Hadashi no Gen (click for Wikipedia article and image source)
I never thought that this anime will be one I will praise. I was looking for light anime I could enjoy while folding my clothes, but this turned out to be one which caused my jaw to drop for a quite long time. I didn’t expect this to have some gory portrayal of melting, half- to fully rotten bodies. Nevertheless, this anime is emotionally touching. This is a manly movie. This boy Gen, six year of age, has to personally take care of his mother while he himself is haunted by the fresh memory of seeing some family members burnt alive and died. Some successes, some failures, but I believe when he grows up he will become a tough man.
But there are certain elements which I humbly feel lack. It’s too good to be true that Gen was safe and sound, only suffering from hair loss due to the radioactive element (?) he got from the dying soldier, while a person standing next to him during the bomb explosion was half-burnt and died. It sounds miraculous too for her mother to be safe, being able to deliver her baby.
I give this anime 5/5. The maximum point I’ve ever given was 6/5, so in fact I feel sinful not to give it 6/5. But that’s how it is. 5/5
I was about to write the afore-struck-through paragraphs, before I found out that the manga and the anime was actually based on [the author's real life]. I think he saw and experienced many elements of this work himself. I give it 6/5.
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