Hiroshima ni Ichiban Densha ga Hashitta [Episode 1]

“Hiroshima ni Ichiban Densha ga Hashitta: Episode 1 – A Quiet Ode to Resilience That Hits Hard”

Let’s cut straight to it: this 1993 NHK special isn’t your typical anime. No flashy fight scenes, no magical powers—just raw, human stories stitched together by the quiet act of fixing a streetcar. And honestly? That’s exactly why it sticks with you, even 30 years later.

For those who don’t know, Hiroshima ni Ichiban Densha ga Hashitta (translated as “The First Tram Runs to Hiroshima”) drops us right into the aftermath of the 1945 atomic bomb. The first episode zeroes in on a group of survivors—including a young streetcar worker named Setsuko—who make it their mission to get the city’s trams running again. Why? Because, as one character puts it, “If the trams move, Hiroshima moves.”

What hits first is the contrast. The opening minutes show pre-bomb Hiroshima: sunlit streets, kids laughing, Setsuko chatting with passengers on her tram. Then the screen goes white. When it fades back, we see the same streets reduced to ash. But instead of lingering on the horror (though there are gut-punch moments—like a mother calling for her child in the rubble), the episode focuses on what comes next. Workers dig through debris to find usable tracks. A mechanic fixes a tram motor with parts scavenged from wreckage. Setsuko, her hands still bandaged, shows up to work because “people need to get home.”

Fans on forums are split but mostly blown away. One MyAnimeList user wrote, “I thought it’d be all sadness, but it’s more about hope. Like, even when everything’s gone, you still want to help.” Another pointed out the little details: the way Setsuko smooths her uniform before her first post-bomb shift, the sound of a hammer tapping nails as workers rebuild a station. “It’s the small stuff that makes it real,” they said.

Critics have called it “a masterclass in understated storytelling.” The animation, done by Madhouse (yes, the studio behind Death Note and Parasyte), is simple but powerful. The muted colors—grays, browns, soft blues—mirror the city’s exhaustion, but there are flashes of warmth: a cup of tea shared between workers, a child’s drawing taped to a tram window.

Is it for everyone? Probably not. If you’re into action-packed shonen, this might feel slow. But if you want something that makes you think about what it means to keep going, this is it. The first episode ends with the tram’s wheels turning again—shaky at first, then steady—down a track lined with survivors waving. It’s not a happy ending, but it’s a human one.

As one fan summed it up: “This isn’t just about Hiroshima. It’s about anyone who’s ever had to pick up the pieces. And that’s why it matters.”

So, if you’re in the mood for an anime that’s less about superpowers and more about super humanity, give this a watch. Just grab tissues—you’ll need ’em.

— A 1993 gem that still resonates today.