Introduction / How it All Started
On May 23rd, 1922, a baby boy was born in the rural town of Mitsukue, located in Kyushu, Japan. He would then grow into a child with an interest in playing cards and board games, specifically the Hanafuda cards created by Nintendo, a card company at the time, and shogi, also known as the Game of Generals, along with a decent skill in hand-drawn comics about his adventures and what he was dreaming. He wasn't the most academic student in his school and didn't have many friends, but he always had a family to help him out. As he got older, his drawing skills got better and, soon enough, he started to create fully completed pictures, a step up from the scribbles and squiggles he drew as a child years ago. After graduating, he would then become a traveler going from town to country to see all the sights he was missing out on, but not before wishing his family nothing but good luck.
Little did he know, after what he witnessed at Hiroshima on August 9th, 1945, his life would change forever, for better or for worse.
Jun Ishikawa's Travel Journal
1945, August 9th
AM 08:32
It's never easy crossing the country borders with the war going on. An ordinary person wouldn't even be considered to gain access to other places in Japan apart from their home. Lucky for me that I'm no ordinary person, then.
I know how to trick the patrol into letting me in, but I won't be sharing it in my little journal. Don't want to give away all my secrets now, would I?
I haven't seen Hiroshima yet, despite my two years of traveling. Once I sneak past the border, I'll be able to get a good look for myself on what a marvel the country is.
I'll wish myself luck, as always.
- A rough translation of Jun Ishikawa's journal before witnessing Hiroshima in ruins
1945, August 9th
PM 12:15
Gone...
It's all gone...
Once I got to the town that should have been there, all I found was a wasteland of ruins and ash. I don't really have anything to say right now.
Is this what the end of the world looks like?
- A rough translation of Jun Ishikawa's journal after witnessing Hiroshima
After seeing the disaster, the traveler named Jun Ishikawa went over to Kyoto to think over his Hiroshima visit. 'What happened over at Hiroshima that caused it to become devastated?' That was the only thought going through his mind as he slept. He could only wish it was a bad dream, but he knew all too well that this was no dream.
A year later after the war ended, Jun looked back at how the country was destroyed along with another country named Nagasaki by 'atom bombs.' This was also the year he took an interest in animation after watching snippets of animation from several Disney films like Bambi and Dumbo. What he found throughout the films, and his childhood to an extent, was what was called symbolism, having one thing represent another thing. Jun decided to make his own film about the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with symbolism, even if it might hit too close to home. After five long grueling years of drawing, writing, coloring, and composing with his own blood, sweat, and tears, along with changing his name to Jun Kapa, he had finally created his own film to share with the world.
...Or at least his own country.
Little did he know, after what he witnessed at Hiroshima on August 9th, 1945, his life would change forever, for better or for worse.
Jun Ishikawa's Travel Journal
1945, August 9th
AM 08:32
It's never easy crossing the country borders with the war going on. An ordinary person wouldn't even be considered to gain access to other places in Japan apart from their home. Lucky for me that I'm no ordinary person, then.
I know how to trick the patrol into letting me in, but I won't be sharing it in my little journal. Don't want to give away all my secrets now, would I?
I haven't seen Hiroshima yet, despite my two years of traveling. Once I sneak past the border, I'll be able to get a good look for myself on what a marvel the country is.
I'll wish myself luck, as always.
- A rough translation of Jun Ishikawa's journal before witnessing Hiroshima in ruins
1945, August 9th
PM 12:15
Gone...
It's all gone...
Once I got to the town that should have been there, all I found was a wasteland of ruins and ash. I don't really have anything to say right now.
Is this what the end of the world looks like?
- A rough translation of Jun Ishikawa's journal after witnessing Hiroshima
After seeing the disaster, the traveler named Jun Ishikawa went over to Kyoto to think over his Hiroshima visit. 'What happened over at Hiroshima that caused it to become devastated?' That was the only thought going through his mind as he slept. He could only wish it was a bad dream, but he knew all too well that this was no dream.
A year later after the war ended, Jun looked back at how the country was destroyed along with another country named Nagasaki by 'atom bombs.' This was also the year he took an interest in animation after watching snippets of animation from several Disney films like Bambi and Dumbo. What he found throughout the films, and his childhood to an extent, was what was called symbolism, having one thing represent another thing. Jun decided to make his own film about the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with symbolism, even if it might hit too close to home. After five long grueling years of drawing, writing, coloring, and composing with his own blood, sweat, and tears, along with changing his name to Jun Kapa, he had finally created his own film to share with the world.
...Or at least his own country.
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