This film is about a young boy named Gen, who survives the bombing of his Hiroshima home during World War 2. I don't care who you are or how old you are, you would have to have a heart of stone to not be affected by this film. I'm not a huge fan of anime by any standards, but I do love history. This film as shocking and (in some parts, disgusting) as it is, has hard facts backing it up. The events portrayed in the film really did happen, and it makes many Americans like me feel a great sense of shame. I feel for the Japanese, this film makes you connect with the characters and feel their pain. They say the person who wrote and produced this film was himself a survivor of the Hiroshima bombings, which if that is true, makes it even worse in knowing that these were the events that he must have witnessed. Really, you will cry if you watch this, but its a wonderful and heartwarming film nonetheless. If you like anime, or just want to see history in action, this would be a film for you.

I read the Manga before seeing this movie, so I was kind of had some high standards to the film, but haven't yet saw the live version of Barefoot Gen Part 1 (1976), Barefoot Gen: Explosion of Tears (1977), Barefoot Gen: Part 3 Battle of Hiroshima (1980). So this animated film, is the first one I had seems since reading the manga. I wasn't disappointed. The film shows the madness of war, and it's just as heartbreaking, disturbing, and yet at the same time, it's so inspiring and uplifting by the actions of Barefoot Gen who is trying to make what best for his family. Barefoot Gen proves that even in the most dired and bleak of moments, a ray of hope can shine brightly. It shows that even a cartoon can show depth and cover one of the worst events in World History. The main different between the movie, and the book is the cutting of characters and more of the backstory before the bomb. In the book, the family are treated as traitors when his father is against the war forcing Gen's older brother to join the Navy to prove that his family isn't a coward. There is also a sum story between another family relation living in the county. Mr. Pak also has a bigger part. The story reveals… the life of young Barefoot Gen surviving the horrors of Hiroshima, and it's an emotional driven story that would probably scare younger viewers. Most of the film, deals with his relationship with his mother, and his younger brother Shinji. I like the subbed version over the dubbed version when the dub is annoying, and when all the music has been changed. This isn't one of those movies. The English dubbed version is just as watchable as the sub version. The movie tends to be really, really depressing, there are parts in the movies that are just down right heart breaking. so this isn't a movie worth watching on family night… but a movie worth to be teach in history class rooms about the dangers of nuclear weapon. In this film, you will feel every person's pain after the bombing. You can see the sadness, the pain, and what real death is. Most other movies make death too cliché and dramatic. But, in this movie, it shows what real death is. That is what makes this movie powerful in it's images.

I rate this high mainly because of the subject. The animation itself is not what one would expect from '83 animes, but the story is sound. The plot is less emotional than Grave of the Fireflies, but mainly because it is not as dramatic and the message is actually a positive one. The scenes of the nuclear explosion in the city are horrendous.There is also an 1986 movie called Hadashi no Gen 2, and I will see it as soon as possible to comment on it.Bottom line: if you've seen Grave of the Fireflies, you will find this mildly entertaining; if you haven't, I suggest you see this one first and then definitely see Grave of the Fireflies.On a personal note: if you're American, you should see this at least to understand what things were done in the name of freedom and pursuit of happiness.

Seeing this one at 7 was something to remember. The picture, the sound, the message, the dialogues, the actions. The atomic bombing looked so frightening on a big screen: the people were burning, their flesh – melting, and finally only bones remained.Some Russian people still recall memories of this cartoon, though, it still has not been officially released in good quality. It must mean something. The animation film was shown decades ago in our theatres and since then has been erased from any means of media - but we still remember it and respect it. "Finding Nemo" is good. "Spirited Away" is better. But this one is a masterpiece that has real history as a background.Judging by the number of votes, not so many IMDb visitors are aware of this gem. Alas, before making atomic quarrels one should watch this film. You cannot watch it and pass by ignorant.My mark is a definite 10. Thank you for attention.