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KSPAM PARTY PARTY PARTY I WANNA HAVE A PARTY from PARTY ROCK Since: Oct, 2009 Relationship Status: Giving love a bad name
PARTY PARTY PARTY I WANNA HAVE A PARTY
#101: May 22nd 2011 at 9:53:34 AM

Oh, sorry. I forgot to add arrows. I wasn't directing that at you, Furiko.

I've got new mythological machinery, and very handsome supernatural scenery. Goodfae: a mafia web serial
FurikoMaru Reverse the Curse from The Arrogant Wasteland Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: He makes me feel like I have a heart
Reverse the Curse
#102: May 22nd 2011 at 9:58:28 AM

XD No, I was talking to Sackett and his little free will is awesome rant.

A True Lady's Quest - A Jojo is You!
Thenamelesssamurai from Atlanta, Georgia Since: Nov, 2010
#103: May 22nd 2011 at 10:16:02 AM

I'd argue that Shinji is the other really interesting one I've seen. Mainly because it explores how a normal person would completely crack under that kind of responsibility, thus demonstrating why the true messiah had to be more than just man, but also a god.

In many ways Shinji is a deconstruction of the Messianic Archetype.

I really think that's stretching it for Evangelion, even if you're saying he's a deconstruction. I really do think Shinji's character is focused on a different issue entirely.

Imagine Rakan applying Calling Your Attacks to doing paperwork.~Anarchy Rakan for the hell of it COMMISSION THIS BRIDGE!~EHK
Tzetze DUMB from a converted church in Venice, Italy Since: Jan, 2001
DUMB
#104: May 22nd 2011 at 10:20:37 AM

what makes me curious is that why does NOBODY EVER does research when it comes to Christianity? I mean, I have seen that does a good research on firearms (Angel Beats!, Noir, Gunsmith Cats, and Ghosts In The Shell pops in my mind) and some other subjects, but none about Christianity

Well, Christianity doesn't explode. Not much in Christian mythology really lends itself to the frenetic style of a lot of anime*

. And you don't really need specifics to depict religious people, because religious people don't usually know the specifics, or if they do, it won't come up outside of a theological debate, which, again, isn't very exciting to watch. Showing priests as (possibly only apparently) nice people mostly concerned with helping laymen is about the high point of necessity in depicting religious practice for most works of any kind.

And again, why do you want this in an anime? It seems like a weird place to look.

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neobowman つ ◕_◕ ༽つ HELIX from Unidentified Proxy Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
つ ◕_◕ ༽つ HELIX
#105: May 22nd 2011 at 10:27:54 AM

Madoka does have some big Christian themes and I can't see anything really wrong with it.

Madoka herself is stated more than once to be a good girl who never does anything wrong. Obviously probably not to the godly nature that Jesus was but the point is still there. And in the end, she does end up saving everyone by sacrificing herself.

Chaosjunction Since: Feb, 2010
#106: May 22nd 2011 at 10:32:13 AM

It depends on what you mean when you say Christianity in anime. Do you mean a portrayal of Christian lifestyle and doctrines? If so, there is no anime that will do that. In fact there is no mainstream entertainment that will do that. The best you'll get is something with a character who is Christian. Considering the fact that Christianity is pretty much unheard of in Japan, that would be rare.

If you mean something that informative about Christian information, history and trivia, then I'll agree with Signed that To Aru Majutsu no Index is the best in that regard. While some might say otherwise, Kamachi at least does a good job researching Christian history and folklore. I've been a Christian all my life, and he's mentioned facts about Christian history I was unaware of, so that's pretty good.

KSPAM PARTY PARTY PARTY I WANNA HAVE A PARTY from PARTY ROCK Since: Oct, 2009 Relationship Status: Giving love a bad name
PARTY PARTY PARTY I WANNA HAVE A PARTY
#107: May 22nd 2011 at 10:36:28 AM

>obligatory joke about battle nuns

I've got new mythological machinery, and very handsome supernatural scenery. Goodfae: a mafia web serial
Aondeug Oh My from Our Dreams Since: Jun, 2009
Oh My
#108: May 22nd 2011 at 10:38:01 AM

Actually fuck the monks. I want an anime with lesbian nuns. One Buddhist. The other Catholic. TOGETHER THEY TRAVERSE THE WORLD AND BATTLE AGAINST THE CREATURES OF MYTH. Fuck yeah man. A nun and Bhikkhuni punching an Asura in the face. You know you want it.

If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, then that's their business. We know what we're doing. - Achaan Chah
dRoy Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar from Most likely from my study Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: I'm just high on the world
Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar
#109: May 22nd 2011 at 10:44:01 AM

[up].....

Continuously reading, studying, and (hopefully) growing.
FurikoMaru Reverse the Curse from The Arrogant Wasteland Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: He makes me feel like I have a heart
Reverse the Curse
#110: May 22nd 2011 at 10:49:08 AM

And the Catholic one is tsundere for her Buddhist counterpart because she knows having romantic feelings for a woman is wrong and she doesn't want to suffer the pain of loving someone she's convinced will end up in hell! grin

A True Lady's Quest - A Jojo is You!
Raso Cure Candy Since: Jul, 2009
Cure Candy
#111: May 22nd 2011 at 10:52:04 AM

So everyone ignores the one series that does it really well (Maria Holic) and just rants on things that that might have (probably unintended) parallels?

Madoka was pretty much a remake of Faust so really any parallels would most likely be a leftover of that. Sometimes a cake is just a cake and nothing more.

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Arilou Taller than Zim from Quasispace Since: Jan, 2001
Taller than Zim
#112: May 22nd 2011 at 10:54:07 AM

There's about 2 million christian japanese citizens. That's hardly "unheard of".

"No, the Singularity will not happen. Computation is hard." -Happy Ent
dRoy Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar from Most likely from my study Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: I'm just high on the world
Professional Writer & Amateur Scholar
#113: May 22nd 2011 at 10:54:53 AM

[up] Maybe it's not as known as other works? I don't know.

Continuously reading, studying, and (hopefully) growing.
Aondeug Oh My from Our Dreams Since: Jun, 2009
Oh My
#114: May 22nd 2011 at 10:55:51 AM

Yes Furiko! YES. We need to get someone to write this...MUST. The idea is gold. FUCKING GOLD. ...I'll probably have to write it though. Because if you want something done you do it yourself. If I do it said Bhikkhuni will be Thai because god dammit I am Thai (religion wise, not racially) and fuck you people THAI BUDDHISM.

edited 22nd May '11 10:56:57 AM by Aondeug

If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, then that's their business. We know what we're doing. - Achaan Chah
FurikoMaru Reverse the Curse from The Arrogant Wasteland Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: He makes me feel like I have a heart
Reverse the Curse
#115: May 22nd 2011 at 11:21:14 AM

That's a thought indeed; I can't remember a single allusion to Lesser Vehicle Buddhism in any anime I've ever seen.

D'aww, I just thought of something - what if they rode on a Vespa?

A True Lady's Quest - A Jojo is You!
Aondeug Oh My from Our Dreams Since: Jun, 2009
Oh My
#116: May 22nd 2011 at 11:22:37 AM

That's because Japan and most of east Asia is dominated by Mahayanan schools. The Theravada is mostly a southern and south east Asian thing and well those people don't show up terribly often...And if they do they are Hindus with stretchy arms.

A vespa for them to ride would be cute...awww...

edited 22nd May '11 11:23:05 AM by Aondeug

If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, then that's their business. We know what we're doing. - Achaan Chah
Raso Cure Candy Since: Jul, 2009
Cure Candy
#117: May 22nd 2011 at 11:29:15 AM

Now Hinduism Digital Devil Saga is where it's at and that was done very well.

Sparkling and glittering! Jan-Ken-Pon!
FurikoMaru Reverse the Curse from The Arrogant Wasteland Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: He makes me feel like I have a heart
Reverse the Curse
#118: May 22nd 2011 at 11:36:03 AM

^^ XD I got the idea from the Utena movie, which is supposedly all about Mahayana Buddhism.

Utena turns into a bigass car and Anthy drives her out of the illusory world of Ohtori Academy and into the real world.

And then they make out finally.

edited 22nd May '11 11:39:15 AM by FurikoMaru

A True Lady's Quest - A Jojo is You!
Signed Always Right Since: Dec, 2009
Always Right
#119: May 22nd 2011 at 12:53:07 PM

There's about 2 million christian japanese citizens. That's hardly "unheard of".

Compared to how many more that aren't christians?

Add into the fact that a good deal of them probably don't constantly proclaim "I AM CHRISTIAN!" everyday and tries to take it up to politics, the result is not only is there very little of them, but most of them are unnoticeable.

So everyone ignores the one series that does it really well (Maria†Holic) and just rants on things that that might have (probably unintended) parallels?

So god is a loli who forces a priest to bribe her with a brand new DVD player and a flatscreen TV so he can see a girl?

...and likes the Virtual Boy.

edited 22nd May '11 12:54:52 PM by Signed

"Every opinion that isn't mine is subjected to Your Mileage May Vary."
Edmania o hai from under a pile of erasers Since: Apr, 2010
o hai
#120: May 22nd 2011 at 1:19:16 PM

So god is a loli who forces a priest to bribe her with a brand new DVD player and a flatscreen TV so he can see a girl?

You Cannot Grasp the True Form

Well hey, if you think being mindless beings with no free will is wonderful as long as there is no suffering then I think you got your values screwed up.

osnp teh moralz

If people learned from their mistakes, there wouldn't be this thing called bad habits.
harkko Since: Apr, 2010
#121: May 22nd 2011 at 2:11:17 PM

Isao Takahata's adaptation of Anne Of Green Gables is almost word to word faithful to the novel and it has a scene where Marilla decides teach Anne how to pray correctly and Matthew thought that Diana's name was a little heathenish. In Candy Candy Candy more and more forgiving as the series progresses and if I remember it correctly she says it's because god also forgives her or something like that.

Signed Always Right Since: Dec, 2009
Always Right
#122: May 22nd 2011 at 2:13:56 PM

Then wouldn't that be Anne Of Green Gables doing christianity right and not Isao?

"Every opinion that isn't mine is subjected to Your Mileage May Vary."
harkko Since: Apr, 2010
#123: May 22nd 2011 at 2:28:05 PM

I would say Isao Takahata did Anne Of Green Gables right. Too bad that authetinc, if a bit idealized North American life in the early 20th century can't be shown in American kids cartoons.

illegalcheese X-14: Killer Cheese Since: Apr, 2010
X-14: Killer Cheese
#124: May 22nd 2011 at 4:21:27 PM

While it's not exactly a big deal for me, I will say that it peeves me to think that anime and manga bothers to create odd send-ups of a belief system for NO REASON. This thread hasn't mentioned many cases of out and out satire or legitimate socio-political messages in any of these animanga, which leads me to conclude that the authors are creating warped portrayals of religions for little more than shock value.

Now, what bothers me most about this is that its UNORIGINAL. Seriously, either do the research so you have a grounded context for your story, or create your own world whole-cloth. Don't just take a system of belief and a way of life you have little to no understanding of in the hopes that your audience will find the bare minimum of relevance to be appealing.

There is a way to balance out real world context with your own wacky ideas, but the vast majority of anime and manga just seem to ignore balance, go stir-crazy with shonen stupidity, and inject faux religious imagery because, hey, why not? It just seems disrespectful, to me.

Signed Always Right Since: Dec, 2009
Always Right
#125: May 22nd 2011 at 4:38:38 PM

Not sure if "shock value" is the right word...

It's usually done for aesthetic reasons. And to show that the show takes place in our world.

Theres a lot of anime/manga that uses thinly veiled fantasy equivalents of existing religions. But those are done to show that it's an alternate fantasy world...in fact, western works does that a lot too. Just look at Warcraft3's take on egyptians*

and native american culture* .

Now Warcraft3 CAN make accurate depictions of those cultures as normal humans and etc...but who the heck would play it if they did?


Now all this isn't exclusive to religion. They can take stuff much more important than just religion and screw around with it too. Look at all the wonky science that's been present in anime/manga that is thoroughly untrue...granted they're not Hollywood-bad.

It's still accepted because you can only be so accurate to reality before boring the skulls off the audience.

Same goes for foreign religions.

PS-here's a better "science example"

What's cooler? Organisms evolve into something completely new in the blink of an eye after gaining proper amount of experience beating the crap out of other organisms? Or Mating for generations and letting natural selection decide an organism's course of evolution?

edited 22nd May '11 4:49:37 PM by Signed

"Every opinion that isn't mine is subjected to Your Mileage May Vary."

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