Barefoot Gen

http://www.otakunovideo.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/isbn.aspx_-210x300.jpg http://www.otakunovideo.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/086719619X-211x300.jpg

Artist/Writer: Keiji Nakazawa

Published in: 1973-1985 (Japan), 2004-2010 (America)

American Publisher: Last Gasp

Genres: Shounen, war, documentary

Premise: Gen is a young boy unlucky enough to live in Hiroshima in 1945. And the bomb drops.

Volumes: 10

Availability: The entire thing has been released in English by Last Gasp, and can easily be found on sites like Amazon and RightStuf.

Manga Review (Volume 1)
Show x Show: It's Grave of the Fireflies meets Maus

What's it about? It's primarily an anti-war story, focusing on the trials of working-class Japanese families during World War II. The bomb doesn't drop until the very end of the book, so the book focuses mostly on pro-war and anti-war sentiment among working-class people during World War II.

How obvious are the themes? Very. This isn't subtle, to the point that it feels almost like the diametric opposite of Japanese pro-war propaganda. Pro-war characters are closed-minded and evil, while the protagonist's family is righteous and just trying to live in peace. Granted, Gen was published in Shonen Jump in the 1970's (more on that later), so one shouldn't expect delicate subtlety.

What's the plot? Gen's father takes a strongly anti-war stance, and the family suffers for it with hazings, unfavorable business deals, etc. Meanwhile, Gen's older brother goes off to war and discovers that the reality isn't nearly as honorable as he thought. Gen and his younger brother just try to cheer everyone up.

What does the art look like? Very, very 1970's. This is the era of the gekiga movement, where cartoony art was used to tell dark, horrifying stories in the name of "realism." However, there are still strong shonen elements, so for example, boys get bonked on the head when they say stupid things. The juxtaposition just doesn't feel right, though that could be a jaded future talking. I'm used to serious war comics like Maus.

Can I show it to my Mom? Sure.

Can I show it to my kid brother? It's probably too intense for him.

Can I show it to a non-manga fan? Yes; in fact I think this might appeal more to non-fans than regular manga readers. The art has an indie comics feel.

How's the dialogue? Impressively, each character has a distinct way of speaking. That said, this is a shonen title, so there's a lot of moralizing and speeches.

Does it have any memorable moments? Plenty, particularly at the end of the book. This is mostly a story of everyday cruelty, though.

Manga Review (Volume 2)
Show x Show: It's Grave of the Fireflies meets Maus

What's this volume about? The atomic bomb dropped at the end of the previous volume, so this volume focuses on the weeks immediately thereafter: radiation sickness, piles of corpses, and the fate of those who lived.

How obvious are the themes? Very. This is as clear as the previous volume; it's very much a shounen title.

How graphic is it? Completely. Nakazawa's cartoony style keeps it relatively abstract, thankfully, but you will see some unpleasant images here. That's the point. The aftermath of the atomic bomb was hell.

Is it any less preachy than the first volume? Thankfully, yes. Gen has a lot more to do this time around.

What happens? Gen and his mother struggle to provide for themselves and Gen's new sister in the rubble of Hiroshima. Gen goes in search of food, and is distracted by a young boy who looks exactly like Gen's younger brother.

Distracted from food? Yeah, and it does seem odd. Perhaps Gen is a bit delirious, and/or traumatized, but he spends over a day on this side trek with this other kid. While that provides for an interesting diversion, it gets tiresome quickly. We know this kid isn't his brother.

Is it only about the Japanese? No, and that's one interesting thing: One of Gen's neighbors is Korean, and a segment of this volume deals with how terribly the Koreans were treated during this period, being denied even basic medical care.

Can I show it to my Mom? Sure.

Can I show it to my kid brother? It's probably too intense for him.

Can I show it to a non-manga fan? Yes; in fact I think this might appeal more to non-fans than regular manga readers. The art has an indie comics feel. You'd probably want to start with volume 1, naturally.

Does it have any memorable moments? Several, particularly those dealing with a family that Gen and his relatives live with near the end of the book. Hiroshima survivors faced a lot of rejection, partly due to understandable fears about radiation. Nobody knew if radiation sickness could be transmitted, so few people would spend more than a few minutes with Hiroshima survivors. Unfortunately, the scenes with this family are over-the-top; most of the family members are downright evil.