Anime Questions

[Clayman]

First of all I don't bring this up to start any flamefests or fights, I am solely looking for information and individual opinions.

Now with that said, I am a 24 year old who never got into the anime thing and still don't get it, some of it even kinda freaks me out. My sister however (15 yrs) loves it. She watches lots of cartoons on TV and is wanting to get into reading anime books. When we try to ask her why she likes it so much she almost gets defiant and says that it is just a cartoon and she likes watching it.

Now I grew up with Roadrunner, Coyote, Daffy, Bugs and the gang so I need to know if I should be concerned about anything. My parents already are and have asked me (the computer wiz ) 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.

Help me out, what do you think.

BTW - I did also post this in the Anime forum to get another view of the topic.

 

[dasielady]

I know a little bit about anime, but am not an expert, but I will tell you what I am familiar with.
Anime does not necessarily describe a "holy" or "unholy" form of entertainment, but simply refers to entertainment that is animated, and depending on what country you are in, the definition can get more specific.
In Japan, "anime" just refers to animation. If you remember some of the older late 1980's cartoons, like Thundercats, or Jem, I believe this was "early anime of today".

In the US, "anime" more precicely is used to describe "Japanese animation or cartoons, with distinctly large eyes, small noses, and bright colors, in most characters".

The problem here comes in that, with most North-American created cartoons, you know that it is marketed to children. In Japan and other asian countries, "anime" is the cartoons, and it is not always, in fact, not usually, marketed to children. Depending on the "anime" movie or show, you could be watching the cartoon equivalent of a fun family show like "Full House", an action movie like "Die Hard", a sci-fi movie like "Alien" or even porn comparable to something Penthouse might produce.

I would say that there is nothing wrong with your sister showing appreciation for the art of Japanese animation, however, it should be considered for its content.

She could end up watching something as innocent as the Smurfs, or something as evil as Nightmare on Elm Street.

I hope that makes sense. Just like American movies are not all bad to watch, not all Anime is bad, but you have to be aware of what you are watching.

If you check out UrbanDictionary.com, it gives a definition of anime.

 

[Rafael]

It's the same as when we were kids. Garbage in garbage out is the only danger, so the Word of God is the only antidote to the force fed materialism amusement (not thinking) the world gives us. As long as a kid receives Bible school along with all the other perils of growing up, God is able to somehow keep us and pull us out of the mirey clay.

Pr 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Ps 40:2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps.

 

[Caelum]

Personally, im not the biggest fan of this whole "you are influenced by what you see/read/listen to" rhetoric...however; everyone is different. I dont feel there is anything wrong with it, its just as she said, a cartoon, I doubt she takes it for anything more.

 

[Clayman]

I appreciate your responces, I am just trying to make a educated opinion for myself.

 

[Yitzchak]

My wife and I made the choice to severely limit our television watching. Recently, we decided to get rid of television altogether. My greater concern goes way beyond the content of questionable shows. For us it was a stewardship of our time issue. In Economics there is a term called "opportunity cost" : it basically means that even if something is free, it still costs something with regards to what was given up for that thing. In the context of television watching, what is given up in order to enjoy the entertainment of television. Family together time , homework, prayer, physical activities like sports ?? For our family, television was just way too expensive. Since giving it up, we go to bed earlier and more consistently get our sleep, we snack less and have lost weight, we enjoy more communication and fellowship times with each other and with the Lord.

I have no idea about the specific shows you mentioned. But as a general rule, television is frequently non-christian or anti-christian. I would reccomend against all television for a 15 year old and for people of any age.

 

[Sketcher]

Keep in mind that this response is from my agnostic husband, there is going to be a discrepency between an agnostic talking about demonic and a Christian talking about demonic.

And then there's the view of demonic from the animators and producers themselves, who may be bhuddist or shinto. "Demon" to them may not mean the same thing as "demon" to us.

A lot of these shows aren't for everyone. When you're talking about "demonic undertones" what comes to my mind is Inuyasha. I don't know much about the background of the creators, but the context is feudal Japan, "demons" fighting each other. So it's probably going by the shinto system, whatever that is. I don't know if the show has effects on people like role-playing games do (the vast majority have some sort of magic or another). The problem with them is people try to identify themselves with the characters they create and use. And sometimes these characters are black magic users. But I don't like to be dwelling on demon this, demon that. So I stay away from a lot of that stuff.

But yeah, there's cutsy kid's anime, which I don't really watch. There's anime on Adult Swim (Cartoon Network). Some good, some bad. If she's watching Cowboy Bebop or Trigun, I wouldn't be too concerned. If she ever gets hentai, (which isn't allowed to be on TV) then you should be VERY concerned, whether it has "demonic" content or not.

 

[Kingdomwarrior]

Anime, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. It is a type of cartoon. (I happen to have watched a decent bit of anime myself) However, the Lord brought conviction upon me about the TYPE of anime I was watching. The whole Garbage-in garbage-out thing is true. THat is why we are told in scripture to meditate on the law of the Lord. That is righteousness-in righteousness-out. Occultic anime, including anything with buddhist priests, tarot cards, magic spells, crystals, psychics, sorcerors, witches or the like, Chi-magic, magic potions, astrology, gods and goddesses, and anything else like it are not to be watched, as they are wicked, and are a medium for Satan to enter your life. God doesn't want us practicing such things, and he surely doesn't want us watching them and entertaining them with our minds either. The principle of having commited adultery if you lust after a woman works the same here. If you are doing such things in your mind, you have already committed those sins. I would watch out for the types of anime she is watching, and don't necessarily try to simply argue your way. SHe probably won't listen to you anyway. It's worth a shot, but if she ignores it or fights back, just stop talking. It says in the bible not to give your pearls to swine. Don't waste your breath if she isn't listening. However, use up that breath praying to the Father in heaven to open her eyes and open her up to what you have to say. Other than that, God bless you, and strength and boldness be upon you in Jesus name.



-Kingdomwarrior-

 

[Kingdomwarrior]

P.S. ANy other kind of anime, for the most part, is pretty much ok, unless it is yaoi, ecchi, hentai, or the like

 

[Sketcher]

I know what hentai is, but what's yaoi and ecchi?

 

[fishstix]

Personally I don't watch anime at all - but just because that style of animation really irritates me. The huge eyes and tiny mouths that open to almost the entire size of the head and the rather choppy speech/laughter etc. just really bug me for some reason. I couldn't stand Speed Racer cartoons for the same reason.

But anyway, as others have said not all anime is created equal. There is some that should be avoided for more reasons than just a personal dislike of the drawing style. And that goes for non-anime cartoons as well. Just because something is a cartoon doesn't mean that it is ok to watch. So if your sister's comeback of "it's just a cartoon" really isn't telling you anything at all one way or the other. And that's probably what your parents should let her know - that not all cartoons are innocent. Not because of the style of animation but because of the content of some of them. Eg. animated pornography. Hopefully at 15 she is able to discern what she should and shouldn't watch, but if not then it is up to your parents to set the boundaries.

 

[TheMainException]

My brother...I do not think that these demonic things in cartoons will affect your little sister. I believe strongly that you can be influenced by what you see and read and hear...I have experienced it first hand by listening to Rammstein...and if you aren't familiar with them, they are a German speaking band that has toured with Marilyn Manson, lit themselves on fire on stage, and speak of anarchy. They have nearly brought me to slicing myself open numerous times before I got rid of them. But these demonic undertones you speak of...I don't think that there is anything wrong with it. There are demons in the bible. As long as she knows the difference between real demons and the ones she sees on TV. I'll be praying that this situation works out dear friend.

 

[Sketcher]

yaoi is .. hmm.. how do I put this delicately. Gay interaction I suppose is the best word. Its male-male actions in things like fanfiction and anime.

Ugh. Well it's a good thing I asked somebody instead of Googling it.