In August 1945, the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki endured two of the most deadly attacks in history. Each hosting several thousand inhabitants, these two cities turned into a living hell when atomic bombs were dropped during WW2. A few days later, surrender was officially proclaimed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following this unspeakable act, accounts began to come to light. However, from the surrender to the end of the US occupation, Japan was under harsh censorship. Following strict rules set up by US authorities, media such as radio, cinema, and literature were not permitted even to mention the censorship.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite that, testimonies from the\u00a0hibakusha\u00a0<\/em>(people exposed to the atomic bombings) began to spread after the occupation. These testimonies took various forms: newspapers, documentaries, literature, manga theater, music, and drama. How difficult may it be to make a selection, I would like to share three particularly moving movies and books with you, paying homage to the victims of this unnamable event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

• Atomic Bomb Cinema: The Horror of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Through Movies<\/a>
  • Rhapsody in August, A Heartbreaking Movie about War Traumatism<\/a><\/li>
  • Summer Lights: Between fiction and Documentary, Testimony About the Horror of the Hiroshima Bombing<\/a><\/li>
  • On a Paper Crane, Tomoko’s Adventure: Hiroshima’s Story Explained to Children<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
  • Atomic Bomb Literature: Books for a Better Undertanding of History<\/a>
    • Hiroshima no Pika: A Book for Children that Doesn’t Hide Anything<\/a><\/li>
    • The Bells of Nagasaki: Witnessing Horror to Praise Peace<\/a><\/li>
    • Barefoot Gen: A Survivor of Hiroshima Tells his Story through Manga<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
    • More Atomic Bomb Cinema and Literature<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Atomic Bomb Cinema: The Horror of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Through Movies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      The nuclear weapon is featured in plenty of movies. Whether it is in live-action or anime movies, there are many ways to depict the same subject. Despite being a tragic event, a few moviemakers chose to focus on hope rather than horror. There are three that particularly inspired me that I would like to share here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Rhapsody in August, A Heartbreaking Movie about War Traumatism<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      The story of Rhapsody in August <\/strong><\/em>(Hachi-gatsu no kyoshikyoku<\/em>, \u516b\u6708\u306e\u72c2\u8a69\u66f2), released in 1991 by Akira Kurosawa<\/a>, takes us through a small countryside town around Nagasaki in the early 1990s. On a hot summer day, we meet Kane, a grandmother taking care of her four grandchildren while their parents have gone overseas for holidays. One day, Kane receives a letter from a distant brother, who left the country long ago, living in Hawai. Bedridden, he asks her sister to come to his bedside, but she is reluctant. She does not see herself going to the US. However, during the movie, her grandchildren will try to persuade her to go. She finally agrees, but on the condition to wait after August 9th, the death anniversary of her husband, 40 years earlier in Nagasaki with the atomic bomb. Her distant nephew (an American man portrayed by Richard Gere) finally pays a visit to Kane when he learns that her husband died during the US bombing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n