One thing to take note of is the culture difference. Many anime series do make use of figures from Japanese folklore and mythology, and in that case I'd have no clue how accurately those are presented (although I would assume it would be accurate, considering the source), but it's *usually* just there for flavoring, kind of like how some church-related activities are displayed in the background of a story on American TV.
Although, when it comes to Western religion, I've found that the portrayal of it in anime is kind of strange. The creators of these series usually don't have a firm grasp on what certain Western symbols mean and often will throw them in for flavoring (occasionally they'll get it right, though). A good example of this are the pentagrams that will show up from time to time. In anime this is basically just used for flavoring, and 9/10 is not presented as being a symbol of evil, because there's a misconception afoot about what the symbol actually means. Only one series that I've seen, X (which I would not recommend to just any 15-year-old for a couple of reasons, considering it's rated R), actually makes proper usage of the two different variations of the pentagram (this is harking back to medieval times, when the only evil pentagram was the inverted one). Crosses will also sometimes show up, such as in Neon Genesis Evangelion (which also has a large amount of Judeo-Christian imagery), but in the case of that series it's used for flavoring, not to hide some deeper meaning. Evangelion is actually one of the most highly-acclaimed anime series. The cross imagery is important, though, considering that apparently there is evidence of crucifictions taking place in Japan for many centuries, so that can be part of Eastern culture as well.
Most series, however, stay completely neutral when it comes to these things. Even a series like Oh My Goddess! is completely harmless, and is very inoffensive (the creator wasn't aware of the pun that could be made in English; the literal translation is 'Ah!' not 'Oh'). Most just deal with romantic issues, or have some level of mild to moderate violence; certainly not dismemberment and other graphic types (those that do are rated 17+ or 18+). Likewise, it is likely to sometimes have mild to moderate sexual tension displayed, but out-and-out sex is restricted to the Hentai section (hentai is the accepted term for anime porn). Nudity is viewed a little differently in Japan, and sometimes can show up in programs for younger teens, but is usually a comic device, not a sexual one (such as in Ranma ½; this is actually one that I could safely recommend to a 15-year-old). Any sort of sexual plot device in a 13+ anime deals with no sort of nudity, as far as my experience is concerned.
Now, just because an anime has a 17+ rating on it, does not mean it automatically has sexual situations and violence and other objectionable material in it. Sometimes this is because of psychological issues that are present. Most of the 13+ and 15+ anime is at PG-13 level, and some 17+ anime are PG-13 like also (most 17+ are more along the lines of a mild R rating, though). You'll find these ratings on the back of most anime DVDs or in individual program reviews on most websites. Many of the romantic comedies, for example, have very good messages, but because of the more mature subject matter, and occasional fanservice (short skirts, low-cut blouses, etc.), those are usually 17+ area, although they aren't anywhere near deserving of an R rating (most likely they'd probably deserve PG-13).
shadow1230 said:
Yu Yu Hakusho is an anime with demons in it.That doesn't make it bad,not one bit.the Bible mentions demons,and the kids in Yu Yu Hakusho are just out to rid the real world of demons.
It's a good thing you brought up the demon thing, I almost forgot about that. In Japan, the term 'demon' is applied to any supernatural creature, good or bad. In an anime such as Inuyasha, the main character is a half-demon, and the plotline centers around that kind of distinction. While in many series the term demon is applied fairly closely to the Western application of it, the traditional view of the word is just any being of supernatural origin.
Inuyasha is actually another pretty harmless series, save for a little blood (no gore, though), and some mild language. It runs on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim program block - the actual viewing audience for the Adult Swim block is the 14 or 15 and up demographic, so don't let the name get to you.
night2day said:
There's a need of discernment. Japanese animation is seen as an art-form out in the Far East. Which means the animation isn't just meant "just for kids" like it is in the West. It's like any other form of entertainment which may or may not be suitable for watching.
Very well put.
All in all, the major thing to look at is like programs on broadcast or basic cable TV (not HBO, etc, although Showtime Beyond or Showtime Next [I can't remember which] does show a few anime series last I checked). Some are okay, some aren't, and some you're just plain not interested in.
) to research it for them. As far as I have seen some of the shows she watches seem to have a stong demonic undertone to them and I am getting kinda concerned.
