Anime has a fascination with Christianity. For decades, priests and nuns have filled out anime casts, the church has often been presented as a corrupt source of evil, and bible verses have been quoted in funny ways or epic moments. Typically superficial in nature, these Christian elements are fun to identify and track. But could… Read More Master List of Bible Verses in Anime
I may have watched Fate/Zero for Yuki Kajiura’s soundtrack, but what stays with me is Emiya Kiritsugu’s journey. Or should I say, his failure to actually take the journey. Because although he devotes his life to training, scheming, manipulating and ultimately fighting for the opportunity to encounter the Holy Grail—the “all-powerful wish-granter”—Kiritsugu forgets to do… Read More Fate/Zero: Kiritsugu & How to Dream Impossible Dreams
As we celebrate our tenth anniversary on Beneath the Tangles, we want to take some time each month to look into the past, not only to commemorate our ten years, but also to see where we were and how far we’ve come as a site and collectively as anime fans. For most months this year,… Read More 10 Year Retrospective, Month #3: Throwback to March 2012
Today’s guest post comes from medical school student, Dimas, and takes a look at how Christianity is sometimes depicted in one of two ways, as through Kirei Kotomine, when it is in fact neither. Christian tone and symbolism in the Japanese media and in particular anime are mostly used as a flavoring so to say;… Read More Guest Post: What Philosophy Found Pleasure a Sin? A Response to Gilgamesh
Anime often revels in deviant storytelling. Add that to its cultural roots, and it’s easy for misunderstanding and stereotyping to occur among Western audiences. Christians, especially, seem hesitant to embrace anime due, in part, to its oftentimes default spiritual content. Witches, demons, spirits, and magic frequently flavor Japanese storytelling, which can sound worse in word… Read More Something More: Belonging in Bungou, Berserk “Sunday School,” and Dangerous Flying Witches
Hi, everyone! It’s Charles, here, taking over JP’s Anime Today column. Just for one week, though, I promise! When I think of villains, anime and otherwise, what usually comes to mind isn’t just the antagonist, but his or her goal. These aims are usually something that occupies, consumes, and transforms them. Aizen from Bleach is… Read More Anime Today: The Holy Grail and Other Treasures
Confession time. Until just recently, I had never been to an anime convention. That being said, I can now say I have. On March 22nd, I attended Anime-Japan 2014 in Odaiba, Tokyo. It was crazy. Having never been to a convention before, I was invited to go with a friend who has been to conventions… Read More Anime Japan 2014