Christianity in Anime

[HeavyMetal]

Nah..It said on the web page that Taoism was not included. I may have read it wrong, but even still Taoism is different from traditional Chinese beliefs.

The communism thing is a good point. Though technically China is socialist.
Communism is not necessarily without religion though. Marx, its creator, just felt that religion was a way for the upper class to control the masses. Think the Big O. (I am not sure if any communist country has an offical religion, but it is possible.)

Personally I think religion just gives people hope so they tend to put up with more and become more accepting. Though religion has been used as Marx felt, but only in some situations.

Wonder if there are any anime with Marxist ideas in the story?

Everyone seemed to have good points about the survey. I just don't think it could be accurate. A few years ago I saw one that put Buddhism at the top. It was done by universities, but who knows.

Anyway as for anime I think I find more Buddhist and Shinto examples in anime than Christian. But considering the nation I suppose there is a lot of Christian references in anime.

However, some are unintended. The hand with a hole in it in Fooly Cooly (FLCL) was thought to be a Christian reference by some, but it had a different meaning to its Japanese creator.

[BasharOfTheAges]

Marx, its creator, just felt that religion was a way for the upper class to control the masses.

You hit the nail on the head right there. This is exactly the reason i consider myself agnostic and (from the people i have spoken to) it's the primary reason "agnostic" is growing as an appealing choice among people who take part in surveys like the one you found the info on.

[cholinms]

Solaria735 sorry I guess I didn't make myself clear. I know why the cross is important to Christians. I just find it odd, considering that it was a murder weapon. A people that saw generations of people killed quite horrifically suddenly adopted the cross as a symbol of faith and salvation. That is what I find baffling.

Of course, I suppose Jesus really didn't leave much along the lines of symbolism to unite his followers after he left or much along the lines of instructions for continuing the faith in terms of institutions like church. I guess the empty cross was just the last impression. It does make a statement.

One reason the the church adopted the cross was because it was already a holy symble for many other religions(Druidic, Roman, Greek, Egyption). It made it easier for them to get converts. They also made a lot of their holidays/festivals so that they would fall on pagan holidays/festivals.

[Solaria735]

That's true as well, although many of the "underground" Christians in the first few centuries still used the cross as a symbol solely becuase of its connection to Christ, before the Church gained any power and was worried about attracting/appealing to/integrating other religions (which is why they adapted pagan festivals, holidays, customs, etc).

HeavyMetal- no worries.

[Earl6282]

Hmm... it's hard to tell. I just think it's kinda retarded to use Christian themes to make a movie badass. You know, like any anime that's got some Christian guy (or possibly an angel) with a big fat gun, shooting up stuff. You know, like Saiyuki or something.

But then again, I hate ANY anime with guns. Blades are so much cooler.

Anyhow, I really have no idea what's with the Christian themes. I try to ignore them.

[OtakuMan22]

Well if you want to find out what IS with those themes, then go ahead and read up on the discussions so far. You might learn a thing or two. I know I did!

Although you do raise a good point on the use of religious figures to make them "Badass".

So does being a tough as nails, shoot anything that moves, slice and dicer, Christian preacher or nun (or even a Buddhist Monk or Shinto Miko) make you more badass than a guy who doesn't show his religious beliefs in ANY shape or form? IE, it never comes up in coversation, or the guy is just wearing normal clothes (like the guy with the glasses from Sin City)?

Here's a good one: Take Batman for instance!

Batman is definitively badass. He's cool, no-nonsense, and has a good detective streak going for him. Now here's the question: would he be even MORE badass if he wasn't Batman, but rather PriestMan or something like that? Same attitude, same rough and tough demeanor, but instead of going into alter-ego millionaire playboy, Bruce Wayne, he spends his time praying at a church and analyzing the contradiction or religion and the cause of evil in the world? Also, instead of a Batarang, he'd use like a cross or tools akin to what Simon Belmont might carry.

Would BatMan still be BatMan if he was a religious man?

I'd say that's a good question open for discussion.

~Otaku-Man

[Kitsuner]

You know, like any anime that's got some Christian guy (or possibly an angel) with a big fat gun, shooting up stuff. You know, like Saiyuki or something.

I haven't seen all of Saiyuki, but I don't remember many Christians in that series...

If you're talking about Sanzo (the priest who leads the main characters), then that would be Buddhism you're thinking of. If I'm wrong, though, please let me know. That would be interesting to know about the conflict that would be presented there.

Also, though I haven't actually seen these episodes, the next major Rurouni Kenshin story arc after Shishio

is defeated

focuses on a Christian uprising led by a swordsman named Amakusa Shougo claiming to be the "Son of God" reincarnated, who seemed to perform miracles similar to Christ's (which were actually just Western medicine and astrology at work, which is similar to how other false prophets work). This story seems a little reminiscent of the Crusades to conquer Jerusalem, as Amakusa plans to create a new Holy Land in Japan, in retaliation for the oppression of Christians before the Meiji Era, since he watched as his parents were killed for being Christian.

[paizuri: Spoiler tag added.]

[OtakuMan22]

Dude, first of all, spoiler warning!

Second, yes Sanzo was Buddhist. He was a Buddhist priest who was sent a message from Buddha to go and retrieve scriptures from India to bring back to China to help aid the budding Buddhists there. Since the "Journey West" to India was a long and perilous journey, and since these were times where monsters and spirits were all about, Sanzo had three companions join him. The infamous Son Goku (the monkey), Hattori (the pig, and I hope I got his name right), and a kappa whose name I can't remember (or he may have been a dragon, the interpretation of what EXACTLY he is has been taken differently from different translations).

But the underlying story is more than anything else... Buddhist!

~Otaku-Man

[Yuki Kedamono]

One of the best examples, though, where Christianity seems correct, is Hellsing.

another good example.. though they don't talk about it MUCH... is FMA, they talk about stepping on the toes of God or defying God an all these other thigns that signify God... ^_^ tha's just a little piece of it...like evangalion i had mentioned earlier... it's not all about it... just semi-basic..

[Yuki Kedamono]

also... about what i said eariler with the whole charms and spells and such... that was talking about the whole religion in a sense.... they don't really do it NOW... (some older people do), but they used to and that's the point.... the point of how the religion was into that now or at one time... does not matter when...