Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- tragic
- tender
- melancholic
- historical film night
- anime marathon
What critics said
The film is broadly regarded as a deeply sad but not entirely bleak anti-war anime whose comic touches complicate its treatment of Hiroshima trauma.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Gen, Ryuta, and Hiroshima orphans struggle to secure shelter and mutual support three years after the bombing.
Gen comforts a radiation-scarred child while his mother suffers from the bombing's lasting effects.
Comical character expressions and playful episodes coexist with flooding, radiation sickness, and impending bereavement.
The anime format renders scarred bodies, disaster, and post-bombing hardship with direct emotional force.
Films like Barefoot Gen 2, and why
Barefoot Gen
shared anti-war drama, child-centered storytelling, and historical trauma
Grave of the Fireflies
shared animated coming-of-age perspective on wartime violence and civilian suffering
In This Corner of the World
shared Japanese animation, postwar grief, and emotionally direct treatment of historical catastrophe
The Wind Rises
shared anti-war themes, stark historical setting, and youthful protagonists enduring social collapse
Movie Details
- Director
- Toshio Hirata
- Release Date
- 1986-06-14
- Runtime
- 85 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (79)
Cast
- Issei Miyazaki
- Kei Nakamura
- Masaki Kouda
- Kimi Aoyama
- Koichi Kitamura
- Masato Yamamoto
- Masumi Satou
- Michi Yamamoto
- Takao Inoue
- Takeshi Aono
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Cineverse Amazon Channel
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Barefoot Gen 2 about?
- In devastated postwar Hiroshima, a resilient boy helps orphaned children rebuild their home while confronting radiation's lingering human cost.
- What is Barefoot Gen 2 like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Barefoot Gen 2 as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Barefoot Gen 2 violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Barefoot Gen 2 as graphic.
- What did critics think of Barefoot Gen 2?
- The film is broadly regarded as a deeply sad but not entirely bleak anti-war anime whose comic touches complicate its treatment of Hiroshima trauma.
- Which films are like Barefoot Gen 2?
- Films with a similar feel include Barefoot Gen, Grave of the Fireflies, In This Corner of the World, and The Wind Rises.
- How long is Barefoot Gen 2?
- Barefoot Gen 2 runs 85 minutes.
- Where can I watch Barefoot Gen 2?
- In United States, Barefoot Gen 2 streams on Cineverse Amazon Channel.
