Recently, Beneath the Tangles was invited to become a blogger for popular database My Anime List. Aside from expanding our organizational platform, we hope to utilize MAL as a mainstream bridge between the spiritual and secular in a way that reaches a primarily non-Christian demographic.
Our introductory post, which has received almost 5,000 views, provides a cursory glance at the focus we plan to pursue in future blog entries, and delves into three renowned anime series, detailing how comprehension of their religious allusions enhances both their viewing experiences and one’s understanding of religion itself. Whether you’re new to the idea of faith’s impact on fandom, or (more likely) wanting a refresher course on the key points, Annalyn (of Annalyn’s Corner) provides a succinct framework for the argument that spirituality must be considered in order to honestly approach and appreciate anime.
Read her full article at My Anime List:
>> Why Talk about Anime and Religion: An Intellectual Argument
And now for a plethora of ponderous posts:
In celebration of Geek Pride Week, Cooper D. Barham gives a testimonial about media that have impacted his life as both a Christian and a fanboy; Naruto and Pokemon are among the most honorary mentions. [Geeks Under Grace]
Perhaps Summer Wars could have been titled Prodigal Son 2.0, but how does it hold up as a modern day re-telling of the biblical parable? [Geekdom House]
D. Gray-Man is one of few anime series that recognizes (and acts on) the narrative potential in its Christian mythos, with special focus on Old Testament sin and salvation. [Digital Fox]
Outside of Superbook and My Last Day, there are no Christian anime… or are there? Five in particular stand out as having a clear, Christian ethos, while at least twenty-one others borrow heavily from Christian doctrine. [Medieval Otaku]
To secular audiences, the message of the Gospel might seem as absurd as using an arcade game to stop meteorites from impacting the earth and achieve pop-idol status (a la Crane Game Girls). That doesn’t change the fact that such “foolishness” has the very real power to save the world (though pop idol status is not guaranteed). [MDMRM]
Fortunately, Christians don’t need Kiznaiver‘s Kizuna system to “feel” others’ pain. The Holy Spirit provides a much more intimate, effective, and selfless way to empathize. [Unsheathed]
Your Lie in April may be the most visually and poetically artistic anime in recent years; its symbolic use of water, in particular, holds a biblical analogy to depression and hope. [Neighborhood Otaku]
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As part of the Something More series of posts, Beneath the Tangles links to writings about anime and manga that involve religion and spirituality. If you’ve written such a piece or know of one, please contact us to be included.
What a great selection this time around! I have read nearly all of them and have received amazing spiritual insight from them! Thanks so much for your hard work Casey!
Thank you for commenting and reading 🙂 Compiling this month’s selection has been rewarding, and I truly enjoyed your piece on Your Lie in April. It resonated with me on a very personal and spiritual level. I look forward to reading more of your insightful work and including it in future installments of “Something More.” Good to know that others are getting spiritual insight from the selection!
Great stuff here, as always! Thank you for collecting these.
As long as you guys write it, I’ll be more than happy to share it. This column runs on the hard work of aniibloggers around the web! It’s always a pleasure to compile and show a little appreciation back.