CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

I am really interested in seeing this anime. It sounds like one of the famous, great anime films of all time. However, I am not sure how good it is for Christians. What's this bit about "forest gods"? Are they really supposed to be "gods"? I watched a dub trailer for it and a chracter said something about "I'll show you how to kill a god!" If you can kill them they must not be gods, but you never know with fiction. Is this a film that is good for Christians to watch? Do you think God would smile on this?

I know that I am at the opposite end of the pole from many, but personally, I didn't care at all for Princess Mononoke. Not that I have anything against protecting the enviroment, but the whole enviromental message was just too heavy for me throughout it. Most of the ending deals with the so called, "gods" and that aspect seemed to me to be very drawn out. Usually I can stomach something like that if it is briefly focused upon, but in this case it seemed to take over the movie. That's just my opinion. I am sure others may have a different take.

Princess Mononoke. Okay.

You have to decide if you can stomache an hour and half of the "We must protect the forest" mesage. I, personally, kept saying "CUT DOWN THE TREES!!! KILL THEM!!", just because I was so annoyed by the level of environmental hog wash that we're assaulted by during the duration of the film. Obviously, it wasn't enough to keep me from watching the film and enjoying it, but I was still agitated by it.

As far as the "forest gods" thing-- that didn't really bother me. I didn't feel like they were trying to force the "forest gods" on us like they were trying to force the environmentalism. It didn't come across as an attempt to indoctrinate us. But I guess you should know that I can put up with a level of this kind of thing the same way I can read Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings with a clean conscience. It's a story, and I simply view these kinds of "inaccuracies" as part of a fictional plot.

Is it good for Christians to watch? I can't really make a statement like that for everyone. It's really a personal issue of conscience, IMHO. Do you think watch a movie that contains deities (which I would more compare to a spirit than an actualy "god") would weaken your faith or cause you to waver in your belief that there is one and only one God? In the end, no one's going to be able to tell you "yes" or "no". All we can do is give you pertainent information, and then you'll have to make the decision on your own.

Well, I hope that helped. I'm sure some of the others who have seen this movie more recently (I saw it about a year ago) can give you more specific information.

EDIT: I accidentally said that "I did feel like they were forcing the forest gods thing on us. That wasn't what I meant AT ALL. I meant to put that they WEREN'T trying to force it on us. *shakes fist* Stupid typos!!

The "gods" are mostly mythological giant beasts and the "Spirit of the Forest." I would say that if you can handle stories about Hercules and the Greek gods, then this should be even less of a problem. As you stated, they can't really be called gods in a metaphysical sense with their limited powers and mortality, so I simply look at it as a nice story about fictitious supernatural animals.

Trust a seminarian to bring up metaphysics in a place where no one could probably care less.

Since Rev Doc and Osaka already hit upon my big beef with it (neo-hippy over-the-top enviromentalism---don't get me wrong, I'm ok with caring about the environment but not to the point I was beaten senseless about it) I was also pretty disappointed in this. It was so...squishy/bloody/gross at some points and the ending stank horribly, IMO. I saw it because, like you, I thought it was one of those hallmark anime films but in the end I fail to see why such a fuss over it. I think CDL made a good analogy to the forest spirits being like the greek gods. I think they chose to use the word "god" because they wee stronger than humans; and plus, I don't think the japanese have the same grasp on supernatural stuff that we do (demon = monster, god = supernatural being, etc.)

If you want to see a good Miyazaki film though, Spirited Away was WAY better. ^^

I just wanted to chime in that I actually really did like this movie. I didn't think the environmentalism was too overboard and I liked the characters.

Well, I talked to my mom about it and prayed about it, and I'm just going to skip it. When I prayed and thought about it I got a little discomfort when I thought about the "gods" I saw in the trailer, and my mom said that's the Holy Spirit's gentle way of saying it's wrong.
Thank you for your advice everyone. I really appreciate it.

BTW Ashley, thanks for your suggestion, but I'm never seeing Spirited Away. I didn't have to pray about that one. I got a strong enough negative feeling when I saw the trailer a while ago to know that that's on my skip list.

Personally, its one of my favorite movies and I think it's a masterpiece. (basically cause of the envriomentalist message ). I'm not exactly a hippie-neo-enviromentalist (you'll never see me chain myself to a tree ) but I care deeply for nature.

For the entire "gods" thing, I don't think Miyazaki was trying to portray that these are "gods" but more so...the heart of all things. Which may also fringe on the edge of the eastern religion which in some parts deep into. However...I don't link the "gods" in Mononoke to the "gods" we think of. More so that they are the heart of people, animals, and humans. It was trying to instead, of saying upfront they are gods but let you discover what these spirits are exactly. That's my take on it.

So my suggestion if that sort of stuff doesn't affect you and you feel ok and mature enough in your Christian growth, I highly suggest it however if the entire eastern religion bugs you...I would say don't bother.

Now if you will exscuse me, I'm going to hug a tree

I'd have to agree with Hitokiri here. It is one of my favorite Miyazaki films next to "My Neighbor Totoro." Jeikobu, I think its great you're listening to your mom, however. And, I think you pretty much can come to your own conclusions with her help as to what you can and what you can't watch.

With that being said, here is my opinion on Princess Mononoke: I wasn't overwhelmed by the environmentalist view, however I realize that probably the big-name actors who dubbed on this movie came on board thinking it was very pro-environmentalism. I believe, and this message was shot down, it is about how mankind is selfish, and also how each man can both be right and wrong and will always go by his own personal agenda. The most important thing is to love one another and consider them. Now, the forest was added into this equation because of Miyazaki's belief system of the world. I don't even know if I made sense.

I actually wanted to find out Miyazaki's views on his films and watched a very long interview with him a while back. This is what impresses me about him as a non-Christian filmmaker, which he is - he is not a Christian. He is not a die hard Shintoist, either and kind of is like many church-goers, who hold to that belief system but doesn't always follow it.

I appreciate the fact that he stands by a belief that he will not place a bunch of fan service or foul language in his movies which serve no purpose. The violence in Princess Mononoke was to prove a point - at how far man will go to get his way.

Princess Mononoke is a classic in my house and I enjoy it when I watch it. I never felt all buggy about the message for the environment, and the ending was really great, because it was not the usual, clean and trite, "the boy gets the girl and they live happily ever after." There was the background of everyone to consider and it was more realistic because of the ending - I thought. That is truly my opinion on Miyazaki and this movie. I know it is not the same of some of our more esteemed members of CAA, but it's mine and I'm happy to have it.

We all make our own choices before God on anime, movies, music and all media, and Jeikobu maybe one day you will feel comfortable to watch this through the reasoning behind why Miyazaki made it. I understand, however, if you feel that it would be wrong for you spiritually to watch it.

BTW, Ashley, I really like "Spirited Away" also. But, I am a big fan of Miyazaki.

Dag all the points were made.Oh well my two cents shall be deposited, the whole "God" thing.They are not actually intended as gods.More like mythical animals like unicorns or dragons. These things aren't even worshipped but more likely feared.Especially the wolf pack. The violence is mediocre compared to others and language is nothing too hardcore.No f or s bombs. Just see it for yourself

Oh yeah, and just a note, I echo Ash-- I like Spirited Away, too. You might wanna check into that one since it's a children's movie by nature. Less loss of limbs in that one. *Osaka passes out*

I'm by no means a militant pro-environmentalist either, but I enjoyed the movie. True_noir_chloe summed it up perfectly.

Actually, it was one of the first animes I ever watched that wasn't a kids show.

Slight spoilers.

According to Nausicaa.net Miyazaki is a Marxist (of sorts - not the fire-breathing revolutionary variety though but a more mellow non-conformist kind) and he disliked a previous anime / manga of his depending of a Christ-like character foretold in a prophecy as well as a "miracle". So he made "Princess Mononoke" which is a thematic remake of "Nausicaa and the Valley of the Wind". There are many similarities between Nausicaa and Mononoke in theme (both have enviromental themes, both have two central female characters going head to head, both involve animals living in a forest for which the title character has affection, oversized & talking animals / insects, war, politics, et cetera). Off course this issue is very complicated and needs to be adressed by someone more knowledgeable than myself in the matter.

I got the DVD of Princess Mononoke, and I really enjoy it. Again, the most iffy thing (personally I don't think it's that iffy) would be the forest 'gods,' and yet again, I really don't think they're anything that's a bad influence on us. I think this story had a lot of good points though...I really enjoyed the story, the animation, and the musical scores a lot.

Princes Mononoke is... well, hard to classify. Each person is going to take something different away from it.

First of all, the religious aspects of it were quite tame compared to many movies that are routinely accepted by Christians - the Matrix comes to mind as a good example of this. The "gods" are not "gods" as we tend to define them - no one worships them. They are beings of supernatural power, probably not even on the level of the Greek gods.

I can see why the environmental aspects of the film could be a turn off, especially in light of the environmental extremism we experience here in the states (and it's even worse elsewhere), however, Miyazaki is not an environmental extremist and the point of the movie is not a man-is-evil-nature-is-good kind of thing. Both extremes - man exploiting nature and nature destroying man - are viewed as corrupting influences in the movie and both are problems dealt with.

[spoiler] The moral of the story is a balance needs to be struck. Industrial development by humans is a part of the balance and has a rightful place, but over-production causes problems. I have no problem with that message.[/spoiler]

Anyway, for my money, Spirited Away, Castle in the Sky, and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind are all superior films by Miyazaki, but they all also have environmental themes in them as well.