Barefoot Gen (1983)

Director: Mori Masaki

A powerful statement against war, Barefoot Gen is a disturbing story about the effect of the atomic bomb on a boy’s life and the lives of the Japanese people.

Oh, wow! From the movie poster one would never think ‘Barefoot Gen’ is one of the most disturbing animated movies ever made! Not since I saw ‘Grave of the Fireflies’ have I seen an animated film that touched me so emotionally.

The film follows a young Japanese boy named Gen and his family living in Hiroshima. They are a poor family but they are happy. At the head of the family is the hard-working father Daikichi. His wife Kimie is pregnant, and their children are brothers Gen and Shinji, and daughter Eiko.

Due to food shortage, Kimie is suffering from malnutrition, and Gen and Shinji is only too eager to go out to look for food. Even though they themselves are hungry, they are willing to give the last food to their mother for the sake of the unborn baby.

In the blink of an eye, everything would change. If you know the fate of Hiroshima, the sight of the Enola Gay bomber will send shivers down your spine the moment it appears on screen. People were going about their everyday chores, and were lucky that they’ve been spared from air raids. Until that day…

The animation might not hold up by today’s standards, but the hard-hitting story will never be dated. ‘Barefoot Gen’ is an emotionally charged, heart-wrenching film that deserves to be seen. Note, this film is definitely not for kids!

In Japanese.

Would I watch it again? Way too disturbing…but I probably would!