An anime movie that tells the tale of an American serviceman who was exposed to radiation from the atomic bomb in Hiroshima is now in production, years after it was first pitched
The film, titled “Hiroshima: The Last Summer Rose,” depicts the deepening relationship between a U.S. prisoner of war in Hiroshima and a female student who cared for him. They forge a deep bond while enduring the grueling war and the atomic bombing.
The movie was based on an idea by Jimmy T. Murakami, a second-generation Japanese-American movie director. He collaborated with Shigeaki Mori, a survivor of the atomic bombing who later spent many years researching the U.S. prisoners of war who died in the blast. Mori later became well-known for meeting with then U.S. President Barack Obama during the president’s visit to Hiroshima in 2016.
Popular manga artist Kaiji Kawaguchi, whose works include “The Silent Service,” was involved in designing the movie’s characters. As both Murakami and Mori passed away before the movie could be completed, Kawaguchi and others involved in the film are determined to carry on their legacy and share their message about the horrors of war.
Murakami was visiting Japan when he first learned that U.S. military personnel had died in the blast on Aug. 6, 1945. During World War II, Murakami himself had been held at an internment camp in California because he was of Japanese descent. He decided that he wanted to create a story that honors the spirits of people who died in the war while portraying the power of human love.
Murakami sought advice from Mori, who explained the findings of his research to “amplify just how frightening atomic weapons are.”
Although Murakami completed the draft for the movie, he passed away in 2014 at the age of 80. Movie producer Toju Udagawa and others who had heard about the film from Murakami picked up the project and reached out to Kawaguchi to request his help.
Kawaguchi, 78, was born in Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture. He made his debut as a manga artist in 1968 while studying at Meiji University. He went on to create works including “The Silent Service,” in which a nuclear-powered submarine is declared an independent nation, and “Kubo Ibuki” (Aircraft carrier Ibuki), in which the Self-Defense Forces engage in combat with the Chinese and Russian militaries.
Kawaguchi’s focus on military conflict and national security in his work stems from hearing his father’s tales about the war during his childhood. His father served in the navy as a crewman on a minesweeper, and reportedly harbored feelings of guilt over his colleagues who lost their lives on the frontline while he did not see battle.
“I felt that the nature of war is profound and terrifying,” Kawaguchi recalled thinking after listening to his father’s thoughts about the war.
Kawaguchi agreed to participate in the movie and contributed about 30 characters, including U.S. military personnel and female students. He said that this was the first time he had designed characters for a movie.
Production of the movie was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other reasons, but resumed this year. Sadly, Mori died in March at the age of 88.
The movie is scheduled to be completed in 2030, marking the 85th anniversary of the atomic bombings. A crowdfunding campaign for the movie is currently running on the Campfire website, and Udagawa and other staffers will start work on the anime.
“This movie will depict how important it is for people from enemy nations to try and understand each other, which is a powerful message,” Kawaguchi said. “I really hope young people also will watch it.”
