and Japan after the atomic bombing that Nakazawa experienced, so it introduces things that cannot be known in a personal account of the atomic bombing.
Even if only a small part of Barefoot Gen is introduced in the classroom, some elementary school students will probably try to read the entire volume, and it is essential for considering the atomic bombing and war from multiple perspectives based on actual experiences. This is because it is a work that cannot be done other than this manga. So far, all volumes have been translated into 24 languages. Furthermore, the reasons for exclusion such as ``The scene of stealing carp is inappropriate for education'', ``The appearance of Gen singing rokyoku (old style Japanese song) is not suitable for modern times'', ``The teaching materials should be able to withstand criticism from anyone'', etc. It's not understandable.
This issue was also taken up in TBS's "News Special".
TBS "News Feature" What Barefoot Gen has conveyed（Play）
Related Videos
You've Gotta Read This: Barefoot Gen
Barefoot Gen 1983 Japan (Japan Version) (English subtitles)
Barefoot Gen 2 Movie(English subtitles)
Hadashi no Gen はだしのゲン film 1 1983 vostf (French subtitles)
Hadashi no Gen はだしのゲン film 2 1986 vostf (French subtitles)
Related Pages
[Full text of the Governor's speech at the Peace Memorial Ceremony] "I would like to ask a nuclear deterrence advocate" Hiroshima Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki
https://hiroshimaforpeace.com/en/2023peace-memorial-ceremony/
[Full text of the peace declaration] Mayor of Hiroshima: “World leaders should face the collapse of nuclear deterrence theory”
https://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/site/english/158103.html
Address by Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony
https://japan.kantei.go.jp/101_kishida/statement/202308/06hiroshima.html
Nagasaki Peace Declaration: Mayor of Nagasaki (Shiro Suzuki)
https://www.city.nagasaki.lg.jp/heiwa/3070000/307100/p036984.html
The Nagasaki Peace Declaration has been translated and published in 11 languages.
https://www.city.nagasaki.lg.jp/heiwa/3070000/307100/p036998.html
Video Message by Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio at the Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony
https://japan.kantei.go.jp/101_kishida/statement/202308/09message.html
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