Category Archives: Christianity
Ayase v. Kuroneko: Two Ways to Love
Oreimo is best when the focus shifts away from Kirino and the creepy main storyline and toward the supporting characters. Thus, it’s unsurprising that this past week’s episode was among the best, I think, of the entire series run. It was also a piece of fanservice for me, getting to see two of my favorite characters in the show really interact for the first time – and in a pretty extended sequence, to boot.
Ayase arrives at Kyousuke’s apartment to give him a knife (a nice yandere twist) as a housewarming gift (and because she likes him – otherwise, why not wait until the party?). Sparks (and jealousies) fly when Kuroneko also shows up. The follow-through is gold, as each girl vies for Kyousuke’s attention in their own particular way, while the duo’s exaggerated personalities clash (there’s no way the two could get along even without Kyousuke in the picture).
Sparks were definitely flying (Art by **ﾓﾝﾌﾞﾗﾝ**)
At one point in their argument, Ayase and Kuroneko temporarily forget Kyousuke and instead focus on their friendships with Kirino. Each claim her as their best friend, with Kuroneko bringing up her reasoning for, apparently, why she loves Kirino more. For you see, she’ll support any choice Kirino makes, with no regard to morality. Ayase represents an opposite point of view – she’s shown that she wants Kirino to retain the perfect image she shows at school, going to desperate means, sometimes, to meet her goal.
I’m reminded of two similarly disparate viewpoints in modern society. There are some individuals who find the highest fulfillment of love in acceptance. Be who you are, no matter what that means. Of course, most people have reasonable limitations, but some do not. Websites that exist to give how-to instructions on self-harm, for instance, would be at the very edge of this kind of thinking.
Yandere Ayase? Very scary. (Art by イツ)
On the other hand, Ayase reminds me much of conservative Christian culture. Sometimes it’s pharisaical (correction: A LOT OF TIMES), as the picture of morality must be maintained, even if it means achieving actions through underhanded and hateful means. The outside becomes more important than the inside, running contrary to Jesus’ message:
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
- Matthew 23: 25-26
Haibane Renmei Small Group Syllabus
This Saturday, June 22nd, I’ll be conducting our first session in our online, Haibane Renmei small group. For those unaware, everyone is invited to take part in these sessions, in which we’ll be discussing Christian themes in Haibane Renmei and hopefully building relationships through sharing. All you need is a Google+ account, webcam, microphone, and an open mind! Please comment below, leaving your email address when prompted, and I’ll send you additional information (no commitment necessary).
The syllabus for the study is below (you can also download it). Note that we’ll be having a two week break during the session.
I’m looking forward to seeing many of you on Saturday!
Kotonoha no Niwa: Lonely Sadness
Kotonoha no Niwa, or The Garden of Words, is Makoto Shinkai’s newest film. Shinkai always seems to weave in the theme of distance and its effects on love in his stories. Many people like to focus on the romantic aspects but I think to truly appreciate his works, one must consider the overall theme and message that he is trying to convey. While I can objectively say his stories are generally good but nothing special, I do consider his themes to deliver some very powerful and meaningful messages that no other anime does. As such, while I do not have issues if people don’t enjoy his films, I can’t help but get upset when people sum up his stories as “bittersweet romance.” When I read the description for this film, I was incredibly excited because he was tackling a theme that is so readily ignored, or rather, unrealized, by society.
He [Shinkai] said that this is the first time he is making a “love” story — in the traditional Japanese meaning of the word. At one time, “love” was written as “lonely sadness” (koi). Moreover, according to Shinkai, the modern concept of “love” (ai) was imported from the West. While Kotonoha no Niwa is set in the modern era, it will be about koi in the original meaning — of longing for someone in solitude.
Shinkai specifically stated he would be writing a story about lonely sadness as opposed to the Western concept of love but somehow everyone ignored what this could potentially mean and interpreted it as “another love story.” To begin with, I am of the opinion that Shinkai has never meant to write love stories so much as they are simply the only feasible genre to efficiently translate his messages. But for the original meaning of love, that of lonely sadness, there is no romance.
Kotonoha no Niwa is a fairly short film, which relieved me. Children Who Chase Lost Voices was not bad, per se, but for Shinkai who has always placed messages above plot, I felt it deviated too much from his strengths and resulted in something much worse than he is capable of simply due to trying to approach his storytelling from a plot-centered angle. I feel his shorter films such as 5 cm/s and Voices of a Distant Star used all the time that was needed to portray his stories. Anyway, the story begins with the male protagonist, Takao, a 15 year old student, skipping school on a rainy day to visit a park and work on his shoe designs, as he dreams of becoming a shoe maker. There, he meets a mysterious woman skipping work, drinking beer, and eating chocolate. It is a chance meeting and aside from an equally mysterious tanka line she recites to him, there is nothing else to say. Takao skips first period of class every morning it rains. And each time, he meets her there. He talks to her about his life and dreams, and she listens. She does not even tell him her name. These days of simple meetings and we see very small glimpses into their lives. Takao’s family is not exactly picture perfect but it wouldn’t be right to be called dysfunctional either. The woman seems to have her own circumstances of discomfort but we hardly learn much. She simply tells him that one day she had trouble walking on her own. And then the rainy days end.
The Still Small Voice of a Distant Star
“Will it reach?”
Mikako, a 15-year-old who is piloting a mecha on a UN mission to defend earth from an alien threat, asks this question. Does she mean the text message she is sending? Or does she mean her heartfelt feelings toward the intended recipient, Noboru?
As is common in Makoto Shinkai films, the answer is left to interpretation.
Art by JEALFAY
Voices of a Distant Star, Shinkai’s first film proper, begins the theme of distance, which permeates his work. Only 30 minutes long, and famously produced entirely on a Power Mac, the film follows Mikako as she goes on her mission, leaving behind Noboru, with whom she has a budding romance. The hook of the story is in the angst that occurs as Mikako sends messages to Noboru which take months, and then years to reach him. Noboru is many years older when he receives a partial text from his middle school friend.
These two children (and in Noboru’s case, extending to his adulthood) experience significant pain due to distance. The emphasis is perhaps on the feelings we have when we’re separated from one with whom we’re in love, but on an epic scale, extending literal light years. Add to that an inference that isn’t explicitly explored – Noboru is awaiting word for someone who might be dead.
Art by すけ
The angst of it all is both painful and wonderful for the viewer! It’s easy for us to connect with their lovesickness and also with their difficulties. We all have trials we endure. And for many of us, during these trials, we’ve also called out to someone, maybe without receiving an answer.
5 Centimeters per Second: Distance of the Heart, Part 1
I’m a pretty big Makoto Shinkai fan. I wouldn’t call myself a huge fan, but if I were to list my favorite storytellers, he would be one of them. Personally, I love the themes he explores in his short but perfectly paced stories, and combined with the beautiful animation and more often than not perfect background music (I’m also a fan of Tenmon so that makes for quite a nice duo), I thoroughly enjoy many of his works. As such, I was very excited for his newest work Kotonoha no Niwa. Its recent release inspired me to consider a series of Shinkai posts, which then led to this week of Shinkai. I will start with 5 cm/s, a film which resonates very strongly with me and the one which I consider his masterpiece.
5 Centimeters per Second is a short film depicting “a chain of short stories about their distance.” It is a story of love, but not the kind one would expect from the average romance show. A lot of criticism for it originates from having an unsatisfactory ending, the romance being ruined, and/or an overall disappointing, depressing show. However, while it’s true Shinkai films tend to be a flop for those who don’t resonate with the message, I think many people watch Shinkai films with too much of a focus on the plot and not enough on the underlying character interactions. Even those who enjoy it sometimes completely miss what the message is about. 5 cm/s is not a show about pure, innocent, ideal romance, but one about naïve and realistic romance. It is not a story that seeks to entertain you, but rather enforce internal reflection about the foolishness of those jumping to what they believe to be “true love” and the very real power of distance. With that in mind, you may wish to watch it if you haven’t already as the rest of this will be written with the assumption that you have. However, while there will be spoilers, this is not a story that loses value from knowing them, so continue reading if you wish.
Something More: Christ’s Sacrifice > Madoka’s, Oukoku Christian Game, and AnoHana and the Supernatural
I didn’t update “Something More” last week, so today’s links include two week’s worth. Sorry for the delay!
Japes looks at the supernatural in AnoHana and how we might approach the topic from a Christian point of view. [Japesland]
Nick Calibey responds to a post that argues that Madoka’s sacrifice in Puella Magi Madoka Magica was greater than Christ’s. [A Rather Silly Blog]
D.M. Dutcher previews Oukoku Game, a manga with a really interesting concept involving Christianity. [Cacao, put down the shovel!]
D.M. Dutcher also reviews several works for Christian viewers/readers:
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As part of the Something More series of posts, each week 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 email TWWK if you’d like it included.
Let’s Video Chat! Haibane Renmei Online Small Group Beginning Soon!
This summer, I’d like to try something very different from what we typically do. Ever since I read Daniel Cronquist’s monograph on Haibane Renmei, entitled “Set Apart,” I’ve imagined conducting a Bible study using that work as a guide. Japes, who has recently started an excellent aniblog, brought this closer to reality by mentioning his personal study notes on “Set Apart,” which he’s graciously allowing me to employ for activity.
Art by Gorilla(1844〜)
So what exactly will we be doing? Over the course of seven sessions this summer, each conducted on a Friday Saturday night (there’ll be a two-week break in the middle of the series), we’ll be holding an online small group/house church. We’ll be spending time each week doing two things: exploring Christian ideas we can take away from Haibane Renmei and getting to know a little bit about about each through sharing time. It really fun, if not terribly awkward!
During our first small group, on Friday, June 21 Saturday, June 22 (revised date) at 10:00 pm eastern time, we’ll watch episode one of Haibane Renmei together. After that, I’ll usually ask you to watch one or two episodes per week throughout the rest of the sessions. We’ll be meeting through use of Google hangout, so if you want to join, you’ll need a webcam and a microphone. It might be weird to see all these strangers in person, but it’ll become more natural as we go, and we’ll keep anonymity in the group by using whatever username you’d like to express. Feel free to share as little or as much as you like.
And who is invited? Anyone and everyone – you are all welcome to join, though Google hangout only allows for a maximum of ten people at a time. This will keep our group at a manageable level. You can always try one week and drop it if it’s not your thing, or you could try joining in week two or three or later, if you’re unable or unwilling to join early.
Although we’re open to all, the focus will be on men and women from their late teens on up. I’m particularly directing the study toward Christians who may not have a strong support group at their church (or who aren’t attending at all) and to non-Christians who are open toward discussing themes. This is not a debate group; while I’ll try to answer genuinely inquisitive questioners, we want to focus on the study at hand, not on apologetics.
If you’re at all interested, please comment below, being sure to leave your email address when prompted. You can alternately send me an email at beneath.the.tangles AT gmail.com. Neither is a commitment to join – it’ll simply provide me your contact information so that I can send you further details in the coming weeks.
I look forward to literally seeing you all soon! 
A-Kon 24: Going to Church
Yesterday, I attended A-Kon for the first time. It was a wonderful experience, and certainly the best I”ve had at a con. There were certainly minor issues (and maybe major ones I’m unaware of), but that’s to be expected. Overall, I had a tremendous time with staff, guests, and attendees.
I tried to reflect a bit on why I enjoyed the con so much. Certainly, being the largest convention I’ve attended (for the uninitiated, A-Kon is a Dallas metroplex convention and the largest in Texas), there was just a lot of stuff to do. And I liked being lost in a sea of people and felt comfortable both because of the large crowds and because I noticed a lot of people my age or older.
But another reason for the comfort was simply the people. I felt that despite age and interest gaps, there was a celebration here that was common. Charles Dunbar has written on conventions as pilgrimages. They don’t definitely are, but I additionally felt a church vibe from A-Kon, as well. At the least, I felt there was a general tone that I hope to see in my own church and that I hope other churches capture as well – a welcoming, loving, inclusive attitude.
Something More: Being an Osananajimi with God and A Certain Depiction of Christianity
stardf29 starts a series on childhood friend characters, making an apt comparison about growing up with a childhood friend and growing up with God, while relating his own conversion experience. [A Series of Miracles]
Japes continues to look at A Certain Magical Index, criticizing various elements of the show, particularly those related to its presentation of Christianity. [Japesland]
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As part of the Something More series of posts, each week 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 email TWWK if you’d like it included.
Space Brothers: People of Influence
Space Brothers is an anime that has been airing for a little more than a year and is probably one of the most, if not the most, underrated ongoing anime, at least among foreigners. Not only is it probably the best currently airing anime but it is also completely family and kid friendly, making it a great watch for all readers here that I highly recommend. I don’t know if people just aren’t discussing it due to its relatively simple nature or if it really has managed to go under so many people’s radars, but it has been the best recent anime I’ve seen in years. While it may have its occasional flaws, overall, this show is absolutely outstanding.
Space Brothers at its core is a slice of life. It has some drama on occasion, simple but fresh comedy, and sometimes touches on more serious topics that you might not expect. What shines the most are the character relationships and how characters interact with each other, but also how they deal with their own thoughts and feelings. In fact, the character flashbacks do more for the character development than the present timeline. There are so many different things that Space Brothers explores and with each one, I could draw a religious parallel. The siblings Mutta and Hibito, the perfectionism of Kenji, dreams, perseverance, luck, selfishness, relationships, the many different outlooks on life, and so on. Nearly every episode will have something to ponder on and it’s quite amazing how many different emotions this show can evoke.
As I mentioned, the flashbacks do wonders for the story. They usually depict a simple event between two characters but in that short period, the connection between the past and the current timeline is made clearly and meaningfully. These flashbacks are not even unique to main characters as many supporting characters have them and they always add so much to the situation and characters. As the characters reminisce about the past, the relationships between the characters and the connections to the viewers become stronger and more emotional, and the characters feel so much more real. The characters were all influenced by other people in some way to get to where they are. They all have their own hopes, dreams, and beliefs, but that is not a result of them alone. We see how what others have said and done have shaped these characters into who they are, what they want, and how they think. None of the characters are the way they are just because of some past but always because of a past regarding other people. It is always other people who influenced their lives that made them the way they are.
People cannot help but be influenced by others, be it small or large, positive or negative. Those closest to us are the most influential to our lives and inevitably shape our character and values. In Space Brothers, there are people who are key influences in characters’ lives to choose the path to become an astronaut. As children, Mutta and Hibito already dreamed of doing so, but it was other people who pushed them forward to truly pursue their dream. Everyone, religious or not, have people who influenced us toward where we currently are, and people will continue to influence us throughout our lives. When I look back on my life, even people who I no longer keep in contact with have influenced me in dramatic ways. The decisions, beliefs, and values we make are heavily determinate on past events and relationships.
Sometimes there is a person who stands above others in popularity, respect, and influence. In Space Brothers, that person was Brian Jay, a highly respected and loved astronaut who died in an unfortunate accident. Yet, every person who knew him and spoke to him had nothing but memories of him that changed who they were and how they thought. He was truly a man of influence. He was a person who did not have an especially deep relationship with people but what he said and did simply stuck with people. They clearly remember his words and actions, and it is that sort of subtle but powerful influence that can change lives.
However, while we are and have been influenced by others, it is also true that we influence others. It can be intentional such as when we minister to nonbelievers or something more practical like giving advice to a friend. It may also be unintentional such as saying something in passing that somehow resonates closely with another. Every person is a person of influence on those around them. Especially in today’s society where everyone with internet access can communicate and connect with each other regardless of geographic barriers, the amount of influence you can impart on others is essentially unlimited. For all I know, what I write here may influence someone twenty years from now. Whether we want to or not we can’t help but influence those we interact with. And sometimes we might just impart the kind of small, subtle influence that Brian Jay did, especially when it comes to Christ. Small, subtle influences are also the most memorable to the one it changes, even though it’s not always the case for the other. It is sometimes said that our job is to plant seeds and God will do the rest. A relationship with Christ can sometimes come from the smallest of influences, and those influences are Christians.
That said, there is more to being a Christian than only planting seeds of faith. I want to see Christians be a collective people of influence, of good influence. I want others to not think negatively or even neutrally of what we say and do but instead, completely positive. This is solely a desire to see the Christian reputation be one of love like it’s supposed to. When people think of Christians, I want them to think of someone like Brian Jay, a person who you could not help but remember, in a good way. I want to see Christians love and treat people with such compassion that others can’t help but take notice and perhaps even birth friendships from it. Some Christians already are like this while others have quite the negative reputation; however, most people are somewhere in the middle. By simply carrying the name Christian around with us, people will look at us and our relationships as representations of Christianity. In Space Brothers, the relationships and how the characters influence each other are everything. Everything we do, large or small, can influence the opinions surrounding our religion but also the relationships of all those around us. Christians are already a people of influence; how you use that influence is up to you.
