Barefoot Gen, Volume Ten: Never Give Up

はだしのゲン [Hadashi no Gen] #10

by Keiji Nakazawa

Cartoonist Keiji Nakazawa was seven years old and living in Hiroshima in the early days of August 1945 when the city was destroyed by an atomic bomb dropped by the United States. Starting a few months before that event, his ten-volume saga Barefoot Gen shows life in Japan after years of war and privations, as seen through the eyes of seven-year-old Gen Nakaoka. As Volume Ten begins, the year is 1953. Now an apprentice sign painter, Gen has become a skilled artist, while his friends run a thriving dressmaking business. Gen falls in love for the first time, but fails to notice that a good friend has been caught in the clutches of drug addiction. Heartbreak and loss await Gen as the atomic bomb continues to wreak havoc on the lives of people in Hiroshima years after the fact. Yet these tragedies also inspire Gen to make the big move to Tokyo to pursue his career as an artist.

Genres: Manga, Graphic Novels, Comics, History, Japan, War, Japanese Literature

254 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

Keiji Nakazawa (中沢啓治; Nakazawa Keiji) was born in Hiroshima and was in the city when it was destroyed by an atomic bomb in 1945. All of his family members who had not evacuated died as a result of the explosion after they became trapped under the debris of their house, except for his mother, as well as an infant sister who died several weeks afterward. In 1961, Nakazawa moved to Tokyo to become a full-time cartoonist, and produced short pieces for manga anthologies such as Shōnen Gaho, Shōnen King, and Bokura.
Following the death of his mother in 1966, Nakazawa returned to his memories of the destruction of Hiroshima and began to express them in his stories. Kuroi Ame ni Utarete (Struck by Black Rain), the first of a series of five books, was a fictional story of Hiroshima survivors involved in the postwar black market. Nakazawa chose to portray his own experience directly in the 1972 story Ore wa Mita, published in Monthly Shōnen Jump. The story was translated into English and published as a one-shot comic book by Educomics as I Saw It.
Immediately after completing I Saw It, Nakazawa began his major work, Hadashi no Gen (Barefoot Gen).This series, which eventually filled ten volumes, was based on the same events as I Saw It but fictionalized, with the young Gen as a stand-in for the author. Barefoot Gen depicted the bombing and its aftermath in graphic detail, with Gen's experiences being even more harrowing than Nakazawa's own. It also turned a critical eye on the militarization of Japanese society during World War II and on the sometimes abusive dynamics of the traditional family. Barefoot Gen was adapted into two animated films and a live action TV drama.
Nakazawa announced his retirement in September 2009, citing deteriorating diabetes and cataract conditions.He cancelled plans for a Barefoot Gen sequel. In September 2010, Nakazawa was diagnosed with lung cancer and in July 2011, metastasis from lung cancer was found. He died on December 19, 2012.

Reviews

[Pakinam Mahmoud · Rating 4 out of 5]

"إلي كان من عانوا ويلات الحروب..إلي أهل هيروشيما أول من عانوا جهنم الدنيا..إلي كل محبي السلام..دعوة إلي السلام..."

فعلاً هذه الأجزاء علي الرغم من كل الألم والوجع اللي فيها إلا إنها برسوماتها وكلماتها التي ترجمت لأكثر من ٢٠ لغة هي دعوة للسلام و لوقف الحروب في كل مكان في العالم...

عشر أجزاء قريتهم في سنة كاملة..مش عشان الأجزاء كبيرة ولكن عشان كنت مرتبطة بيها جداً و مكنتش عاوزة أخلصها بسرعة...
برسومات رائعة وبكلمات بسيطة- بس تدخل القلب- إستطاع جن أن يوصف لنا ما حدث له هو وأهله وأهل هيروشيما بسبب القنبلة الذرية التي تسببت لهم بمعاناة وألام لا تنتهي..
الأجزاء العشرة مش بس بتلقي الضوء علي جن وأهله وأصدقائه ولكن أيضا بنتعرف فيها علي الكثير من الأحداث السياسية والتاريخية و شكل اليابان بعد الحرب..

طبعاً الأجزاء مش كلها كانت بنفس المستوي وكان في بعض الأجزاء العادية والمملة أحياناً ولكن لما أجي أحكم عليها ككل هي حقيقي ممتعة ..مؤلمة..مفيدة ومعمولة حلو جداً و أعتقد إنها عبرت عن حدث مهم زي دة بطريقة عبقرية تحسب للكاتب..
الكاتب الذي فقد كل أهله بسبب القنبلة الذرية وفقد حياته هو أيضاً عام ٢٠١٢ متأثراً بأمراض القنبلة...

الجن الحافي..كان أول تعارف بيني وبين عالم المانجا الياباني..تجربة مختلفة جداً عن ما أقرأه عادة...وعلي الرغم إني بقرأ 'بي دي أف 'معظم الوقت إلا إن هذه الأجزاء قريتها ورقي و في رأيي هي لازم تقرأ كدة لإنها ستفقد الكثير من جمالها بقراءتها إلكتروني ..ولكن في النهاية هي كانت تستاهل كل الوقت و الجهد المبذول في العثور علي الأجزاء في المكتبات خلال السنة اللي فاتت..:)

أخيراً..أتمني حقيقي محدش يشوف اللي جن شافه هو وأهل هيروشيما تاني أبداً...
يعني..الأماني ساعات بتكون ممكنة:)

[May · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a powerful testament against war and those who profit from it.

This last instalment was particularly poignant and heart-wrenching. I can't emphasise enough the amount of suffering endured by the victims of the atomic bomb and how much they have lost not only materially but physically and emotionally as well.

Keiji Nakazawa never shied from pointing fingers at the real culprits responsible for this tragedy, starting from the Emperor of Japan who had sanctioned and allowed this war in the first place. It was even pointed out by one of the characters that the Emperor was God before the war but after Japan's defeat he suddenly became human again capable of failing and making mistakes, basically implying that the Emperor only becomes infallible when it suits him to be so.

What is even more admirable is that Nakazawa was never hesitant to expose the war crimes committed by Japanese soldiers against the Chinese and the Koreans, because at the end of the day it doesn't matter whether the perpetrator is an American or a Japanese; both have engendered great suffering and pain for the profit of certain politicians and statesman, not to mention the "Death Merchants". I also learned a shocking fact: after the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, the USA still considered using another bomb somewhere in Asia, I think maybe to settle the Korean war? This massacre was thankfully averted thanks to protests against this terrifying weapon of mass destruction.

There is also some commentary regarding disciplining students at school and how violence was often employed to achieve compliance when in fact it was only creating dysfunctional adults who don't have the slightest idea on how to resolve conflict peacefully.

As a side note, my favourite character was Ryuuta. Although he often employed humour as a defence mechanism you could tell he was completely broken on the inside, struggling between clinging to hope and resorting to violence to stop the pain, leading to a truly epic and unforgettable finale. I concur with the conclusions reached at the end of this heartbreaking, tragically true story.

Yet through it all Gen never lost hope, he never forgot the true enemies of his people, never forgave those who led his country into this calamity without paying the price themselves, and more importantly, he never gave up on the idea of ending war forever.
He always upheld his father's words to never give up, to endure and persist no matter how many times he was trampled upon. At the end of the day I think his parents would be incredibly proud of who he has become.


戦争に負けるとわかっていたなら　なぜもう少し早く戦争をやめてくれなかったのかね・・・せ・・・せめて一週間前に戦争が終わっていたら広島も長崎も新型爆弾を落とされずに何十万の人たち死なずにすんだのに・・・

軍医さん、わしらは朝鮮からむりやり日本へ連れてこられて、日本のために一緒に戦場で戦った・・・　日本のために一生懸命働いているんだ　なぜ手当てをしてくれないんです

ひとにぎりの金持ちが儲けるため国民のわしらになにひとつ相談もなく勝手にはじめたのだ

いつの世でもひとにぎりの権力者のため戦争で死んでいくのは名もない弱い国民だ

ドロボウをしなくてはいけないようにしたのは戦争じゃ　ピカじゃ

おばさんも国防婦人会や愛国婦人会に入って自分の大事な主人や息子に国のため天皇のために立派に死んでこいと言うたんでしょう　女にも戦争を起こした責任はあるんだ　日本中の女が体を張って反対したら男の思うようにできず戦争は防げたはずよ

戦争に行くことが勇気のあることだと思ってるのか！卑怯者、臆病者と言われてもええ、非国民とののしられてもええ　自分の命、人の命を大切に守ることが　いちばん勇気のいることなんじゃ

ちくしょう　原爆のやろう　ピカのやろう　手でつかみ出せるなら　おかあちゃんの体の中にしみこんだピカの放射能の毒を引っ張り出してたたき出してやりたいわい


まだ戦争はおわっとらんぞ わしらもいつまでもつづいているぞ わすれるな　わすれるな

母さんを永久に戦争と原爆のない墓の中でしずかにねむらせてやることが　母さんの死を無駄にしないことじゃ

戦争は悲惨だと口でいうても戦争を起こして儲ける奴がおるかぎり戦争はなくなりはせんのよ　

資源のない日本は世界中の国の人と本当に心から仲良くして貿易で生きるしか道がないんじゃ

勉強がしたくても働かんとめしが食えんのじゃ　字を読みたくても読めんようにしたのはだれじゃ

その平和都市建設のための土地収用でものすごく儲けて財産をつくっとるやつもおるんで。ピカで一家全滅して所有者がいなくなった土地がいっぱいあるじゃろう。その土地を自分の土地だと勝手に登記して高く売りつけて儲けているんよ。
政治家と裏でくっついて　ずるかしこいそういうやつらには原爆さまさまよ　いつの世も正直者だけがバカをみるのう

こんなひどい目にあわされて・・・戦争を起こした奴は悪いが、その戦争に協力して有難がる国民一人一人も悪いんじゃ

この世でもうけた物はこの世に返して　生まれてきた時と同じようにハダカになって死んでいけばええんじゃ

朝鮮の人や中国の人みんなと仲良くするんだ。 それが戦争を防ぐたったひとつの道だ。

芸術に国境はないっそうじゃ、わしは芸術で世界中の国をとびまわる男になりたいけちな国境という垣根をとりはらえる男になりたいっ

映画の中でチャップリンが言うたセリフがこたえたよ「街中で人を殺せば殺人者として死刑になって罰せられるが、戦場へ行って敵の人間を多く殺すほど勲章をもらって英雄になる」と言うたんじゃ。戦争という理由さえつけばいくらでも人を殺してもええとは・・・本当におかしなことじゃ

さあ、お前しっかりみておくんだよ、お前の父さんと姉ちゃんと兄ちゃんを殺した、戦争の本当の姿を

[Basma Omar · Rating 4 out of 5]

تعرفت عالسلسلة بصدفة غريبة جدااا كنت بدور على رواية لكاتب ياباني مش فاكرة اسمه والشاب فالمكتبة بقا يبص عالارفف ويجبلي اي كتاب عليه اسم ياباني واقنعني انها قصة مصورة عن قنبلة هيروشيما واصلة جديد من دار نشر محترمة( المحروسة) وكمان ياباني اللي بحبه. .. قلت اوكي
والحقيقة انها عجبتني جدا جدا بجد تحفة فنية ! الكتاب كتاب مصور يحكي عن قنبلة هيروشيما وما تلاها من شتات ودمار في ١٠ اجزاء، بس فعليًا شيء رهيب ان الكتاب قصته واقعية تخص الكاتب اللي كتبه

‏وزي مامكتوب عالغلاف القصة هي تذكير بالمعاناة التي تجلبها الحرب إلى الأبرياء. . ‏حرفيا.

Recommend
التقييم ٤.٥

[Marquise · Rating 4 out of 5]

As good a finale as could be, in my opinion. Not as good as hoped, but definitely satisfactory.

I enjoyed this series from the start, despite the fact that by the 5th volume it was starting to feel too episodic and like a Misfortune Olympics run, because Gen just couldn't catch a break and tragedies succeeded too rapidly and so frequently it sometimes begged suspension of disbelief. The fact that the aftermath of the Hiroshima atomic bombing was truly horrific helped a lot in making this at least not wholly unbelievable.

There's a few things I'd point out as flaws of the series: one, the lack of PTSD on Gen's part. He's rather too slightly traumatised for the series of horrific events he has to witness, and although this is partially offset by his youth (children do bounce back remarkably fast) and the author does emphasise that he's an outlier and not the norm, it still does feel like he should be more affected by what happens than he shows.

Two, the main character is so exaggeratedly emotional that it can be irritating. Again, that he's young helps, but the other characters are also rather emotional. I'll just chalk this up to the author's style.

Three, the narration becomes too episodic by the end, with time jumps, and some characters just disappear (what happened to Aihara, for example?) after they've fulfilled a role in Gen's life. This episodic development leads to action overtaking characterisation, because save for Gen and his pal Ryuta, none of the other characters are much more than props to the protagonist.

The series does have silly and hilarious moments, too, which was unexpected considering the setting and topic of the story. It's a nice touch, and helps lighten up the mood that'd be too bleak otherwise. That it ends on a hopeful note also adds to this. And, last but not least, it leaves me with lots of questions about the time and the events surrounding the Hiroshima-Nagasaki atomic bombings, which I'll have to research now. For me, it is a good sign when fiction gets you interested in non-fiction.

[Rasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

انتهت رحلة "جن" الأسطورية بعد ثماني أعوام من سقوط القنبلة، انتهت ببداية جديدة ترك فيها هيروشيما ترك الموت والخراب والدمار وأمراض القنبلة، ترك بلدته التي جرب فيها الفقد مرات ومرات إلى أن قرر أن يذهب إلى طوكيو ليدرس الرسم بشكل إحترافي ويُسجل ما رآه ويعرضه للعالم كي يُحذر الجميع.
رحلة مذهلة لثماني أعوام في عشر أجزاء أنصح الجميع بقراءتها.

[نوري · Rating 5 out of 5]

هتوحشني اوي الرواية دي او الكوميك ده
10 اجزاء من الألم والمتعة والجمال
حبيت الشخصيات وتعاطفت معاهم ومع قضيتهم
ملعون ابو الحرب وملعون ابو اضطهاد الشعوب والتجميل
ملعون ابو الظلم والتطبيق
الجزء الأخير من أقوى الأجزاء وفيه حزن كتير برغم اني كنت متخيل عكس كدة ولكن هو ده اكتر شيء واقعي.

[Islam Ahmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

وداعاً صديقي جِن، سأشتاق لك ولرفاقك
شكرا على الرحلة الجميلة المليئة بالأمل والمشاعر الطيبة.

[Nourhan Elkafrawy · Rating 5 out of 5]

وداعاً يا جن 💔

[Reem · Rating 5 out of 5]

و اجتهد رسامنا جن و اصدر لنا هذه السلسلة ليخبرنا عن الجرائم ضد الإنسانية ، انتهت القصة و لم تنتهِ وحشية العالم و فظائع الحرب و لم يحل السلام حتى الان

[Chris Blocker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never Give Up, the tenth and final volume of the Barefoot Gen series, is a worthwhile end. Like its immediate predecessor, it is also guilty of being a bit too episodic and losing the primary thread, but its a little more focused and does provide a mostly satisfactory ending.

Reaching the end of the series, seeing the entire story for what it is, I have a few thoughts on the story as a whole. Throughout, I felt the series relied too heavily on comic violence and mischief. I'm sure there was a reason for this, perhaps the author wished to lighten up an otherwise bleak story. Personally, I found it distracting. Characters were frequently beating one another up over silly matters, urinating on one another, throwing feces, mooning, and farting. Once or twice is one thing, but it happens many times in each volume. There's an immaturity to these moments that is often reflected in the illustrations themselves. How is it that a series that's clearly and constantly proposing peace is so insensitive to the feelings of others? Nations are expected to stop all wars and dispose of all armaments, but our characters maim and even kill those who disagree with them, sometimes over the smallest argument. I agree with the author's anti-war propaganda, yet I cannot deny the hypocrisy displayed in the sanction of needless violence.

As the series progressed, especially after the midpoint, the story became less and less relevant. New characters were haphazardly injected into the story just to create new plotlines. Some of these characters were introduced and quickly assimilated just so our protagonist would have someone to mourn by the book's end. Better foresight would've allowed the introduction of these characters in earlier volumes and allowed the reader to grow attached to them. Unfortunately, none of the deaths in the final three volumes carried any weight. There wasn't time to develop the relationship. The last death that was truly meaningful was the death of Gen's mother; her death needed to be the climax of the series. One volume after that to tie up the story would've been fine. In my opinion, the last three volumes could've been condensed and served as the eighth and final volume.

Despite the crude moments and, at time, illustrations, and despite the poor plotting, Barefoot Gen is stellar when it's at its best. The horrors of atomic weaponry are rendered in a way that forever seers itself in the reader's memory. Even with the limitations of the black-and-white cartoons, Nakazawa really put his soul into some of the illustrations, nightmares and all. The agony of the fire, the stench of the corpses, the intense pain of losing control of your body years after the disaster—all of these are vividly on display. The way characters thrown their heads back at awkward angles as blood projects from their throat, the way the landscape is littered with corpses whose hands are outstretched, but whose fingers are curled, the way the sun continues to burn and give life—all are rendered with extreme care. The Barefoot Gen series is at its best when it shows the emotions—the heartache, the horror, the hope—and at its worst when it tries to be preachy or comical.

[Ibbo 🎄 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quante lacrime, ma si va comunque avanti, ritti come il grano

[Rahul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good books get shelved in bookshelves,
Great books get place in heart 💓.

So is this manga series. It is really Keiji Nakazawa magnus opus.
I read down 2500+ pages of this series in past 20-25 days . Surely I lack appropriate words to praise this manga series, the pain its characters beared (it is semi autobiographical) and the great message it carries.

Talking about this part nothing could be better than this ending . Pain and sorrow continues to torment Gen and his friends but it ends on optimistic believe for a living life whatever it takes and never giving up in the most adverse times.

In this part Gen accidentally falls into love with the daughter of the boss of the company which Gen used to work for, Gen hated the boss because of his cruel militaristic nature and tone. The girl dies of acute leukemia thanks to A-BOMB.
While there another friend dies of taking drugs. Ryuta takes revenge with drug dealers by killing 3 of them and fleding with Katsuo to Tokyo to escape police. Gen also moves to Tokyo on advice of the old man who taught him art. Gen moves forward leaving Hiroshima beginning a new life with hope and believe to live life to the fullest.

Salute to Gen for you always preached non-violence and standing against any kind of war for a happy humanity and stand strong at all the times when it is much easier and less painful to give up.

Read this precious gem of a manga series.
It will always be in your heart💓.

[Nouru-éddine · Rating 5 out of 5]

::انطباع عام وكفى::
=-=-=-=-=-=-
هذا الجزء أكثر الأجزاء ألمًا وعذوبة على رغم أنه آخرها، توقعت من عنوانه أنه سيكون بداية جديدة فعلاً فيها أمل وحياة وتجدد، فإذا به موت، فكل جزء من أجزاء هذه السلسلة نفاجأ بموت شخص أو شخصين ممن ارتبطنا بهم بشدة وانفعلنا لقصصهم، حتى الجناة، كانوا مجني عليهم في يوم من الأيام، أما الجناة الكبار الذي هم سبب كل جناية، فلم يعتذروا أصلاً مثل إمبراطور اليابان الذي ادعى أنه إله وأن اليابان بلد الإله الذي يحميها، وبعد انهزام اليابان في الحرب بعد تعنت، اعترف الإمبراطور أنه إنسان عادي وفقط! كأنها كوميديا حقًا! لكن هذا ما حدث فعلاً للأسف. في هذا الجزء الأخير نصحب جن بعدما تخرج من المدرسة الإعدادية وهو يرفض أن يغني أغنية الإمبراطور في حفل التخرج صائحًا أن الإمبراطور هو الذي تسبب في مقتل عشرات الملايين من البشر ولم يتحمل مسؤوليته عن الحرب وما زال يجلس على كرسي العرش، الجيش الياباني قتل ٣٠ مليونًا في الصين وكوريا الشمالية وكل دول الشرق الأقصى بطريقة بشعة تحت شعار من أجل الإمبراطور، الإمبراطور أمر ببداية حرب المحيط الهادئ ما أدى إلى ضرب الجزر اليابانية وتدميرها بطيران الحلفاء، وهو السبب في إلقاء القنبلة الذرية على هيروشيما وناجازاكي وقتل ٣ ملايين ياباني بطريقة بشعة. على رغم قتامة الحال، يكتشف جن جمال الفن والرسم، ففنون الشعر والأغاني والأدب والرسم والمسرح والسينما لا تنبع من القلوب الباردة، والرجل والمرأة ينجذبان ويحبان كلاهما الآخر، فتتولد الفنون، ويصبح في الحياة أمل. على الجانب الآخر، يفقد الأصدقاء صديقهم كرة بسبب سقوطه في فخ المخدرات أو الميث الذي تستغل العصابات بيعه وحاجة المدمنين إلى جرعات المخدرات وشراءها بأي ثمن، يا له من استغلال ليأس البشر وحاجتهم ورغبتهم في تناسي همومهم بالسكر والمخدرات!


تألمتُ للغاية لموت متسوكو، متسوكو ماتت، الحب الحقيقي لدى جن، الحب الذي لم يلحق الاستمتاع به! يصرخ جن في وجه أبيها العسكري المتعنت بأنه بسبب العسكريين العاملين في الجيش والمحبين للحرب سقطت القنبلة ولم يتضرروا هم من الحرب ولم يشعروا بفظاعتها، فنحن نمتن حقًا لكي ضحايا هيروشيما وناجازاكي لتعريف العالم بمساوئ القنبلة الذرية وإنقاذ العالم من تكرار هذه التجربة المؤسفة في حق شعب آخر. فلليابان هذا الفضل في تعريف العالم كله بأسبقية السلام العالم، فكل التحية لهم.

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نهاية الرحلة...
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لكم سأفتقد هذه السلسلة التي استمتعت وتألمت معها على مدار عشرة أجزاء، لكم تعلقت حقًا بشخصية جن، وأثر في جدًا تمسكه بالحياة ورغبته المستمرة في مساعدة أصدقاءه ومن حوله قدر ما يستطيع رغم علمه بأنه لا فائدة، وبأن الموت هو المسيطر، لقد شب على الجلد والتعب والمرض والموت، وعلى الرغم من ذلك، تعلم الرسم ونشر المؤلف قصته الشخصية في العالم كله في هذه الرسوم البديعة التي صورت الحرب وآثارها أقرب تصوير للواقع، فضحايا القنبلة هم أصدق من يعبرون عن فظائعها حقًا، ولهم كل الفضل في تعريف العالم كله بآثار الحرب البشعة وبفرض قيود قوية على استخدام الأسلحة النووية في العالم كله ونشر السلام العالمي ورعايته. أفضل ما في هذه السلسلة هو الحيادية، فالكاتب لم يجعل الذنب كله ذنب أمريكا أنها ألقت القنبلة على اليابان، بل فضح الإمبراطور والجيش الياباني المستغل، والعنصرية تجاه الصينيين والكوريين في التفرقة بينهم وبين اليابانيين، وفي قرارات الإمبراطور التي أودت البلاد إلى جهنم حقيقية. فالسلسلة حيادية وصادقة وواقعية، والعجيب أنها نقلت كل هذه الصورة الكبيرة الضخمة من عيون طفل ومراهق هيروشيمي يدعى جن! يا للروعة! شكرًا يا ناكازاوا كيجي!

والشكر كذلك موصول لدار المحروسة لإخراجها هذا العمل وبهذه الجودة، فالمحروسة لها الأسبقية في نشر الأعمال المصورة رغم أن جمهورها معدود وقليل، وطبعًا لا أغفل مجهود المترجم الجبار الدكتور ماهر الشربيني الذي ترجم السلسلة رأسًا من اليابانية وكانت ترجمته سلسلة تحمل العمق مع الحفاظ على بساطة اللغة وخفتها إذ أنها لغة أطفال وأحداث عظيمة تم نقلها بأسلوب بسيط ورشيق، علاوة على إبداعه في ترجمة الأغاني اليابانية التي أحببتها وارتبطت بها مثل أغنية البطاطا والموز والطوفو.
***

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

After some 2,500+ pages, I’m finished!

Vol. 10 is the final installment in the Barefoot Gen series. This one takes place in 1953. It’s eight years after the bomb and the bomb is still casting its long, dark shadow over Japan. A few more characters (some old, some new) die from radiation sickness.

The final half of this volume takes a bit of a different turn from the rest of the series. It focuses primarily on the Yakuza and the flood of drugs after the war. According to this story (I haven’t fact checked it yet), the Yakuza made use of A-bomb orphans as look-outs and foot soldiers.

What a great series.

[Samar Samir · Rating 4 out of 5]

الوداع يا جن...

[Emmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow...What a series!

Barefoot Gen is a powerful testament to hope and the pain of war. What Nakazawa did here was something special. It's so easy to say "Oh, war is hell!" but he showed us that hell. And it would have been easy to stop the story after the bomb is dropped, but he didn't do that. He showed us life before the bomb, and he continued his tale on eight years afterwards, to show us that the damage had far more effect than that one day. The effects of the bomb weren't just instant death. There were the poor victims who suffered for days before dying, the survivors left with permanent scars, those who died later from radiation sickness, and the many, many people who died at the hands of their neighbors' neglect and cruelty. This series doesn't just say that war is hell. It shows us the many layers of that hell, and it reminds us constantly of our shared humanity, and how we need to support and rely on each other.

This powerful series should be required reading for so many people. Because we don't realize just how terrible something is unless we've lived it. And we're so quick to forget the horrors unless it directly impacts us. Thank you, Nakazawa-san. This was an amazing journey.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

The conclusion of the epic 10 volume series of the Hiroshima bombing and its long term effects.

[Kamil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Son 3 kitapla (8, 9 ve 10) birlikte Yalınayak Gen serisi de okunmuş oldu. Atom bombasının atılması ve savaşın bitmesinin üstünden 5 yıl geçmiş, Japonya da aldığı ağır yaraları iyileştirmeye çalışmaktadır. Ülke hala Amerikan konseyince yönetilmektedir. Ancak bu sefer de burunlarının dibinde üç yıl sürecek olan Kore savaşı patlak vermiştir. İlginçtir ki ikinci dünya savaşında verdikleri 3 milyon kişilik kayba rağmen hala "Savaşa hayır " demek suçtur.
Savaşlar bitip tükenmeyecek gibi görünse de Gen ve arkadaşları hem hayatta kalma çabalarını sürdürmekte, hem de geleceklerini planlamaya çalışmaktadır.
Bu seri ikinci dünya savaşı ile ilgili en etkileyici yapıtlardan. Özellikle bombanın hemen sonrasında yaşananlarin betimlendiği sahneler kolay kolay unutulmayacak cinsten.
Ve kitaptan bir cümle: "Birileri savaştan kâr ettiği sürece savaşlar asla bitmez".

[Reina Ima · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been reading Barefoot Gen since last year but there were only up to Volume 3. This year when I saw the whole set of volumes I decided to read it to the very end. Barefoot Gen depicts the lives of those who experienced and suffered through the Atomic bomb in Hiroshima during World War II. The manga was an autobiography written by a person who survived from the bomb, and the author included his strong and deep beliefs against the war. Overall I enjoyed reading the book because it helped deepen my understanding of what World War II was like for those who had to go through and for those who heavily opposed the war. People who opposed the war during those times had their opinions ignored and were given punishments for raising their voices. I believe that if you read this book it will also help you deepen your knowledge about the war and why it shouldn't happen again.

[nur'aini tri wahyuni · Rating 3 out of 5]

surprisingly i don't really like the last chap of this series. memang sih, kehidupan Gen setelah bom tidaklah menyenangkan, tapi sedih rasanya saat dia terlalu sibuk dengan dunianya tanpa memperhatikan sekitar meskipun hanya dibeberapa bagian. manusiawi, sih, karena kita punya emosi yg kadang ga tertahankan.

[Menna Mousa · Rating 5 out of 5]

مؤلمة .. رائعة .. مثالية
كنت اتمنى الا تنتهي أجزاء هذه السلسلة ابداا
سأشتاق كثيرا إلى جن و أصحابه
سلسلة مؤلمة و حزينة تنتهي ببداية جديدة و أمل جديد

كل الشكر لدار المحروسة على اصدار هذه السلسلة المميزة

❤️❤️❤️






وداعا جن ❤️😔

[Alanoud Talal · Rating 4 out of 5]

عدد الصفحات :٢٦٢ صفحة
نوع الكتاب : رسوم متحركة
لهجة سرد الكتاب : الفصحى



نبذة عن الكتاب : تدور احداث القصة عن جن الفتى الشقي و حياته الصعبة اثناء الحرب العالمية الثانية في منطقة هيروشيما في اليابان




القصة حلوة واستمتع فيها ، في مواقف ضحكتني ومواقف حزنتني بس بشكل عام حبيت

[Natalie S · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series was well done, although a bit repetitive; definitely worth finishing. The conclusion was positive yet open-ended, which was a perfect way to leave things.

[Afnan Khalid · Rating 4 out of 5]

رحلة حزينة وممتعة
تتعرف فيها على جرائم الحرب سواءً من شناعة أفعال اليابانين ضد باقي الآسيويين أو من شناعة القنبلة وما حصل للشعب بسببها.

[Lucas Benevides · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gen é uma das series mais tocantes que já li nos ultimos anos.

É pesada em varios momentos, ao ver a pele dos japoneses derrentendo apos a explosão da bomba, ver a quantia de gente morrendo por doenças acarretadas pelas bombas, saber que eles não podiam nem falar sobre o que passaram por censura do governo americano, ter noção que depois de tudo que sofreram, as vitimas não podiam nem contar com a ajuda do proprio povo, que em vez de ajudar, teve preconceito com as vitimas e menosprezaram tudo que passaram.

[Giorgio Collura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parlare di Gen di Hiroshima non è facile. A mente fredda dopo aver letto tutti e 10 i tankobon inizio nel dire subito che per chi ha visto una tomba delle lucciole di Takahata questo è un altro bello schiaffo emotivo, con la differenza che qui si parla di un superstite dello scoppio atomico che con la scelta di un tratto cartoonesco ammorbidisce un atmosfera terribilmente macabra. Chiamarlo fumetto è riduttivo, è un inno antimilitarista viscerale. Il protagonista Gen è un catalizzatore ideale di valori umani a cui non solo deve tendere il Giappone, e qui viene tremendamente preso di mira il modo ottuso di comportarsi e relazionarsi con gli altri dei giapponesi, ma anche l'umanità intera. In questo periodo in cui si respirano venti di guerra in precise aree geografiche e dove certi leader politici sembra abbiano preso alla leggera le armi atomiche, Gen di Hiroshima, al pari di Maus, diventa una lettura necessaria affinché la memoria non possa (e non dovrà) mai svanire.

[hotsake (André Troesch) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5
The journey was a long and bumpy road but still worth a read nonetheless.

[Mai · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is truly a masterpiece. The book and the events won't only teach you what actually happened during this time, it'll teach you how to learn to always get up and keep going no matter how hard and painful life is.
The struggle and the fight through out the book was so heartbreaking and so brutal but yet so true.
One of the main ideas in the book is to never give up mo matter how hard life is just keep going and one day you'll reach the happiness and the greatness that you deserve.
The book also reveals the stupidity of people because even though they lived through hell,.some of them disregard what happened and continue to worship their torturers.
Always remember to: “Be like wheat”, that is, grow strong and tall, grow back when you are trampled over, grow your roots even in the cold of winter so that you are that much stronger when spring and summer arrive."
I think we should teach this book everywhere so people can see how hate and low humans can go and at the same time how strong and resilient they can be at the same time.
The writer truly pick the best way to immortalize the memory of those who payed their life because of the ugly and inhuman side of humanity.
He draw each character and gave it a depth that'll made all of them close to your heart in ways that'll make you feel as if you're going through their struggle and pain.
This is truly a pice of art.

I truly hope that all of those who suffers from it their souls will rest in peace. 🕊️

[Merna Mousa · Rating 5 out of 5]

وداع جن كان وداعا مؤثرا .. صديق رافقني طوال شهر رمضان غادرني اليوم ..وياله من رحيل مؤثر!
مانجا بديعة مؤثرة فطرت قلبي وأضحكتني سأفتقدها جدا ولكن سيمر وقت طويل حتى أقرر إعادة قراءتها ..
المشهد الأخير أثرني جدا والجزء بأكمله أثرني واستحق أن يحصل على آخر علامة كاملة ❤️

في نهاية السلسلة هل كنت أتمنى لو تغيرت بعض الأحداث ؟
بالطبع، لا أنكر أنني ومنذ البداية كنت أتمنى لبعض الأحداث أن تتخذ منحى آخر ولكن هذا لا يقلل من شأن ما كتب فأنا أتفهم لماذا اتخذ ناكازاوا كيجي هذه القرارات ولكن كان حبي ليزداد أضعافا لهذه السلسلة لو كانت تغيرت مصائر بعض الشخصيات ، أو كنت عرفت أين ذهبت بعض الشخصيات وكيف حالهم ؟ أو لو كان انتقم من شخصية ما أبغضها منذ الجزء الأول .. كنت أتمنى لو أرى انتقاما يليق بهذه الشخصية البغيضة!

مانجا عظيمة وأرشحها جدا كما رُشحت لي .. تستحق القراءة جدا على الرغم من انني كنت أود لو كانت أقصر .. كان من الممكن أن تُسرد القصة في ثمان أجزاء بسهولة ولكن لا مشكلة أبدا مازالت عظيمة وتستحق كل دقيقة تقضيها بين صفحاتها ❤️

وداعا جن .. وداعا ريوتا ...
لكم كل الود والسلام سأفتقدكم جدا 🌷

[annarraissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eu nunca tinha lido nada em tantos volumes. São 10, d-e-z, tomos e foi uma novela pra encontrar tudo. A Conrad só lançou no Brasil até o vol. 6 e em toda a Internet eu só consegui achar os quatro primeiros digitalizados (como que uma publicação lançada na década de 1970, com filme, ópera e musical baseados nela, é tão difícil de encontrar na rede?). Resultado: os quatro primeiros volumes eu li on-line e comprei dois na Estante Virtual em português e o restante na Amazon, traduzidos para o inglês pelo Projeto Gen.

Gen Nakaoka vive com os pais e cinco irmãos em Hiroshima, e tinha seis anos quando a cidade é destruída pela bomba atômica, em agosto de 1945. Ele perde o pai e dois irmãos na tragédia, um dos outros irmãos é mandado para a Marinha japonesa e a mãe e uma irmã acabam por morrer mais tarde devido a doenças relacionadas à bomba. A história vai ficando melhor de volume pra volume, mas ainda assim não é uma história fácil.

Gen é altamente autobiográfico. Nele são mostrado os horrores da guerra e a forma cruel com as decisões de governos e impérios afeta a vida da população. Gen é um personagem muito otimista (até irrita tanto always look to the bright side of life), mas não deixa de sofrer com a destruição da própria vida. O medo da morte e a perda de pessoas queridas está sempre presente, e Gen acaba por ser uma história muito violenta. Crianças apanham dos pais (o próprio Gen era amarrado pelo pai e espancado, mas isso não era visto como violência e sim como correção) e de professores, as cenas horrorosas da tragédia com a bomba e de pessoas deformadas e morrendo são sempre recorrentes, pessoas querendo tirar proveito uma das outras mesmo nas piores situações e o governo americano (e antes disso as forças armadas japonesas) sacaneando o povo são exemplos que te deixam com um nó na garganta frequentemente.

Depois de cinco meses e 2500 páginas (hooray!), a mensagem que Gen me deixou é que a intenção do autor era a de fazer um manifesto a favor da paz e contra guerras e governos. E, como o pai de Gen não cansava de repetir, devemos ser como o trigo, que mesmo pisoteado, batido e queimado pelo sol e pelo gelo, sempre renasce forte e pronto pra dar frutos — o que cai como uma luva quando pensamos na história de Hiroshima e Nagasaki.