When I started this blog, I brainstormed a number of series (and ideas about those series) that I wanted to blog on. Angel Beats! was right at the top. But until today, I’ve never blogged on the series, because I was a bit overwhelmed with the amount of spiritual themes in the show and having… Read More Re-Viewed: Angel Beats! Episode 01 and My So Called Examined Life
I stumbled upon the most interesting blog today! Authored by an animation school student, the writer (Sombra) focuses considerably on four particular topics: anime and manga, music and art, spirituality, and therianthropy. Woh – what a range, eh? In fact, I have to admit my ignorance – I looked up therianthropy and read through a… Read More Spirituality in the Anime Blogosphere: Sorting It All Out
Jonathan Tappan, who is well-versed in Buddhism, has posted a few more interesting, short essays on the religion on FunBlog. Each post in this series is short and interesting, and they contain pictures of wonderful historic artwork. The first is about Early Japanese Buddhist Sects, briefly recounting their history; Jonathan also makes an interesting comment… Read More Spirituality in the Anime Blogosphere: Early Buddhism in Japan
Chelsea Machiela published an article in ViewsHound today called “Animephobia – The fear of Anime.” It deals with the perception of anime by outsiders as something dark and unpleasant. There are a couple of concepts that Chelsea introduces which I think are worth mentioning. First, she discusses religion (or lack thereof) in anime. She also… Read More Spirituality in the Anime Blogosphere: Animephobia
Weeks past the tweet and blogfest that was Puella Shoujo Madoka Magica episode 12, I felt the need to add one more piece to the already-considerable pile of writings about the finale. While I’ve already discussed Christian motifs of the episode, and others have commented extensively on its various religious aspects, I wanted to focus… Read More Madoka, Homura, and a Yuri Embrace of Grace
After the final episodes of Madoka aired in late April, there was a rush of postings about the shows, with many discussing religious aspects of the finale. While I saw Christian elements in the final episodes, others focused on the the Buddhist principles expressed in the series end. I studied Buddhism in college, but that… Read More Spirituality in the Anime Blogosphere: Buddha and Madoka
My writing on anime and Christianity is largely reflective and personal. However, there are a number of individuals in academia who have written extensively on anime and religion. One such scholar is Jolyon Baraka Thomas, who graciously agreed to an interview with me. I discovered his writings through an excellent article he wrote about Hayao… Read More Spirituality in Miyazaki’s Films: An Interview with Jolyon Thomas