CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

yeah. i saw a summary for the anime and it looked interesting. don't know much about the content though. if anyone can tell me something about the anime, please do so. thanks.

jon_jinn wrote:yeah. i saw a summary for the anime and it looked interesting. don't know much about the content though. if anyone can tell me something about the anime, please do so. thanks.

One of the most violent, sexualized, blasphemous (Church of Violence, anyone?), and shocking anime of all time. Grave-robbing neo-Nazis, homicidal maids, and a potsmoking getaway driver... and that's just Season 1.

If you are one of the people here who REALLY like to keep your anime as squeaky-clean as possible, you're better off pretending this one doesn't even exist. If not, dig in. It's one heck of a ride from beginning to end.

wowsers!! i had no idea it was THIS bad. well, i guess i can avoid this one. though the art and plot DID catch my attention...

thanks for the warning man.

I've read up to vol.3 of the manga and I must say besides the content, it's an awesome manga (dunno bout the anime's faithfulness to the manga). Kinda in the vain of Cowboy Beop (in alot of areas) so if U like, Bebop this is sorta like an edgier sort-of Bebop type of title.

Ichigo_89 wrote:I've read up to vol.3 of the manga and I must say besides the content, it's an awesome manga (dunno bout the anime's faithfulness to the manga). Kinda in the vain of Cowboy Beop (in alot of areas) so if U like, Bebop this is sorta like an edgier sort-of Bebop type of title.

i love bebop but...the way Splitter 2.0 described it made me simply want to drop the idea of trying it out altogether...

You may want to Google it and see what others have to say about it first though.

jon_jinn wrote:i love bebop but...the way Splitter 2.0 described it made me simply want to drop the idea of trying it out altogether...

I'm not trying to turn you away from it, but a show that starts with it's main character being taken hostage at gunpoint by a group of modern-day South Seas pirates isn't going to lend itself to cheerier ideals. It's gritty, it's dark, and it doesn't take prisoners. Characters die, characters enjoy killing, characters get drunk and fight each other, and on and on it goes.

I love the series. It's just a lot of fun to watch and unwind to at the end of the day. The characters are very interesting and you're always wondering just how far it will go. It is a lot like Bebop, but it goes to more extremes.

I myself have no problem and even enjoy watching this show. You, on the other hand, and the more extreme Christians won't for some very obvious reasons.

well, i'm not so much worried about the violent content as i am about the sexual content and nudity. but, now that i know it's like bebop i'm tempted to try it out. would it be alright if i PM you (Splitter 2.0) regarding the content?

jon_jinn wrote:well, i'm not so much worried about the violent content as i am about the sexual content and nudity. but, now that i know it's like bebop i'm tempted to try it out. would it be alright if i PM you (Splitter 2.0) regarding the content?

Nudity and sexual content isn't that much a problem save for a few moments. I'll put them in spoilers so it won't be a hassle to anyone else.

[spoiler]Sexual content and nudity normally is not a problem in the first season. No full-frontal or anything like that to worry about... but Season 2 is where they strike. The most extreme cases revolve around a set of twins, no older than 10, who have a passion for cannibalism, mutilating corpses, and each other. Their arc, while only 3 episodes, is the most disturbing of the series, even for those who have "seen it all".

The final arc has a lot of sexual innuendo, hints at rape and sexual assault, but nothing is ever committed to in those words and the perpetrators of such threats meet their justified end.[/spoiler]

So try the first season and see what you think, but take heed in the beginning of Season 2. You'll know if you can stand it or not rather quickly.

Splitter 2.0 wrote:Nudity and sexual content isn't that much a problem save for a few moments. I'll put them in spoilers so it won't be a hassle to anyone else.

[spoiler]Sexual content and nudity normally is not a problem in the first season. No full-frontal or anything like that to worry about... but Season 2 is where they strike. The most extreme cases revolve around a set of twins, no older than 10, who have a passion for cannibalism, mutilating corpses, and each other. Their arc, while only 3 episodes, is the most disturbing of the series, even for those who have "seen it all".

The final arc has a lot of sexual innuendo, hints at rape and sexual assault, but nothing is ever committed to in those words and the perpetrators of such threats meet their justified end.[/spoiler]

So try the first season and see what you think, but take heed in the beginning of Season 2. You'll know if you can stand it or not rather quickly.

yeah. i don't think PMing you will be needed anymore. the first season sounds possible, but does the first season end at a cliffhanger (or an unsatisfying ending?) or is it possible to simply watch the first season, and stop it there?...

jon_jinn wrote:yeah. i don't think PMing you will be needed anymore. the first season sounds possible, but does the first season end at a cliffhanger (or an unsatisfying ending?) or is it possible to simply watch the first season, and stop it there?...

No cliffhanger. Like all the Black Lagoon arcs, much like Cowboy Bebop episodes, things end without cliffhangers but with things still open. Life goes on.

so, it WOULD be possible to watch only the first season then? also, how many episodes is the first season? 12?...

jon_jinn wrote:so, it WOULD be possible to watch only the first season then? also, how many episodes is the first season? 12?...

Yes. 12.

okay. i'll try it out...

Lots of pop culture references in this one. Revy loves the Oprah Winfrey Show, watched the Wild Bunch and there's a Invincible Terminator Maid.

JayF wrote:Lots of pop culture references in this one. Revy loves the Oprah Winfrey Show, watched the Wild Bunch and there's a Invincible Terminator Maid.

wow. sounds somewhat bizarre...

Splitter 2.0 wrote: You, on the other hand, and the more extreme Christians won't for some very obvious reasons.

Us "extreme" Christians huh?

I have a hard time justifying this show on any remotely Christian means. I tried to make up excuses for the first season because it had awesome action scenes but for goodness sakes this show delves into pedophilia, incest, and mutilation as entertainment at the start of the second.

Any excuse is laughable to try to have this show as "acceptable" for a Christian audience.

Kai Robin wrote:Us "extreme" Christians huh?

I have a hard time justifying this show on any remotely Christian means. I tried to make up excuses for the first season because it had awesome action scenes but for goodness sakes this show delves into pedophilia, incest, and mutilation as entertainment at the start of the second.

Any excuse is laughable to try to have this show as "acceptable" for a Christian audience.

I wouldn't say it was "entertaining". I was thoroughly disturbed by the vampire twins arc, but it was solid storytelling and I really felt for those kids. They had gone through hell on Earth. It just made the final episode of their arc all the more moving.

It's like they said. They did what they had to to stay alive, even if that meant becoming monsters.

i take it that the second arc (second half) takes quite a dive in the area of violence as well huh?...

jon_jinn wrote:i take it that the second arc (second half) takes quite a dive in the area of violence as well huh?...

Three words: human pachinko machine

*curls up in the fetal position*

Sometimes, the things you can't see are more disturbing than the things you can.

Splitter 2.0 wrote:I wouldn't say it was "entertaining". I was thoroughly disturbed by the vampire twins arc, but it was solid storytelling and I really felt for those kids. They had gone through hell on Earth. It just made the final episode of their arc all the more moving.

It's like they said. They did what they had to to stay alive, even if that meant becoming monsters.

I wouldn't call solid storytelling. This isn't Lord of the Rings of Saving Private Ryan where the extremeness of the content is neccessary for an emotionally driving and mature story. The directors were looking for nothing more than pure shock value, nothing else.

What you're saying is equivalent to giving a hentai moving about girls committing Enjo kōsai a greenlight as acceptable material because the girls were "doing what they needed to survive."

Normally I am a pretty loose person and even came to this board so I could talk with people who weren't so "closed minded," but I'm abhorred this series is even up for discussion. Honestly the mods should just close this one out already.

[quote="Kai Robin"]I wouldn't call solid storytelling. This isn't Lord of the Rings of Saving Private Ryan where the extremeness of the content is neccessary for an emotionally driving and mature story. The directors were looking for nothing more than pure shock value, nothing else.

What you're saying is equivalent to giving a hentai moving about girls committing Enjo kō]

I get what you are saying, but you know, Black Lagoon thrives on shock value, taking the most innocent stereotypes in anime (maids, children, schoolgirls) and making them as brutal as possible. It's not a Christian anime in any sense. Someone just asked about it and I told them it's not the kind of anime a lot of people here are going to like, and that's how this discussion started. I warned them, and people kept responding and this is where the discussion led.

You cannot simply turn a blind eye to shows like this just because they are unchristian. Anime is a fickle thing and it's hard to tell what's Christian from what's not. That's why people make these threads.

how about we try to focus on some good things regarding this anime. like, interesting characters, or nice plot twists or sub plots. arguing about the objectionable content isn't going to solve much and i pretty much get the idea that this anime is a very graphic, violent, and disturbing anime (especially the second season).

I'm assuming this has no relation to "Creature from the Black Lagoon?"

Tom Dincht wrote:I'm assuming this has no relation to "Creature from the Black Lagoon?"

nope. no relation at all...

Splitter 2.0 wrote:I get what you are saying, but you know, Black Lagoon thrives on shock value, taking the most innocent stereotypes in anime (maids, children, schoolgirls) and making them as brutal as possible. It's not a Christian anime in any sense. Someone just asked about it and I told them it's not the kind of anime a lot of people here are going to like, and that's how this discussion started. I warned them, and people kept responding and this is where the discussion led.

You cannot simply turn a blind eye to shows like this just because they are unchristian. Anime is a fickle thing and it's hard to tell what's Christian from what's not. That's why people make these threads.

1-I understand your thinking, and I know how it is to be around "annoying" Christians who simply turn a blind eye to everything. I consider myself to much of a "loose" Christian in my choices and actions, but when something is just plain wrong you have to draw a line.

2-I am not someone to judge you personally, but in a CHRISTIAN forum we should not be reccomending a show that is the anti-thesis of what we're supposed to believe with "well its hardcore evil but man is it awesome so as long as your not offended you should watch it dude,"

3-What you said is pure hypocrisy, anything that thrives on shock value to offend as much as possible is something that shouldn't be in a Christian forum. Your'e simply making excuses for something you want to see. Just because I didn't have a Valentine doesn't mean I download porno to "thrive on sex value."

According to your logic, on this Christian forum we shouldn't just turn a blind eye to hentai either.

4-To give an example of the minor sacrifices we should make for that whole eternity in Heaven reward stuff, I love the Devil May Cry series, this is what went through my head when I read about DMC4:

"so what Dante is a demon, he didn't choose to be one" ok fine,

"sure its bloody, but hey I'm destroying evil" sure whatever

"Wow, Devil May Cry 4, I get to play a new main character who's a member of a church of demon worshipers!"...wow that sounds coo-NO NOT OKAY!!!

And I gave it up, because we have to make judgement calls on what's acceptable and what's not. There's a reason:
Angel Sanctuary
Bible Black
Gravitation
FAKE
Yami No Matsuei
Earthian
Revolutionary Girl Utena
Any hentai titles whatosever, no exceptions!

this list exists and Black Lagoon is more hardcore than most of those combined.

Kai Robin wrote:2-I am not someone to judge you personally, but in a CHRISTIAN forum we should not be reccomending a show that is the anti-thesis of what we're supposed to believe with "well its hardcore evil but man is it awesome so as long as your not offended you should watch it dude,"

but then, wouldn't it wrong to recommend Hellsing on a Christian forum as Hellsing is quite blasphemous and ridicules many things regarding Christian religion. even so, there is a thread in the manga section discussing that manga...

It's really between you and God.

Pray and ask Him if a franchise such as this would hinder your walk with him in any way, shape, or form.

I've prayed about Berserk, GantZ, Hellsing, and others and my walk isn't hindered in the list. For me, that's true. For others, a big fat "no."

ugh. i didn't think this thread would turn into somewhat of a argument. i suppose my final decision is simply to wait a year or two before trying the anime. there are plenty of other animes that i can watch right now and i'm sure it wouldn't really hurt if i just put this one on hold...

If nothing else, look out for the action scenes online, which should be available. Episode 3 has one that got me rewinding it several times for it sheer pwn value.

Here's a hint. Torpedo+Hind-D= best action sequence in along time