Bear with me, but I’m going to be controversial for a moment (or perhaps not, depending on who you are). Of everything I’ve heard in my formal undergraduate education, one phrase that has absolutely frustrated me the most is the following:
“If the plain sense makes sense, seek no other sense.”
It seems innocuous enough at first, sure, but here’s the kicker: it is that careless phrase that most often hear attributed to arguably the most important and deliberately written literature in human history: The Bible. Regardless of where you stand in your beliefs, be it atheism, agnosticism, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hindu, or one of the many other systems I missed, the Bible has had a nearly unprecedented effect on societal development. So then why, I think to myself, would someone interpret something of this utmost importance so carelessly?
I must admit, I am in a constant state of flux on the specifics of my beliefs. I have fluctuated from young earth creationist, to evolutionist, to young earth creationist again, to progressive creationist, to gap theorist (not really, though it did intrigue my interest for a few days), to theistic evolutionist, and I have similarly fluctuated with other areas of doctrine. However, if there is one area of my beliefs that has grown consistently in one direction, at least beginning with my intentional education into such matters, it is the importance of Scriptural context.
- Why was the creation story written and why was it important to its original audience?
- Why do the four Gospels differ and why were they important to their original audiences?
- To whom did Paul write his letters and how does that impact his individual messages?
- What was the purpose of the book of Revelation and how does that affect its interpretation?
All of these are important questions that all Christians of all denominations must consider. While I may hold to certain doctrines that you may not (theistic evolution, amillennialism, etc.), contextual emphasis remains an integral part of the Christian faith. It remains an integral part of interpreting any text outside of your own culture.
And thus, enter Shirobako.
Shirobako is one of my favorite anime this season. It appears to offer a behind-the-scenes look at the comprehensive production process behind an anime while simultaneously giving fans what they enjoy in a slice-of-life anime. It makes the subject matter surprisingly accessible to people of many interests. However, as invested as I am in Japanese culture (and elements of otaku culture, by extension, if you haven’t noticed), I am among many of its Western audience in missing out on an enormous chunk of what makes it a wonderful series.
That is, namely, the culture that gave birth to the series in the first place.
For a brief summary of things you probably missed, check out Shirobako’s entry on one of my favorite sites: TVTropes. Not all of the entries on this page are cultural references, of course, but strewn throughout the series are cleverly altered names and appearances that relate to celebrities, series, or events in the history of animation. I have, of course, picked up on some of the more obvious ones, but at least as many flew right over my head. Now I could just consume Shirobako in blissful ignorance, and I will surely do this to some extent, but in doing so I am acknowledging that I am missing an important portion of the creators’ intent.
As silly as it might seem, I am brought to the book of Revelation. Throughout the book are complex and brilliant references to current (1st Century AD) events relevant to the churches to which John was writing. The pinnacle of these is the recurring and enormous parody of the Roman Empire and the evil that early Christians faced. Before doing my own personal research of this, I was completely ignorant of these matters. Sure, I still was enamored by the compellingly strange (and almost whimsical) writings of the apocalyptic book, but I clearly was missing the point.
The main difference between Revelation and Shirobako in these considerations is that Shirobako is of no eternal significance. It is fun to view, and my viewing experience becomes much more pleasurable once I have learned more context and am able to transition from the “outside” to the “inside.” As a Christian, however, the Bible is central to what I believe and how I live. So let’s consider this statement again:
“If the plain sense makes sense, seek no other sense.”
I’m sure there’s a place for this logic, but I simply cannot attribute it to something as enormous in scope as something that claims to be Scripture.