Manga Study Guide: Barefoot Gen/Use of cartoon violence

Return to Main Page

Why did the comic "Barefoot Gen" use cartoon violence?
An abbreviated strong language and violent expression. The Weekly Jump could not show a realistic violence.

Style of manga comic’s info
In a case, Japanese comics has excessive violence and expression. But they aren’t meant to injure person. They just entertain the reader. Realistic expressions have the blood sprat, scars, and destruction and realistic faces. They look like real photographs. However comical expressions have have unrealistic motions (e.g jumping to the sky).

Pieces of work that use realistic violence

 * History- “Explain the past times with details”
 * War log- “Describe events that happened in the great War”
 * Mystery- ”A story to elucidate the truth of a crime.”
 * Gekiga(劇画)-”Comic style of a realistic narrative”

Pieces of work that use comical violence

 * Gag manga- “Funny moment and such jokes”
 * Satire- “Draw contents in derision of specific object interestingly”
 * Comedy

Pieces of work that use both expressions

 * Adventure
 * Action
 * Fantasy

In Barefoot Gen that has very heavy and serious theme from the war. Barefoot Gen has both expressions. Because, When the scene where Gen was hit by father. Then moment, Gen cut in his mouth. (You can see a little bit of blood). So, This is a realistic expression but, he flew up by a hit shock (In some cases, people can fly up). In most cases, these expressions are comical.