Cultural fallout: the impact of the atomic bombings on Japanese arts

Visitors at Tokyo’s Mori Arts Center Gallery explore an exhibition marking Godzilla’s 70th anniversary - a reminder of how Hiroshima and Nagasaki’s atomic legacy permeates Japanese pop culture, from fiery monster breath to haunting tales of radiation sickness. Photo: AFP

From Godzilla's fiery atomic breath to post-apocalyptic anime and harrowing depictions of radiation sickness, the influence of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki runs deep in Japanese popular culture.

In the 80 years since the World War II attacks, stories of destruction and mutation have been fused with fears around natural disasters and, more recently, the Fukushima crisis.