Keiji Nakazawa, the renowned author of “Barefoot Gen,” a Japanese comic that depicts the devastating atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945, has been selected as one of the latest inductees into the prestigious Will Eisner Comic Awards Hall of Fame. This announcement was made on Thursday through the official website of the U.S. awards organization.
Often referred to as the Academy Awards of the comic book industry, the Eisner awards hold great significance within this creative field.
Expressing her gratitude for this recognition, Nakazawa’s widow Misayo, 81, accepted a commemorative trophy on his behalf and stated that her late husband would have been delighted by this honor. She emphasized that he created “Barefoot Gen” with a strong desire to prevent any future use of nuclear weapons. Misayo hopes to utilize this award as an opportunity to raise awareness about Barefoot Gen and educate people about the horrors associated with nuclear weapons.
Born in Hiroshima in 1939, Keiji Nakazawa experienced firsthand the catastrophic effects of atomic bombing at just six years old when he was approximately 1.2 kilometers away from ground zero. Although he survived, he tragically lost his father, elder sister, and younger brother in this horrific event.
Motivated by his personal experiences during World War II and driven by a desire to inform others about these atrocities, Nakazawa began depicting his own story through various works such as “Kuroi Ame ni Utarete” (Struck by Black Rain) starting from 1968. However, it was his autobiographical comic “Barefoot Gen,” published in 1973 that gained widespread recognition and became an important educational resource for teaching Japanese youth about peace. The manga has since been translated into multiple languages including English, French, Korean Thai and Russian.
Sadly, Keiji Nakazawa passed away at age 73 in 2012 but left behind an enduring legacy with “Barefoot Gen.” The website highlights that it holds historical significance as it was not only adapted into animated films but also became Japan’s first manga to be translated into Western languages.
Other notable artists listed on the Hall of Fame include Japan’s Hayao Miyazaki Osamu Tezuka and Rumiko Takahashi.