Eight months after its global release, Christopher Nolan's Best Picture Oscar winner, Oppenheimer, made its debut in Japanese cinemas today, sparking a range of reactions from audiences. The film, which delves into the race to develop the atomic bomb, has garnered both praise and discomfort among viewers. However, it has also faced criticism for not explicitly depicting the devastating 1945 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Nolan addressed this omission in an interview with NBC back in July, stating that the decision was grounded in the storytelling approach taken in the film. He explained that Oppenheimer is told subjectively from the perspective of the eponymous physicist and deviating from his experience would betray the essence of the narrative. According to Nolan, Oppenheimer learned about the bombings through radio broadcasts, just like the rest of the world.

Concerns over the sensitive subject matter had raised doubts about Oppenheimer's release in Japan, but in December, Universal's local distribution partner, Bitters End, announced that the biographical epic would indeed grace Japanese screens in 2024. The decision came after months of attentive discussions surrounding the subject matter and the acknowledgement of its particular sensitivity for Japanese audiences. In January, Bitters End confirmed the release date of March 29, strategically positioning it after the Oscars, where the film triumphed with seven awards.

Reports from local media indicate that some cinemas in Japan took precautions by placing warning signs at their entrances, alerting moviegoers to the presence of nuclear test scenes and imagery that may evoke the devastating consequences of atomic bombs. These measures aimed to prepare viewers for potentially disturbing content.

Opinions among those who have already seen the film vary. A young resident of Hiroshima expressed to the BBC that Oppenheimer portrayed the physicist as a great man weighed down by regret and guilt. Meanwhile, an anti-nuclear campaigner found herself disgusted by scenes celebrating the creation and use of the atomic bomb. Another student remarked that the film provided a fresh perspective, particularly regarding the notion that the use of atomic bombs saved lives.

In an interview with Reuters, a 37-year-old Hiroshima resident with roots in the city expressed their difficulty in watching the film. While acknowledging its merit and potential for Academy Awards recognition, they found it uncomfortable due to what they perceived as a portrayal that seemed to praise the atomic bomb. Another Hiroshima resident shared a similar sentiment, particularly in relation to certain scenes, such as Oppenheimer's trial in the United States.

A student who watched the film today offered an alternative perspective, suggesting that while Hiroshima and Nagasaki were undeniably victims, Oppenheimer, as the inventor, was both a perpetrator and a victim caught in the war's turmoil.

The lack of explicit imagery depicting the atomic bomb survivors troubled some viewers. Former Hiroshima mayor, 96-year-old Takashi Hiraoka, expressed his belief that the film did not adequately convey the horrors of nuclear weapons from Hiroshima's standpoint. However, Professor Masao Tomonaga, an atomic bomb survivor and honorary director of the Japanese Red Cross Nagasaki Atomic Bomb hospital, considered Oppenheimer to be an "anti-nuclear" film. He found that the shock expressed by Oppenheimer in various scenes sufficed for him.

Toshiyuki Mimaki, a co-chair of the atomic bomb survivor groups confederation Hidankyo, emphasized the importance of presenting the full story, including the victims, in any narrative aspiring to foster a future without nuclear weapons. On the other hand, a younger Hiroshima resident commended the film for focusing on Oppenheimer's internal struggle and not broadening the scope to depict the aftermath.

One survivor of the Nagasaki bombing, who lost five family members, expressed hope that Oppenheimer would prompt audiences to contemplate the implications of having nuclear weapons. He encouraged as many people as possible to see the film given the lack of awareness surrounding the destructive power of these weapons in today's world.

As Oppenheimer continues its run in Japanese theaters, the debates surrounding its portrayal of the atomic bombings are likely to persist. The film's release has sparked discussions about historical responsibility, the ethics of storytelling, and the urgency to never forget the devastating impact of nuclear weapons.

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