The first "Barefoot Gen" film is still a significant part of anime cinema. But did you know there was a sequel? "Barefoot Gen 2" never received an English dub, but it did eventually get released in North America, bundled with the first movie by Discotek on Bluray. It has a different director and a different studio. And the first movie pretty well covered the entirety of the Hiroshima bomb, so what else could the story be about?Well, most movies depicting the atomic bomb in Hiroshima don't get the opportunity to show what life is like years after the bomb fell. This takes place 3 years later: Gen is a bit more grown up, and notably more mature, but still has a up-beat attitude on a quest to eat a decent meal. He still lives with his mother and adopted brother. Society has come back to life in some form, even if only as a ghost of its former self: Gen attends school in a ruined building without a roof, spends his spare time searching for scrap metal to sell, and the town market is a series of tents along a dusty road. Curiously, it looks a lot like 2000-era Iraq, especially with the sunburnt-skin everyone sports. Younger borther Ryuta is still a scamp (and sometimes smokes used cigarettes, even though he's only about ten years old), not above begging American troops for candy, yelling out how his family has died with a big smile on his face with his hand sticking out. The mother is getting older, and slowly, we discover, is dying from radiation symptoms. But a larger story arc comes from Gen meeting a group of homeless children, and learning about their situation in Japan.At this point, "Barefoot Gen 2" shares more with "Grave of the Fireflies" than the original. It's made clear that homeless children (of which there are many, since their families and homes are long gone after the bomb) are considered a nuisance. They aren't allowed to attend school, and are typically caught by the police to be sent to camps, even if they haven't done anything wrong. But are the camps really so bad? A young gang-leader explains that, even with regular food and a bed, the "rules are too suffocating," and he'd rather live freely and homeless, stealing what he needs to get by. This ties with "Fireflies" and its complex themes: in these troubling times, even the Japanese adults aren't entirely without fault with how they treat the victims, and even the victim children aren't blameless for their selfishness. But while "Fireflies" is smarter about it, the simplicity of "Barefoot Gen 2" makes it easier to understand and accept these conflicting sides.While this is all interesting, is "Barefoot Gen 2" actually worth watching? It lacks the power and horror of the original event, and doesn't necessarily have a conclusion to this chapter. In theory, we could continue to have sequels for the rest of Gen's life, but none would have as much meaning or importance as that fateful moment. This movie can be useful for better understanding the fallout of Japan's society and culture following the bomb, but otherwise feels unnecessary. It doesn't help that the animation and visual shots aren't as compelling this time (making the film's age all the more noticable), and the music's pop songs are even more out of place this time around. And the voice acting for the children is still as annoying as ever.
I am thankful to see Gen having matured, at least as much to start wearing shoes regularly. And I have confidence that he will continue to survive with his head held high, an example for others to follow. But with that confidence, I go to bed, willing to let his character go. And while I might occasionally rewatch "Barefoot Gen" for its power, I don't think I have any reason to rewatch "Barefoot Gen 2," even if there are good parts to salvage.