Barefoot Gen English Sub & Dub

About Barefoot Gen

Meet Barefoot Gen (はだしのゲン), a drama anime by MADHOUSE (1983). Here is the premise in a nutshell. The setup: It's the summer of 1945. 3 years have elapsed since the war between Japan and USA began.

Also worth knowing: Gen is a young boy living a struggling yet satisfying life in the town of Hiroshima, that has been strangely spared by the bombing taken in almost every other Japanese Metropolis. Food is scarce, and Gen's family is suffering from severe malnutrition, which endangeres his pregnant mother. There isn't much spare time as Gen and his little brother Shinji help their father and mother at work and try to make sure their family survives the tought times.

In a drama series like this, character writing and emotional payoff matter more than spectacle. Voice work is led by Issei Miyazaki as Gen Nakaoka and Masaki Kouda as Shinji Nakaoka. Think of it as a pick for viewers who prefer story and feelings over flashy action. With 1 episodes in total, there is enough room for the story to develop.

Production & Appeal

MADHOUSE is the studio behind Barefoot Gen, and its direction shapes everything from character design to motion. Because it leans on drama, character writing and emotional payoff matter more than spectacle. At 7.4/10 it earns a solid reception, a safe pick for fans of the genre. On the casting side, Issei Miyazaki voicing Gen Nakaoka gives the lead role a recognizable voice. Released in 1983, it competed with that season's other new series for attention.