Review of Barefoot Gen

Barefoot Gen is one of THE war films to see. If you thought Grave of the Fireflies was brutal, watch this. Don't let it's "cute" artstyle fool you. It contains gross, graphic, heart-wrenching scenes throughout the film. Scenes that show the true horrors and hardships of the Japanese people after the bombing of Hiroshima, written from the personal experiences of a survivor himself. The part where the bomb is actually dropped on the city is my favorite depiction of the bombing from any film. (However, I'll admit I haven't seen too many war films.) It isn't for the faint of heart. And that's one ofthe reasons I love it. There's not much it's afraid to say or show, even about the different ways in which Japan mishandled the whole situation. This movie shows you how it really was and drives home exactly why an event like that should never happen again. There was no happy ending, no winners. Just a lot of people that managed to scrape by, left only with their lives. Not the typical story of triumph.

If you like war, history, drama, grit, and survival, please watch this film. It has a lot to teach you, no matter who you are or what age you are. (Of course, I wouldn't show this to young children because they might have nightmares.) It may or may not make you cry but, it will leave an impression. This is a movie you probably won't forget.