Barefoot Gen 2 1986

War

Animation

Drama

Runtime

85 mins

Language

Japanese

Directed by

Junji Nishimura

Made by

Madhouse

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Barefoot Gen 2 Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Barefoot Gen 2 (1986). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.

Three years after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Gen Nakaoka, [Issei Miyazaki], his mother Kimie, [Kae Shimamura], and his adopted brother Ryuta, [Masaki Kouda], scavenge for food and scrap metal to sell on the black market as Hiroshima—and the rest of Japan—struggle to rebuild after World War II. Kimie starts working at a geta factory, while Gen and Ryuta attend school in a ruined building, where they encounter a gang of orphaned children led by Masa, [Kei Nakamura]. The looming presence of the police, embodied by a stern policeman [Hiroshi Ôtake], prompts a tense first clash that sends the brothers scrambling to hide with Masa and his group in their improvised shelter. There, Gen discovers that the orphans survive by pickpocketing in the black market, a harsh reality that deepens the gang’s bond and their shared resolve.

Seeing Masa’s desperation for a better life, Gen and Ryuta choose to stay by his side, entering a world where survival often means bending rules. Gen also forms a quiet friendship with Katsuko, [Kimi Aoyama], a girl among the orphans who bears the scars of the bombing from severe burns. The group grows to include Suekichi, a retired journalist who lost his family in Hiroshima, who comes to live among them and adds a fragile sense of grown-up perspective to their makeshift family. As Gen rallies the orphans to build a new home from wood and salvaged materials found around the city, they stage nighttime raids on a potato field in hopes of securing food, but the farmers catch them and tragedy strikes when Katchin, a member of Masa’s gang, is killed as the kids retreat.

Meanwhile, Gen begins to notice small things that hint at his mother’s decline; he can lift her onto his back for piggyback rides, a sign that her strength is slipping. Doctors reveal the grim truth: the atomic bombing has left Kimie suffering from radiation sickness that will worsen with time. Kimie’s condition worsens, and Gen and Ryuta struggle to cope as the reality of losing her settles in. A doctor, [Junji Nishimura], informs Gen that Kimie has only four months to live, a deadline that steels Gen’s resolve to protect and provide for his younger brother and their growing surrogate family.

Kimie’s illness becomes a crucible that tests their will to stay together. Gen refuses to abandon the vow his father, [Takao Inoue], and his mother instilled in him, choosing to keep the family intact even as the days darken. He and Ryuta step up to help in Kimie’s care, and the siblings continue their tasks—working alongside Masa’s gang and the other orphans—while clinging to the idea of a future beyond scarcity and fear. In the end, Kimie’s death comes while Gen carries her, a heartbreaking moment that crystallizes the cost of survival in a city still marked by the blast.

Gen cremates Kimie and, alongside Ryuta, Masa, Katsuko, and the other orphans, finds a way to honor his parents’ memory while moving forward. The film closes on Gen’s quiet reflection about the lessons his parents taught him—the strength, the tenderness, and the stubborn will to live—woven into the stubborn resilience of the children he has come to lead and protect.

Barefoot Gen 2 Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of Barefoot Gen 2 (1986) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

Three years after the bomb

Gen, his mother Kimie, and his adopted brother Ryuta scavenge for food and scrap metal to sell in the black market while Hiroshima struggles to rebuild. The family relies on each other to endure the harsh postwar environment. Their daily routine establishes the grim context in which future events unfold.

Three years after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima Hiroshima, Japan

Schooling in ruins and first contact

Kimie begins working at a geta factory, while Gen and Ryuta attend school in a ruined building. In that shattered setting, they encounter Masa and his gang of orphaned children in a hostile first meeting. The encounter foreshadows the complexities of survival in postwar Hiroshima.

Three years after the bombing Ruined building in Hiroshima

Shoe-shining venture disrupted

Gen and Ryuta start a small shoe-shining business hoping to earn money. Masa's gang disrupts their efforts, drawing the attention of policemen who intend to place the orphans in an orphanage. The brothers fend off the police and seek refuge with Masa's group in their shelter.

Soon after the initial encounters Hiroshima streets and Masa's shelter

Joining Masa's gang

Gen learns that Masa's orphans survive by pickpocketing in the black market to endure. Seeing Masa's desperation for a better life, Gen and Ryuta decide to join his gang, seeking a sense of belonging and protection in numbers.

Shortly after joining the group Masa's shelter

New bonds form

Gen befriends Katsuko, one of the burned orphans, and Masa's gang invites Suekichi, a retired journalist who lost his family in the bombing, to live with them. These relationships deepen the makeshift family among the survivors. The compound becomes a tenuous but hopeful home.

Soon after joining the group Masa's shelter

Building a home for the orphans

Gen rallies the orphans to construct a new home from wood and other materials scavenged from abandoned buildings. They raid and repurpose debris around town to create a sense of stability and belonging. The effort marks a shift from mere survival to rebuilding a community.

Early in their efforts Around town, Hiroshima

Raid on the potato field

The orphans raid a potato field at night to supplement their meals, but the farmers catch them. In the confrontation, Katchin, a member of Masa's gang, is killed, highlighting the dangers and costs of their desperate scavenging lifestyle. The group retreats, leaving the field behind.

Later that night Potato field near Hiroshima

Signs of Kimie's illness

Gen notices he can carry his mother on his back, a sign that her health is failing. Doctors later inform Gen and Ryuta that Kimie is suffering from radiation sickness caused by the bombing, a condition that will progressively worsen with time. The family confronts an uncertain future.

Around the time health issues emerge Gen's home and medical setting

Kimie's prognosis

Kimie is told by a surgeon that she has only four months to live. Gen resists accepting her death and offers to work in her place, but Kimie insists she continues to work out of love for Gen's late father. Her determination underscores the stubborn resilience that defines the family.

Following the diagnosis Hospital and geta workshop

Penicillin plan and shipyard attempt

Gen, Ryuta, and Masa attempt to steal copper from a shipyard to buy penicillin for Kimie. Their plan fails when their boat sinks on the return journey, leaving them with nothing and intensifying the sense of futility in their struggle. They press on despite the setback.

Some time later Shipyard and sea

A chilling burial and a chase

The trio witnesses an improper burial of bombing victims by American soldiers and is chased away from the scene. The scene reveals the ongoing indignities and trauma faced by survivors in the postwar landscape. It hardens their resolve to find meaning amid loss.

Not long after the shipyard incident An area near Hiroshima

Copper bullets found

They locate copper bullets in an abandoned firing range and, with Masa's gang, collect them into a wheelbarrow. The find becomes a potential resource for trade and survival, illustrating the improvisational economy of the era. It foreshadows further risky moves for their group.

Shortly after the burial incident Abandoned firing range

Homeward with hope and Kimie's decline

Gen and Ryuta return home with money for penicillin, only to discover Kimie is dying. They carry her toward a hospital, torn between hope for a cure and the impending loss. The moment marks a profundamente painful turning point for the brothers.

On the way home after collecting copper Home and path to hospital

Kimie dies on Gen's back

As they push toward the hospital, Kimie dies on Gen's back, urging him to live on. Her death leaves Gen and Ryuta to confront a future without their pillar. The loss crystallizes the fragility of life in a postwar world.

Moment of death Along the road to the hospital

Legacy and memory

Gen has Kimie cremated and then plays with Ryuta, Masa, and the other orphans, reminiscing about the influence his parents had on his life. The scene emphasizes resilience, memory, and the shaping of Gen's identity through adversity. The orphans continue to cling to family bonds in a fractured era.

After Kimie's death Cremation site and subsequent gathering

Barefoot Gen 2 Characters

Explore all characters from Barefoot Gen 2 (1986). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

Gen Nakaoka (Issei Miyazaki)

A resourceful and compassionate boy who becomes the guardian figure for his mother and younger brother. He leads the orphans to build a sense of home in a ruined city, balancing loyalty with a fierce will to survive. His resilience is tested by illness, poverty, and a harsh social environment as Hiroshima slowly heals.

🧒 Protagonist 🛠️ Resourceful 💖 Protective

Ryuta Nakaoka (Masaki Kouda)

Gen's loyal younger brother, determined to support their family through work and shared risk. He learns the harsh realities of survival in a postwar city and grows into a steadfast partner to Gen. His bond with Gen anchors the group through danger and loss.

🧒 Sibling 🛠️ Loyal 💙 Compassionate

Katsuko (Kimi Aoyama)

A burn-scarred orphan who forms a close friendship with Gen, symbolizing hope among the survivors. She contributes to the group’s efforts to create a livable space and maintain dignity amid hardship. Her presence reinforces the theme of resilience through connections.

👧 Orphan 💖 Resilient 🤝 Companion

Kimie Nakaoka (Kae Shimamura)

Gen and Ryuta's mother, a worker whose health is compromised by radiation sickness. She remains devoted to her children, inspiring them to persevere even as she weakens. Her love and teachings leave a lasting impact on Gen's sense of responsibility.

👩 Mother 💪 Strong-willed 🕊️ Sacrificing

Doctor (Junji Nishimura)

The physician who informs Gen of Kimie's prognosis, highlighting the limits of medicine in a city still healing from war. He represents the fragile boundary between life and the long shadow of nuclear trauma. His presence underscores the real-world costs of the bombing on civilians.

🩺 Healer 🧭 Realist 💬 Advisor

Barefoot Gen 2 Settings

Learn where and when Barefoot Gen 2 (1986) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.

Time period

1948

Set in the late 1940s, three years after the Hiroshima bombing. Japan is in a fragile postwar recovery, with famine, disease, and reconstruction shaping daily life. The era is marked by desperate commerce, makeshift work, and a struggle to rebuild amidst lingering fear and uncertainty.

Location

Hiroshima, Japan

The story unfolds in Hiroshima after World War II, in a city still scarred by ruins and shortages. Civilians scavenge for food and scrap metal to survive, and black market networks become a grim lifeline. Orphans roam the streets, forming loose communities as they try to carve out any sense of home amid the devastation.

🏙️ Post-war Hiroshima 🧭 Black market and scarcity 🧒 Orphans and resilience

Barefoot Gen 2 Themes

Discover the main themes in Barefoot Gen 2 (1986). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.

🌱

Survival

Gen and the orphans rely on scavenging, odd jobs, and the black market to secure food and supplies. Their improvised efforts create a fragile, yet stubborn, system of daily life in a ruined city. The group learns to navigate danger and scarcity while keeping hope alive.

👪

Family

A makeshift family forms among Gen, Ryuta, Katsuko, Masa's gang, and other orphans, united by shared hardship. Bonds are forged through mutual care, protection, and a collective dream of a safer home. The memory of Gen's father and Kimie's enduring care shape their choices and loyalties.

☢️

War trauma

The survivors confront the lasting wounds of war, including Kimie's radiation sickness and the death that shadows their days. Scenes of improper burials and the soldiers' reactions reveal civilian suffering in the wake of the bombing. The narrative contemplates how communities endure trauma while attempting to rebuild their lives.

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Barefoot Gen 2 Spoiler-Free Summary

Discover the spoiler-free summary of Barefoot Gen 2 (1986). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.

In the lingering ash of a city once torn apart by an unimaginable blast, Hiroshima tries to piece itself together three years later. The streets are a patchwork of ruined buildings and hopeful scaffolding, where everyday life is a quiet negotiation between scarcity and the stubborn desire to rebuild. Sunlight filters through the remnants of factories, and the rhythm of the market mingles with the soft murmur of survivors, creating a world that feels both fragile and defiantly alive.

At the heart of this fragile landscape is a teenage boy named Gen, who lives with his younger brother Ryuta and their mother Kimie. Their small family ekes out a living by gathering what the city has left—food, scrap, and the occasional chance at work—while trying to cling to the values their parents instilled. Gen carries the weight of responsibility far beyond his years, balancing school in a makeshift classroom with the harsh realities of a post‑war economy. His mother’s gentle strength provides a beacon of tenderness amid the surrounding hardship.

Beyond his own household, Gen encounters a tight‑knit group of orphaned children led by the resourceful Masa. Among them is Katsuko, a girl whose quiet resilience hints at deeper scars left by the tragedy. Together they form an improvised family, sharing shelter, meals, and aspirations for a future that feels just beyond reach. The children’s camaraderie is a testament to the human capacity for connection, even when the world around them feels broken.

The film moves with a reverent, almost lyrical tone, capturing both the starkness of daily survival and the lingering hope that pulses through the streets. It invites viewers to feel the weight of loss while witnessing the quiet bravery of those who, despite everything, dare to imagine a new life. The story centers on the bonds that form when ordinary people confront extraordinary circumstances, leaving an echo of resilience that lingers long after the credits roll.

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