Under the circumstances, we believe that Japan, the only country that had A-bomb victims, must convey what the A-bombs brought to Hiroshima and Nagasaki and what nuclear weapons will bring to human beings in order not to repeat those tragedies. In this respect, a series of the comic "Barefoot Gen," written by Mr. Keiji Nakazawa, is playing an important role to condemn nuclear weapons and wars, while focusing on the precious peace.
People in the world know the words of Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and “atomic bomb” and that nuclear weapons are dreadful, but people don’t seem to know the reality of these words. Data and records can’t express how the victims feel. In the terrible devastation of the atomic bombings, they died asking for water. They have their own names, history, relatives and friends. Though they were terrified to die in the hellfire, they had lived for dreams and hopes, and experienced the joys and sorrows of life. Others lost relatives, got terrible burns, hid keloid scars, were discriminated because of being bombed, and have lived in fear of radiation. How much of their suffering and grief is truly understood? Japan is the first victim of the atomic bomb, and at the same time Japan has to be the last. Japan has a duty to keep telling the terror of nuclear weapons in order not to repeat the tragedy for human beings. In that sense, a comic/graphic novel “Barefoot Gen” accuses atomic weapons and wars, shows the importance of peace and has much to contribute.
We hope that children and the young read “Barefoot Gen” in libraries, schools and homes in the world, become aware of the terror of nuclear weapons, and understand of the main character, Gen.
When Gen travels all over the world from someone to another and talks to them in various languages, we believe that he can play a role, if even a small one, against nuclear weapons, and the goal of peace in the twenty-first century.
“Barefoot Gen” was performed on the stage as a musical at home and abroad. It was also made into a film. An animated feature was made as well. When it showed in Dallas, Texas, the author, Mr. Keiji Nakazawa, was there for questions and answers, for which there was a long line of the audience. Gen is taking an active role in various forms, such as an opera and “kodan.” The book with ten volumes has started to be translated into different languages. In the dicker of international politics, a grass-roots movement like this seems ineffectual in some situations. We, however, through this movement, feeling the importance to convey anew the wonderful aspect of people’s empathy with humanism, will continue our movement.
