Christianity in Anime

DTJB · Post by **DTJB** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 6:41 pm

One thing that has really caught my attention when it comes to anime is the use of religious themes. And I don't mean any religious themes, I mean Christianity. I'm not saying I find it offensive to see anything religious in what I watch, it's just interesting, especially when Christianity isn't one of the big religions practiced in Japan from what I understand (the big two, of course, are Buddhism and Shinto). Christian themes and metaphors can be found in a lot of anime these days; from Eva, to Big O, to Full Metal Alchemist. Do the animators and writers find Christianity unique? I tried finding articles online, but I didn't find anything helpful at all.

HyperTails · Post by **HyperTails** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:41 pm

Christianity is also found in Wolf's Rain.

The Book of the Moon is like the bible. Paradise is like the 1000 year kingdom. Jagura is like the anti-Christ. The war in the Battles Red Glare is like the war to end all war spoken in the bible. "When the world comes to an end, paradise will appear on Earth." is like when the bible talks about the 1000 year kingdom appearing after the last war.

I could go on.

Also, FMA reminds me of the crusades in a way. The Ishbalans are like the Jews, and the alchemists are like the Christians.

BasharOfTheAges · Post by **BasharOfTheAges** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:42 pm

I had always assumed they found Christian themed mythogy quaint. Like how greek Mythology is brought into pop culture from time to time.

Solaria735 · Post by **Solaria735** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 8:18 pm

I think that to the Japanese, Christianity is in many ways a foreign religion- one that's unique, mysterious, etc. (Wow, that sounded dumb.) They see it in the same mystical fashion that many Westerners view Eastern religion- as something different, mysterious, unlike the mundane, everyday common religions. It has an aura about it due to its lack of prevalence, and is thus used a lot in their entertainment because of its uniqueness. It's similar to how many Western movies will incorporate aspects of other religions in popular films- Hinduism and tribal religions in the Indiana Jones movies, many Buddhist concepts in Star Wars (among other religious concepts) and the Kill Bill movies, and on and on.

lilgumba · Post by **lilgumba** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 8:46 pm

How I see it Christianity gives a lot of metaphors and the creators of those shows can use those metaphors and easily draw parallels. For instance in Sailor Moon she can be seen as a type of Christ parallel since she usually saves the world dies in return but somehow gets resurrected again. Then there is Chrno Crusade and Witch Hunter Robin. I see both of those shows focus more on devils vs humanity/god aka good vs. evil. Now that theme can be seen anywhere but I think it is especially emphasized in Christianity. Once again this can be applied to Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne where the main character who is a reincarnation of some sort of Joan of Arc fighting demons implanted in object that turn the owners evil. If you have a source that can express hope, despair, good, evil, real life, and myth among other themes why pass it up.

IamSano · Post by **IamSano** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 9:26 pm

Did they have Christianity in Hellsing...?

bobbarker31 · Post by **bobbarker31** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 10:01 pm

IamSano wrote:Did they have Christianity in Hellsing...?

Yes, you might have noticed the Vatican Monster hit squad, all of the crosses everywhere, Integra saying that they were a Protestant country, etc. They didn't make any bones about Alucard being Vlad "the Impaler" Tepes.

Christianity in all forms is pretty prevelant all over anime. Samurai Champloo has several episodes dealing with the Christians that were Nagasaki. I remember Khyron's Christmas attack in the Macross series and how people in the town gathered in the ruins near a church to sing Silent Night. The Big O had people in Paradigm City celebrating Heavens Day, a celebration they did not understand until one person mentions at the end that it is the birthday of God's son. In Trigun Wolfwood's final scene stands out, it was more than just a plot device to have him as a preacher (preachers are standard western fare anyway). The list can go on and on.

Don't get me wrong, I haven't really seen much in anime advocating anything about Christianity. In Western culture and entertainment, it seems to be treated with either terrible contempt or blind praise. A culture as different as Japan's seems to take a more objectified look at it.

Kitsuner · Post by **Kitsuner** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 10:16 pm

IamSano wrote:Did they have Christianity in Hellsing...?

Yeah, Hellsing showed some examples of the rivalry between the Catholics and Protestants through the different groups of vampire hunters, if I remember correctly.

Another series that has elements of many religions is Shaman King (the original, not the 4Kids dub). Aside from the obvious references like Iron Maiden Jeanne's name and Manta's reaction to the foreigners' graveyard just before the first Faust battle, SK sort of pits the different faiths against each other, with the winner getting to be the dominant religion for half a millenium. Some of the religions represented include:

Christianity (Faust VIII) (although this might be more of a Pagan example than a Christian one)
Buddhism (Yoh Asakura)
Daoism (Tao Ren)
Shinto (Horohoro)
Islam (Hao Asakura and crew)
Catholicism (Iron Maiden Jeanne and crew)(a little more extreme that real Catholics, but they have the same basic prinicples)
African Tribal Religions (Chocolove)
Anglicanism (Lyserg Diethel)

Then again, a lot of these matches kind of stretch the concepts, but they were the best I could come up with...

Knowname · Post by **Knowname** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 10:52 pm

I'm not on a mission or anything but what bugs me is that Animes like Eva, Chrno Crusade, Hellsing remind me of the Crusades where they only use it as an excuse. I'd rather watch a harem anime than stupidity like that. That's why I enjoy Angel Sanctuary, it's more about Theology (Science- knowledge, or in this case religion, in motion) rather than just knowledge of religion...

oh wow the Lillan... who cares... it could be the Martians and work just as well.

The key of whatever WHATEVER! Maybe western ideology is more careful about these things (down to nudity and drugs!) because, now I'm not big on Eastern history, they don't bear the embarasement of Witch hunts, Crusades, etc. I mean, sure they had just as dark a past with the shogunate and what not (and that's why school animes are just so messed up sometimes!! Or is it really everybody for themselves there like it sometimes seems) but isn't it their tradition to basically IGNORE all that stuff?? lol Well... basically ignore, I mean they seem to ignore the consequences yet remember it as why else would we have anime??

</rant> Ignore the drivel, but I like the point about they hadn't experienced the Crusades and stuff... and stuff

bobbarker31 · Post by **bobbarker31** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 11:06 pm

Anno did say after all of the controversy errupted after Evangelion that the Christian themes were just a plot device, they could have just as easily been a strict science fiction angle put to it. And if he knew the controversy that would have happened, he would have done just that.