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Summary: A valuable piece of history
Review: I think it is important that many people, not just anime fans, see this movie!Barefoot Gen, like Grave of the Fireflies, left me deeply impressed. Before I saw this one, the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima was just a date I remembered from my history books. I don't think anyone can *ever* convey what it was like, but I think this movie makes a good attempt.
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Summary: Literary (Manga) masterpiece's message conveyed clearly ...
Review: I was first introduced to Barefoot Gen in the mid-eighties as a series of horrificly graphic manga books about a child caught in the Hieroshima atomic detonation. Every since the first reading I have been riveted to anything GEN. Not only is it a story of Japan's (and mankind's) brutality and cruelty but also an affirmation of all the hope and will power existant in the human form. The unparalled devastation of this historic event relived vicariously through the eyes of Gen and his dying family has been well translated to film, but edited naturally to fill a feature length production. All of humanity should witness the historic culmination, the apex of destruction pinnacled at the penultimate event of world war two, how it tortured and obliterated the lives of all who were subject to it's occurance, and perhaps we might all be aware of it's might in order to avoid a recurrance of such an event. The animation and direction appeared clunky, but the story couldn't be denied it's power to emote this viewer.
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Summary: Will make you Cry
Review: I watched this movie in a class one day and it almost made me cry. A story about the bombing of Hiroshima, a boy escapes the effect of an etomic bomb by a stroke of luck! Watching his father, sister and brothe die in their burning house, he and his pregnant mother a forced to live on the streets. Things don't go to plan when his mother goes into labor with no docters around and is forced to give birth by themselves. Dying of poor health, he and his new friends are forced to get a job to buy milk but something goes horribly wrong. This movie is moving and touching and I highly reccomend it to those that don't mind a few graphics and violence. Five stars all the way!
Rating:
Summary: Will make you Cry
Review: I'm a fan of anime, but this film transcends genres. My history teacher used the opening sequence - from Gen getting ready for and going to school to just after his family dies in the rubble - to illustrate Japanese anti-war sentiment. My classmates often laugh at me for my hobby and passion for anime. The room was silent when this excerpt ended.
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Summary: Barefoot Gen on DVD - A Very Tough One to Watch
Review: If you found Grave of the Fireflies difficult to watch, Barefoot Gen will be even more difficult. Although it shares similar WWII themes, Gen lacks the sensitivity that you see in Grave. The imagery in Gen is simply horrific -- the most disturbing that I have ever seen in an animation. But since it is about the Hiroshima bombing, I guess it would be considered accurate and is therefore effectively disturbing. It should be noted that the quality of the animation is not even close to Grave of the Fireflies. So I would not recommend this to those searching for something in league with Grave. It is definitely not for young children. Although older children *might* watch this under adult supervision in some sort of educational environment. In terms of content, this film is more in league with Saving Private Ryan or Shindler's List. DVD anime fans should be aware that the subtitles in the film are very difficult to read. They are *bright purple* with blue outlines, but there is transparent space in between the purple and the blue. This makes it especially hard to read on brighter backgrounds. There is no option to turn the subtitles off unless you watch it in English. Therefore I would only recommend this DVD to those looking for an English dubbed version.
Rating:
Summary: Pretty Good and Pretty Gruesome
Review: If you like anime movies that have guts, gore, and violence with a twist of drama then this movie is for you. Some of the scenes are disturbing and the movie should not be watched by children or sensitive people. The scene where people disintegrate after the bomb explodes will make some people cringe. However, the movie has a good storyline and the animation is well done.
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Summary: not your typical anime
Review: If you like Graveyard of the Fireflies, this is in league with it. This is a post war drama anime. I wouldn't recommend this to kids, as it is depressing and even shocking at certain points. It is an emotional anime and it focuses on a kid caught up in the chaos of World War 2. Great story, if your looking for one to ponder on. If you want to relax and not think about anything except popcorn, this is not the best title to watch.
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Summary: How could one bomb do all this damage
Review: It was a sunny day over Hiroshima. A plane flew overhead a parachutte opened it fell to the ground then all hell broke lose. I usualy don't like anime it is always to weird. Barefoot Gen was different. Barefoot Gen is very violent and definutly not for kids. If it was American it would R at the very least. It takes place in Hiroshima 1945. Before the bomb blew off it was a regular family story. I was supprised how well I could relate to the charactors as real people. Way more than most American films. Then the bomb hits. The bomb explotion is the most disturbing scenes in all of movies ever. It shows people being insinerated in slow motion. After it shows mangled survivors walking around like zombies. You can only imagine the horror to have been there. Though Gen tries to save his family he is forced to go back and watch them burn. This disturbing film sends a strong message of the pointlessness of war. It is not pro Japanese or pro American it tells it how it is. Gen has a lot of bad stuff happen to him. He loses his hair and though he tries to save his baby sister he fails. Barefoot Gen tells in great detail what it was like to be there.
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Summary: Feel Good?
Review: While there are moments of spectacle (the bombing and the horrific aftermath), it's basicaly a "good feeling" movie set in Hiroshima.
_______________ I don't know how this person could get a feel good idea from this anime but I think he should seriously go back and watch it again. This isn't a "feel good" anime by any stretch. It is however brilliant, a tribute to the man who's life story brought it forth. The first time I saw it back in 1986 in Japan I turned it off, it was that powerful. It blames no side, it takes no stand for the weak policy of victimhood now running rampent in Japanese schools, it lays bare the horror of that era of warfare for all to see in the hopes we shall never visit that era again. It is a true magnum Opus of Anime and I think everyone should watch it.
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