Barefoot Gen ✿ By: Keiji Nakazawa

                               

BAREFOOT GEN

Keiji Nakazawa

After watching the anime in class, I couldn't help but try and read some of the manga for my own well being. The topic of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing is one of histories topics that peaks my interests. Growing up, I was taught that if those bombs never were dropped America never would have ended the war. Whether that is true or not is under debate but knowing that Ken lived to create what he saw for the purpose of influencing people to not use nuclear arms just really tugs at my heart strings. It is so sad, I wish people knew more about this comic, it really opened my eyes. Talk about creating for a purpose, he inspired me to always create for a purpose. The story takes place in Hiroshima where Gen Nakaoka has to deal with his family struggling through poverty. Gen's mother is carrying her fourth child and it is already hard enough to feed the children they already had. People have created movies, comics, or tv shows about people who suffer from poverty. Even though it is an issue that is talked about a lot through media, I don't think any of them really hit home for me more than this one. What really stands out to me, why this story touched me is because that Nakazawa had a mission. He had a mission to teach people what it was like living on the other side of those bombings. I never knew what it was like and never gave it much thought when I was learning about it in school. I was taught it had to happen, that what came out of those bombings were good. Whether you want to believe that or not, all I know is that this man had a purpose to stop nuclear warfare. He created so people can become aware of how destructive and tragic it really is. I just think that is so powerful that he dedicated his life and art to this mission. Honestly, this comic really opened my eyes. The anime is especially powerful and can probably impact more people since I feel most people rather visually take something in than having to read it but I guess that just depends on the person. 

Dairy of a Teenaged Girl

  Dairy of A Teenaged Girl 

The first page is a whirlwind of teenage angst and sexual frustration. I'm not even so sure what I would call this illustrative read. It is a comic/novel/illustrated book/wow this is based on a true story book, all in one. This one of a kind comic changed, for me, the definition of comics themselves. When you think of a comic you don't think "oh! I'm going to read a comic in a novel form and then comic form". I feel that if you aren't into comics or maybe you're not into novels this will give you the best of both worlds. I just find it really interesting this comic can easily satisfy to all types of readers. First getting into the story you find out that Minnie Goetze has not only a ton of insecurity issues but she is also having an affair with her mother's boyfriend. Yes, the man who her mother has slept with took her daughters virginity. If that doesn't disgust you but also peak your interest I don't know what else could possibly. And by peaked interest, I mean by I wanted to know more about her. I wanted to know why Minnie would make the decision to do that. I know she hates her mother and doesn't get along with her and that Monroe is apparently gorgeous. But I guess maybe her hatred for her mother is severe it just didn't bother her. Her mother does seem to be the stem of her insecurity issues so maybe sleeping with Monroe meant to her that she was just as pretty as her mother? How weird. How ballsy. On a side note, Minnie has a thing for blonde men with blue eyes, not sure if that is supposed to stem from something (maybe her dad since he is out of the picture) or if that's just what turns her on but I highly doubt that. I read the whole comic and it ends with a date with Monroe. She ends up acting like such a child the whole date, I just don't understand what Monroe would see in Minnie or even her mother. They both are kind of annoying. Anyways, from what I read about Monroe's personality I really didn't have a problem with him. He seemed like a genuine guy, expect for the fact that he cheated on his girlfriend with her daughter, he is pretty ok. I guess what I'm trying to say is that he is the only character I enjoyed reading about. When Minnie went on her sexual adventures they were interesting to read about but her character, in general, can be extremely annoying. Maybe I'm just over the highly angsty teenaged bull crap. 10/10 I would recommend this to someone. The story was so interesting and just kept drawing me in. The parts when Pascal wrote to Minnie were kind of boring since he really didn't fully understand him since he would just make an appearance through letters. Other than that, her story is raw and powerful. I'm pretty sure I didn't have the chance to read all of the comic since the PDF only had 49 pages and ended abruptly. I still enjoyed what I read, I'll probably just look up the ending. Seriously reader, give it a read. It's pretty interesting. 

P.S apparently there is a movie so check that out too? if you want. I've never seen it but it sounds cool. 

P.S.S if you don't like imagery like this (bottom picture) don't read it. Also, I'm including this scene that I never got to in the PDF because it basically describes the whole comic in a nutshell. 1) Minnie is confused and wants to be loved and also has a lot of psychological issues 2) she gets into drugs 3) she finds out she is bi 4) she lost her virginity to her mother's boyfriend 5) etc. etc. etc....