A documentary film titled Barefoot Gen Is Still Angry, adapted from a 2024 TV program, is slated for theatrical release in Japan starting November 2025. This marks BS12’s first venture into film production, aiming to re-examine the enduring legacy and contemporary relevance of Keiji Nakazawa’s powerful Barefoot Gen manga.
The film, directed by Masanori Komiyama, expands upon the BS12 special “The Heat Conduction of ‘Barefoot Gen’ – People Who Convey the Atomic Bomb Manga,” which previously earned accolades including Best Documentary at the 15th Satellite Broadcasting Association Original Program Awards. It will open at Pole Pole Higashinakano in Tokyo and Salon Cinema in Hiroshima, with distribution handled by Agui.
From Television Acclaim to Theatrical Debut
The original 2024 BS12 TwellV documentary, Hadaashi no Gen no Netsudendō ~Genbaku Manga o Tsutaeru Hitobito~ (The Heat Conduction of “Barefoot Gen” – People Who Convey the Atomic Bomb Manga), focused on individuals dedicated to preserving and disseminating the legacy of Nakazawa’s work. Its critical success, including winning the Media Ambitious Award in 2024 and Best Documentary at the 15th Japan Satellite Broadcasting Association Award, paved the way for this theatrical adaptation.
Masanori Komiyama, who directed numerous TV documentaries, was entrusted with the direction of this cinematic expansion, with production handled by Tokyo Sound Production, the same company behind the original television program.
The Enduring Message of Barefoot Gen
Keiji Nakazawa’s Barefoot Gen is a semi-autobiographical manga series that powerfully depicts his experiences as a survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bombing in 1945. The narrative follows six-year-old Gen Nakaoka and his family through the immediate aftermath of the bombing and their struggles for survival. Nakazawa, who was six years old at the time of the bombing, lost most of his immediate family in the tragedy. His manga, published from 1973 to 1987, became a globally recognized account of the horrific impact of nuclear warfare.
The series has been translated into over 25 languages, with English editions selling more than 110,000 copies, and has seen various adaptations including live-action films (1976, 1977, 1980), two anime films (1983, 1986), and a live-action television drama special (2007). The 1983 anime film, in particular, is noted for its unflinching portrayal of the atomic bomb’s effects.
The new documentary, Barefoot Gen Is Still Angry, aims to explore how the manga’s message resonates from the past into the present, reinforcing its continued relevance in discussions about peace and the consequences of atomic weapons.
