Photo/Illutration Misayo Nakazawa, the widow of the late Keiji Nakazawa, creator of “Barefoot Gen,” holds the Eisner award trophy in Hiroshima on Aug. 21. (Yuhei Kyono)

The hibakusha who created the comics that spread the horrors of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima to the world has been inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Awards Hall of Fame in the United States. 

In August, a trophy commemorating the honor was delivered to the widow of Keiji Nakazawa (1939-2012), author of the “Hadashi no Gen” (Barefoot Gen) series. 

“I couldn’t be happier that American readers have read his work and understood his wish for a world without nuclear weapons,” said Misayo, 81. 

Nakazawa joined a distinguished list of Japanese inductees, including Osamu Tezuka (1928-1989) famed for “Astro Boy,” Hayao Miyazaki, founder of Studio Ghibli, and Moto Hagio, known for “The Poe Clan.”

The Eisner Awards, named after American cartoonist Will Eisner, is officially called the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards.

According to the U.S. awards body, Nakazawa was selected in July as one of 19 inductees from around the world, chosen by a panel of experts and authors.

On its website, the body mentions Nakazawa’s first work on the atomic bomb, “Kuroi Ame ni Utarete” (Struck by Black Rain), stating that he “began to express his memories of Hiroshima in his manga.”

Nakazawa was born in Hiroshima.

At the age of 6, he was exposed to the atomic bomb at 8:15 a.m. on Aug. 6, 1945, while in front of his elementary school, just 1.3 kilometers from ground zero.

He lost his father, elder sister and younger brother in the bombing. His younger sister was born immediately after the bombing but died soon after.

Nakazawa's manga "Barefoot Gen" is based on his personal experiences.

The work has been translated into more than 20 languages, including English and Russian. 

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