Christmas in October

This week, my wife went Christmas shopping.  She gathered lots of goodies for three packages full of presents, like magnifying glasses, crayons and clothes.  We excitedly wrapped the presents while watching Glee, and explained to our toddler son that these presents are not for him.  They are for children like Gina: Gina is 12. Her… Read More Christmas in October

Spirituality in the Anime Blogosphere: Manga Jesus is Just…Man

For the past couple of months, I’ve really been enjoying “Jason Thompson’s House of 1000 Manga,” a new column at Anime News Network.  This week, he’s featuring a manga many Christians might either rejoice about or dislike: Yoshikazu Yasuhiko’s Jesus. His conclusion is that the manga doesn’t take a stance on Jesus’ divinity (or even… Read More Spirituality in the Anime Blogosphere: Manga Jesus is Just…Man

Yuki-Anne in Japan: Introduction and Arrival

An intent of this blog is to bring two polarizing ideas, anime and Christian spirituality, together.  Of course, it’s not surprising that these two topics have little surface relationship to each other, as Japan has only a small Christian population.  That said, I think it’s worth exploring the convergence of Christianity and Japanese society, religion… Read More Yuki-Anne in Japan: Introduction and Arrival

Do You Love Me Enough to Let Me Go?

You don’t have to be an expert in anime to understand that a generation gap is developing between twenty-somethings and younger fans of the medium. Patrick W. Galbraith, in his book, The Otaku Encyclopedia, calls of the post-Evangelion fans the “fifth wave.” This is my wave – the time period in which I became hooked on anime. And just as with most people, I believe my wave to be best.

Because we’re entering a new wave, shows that aren’t too old, but are from a past generation, are now considered classics. Case in point: Cowboy Bebop. If any show can be called “universally acclaimed,” it’s this one. If you’re sixth generation an unfamiliar with the show, it follows a group of bounty hunters traveling throughout the solar system. That short summary hardly does the show justice, though. It explores a number of themes, including one of particular interest to me: the them of letting people go to make their own decisions. And this idea is one that is vital to Christianity.

By the way, spoilers abound below…… Read More Do You Love Me Enough to Let Me Go?