DISCLAIMER: Usually, I put the disclaimer at the end of my intro, but I must put this first to ensure it’s not read over as this is important. First off, I’M NOT SAYING ALL CHRISTIANS SHOULD WATCH ANIME, nor am I saying all anime is good and pure. Far from it! A lot of series feature violence, evil motives, sexually suggestive scenes, witchcraft, crossdressing, and so on (I touch on some of these in my Culture Shocks in Anime article). If you lack discernment and are easily influenced by dark matters or tempted by sin, then you should definitely stay away from this form of storytelling. If you’re the kind who gets obsessed and binge watches all-day, everyday, then you too should avoid anime as it can be super addicting.
I’ve been watching anime for as long as I could remember and it has been my main form of visual entertainment outside of Youtube/Social Media. While I am a fan, I am NOT obsessed. I’ve only watched about 50 new series since I became an adult a decade ago, and definitely less than 150 series in my life since I didn’t have the internet at home most of my youth. I don’t collect merch/figures/manga, I’ve only been to a convention twice (once to perform with my anime cover band), and I’ve only worn a costume twice in my life (my family never celebrated Halloween). You can consider me a casual fan who is well informed since I was always into it and around people who liked it. There are many mainstream shows that I know about but I never got into like Sword Art Online, Fairy Tail, Code Geass, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Ouran High School Host Club, Black Butler, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, Elfen Lied, Blue Exorcist, Future Diary, Soul Eater, etc. I’m definitely a bigger Japanese music fan in comparison, and I know lots of anime theme songs from shows I’ve never watched.
I prefer shorter series (less than 30 episodes) that I can finish in a week or weekend when I actually have free time. I refuse to get into longer animes like Naruto and One Piece as I have binging tendencies and I would rather be productive. The longest series I watched was Katekyo Hitman Reborn with 200 episodes due to my roommate, followed by Detective Conan (I stopped around 150) and HunterxHunter (148). There are many series that I started but never finished as I forgot about it or just lost interest by the time future seasons came out. That also goes for shows I started watching as a kid on TV, but never saw the end since they were discontinued (Pokemon, Sailormoon, Dragonball Z, Yugioh, Cardcaptors, Inuyasha, Bleach, etc).
My most watched genres tend to be action, adventure, mystery/suspense, romance/rom-com, drama, and music. I like shonen where there is a battle between good and evil, more so when there are sweet and caring characters who would sacrifice themselves to protect others and save their world. Other shows encouraged me to pursue my dreams and taught me a lot of life lessons that has made me a better human. It also gave me more insight into the human condition and what others may be struggling with, which has allowed me to be more compassionate and empathetic towards other beings. You can consider this a Christian twist of my previous article, “Lessons I Learned in Anime“. Some of my favourite series includes in Digimon, Attack on Titan, Angel Beats, Haikyuu!, Bocchi The Rock!, Assassination Classroom, Ore no Monogatari, Beyblade, DN Angel, Fruits Basket, Kokoro Connect, Ace Attorney, Hunter x Hunter, Kaichou wa Maid Sama, K-ON!!, Given, My Hero Academia, Spy X Family, Those Snow White Notes, Sound Euphonium, Orange, Erased, and A Place Further Than The Universe.
There are many genres that I haven’t really touched on such as isekai, Sci-Fi, Mecha, Historical, and Post-Apocalyptic. Some genres would not have been my first choice, but they overlapped with my preferred genres, such as Attack on Titan being Action/Adventure/Suspense but it features a military and appears to be post-apocalyptic. Uta no Prince-Sama features male singers and a female songwriter, but it turns out to be a harem. Same with Given being about a band and it has really good music, but it turns out to be a BL (Boy Love). Since I am a J-music blogger, I’ve been watching and rating all music animes I could find. I don’t usually read past the synopsis when starting an anime, so quite a few shows can catch me off guard when it changes directions or introduces a new element. If the show hooks me by the first episode, I’m more likely to continue and finish it regardless, but even with access to Crunchyroll, there’s not many animes that can do that for me, so I just don’t watch much.
This article will touch on a lot of Biblical expectations for Christians, and I truly hope this will inspire other Christian anime fans to not only take their walk with God more seriously, but to be more excited about walking in righteousness. It will also touch on spiritual matters like demons, Satan’s agenda, witchcraft, and spiritual warfare. These are things I feel every Christian should be alert about as they are very real and the Bible warns us about them, but the church as a whole does a horrible job at teaching and preparing us for this. It may be shocking and a little scary if you have never thought about it, but if you’re an anime fan, you’re probably exposed to these themes already. Regardless, feel free to skip over things or close this article if it is too much for you. YOU’VE BEEN WARNED.
Japanese cartoons, aka Anime. Many millennials like myself have grown up with this media as it was dubbed and played on Western TV. While we watched it as kids, the stories, characters, and lessons taught made us hold on to this means of entertainment far into our adulthood. Others may have looked down on us over the decades as they thought it was nerdy and for kids, but it has now become mainstream and popular. Shows like Attack on Titan, Demon Slayer, and Death Note definitely prove that anime is definitely not always for kids.
Unlike American cartoons which are very episodic, anime almost always has a storyline in which we can follow a character along their journey. While it can be silly and funny at times, there is usually a more serious tone and goal. The characters have to grow past their doubt and insecurities to pursue their goals, and they keep standing up when they lose and fail.
Sometimes, characters deal with trauma from toxic family members, or are facing grief and depression due to the loss of a loved one. Sometimes, characters use that pain to be a light and ensure other’s don’t have to go through what they did, but other’s let the darkness grow and they want to see the world burn. Every character has a story that made them who they are, and every situation or arc leads to growth. Anime always shows that people can change, and that what other’s assumed was their destiny is not set in stone.
A lot of my insight on life comes from anime, and if I didn’t grow up with this, I know I wouldn’t be as courageous or optimistic as I am now. I’ve been able to do so much with my life because I was encouraged by these characters to push through even when things don’t seem possible. If other’s said I couldn’t do something, I took that as a challenge to prove them wrong.
There’s many times I had to take a leap of faith. Pursuing my true childhood dream job which adults told me was unrealistic, doing 3 solo trips to see Japan and the northern lights, moving out in the middle of a pandemic, attempting to make an anime cover band for the 3rd time, and even starting this blog. Anime inspired me to chase after my true innocent or selfless desires, and my Christian faith gave me the hope and confidence that things will work out for my good (Romans 8:28).
Now, while my parents didn’t ban me or my brother from watching anything, I know other Christian parents did. They would hear about a show or see a clip and claim it was evil. And honestly, if I was a parent that had no idea what anime was, and I caught a glimpse of certain scenes, I would think so too! Some scenes are so dark and twisted that I can understand the concern from others. I understand wanting to censor it or keep kids away from it.
However, I also know that, if darkness and evil wasn’t present in these shows, the light wouldn’t have had the opportunity to shine brighter and destroy it. The evil characters negatively affect their world and are so selfish that we want them to lose. We can’t help but root for the good guys who fight to protect others and who stand up for what is right. The contrast is necessary for the biggest impact. Most anime fans have some good characters that they look up to and strive to be like, and it’s understandable.
As stated in my disclaimer, I’m not saying everyone should watch anime, nor am I saying all anime has good themes and characters that could teach you something positive. But there are a lot of great stories and really sweet characters that can certainly change one’s life for the better. Continuing on, compared to other means of entertainment, I find that anime often touches on biblical principals and morals that even Christians can learn from and feel inspired to truly incorporate them in their day-to-day lives.
The bible tells us to be different and set apart. I was used to sticking out since my family was Seventh-Day Adventist, meaning we kept the Jewish Sabbath and didn’t eat certain foods like pork. Everyone else at my schools were Sunday keepers who ate anything. I was black, but I was not Jamaican or Trinidadian like other black students. I also didn’t like black music as they often centered around sex, violence, drugs, and clubs. I was a girl with boyish interests like sports, video games, and shonen anime. But it’s thanks to anime that I didn’t mind standing out as that person was usually the protagonist.
Continuing on, the bible says to be kind and help others. I was an extravert who got along with my peers and was well known since I performed a lot and was in a lot of clubs, but I never cared to be popular. I was the kid who would hang out with the quiet introverts. When other kids would gossip and make a kid an outcast, I was the one who’d go to them and see what they’re like for myself. Usually, they’re the sweetest people! When everyone would bully a kid, I didn’t mind being their friend, even if they tried to pick on me too (I’d ignore them and they’d get bored). Anime characters often exhibited this trait as well.
More recently, I have been informed about the reality of demons and spiritual warfare. You can learn more about my discoveries about people I’ve encountered and such in my previous article, God Loves You & Wants To Set You Free. I know most Christians and churches try to avoid this topic for some reason. I don’t know if it’s ignorance or fear, but the bible makes it clear these things exist and we should be fighting. Knowing about this has only made me more motivated to study and pray so I could be prepared for the fight. It’s like I get to be a real life anime character and fight against evil!
Being very frank and honest, anime made the Christian walk more attractive to me. Jesus said, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me,” (Matthew 16:24). Most people hear that and back away. They don’t want to change or give up their sinful lives. They also don’t really see any benefits to being a Christian and following Jesus. However, anime showed me that when characters reject themselves and accept their true calling, they grow and transform into some of the most amazing people who can truly make a difference in the world!
Obviously, not everyone is going to watch a show and pick out these themes from it, but I was the kind of kid who would notice these lessons and traits and was excited to adopt it, more so because they aligned with Christian values. Outside of Gospel, I didn’t really find any Western genres I liked, but I came to love Anime and Japanese music as they had songs about being courageous, standing out, saving the world, being a true friend, and making a difference. Anime and Japanese music has influenced my mind and it impacted me for the better.
So in this article, I want to go over 12 of those anime tropes and go into detail on how/why they relate to the Christian walk. I will center the section on a verse from the bible, talk about what I often see in anime along with a few references, and then relate it back to how we should incorporate this idea in our own lives.
Let’s get to it!
1. Being Chosen & Set Apart
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9
If there’s anything anime does better than say, sitcoms or reality shows, it’s the idea of being ‘set apart’. The whole reason someone is labeled ‘the protagonist’ is because they choose to pursue a unique path, or are destined to complete a big mission. Even if we don’t know what the story is about, we know that this person we are focusing on is special and will do something amazing!
What I also like about anime is that, usually this character is average in every way (except maybe his hair colour and style). They’re a regular school student going about their regular lives. Some are especially stupid, weak, and unpopular, like Sawada from Katekyo Hitman Reborn. No one had any hopes or expectations for these characters because they were ditzy, weird, losers, or failures.
But then they have a dream that they want to pursue or a goal they must achieve. The odds may be low for someone like them and people will laugh and mock them, but they pursue it anyways. Other times, they are chosen to complete a mission, usually to save the world. They may be scared and unwilling at first, but only they can do it, so they come around and take it seriously. In anime, it’s a great thing to be different and set apart!
In our world, there is a lot of pressure to blend in. To be like others, to follow the trends, and to be popular. Standing out often means you’re a loser, or an outcast, or someone everyone hates. It’s human nature to want to be liked, so many will conform and lose themselves trying to fit in. But Christians are told we are to be set apart. While everyone is following the broad path that leads to destruction, we are to follow the narrow path to salvation.
Ephesians starts off with telling us we were predestined and chosen by God. He knew who would be His before we were even born! Romans 12:2 also says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
As an anime fan, it’s honestly really cool to think that we were chosen by God and are His special people. We got to see God use people who other’s didn’t expect to be anything special. Moses had a stuttering problem and was very insecure about himself. Jesse was told to bring out all his sons to see who would be the next King, and he brought out all but David. Jesse didn’t think David was fit to be king, but God saw David’s potential and wanted to use him. He became one of the greatest kings for the Isrealites.
Who knows what we are capable of or what we are called to do in this life. It’s just a matter of when we wake up to this reality that we can start pursuing God’s purpose for us and start changing the lives of others. Be proud of this honour, and don’t neglect the opportunity. Your story of a lifetime awaits!
2. Being Humble & Teachable
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6
Continuing from Point #1, when the protagonist sets off on their unique journey, they are often new to the craft and unequipped to fight battles on their own. This ain’t no superhero movie where people get their power and can instantly use it at ease. These characters stumble and strain and have so much to learn before they can even think about winning bigger battles. Training is so vital that there may be multiple episodes focused just on that.
But obviously, if they are new to an art, they don’t know what they don’t know, thus they will often have a mentor or teacher. Sawada above had Reborn. Ichigo from Bleach had Rukia and Yoruichi. Deku from My Hero Academia had All Might. Goku from Dragon Ball Z had Master Roshi. Cardcaptor Sakura had Kero and so on. They’re open to taking tips from strangers as well, and will even ask opponents about a technique after their match. They want to learn all they can so they can be great.
Gon from Hunter x Hunter is an amazing example. He starts on this journey to become a hunter so he can hunt down the dad he never knew, who is one of the best hunters in the world. Because of his spunk and tenacity, a lot of people are touched by his mission and offer to be his mentor for a period. While he does get stronger, and outsmart tougher opponents, he never lets that get to his head. He is always humble and open to learning. He’ll always respect his teachers and thank them afterwards.
In our world, pride is considered an admirable trait. The world hates insecure and pathetic people, and tells them they need to be proud and confident, even if it is unfounded. This love of self can grow to a point where they truly think they are prefect and no one can tell them anything. They don’t care to learn, they don’t want advice, and they will get defensive when criticism comes their way.
As Christians, we need to be humble. We need to be teachable and open to instruction. Let’s not forget that Lucifer’s fall came from him being prideful and thinking he was a god himself. Then he tempted Eve by saying she could be a god too. Pride is saying ‘we don’t need a teacher, and we don’t want anyone over us telling us what to do’. This is why the first step to becoming a real Christian is repentance.
Repentance is not just apologizing for doing something, it’s a change of mindset. It’s realizing you don’t know what’s right or what’s best, and that you need help and guidance. This will lead you to seek after God’s instruction and you’ll be humble enough to take in all His teachings. It’s putting yourself in God’s dojo. You will feel pain for a while as God’s word is sharper than a 2-edge sword (Hebrews 4:12), but you will come out strong, wise, and righteous.
As we read the bible, let’s not hold a wall of pride that doubts God’s teachings and chooses what it wants to follow. These anime characters will absorb anything and everything their mentor tells them because they know it is for their own good. They know this person is wiser and more experienced than them, and they trust that this person only wants them to grow and improve so they can achieve their goal.
Trust me, sometimes it’s so painful for them and they want to give up, but they keep going. They may not like the lessons at first, and they may not see why it’s important or necessary, but they humble themselves and follow. It’s like the wax on-wax off scene in Karate Kid. LaRusso thought he was just being used to do the old man’s chores, but only after days of this ‘pointless training’ did he see the benefits and was even more amazed by his sensei.
Remember that 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” God is the best and most amazing mentor anyone could ever have. He can teach us how to win at life because he created life! It’s like learning Karate from the creator of Karate!
Let’s take this trait of humility from these anime characters and become teachable. Realize that you aren’t as strong or smart as you think you are, but the God of the universe is eager to teach you all his ways and share all his knowledge about the world. Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.“
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” (James 4:10)
3. The Need For Faith & Belief
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
If there’s one thing anime always portrays that I really love, it’s having faith and believing in things you can’t see. They pursue goals that they don’t know if they’ll ever reach it. They’re training and building strength to defeat an enemy that is 10000X stronger than they are right now. It takes a lot of faith to strive towards something that you don’t know if it’s possible, yet they always do it.
A cute new series I watched was A Place Further Than The Universe. The main character was hoping to do something exciting with her life. She’s the kind to be curious, but is easily intimidated and never pushes herself. She bumps into a character, Shirase, who said she will go to Antarctica. She’s been working on this goal for years and classmates laughed and mocked her. She was even nicknamed ‘Antarctica’. The main character was taken back by her dream and though she was a little crazy as well.
But we find out Shirase lost her mom there, so it is her mission to go and find her. She got a part-time job to earn money and was going to find a way to go on the next expedition, even though they don’t accept kids. In the past, she had other friends who showed interest in going with her, but they all backed out and started avoiding her due to peer pressure. While the main character certainly had doubts and was hesitant, she decides to join her and believe in the dream. She had nothing to lose, and a whole adventure to gain!
They managed to find a couple other young girls who are down for the trip and by a stroke of luck, they were all allowed to go on the next expedition. Usually, anime quickly moves forward and I was expecting them to be on a boat to Antarctica in no time, but not in this show. They have to go through a lot of training on how to navigate, learn their roles as part of the crew, practice making news announcements and so on. The adults who were planning the expedition also wasn’t even sure if it would happen due to low finances and lack of volunteers, but they were also eager and driven. They all had doubts and fears, but they also had the faith to keep them going.
Finally, then are off! They are crossing stormy waters and feeling a little sick. But…they made it! The scene below is so touching. They really can’t believe it when they step on land. Shirase couldn’t help but scream out ‘In Your Face!’ And eventually, everyone else also joins in screaming out because everyone doubted them. No one else thought it was possible. No one else believed in them and their dream, but they finally got to prove them wrong. There is no better feeling.
Faith and beliefs at an all time low in our day and age. If you tell any parent that you want to pursue any career that is risky, like singing, acting, or becoming an Olympian, you’re going to be met with a lot of doubt and cynicism, even though thousands of people have done it before. Your so-called friends will make you question your dreams and say you should be a little more realistic. They truly think a 5% chance means that something is impossible. It’s like people don’t want others to dream.
But as a Christian, faith is needed for every aspect of our walk. We choose to believe in an invisible God and His promise of salvation. But anytime you try to bring up your faith and your joy, people will laugh and mock and try to tell you ‘God isn’t real’. Even if we have evidence in our own lives, even if we look at creation and it’s intelligent design, and hear all the testimonies from other’s about God, you can’t change these doubter’s minds.
Heck, the Israelites got to witness God do all these plagues to set them free and keep them safe in the wilderness, and they still worshipped a golden calf. The Jews witnessed Jesus do miraculous things and fulfill prophesy from the Torah, but they too rejected him. If people don’t want to have faith in God, they will never see or accept Him. And because they lack the light and hope God gives us, they want to drag us in the dark pit of despair with them.
Faith is so vital for our walk with God, and it is necessary for God to do work in our lives. Some make the statement that ‘faith is the currency of heaven’. God is a spirit after all, so our hope, faith, praise, thankfulness and such allows Him to help us more. When we are negative and hateful, when we complain and curse Him, we push Him away. “Without faith, it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). But if we have faith, even the size of a mustard seed, we could move mountains! (Matthew 17:20).
A Christian must hold on to faith and keep believing in God despite what everyone else says. Let’s follow these characters who choose to believe and pursue things, even when the finish line isn’t visible and the world tells them it’s not possible. Even if people don’t believe in God now, everyone will see and know the truth in the end. So take a leap of faith with God and soon you’ll start to see the world in a different light.
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-2.
4. Helping Others In Need
“Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities. Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls and a restorer of homes.” Isaiah 58:10-12
One common trait among the anime protagonists that I love the most, is that they have a heart of gold. They would gleefully help a granny cross the street, volunteer to help a failing classmate study for finals, pitch in when someone was short on bus fare, stand up for someone who is being picked on and so on. They can’t ignore someone in need and their body movies before they can even think. It may put them in an awkward place, and sometimes they get beat up for it, but they don’t regret helping someone in need.
My Hero Academia is an interesting show. Unlike other series where there are only a handful of heroes facing a handful of villains, we explore a world where many people have powers and choose to be a hero as a career choice. They must go to school, train, and get their licenses. Some become heroes just because it is expected of them due to their power, some for the money, some to follow in their parent’s footsteps, some want the fame and attention etc. But then we have Deku who is pure and wants to be a hero so he could help others.
Unfortunately for Deku, he wasn’t born with a quirk/power, so many told him to give up on his dream of being a hero. He had a childhood friend who he calls Kacchan who develops an amazing spark/explosive power and is praised by everyone. Kacchan became very prideful and started picking on Deku, calling him weak and useless. He gets other kids to tease him as well. Regardless, Deku still holds on to his dream because that’s all he has ever wanted to be. It does seem impossible for a powerless being to be a hero, but he has faith and hope anyways.
One day after school, a villain attacks the city and took hold of Kacchan. None of the other heroes were able to handle the situation so everyone stood back and watched. ‘Weak and powerless’ Deku couldn’t stand by and keep watching, and his body jumped in on it’s own. He did what he could to get the villain’s paws off his bully. This pushed all the other heroes to finally step in and they were able to defeat the villain.
Due to his courage, He was noticed by the #1 hero, who Deku looked up to and wanted to be. This hero has a special quirk that allows him to pass his power on to a successor, and he decides to pass it on to Deku. Not that fast though! Deku’s body is too weak to be a vessel for the power, but the entrance exams for hero school are coming up, so he has to train really hard to increase his body’s strength in time.
After he gets the power and gets accepted into hero school, he has to train a whole lot more to utilize it or his arms will literally fall off. He is behind his peers who had 10 years to practice the powers they were born with, but he has to work especially hard to handle and control this power with so many time limits. Yet, because he so badly wants to be a hero to protect people, he is willing to work really hard now that he has the opportunity.
These selfless characters were always my favourite, and thus, you can imagine just how much more I admire Jesus: The only sinless and truly selfless being to have walked this earth. He would heal the sick, comfort the poor, deliver people from demons and so on. His level of kindness and compassions drew many people to Him, and he received anyone that sought him.
However, don’t get Him wrong, He was not a doormat. When Pharisees would judge a sinner, Jesus would call them out as hypocrites and knew just what to say to get them to shut up. Jesus definitely had a sense of humor, but he wasn’t afraid to flip over tables if necessary (John 2:15-17). Pretty badass if you ask me. Definitely my favourite character in the book 😉
Christians are supposed to represent Christ. He gave up his life for us, so we should give up our lives and live for Him. Jesus was kind, approachable, and always ready to help anyone who asked Him. If He saw someone who was sick or struggling, He didn’t ignore them. He’d reach out and show them love and kindness. After his 3 years of ministry, He sacrifices Himself through a gruesome death on the cross to atone for the sins of many (Mark 10:45). What greater hero does humans have than Him?
God/Jesus really has nothing to gain from this when you think about it. He can create anything and do everything on His own. But He created us to have companionship with Him and to rule over the earth with Him. We rebelled, but He made it easy for us to come back to Him. While He is eager for our love and attention (and what parent wouldn’t be?), even that is for our own benefit. God is the creator and the source of life, thus rebelling and rejecting him means spiritual and physical. We can’t live without Him and His goodness.
We all know John 3:16 which says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This is truly the greatest love story to have ever been told. God could have given up on us (and He did consider it a few times), but He still fought for us and sacrificed Himself so that we may have life and be forgiven. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13)
5. The Battle Between Good & Evil
“Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.” Psalms 34:14
What is a Shonen anime without a battle between good and evil? Even if we aren’t explicitly told who is on what side, we can tell by their actions. The good guys are the ones who are selfless and aim to save people, while the bad guys pursue their selfish desires and they don’t care if they have to kill people to do that. Thankfully, the common trope is that the good side wins.
Digimon is my favourite anime. It was my true introduction to anime and Japanese music and it also taught me a lot of lessons. In this show, we have regular kids who get sucked up into a Digital world and are met by their Digimon partners.
The Digidestined or Chosen Children in the original version, represent the good side. They are very relatable and all come from different backgrounds (single mom, divorced parents, adopted, etc). They each have a trait/virtue that, when display this during a fight, it will help their Digimon evolve to higher levels. However, some of them have to work through the pain and trauma of their past to unlock that power.
Some of these traits include love, reliability, purity/sincerity, friendship, kindness, and hope. My favourite character was Kari who is completely selfless and loving, and she had the crest of light. Her and TK’s Digimon evolves into angels, and there are other angels like Seraphimon (Seraphim) and Ophanimon (Ophanim) that help govern the Digital world. There is said to be a god of the Digital world that doesn’t have a body, but on rare occasions, we get to hear them and see their light. We are told the god was the one who chose those kids, and that they want to restore peace and order to the Digital world.
And if you never watched the show, I do want to add that the kids never actually fight, nor do they need to command their Digimon on what to do. The Digimon are like humans in that they can talk and think for themselves, so it’s a true partnership. However, it’s the spirit and virtue of the child that allows the Digimon to evolve to higher levels and they then have the strength to defeat stronger enemies. Recently, I realized this is similar to Christianity. God doesn’t need us to fight, but He wants to work through us and fight with us. The stronger our faith, the more He can do and we can see just how amazing He is!
Continuing on, Digimon also has a very clear dark side, like Devimon (Devil), Lucemon (Lucifer), and Beelzebumon (Beelzebub). These enemies only seek to take over and/or destroy the Digital world due to selfish desires. Honestly, there are quite a few biblical references that makes it an interesting series to watch after you read your bible. In Season 4 and 6, Lucemon starts off as an angel of light who appears to be sweet, innocent, caring, and he gains a lot of supporters, but then he changes into his dark ‘fall down mode’ (not subtle at all lol) and we see what his real goal and intensions are.
There are of course many other Digimon who are citizens in that world. Some are vaccine types and immediately join the Chosen Kids on their journey. Some were possessed and used to do evil through dark rings/gears, but the kids’ Digimon was able to break that off them and free them. Some are virus types that lean towards bad things or maybe they were groomed by villains, but they are touched by the kindness of the kids and switch sides. Some previously evil Digimon even sacrifice themselves for the kid’s mission.
This goes for the humans as well. It is assumed that any Child who ends up in the Digital World is chosen and thus, should be on the good side. However, there is usually one kid who was traumatized or hurt in the real world, and they let that darkness build up. Then they may take an offer from an evil Digimon for power and vengeance, or they may be groomed, tricked, or manipulated into helping the bad guys. As mentioned earlier, the souls of these kids can empower other Digimon.
Below is a clip from Season 4, the season where the kids turn into Digimon and fight. These twins, Kouji and Kouichi were separated by their parents when babies, and only Kouichi knew he had a twin thanks to their grandmother. He went out to find Kouji and started stalking him as he was too shy to meet him. He would see Kouji’s family, and figured they had a better life. That led to him being envious and angry.
As the darkness grew inside him, he was approached by dark Cherubimon (as Lucifer was a Cherub himself) and was offered power for vengeance. He took it and started fighting against the chosen kids. The kids realized that the Digimon attacking them was a human kid and worked hard to reach out to him. They finally broke through and they all became friends. Kouichi then realizes that he doesn’t want to be in the dark anymore and he refuses to be controlled and used by Cherubimon any longer.
It’s a really great show at dividing the line, which I think is really important for kids who can handle it. I say that because my brother watched it when it was on air, but my 6yo self avoided it as it looked too dark and scary. Big ugly monsters with missiles, very dark scenery, kids crying for their mommies, etc. But I did like the movie he had on VHS and would play with his Digivices, thus I was willing to give it a second chance when I was 12 and loved it.
I have noticed that a lot of new shows are blending the line and who is ‘right’ or ‘good’ depends on what you stand for and who you like more. There’s also more shows where you are following the evil side and thus feel more compassion for them or want them to win. Then in real life, everything seems so grey, so when they are told they have to pick a side, God or Satan, they don’t want to choose. They want to be good people but they enjoy doing bad things now and then. But there is no grey side in this battle. If you’re not on the light side, you’re automatically on the dark side.
Lukewarm Christians are sometimes the worst. They think going to church and paying their tithes makes them good and that they are on God’s side, but they will spend the rest of the week partaking in sin and dancing with the devil. They think they can be saved and still live how they want, but be warned. Revelation 3:15-16 says “I (God) know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth“.
If you want to be on God’s good side, you need to repent. You need to let the Holy Spirit transform you, and you need to restrain from sin and evil. If God is not at the center of your life, then something else is, and that will control your thoughts and actions. You’re either partaking in evil or fighting against it. Definitely check out testimonies from satanist, wiccans, and new age people who sought God and threw literally everything out because they were serious about joining the good side.
As for the last point of this section, I want to bring up John 1:5 which says “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” God and Satan are NOT equal rivals. Satan wants you to believe he is just as powerful as God and that there is some kind of yin and yang fight going on, but Satan doesn’t stand a chance. Heck, in Revelation, it’s not God the father nor Jesus who will take down Satan, rather, an angel will be the one to capture Satan and bound him for 1000 years (Revelation 20:1-2) Don’t let the devil fool you. The battle is already won.
6. …Including The Battle Within One’s Self
“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” Romans 7:15-20
In Anime, I love that we often get to get in the heads of characters to understand their motivations, goals, and trauma. Some use each day as a way to learn and become a better person, but others feed their dark side so much that they become unredeemable. Sometimes, a character seems innocent and sweet on the outside, but when you get a glimpse of their thoughts, they are clearly two-faced and self-centered.
A perfect example is Light from Death Note. He was a straight-A student, super popular, a decent kid I guess, whatever (I never liked him lol). But one day, he finds this Death Note(book). ‘Whosever name is written in it shall die’. He tests it out and was shocked when he finds out it is real, as most people would be. Instead of getting rid of it and feeling remorse for killing two people, he builds resolve to rid the world of evil by killing all the bad guys. Hypocrisy at it’s finest.
Ryuk, the shinigami (death god) who owns the notebook comes by and tells him ‘he wasn’t chosen. He just dropped the notebook and he can do whatever he wants with it’. Ryuk just wants to be entertained honestly. Regardless, Light feels this was his purpose and something only he could do. He aims to rid the world of evil and criminals start dropping like flies. His dark side quickly grew, along with his pride, and he doesn’t see the wrong in his ways.
Now, we also have L, a very special and talented Detective who is on Light’s tail, and L was actually able to deduce and make him a suspect really early on. Sadly, he lacked the hard evidence needed to throw the book at him, and it doesn’t help that Light’s father is a detective on the force and is super defensive. Light continues to act like an innocent guy, and goes about school as normal. His plans get darker and he is willing to get rid of anyone who is investigating him or who gets in his way.
L was so certain it was Light that he chained him to himself, had him monitored in prison for a while, but he still lacked evidence…so he offered Light a spot on the force. The two become partners but are both hoping the other slips up and gives them an opportunity to arrest/kill the other. But at one point, L is pretty certain that Light has found a way to kill him. He decides to have a chat with Light, and openly asks him, ‘have you ever told the truth since he was born?’ Light replies, ‘I sometimes stretch the truth, but everybody lies from time to time’.
Right after is a very daunting scene for some Christians. Just like how Jesus washed the feet of his disciples the day before he died, L who grew up in a catholic orphanage, offers to dry Light’s feet. L does really like Light. Light was the first to keep up with him intellectually and they have some fun memories. He’s never had a friend before due to his background. But like Jesus and Judas, L always knew that Light was evil and will betray him. Yet, he apologized and dries his feet anyways.
All this to say, I don’t think anyone in Light’s circle could have ever suspected him or imagined that he was capable of mass murder. I don’t even think Light thought he was capable. However, it is clear that he had those kinds of dark thoughts for a while. He was judging the world and feeling something must be done to rid the world of evil. Only when the opportunity came by did he realize that he was truly capable and willing to do such evil.
Isn’t that the same as Judas as well? Jesus’s 12 disciples were around each other almost everyday for 3 years! Jesus knew from the beginning Judas would be the one to betray Him, but the other 11 had no clue. They thought Judas was innocent and pure hearted like the rest of them. During Passover (aka ‘The Last Supper’), Jesus announced that one of them would betray Him. The disciples were all surprised asking who could this be?
And even when Jesus pointed Judas out by giving him the bread soaked in wine, it didn’t register with the rest of them. Jesus told Judas to go do what he had to do, but the disciples thought he just had to run some errands. As innocent as Judas appeared to the disciples and other people they probably came across during the ministry, his heart was always dark and he was waiting for the opportunity to betray Jesus and make some money. (Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, John 13).
Our thoughts and our hearts control us more than we think. Instead of repenting of killing which is a very obvious crime to humans, Light grew so much pride that he didn’t see himself as evil or as a murderer. Rather, he saw himself as ‘the god of the new world’ and felt he was righteous enough to sentence others to death. He was the exception to the rule and no one could change his mind. He died still thinking he was right. It’s shows like these that make me very thankful we have the God we do and live in the world we do.
But I’m not even going to single Light out. I was asked to go watch a couple Purge movies, and it is honestly one of the scariest movies I’ve seen. Not in a horror, jump-scare sense obviously. But deep in my heart, I know that if the world actually added a holiday where all crimes are legal and no authorities will step in or keep record of what you do, people will gladly partake in evil desires of their hearts. Theft, murder, rape, revenge, anything you can think of. As much as people want to believe they are good, sinning is in our nature.
When we don’t notice or repent of our smaller sins, like lying and hating others, we allow that seed of evil to grow. We may then start partaking in bigger sins like stealing and adultery and still not see the problem. When people are caught or called out for it, they will excuse their behaviour. They will not see why it is a big deal. They will also defend themselves by pointing to other people and saying, “if they can do it, why can’t I?”
All sins hurt or affect other people though. A seemingly white lie can cause strife, insecurities, and distrust in a relationship. Some people have become compulsive liars and just say whatever is convenient or sounds cool. The world has been getting cold to do the idea of murderer since we hear about it daily. If one day, murder was not a crime, or if people found ways to truly get away with it, I have no doubts more people would kill others like Light. Let’s not fool ourselves.
Now, I think a lot of people don’t really know what sin is. I’ve been watching a lot of Ray Comfort’s witnessing videos, and pretty much everyone thinks they are a good person. Ray then pulls out the 10 commandments which say lying, using God’s name in vein, and lust/sexual immorality are sins. He also brings up 1 John 3:15 that states if you hate your brother, you commit murder in your heart. Add the other commandments like having no other gods, honoring parents, keeping the Sabbath etc, and it’s clear we’d all be guilty in God’s court of law.
Regardless, many will think ‘oh, well, God knows my heart’ or ‘everyone does that, it’s just human’ as a means to justify their actions and some still think they’ll go to heaven. That’s what happens when you judge your own heart based on your own feelings. But please consider that Light and Hitler also thought they were doing what was right and just.
We are self-serving creatures who follow what pleases us or makes our lives easier, but often, that is going against God’s very nature. I know that some of those commandments may not seem like a big deal when you’re only thinking about yourself, but the truth is, the commandments can be summed up as how to love. The first 4 commandments is how to love God, and the next 6 commandments is how to love your neighbour. That’s why Jesus was able to sum up the 10 commandments with 2 commands (Matthew 22:37–39, Luke 10:27).
We are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27), and we are to reflect His nature to each other and the creatures of this earth. As we’ve seen in the above points, God is completely loving and selfless, so we sin when we don’t live up to that standard. It’s not just about what you end up physically doing, but your thoughts and your words are also taken into account. We won’t know about a lot of these sins unless we read God’s word.
God knows we can’t truly be perfect in our bodies, but that’s why He has been so gracious to send us a savior to die for our sins. When we accept that sacrifice, His successor, the Holy Spirit, can dwell in us and guide us to do good. We can never be good and righteous by ourselves. No one is good or righteous, but God (Matthew 19:17).
It will be a battle, and many will have seasons of sin or backslide for years, but God will constantly tug at our hearts and try to pull us back to the good side that loves and serves others first. If we don’t aim to constantly do good and walk in the spirit, the flesh and it’s selfish desires will win. That’s why the bible says, ‘give no space to the devil‘ (Ephesians 4:27).
Ephesians 5:1-13 reads, “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth, finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.“
In Philippians 4:8-9, Paul tells us, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Let’s transform our hearts and our minds so that our flesh that craves to do evil doesn’t actually do it when given the opportunity.
7. The True Power Of Love & Forgiveness
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
While there is certainly a lot of fighting, hating, and vengeance seeking in anime, you may be surprised that there are characters who can be the bigger person, and forgive the worst of people for the sake of ending the feud. When a villain has a change of heart and wants to change sides, the good guys don’t constantly hold that above their head and condemn them. They will wholeheartedly forgive them and start treating them like an ally.
If a friend does wrong against them but confesses and apologize, the character is so eager to take them back and be their friend again. And even if it’s a stranger who didn’t apologize nor shows any remorse, they will still forgive them and move on. Some characters are so sweet that the concept of holding a grudge, even against someone who killed their friend or parent, just isn’t in them. But this does leave a positive impact on the wrongdoer and they actually want to change for the good.
In Attack on Titan (Spoiler alert) which features a war, these people find out this little girl was responsible for killing this beloved character. The girl has no remorse either because that character killed a couple people she knew. The character’s lover and someone she saved in the past, was ready to kill the girl for revenge. However, the character’s parents and fellow soldiers were willing to forgive the girl for the sake of ending this war. They’re tired of all the killing and just want peace.
Another cute anime that features love and forgiveness to a high level is Fruits Basket. The main character, Tohru, is a really sweet and ditzy girl who struggled to make friends all her life. She does have a couple friends who were bigger outcasts and weirdos than her, but they created a real bond and they are each other’s only friends.
Tohru lived with only her mom who wasn’t home much, but her mother dies as well. Tohru ends up living in a tent for some time, but it gets crushed in a landside leaving her with nothing but her mother’s photo. Thankfully, the Soumas allow her to live with them. She didn’t know it yet, but they have a big family secret: they all turn into zodiac animals when touched/hugged by the opposite sex or stressed.
Through the story, Tohru is trying to become friends with the members of the family. Some are scared to get close to her because they feel she’d be creeped out by their animal form, as other’s have in the past. Others are hostile as they’ve been traumatized by outsiders or even abused by family. Some call her names and attack her…repeatedly. Even if they don’t apologize, Tohru has such a big heart that instantly forgives and she keeps trying to be friends with them.
When they find out Tohru is working to find a way to break the family curse, some get even more annoyed at her and tell her to butt out of family affairs. Some make her out to be an enemy and physically hurt her. Despite the abuse and rejection, Tohru still loves them all and is very warm towards them. She adores them all and wants them to be happy.
As the story goes on, we get to see the backstories of all these characters. They are so deeply scarred and they don’t want the pain of being hurt or abandoned by a loved one again. Thus, a lot of them take out their anger on Tohru. When they see that she won’t give up on reaching out to them despite how cold and mean they are to her, they finally let down their guards, and healing begins.
Spoiler but, through the series, Kyo, the cat of the zodiac (and thus the most rejected family member), was always a little cold towards Tohru even though he clearly develops feelings for her. We find out near the end that he could have saved her mother, but didn’t. He kept his distance from Tohru due to the guilt. After confessing, he expected her to hate him, but instead, she said she forgives him and would love him no matter what. By the end, every member of the family loves her back, and the curse is broken!
I really love that in anime, we get to learn about the backgrounds of even the villains. We can grow compassion for characters and hope that they will be drawn to the good side. In real life, we tend to make assumptions about a person after one interaction. If they’re mean to us, we make them out to be a bad guy and treat them harshly in return, but who knows what they have been through. Everyone is seeking love and kindness. Everyone wants a true friend who they can trust and rely on. Only then, can a cold, broken heart be mended.
The very center of the Christian faith is the concept of love and forgiveness. God showed us love and forgiveness on the cross. There’s a reason why John 3:16 is so popular. It pretty much summarizes God and the gospel. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), but Jesus paid the fine. Not because we deserve it, but because he truly does love us soooooo much. He really is willing to do anything for us to return to Him, our true source of life.
Even if we once again run away from Him and hurt Him by pursuing a life of rebellion, He is chasing us. When we return, His arms are wide open and He celebrates, like in the story with the Prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). When we experience this loving goodness from God, He asks us to show the same love, grace, and compassion to other people so they too can be drawn to Him and experience his goodness and forgiveness.
Everyone makes mistakes, so instead of holding another’s sins above them and causing tension between relationships, let’s forgive and touch them in a deeper way. It’s easy to hold a grudge and let pride grow, but we must be humble. Don’t be like the servant who owed the king a big debt, and was forgiven…but then he doesn’t even show that same mercy to his own servant who owed him a little (Matthew 18:23-35). If God forgave us despite our sinful lives, it’s only fair to forgive those who do smaller things against us.
Ephesians 4:32 says “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” In Matthew 18:21-22, “Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”
Matthew 5:45-48 reads “He (God) causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
I think Tohru is a great example of just how caring and persistent God is. God is so pure and loving and He is always reaching out to us. We as humans tend to bite Him, insult Him, hate Him, blaspheme and sin against Him, yet He still shows us so much love and kindness. He is longsuffering and still let’s the sun shine on those who despise Him.
We may find peace being alone, locked in our dark rooms, surrounded be the comfort of our depression and being defensive to avoid being hurt again….but being with God is way better, trust me. He has more than enough love to heal the scars of your past and give you a brighter future. He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). Stop resisting and lean on Him. Go see what true love is all about from Him. Be released of all your sins through His forgiveness. “God’s love endures forever!” (1 Chronicles 16:34, Psalms 136)
More recently, this clip from an old new story was going around and we are all touched by his love and compassion for his brother’s murderer. She was a cop and entered the wrong apartment, shot him thinking he was an intruder. His brother told her that he ‘forgives her and honestly doesn’t even want her to go to jail. And that the best thing she could do is give her life to Christ’. He even asks to hug her. What a testimony of the love and forgiveness God has for people. Let’s all strive to be like this young man with a heart of gold.
8. Serving & Submitting To A Master
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Matthew 6:22-24
Another common anime trope is masters and their servants. It can be a king and his knights, a rich girl with her maid, or a villain with their minions. Their servants are very loyal, ready to do whatever is asked, and willing to die for their master at any time. I’m always amazed at their dedication to their role, along with their admiration for their master, even if their master is flawed, mean, or stupid.
Now, I get that those are fictional examples, but this level of admiration and dedication towards another mortal being is quite common in real life as well. I’m not even talking about royalty where it’s expected, I’m talking about the fans of celebrities, youtubers, and Kpop idols. They legitimately worship these people to the point of obedience. “Buy my merch!” They buy it. “Come to my show!” They get tickets. “Dye your hair red!” No hesitation! If anyone dare say anything bad about their favourite band online, they will all come together and attack you.
Some fangirls would invest so much time into their idols, streaming music and binging content, never missing a live stream, and digging deep to learn all they can about them. They’ll spend anything to attend their concerts and will buy hundreds of CDs for the chance to win a fan meet opportunity. But, if they find out their idol was in a scandal, or the group they were in disbands, these girls will be hysterical! Tears for weeks, depression, even cutting themselves. It honestly blows my mind for someone to be that attached to a person they never even met!
Regardless, real life or fictional, the thought of being a willing servant was always weird to me. Why would you sacrifice your life for a flawed and mortal being? Or even a villain who treats you like trash!?? Heck, why are you so dedicated to these celebrities and Kpop Idols who don’t even know you exist!?!!? I figured these people didn’t have much of a life so they found real meaning in being a fan, or they truly thought that person was an idol and put them on a pedestal. Growing up Christian, I could only see other human beings as equals.
But more recently, I was telling a non-Christian friend about why we should obey God. I said, “if there really is a God that created us, and He loves us so much that he’d sacrifice himself so we can connect with Him, it only makes sense to listen to Him, follow His direction on how we should live, and do what He tells us to do.” And that’s when I thought about these fans and faithful servants. They worship and love their master to the point of dedication and full obedience. We as Christians should be at this level, ready and willing to serve God at any moment.
It’s funny how some people are so eager to please a boyfriend, a teacher, or a boss, and they’ll do anything that person asks them to do…yet, when it comes to serving God, the One who gave us life and is offering salvation as a free gift, we are so passive about it. I don’t think most of us really look at God as ‘God’, as an all-powerful and all-knowing being. We see Him as a soft teddy bear or an absent dad, and we live how we want, ignoring His instructions. We claim we love God, but He said “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
If you were serving a king, and they say “come right now”, you don’t say “meh, I’ll come next week”. They say “bring me the salt”, and you bring them pepper. They say join me on my journey to the next village, and you decide, “naw, I don’t feel like it”….You’d be a pretty horrible servant, wouldn’t you?
It is a real honour to serve a King, yet we put God as the last priority. We don’t care to listen or obey him like a servant should. In fact, we love to twist what He asked us to do, and even do things He didn’t ask us to do! He never once told us to celebrate His birth, did he? He tells us to preach the gospel, but we don’t. He never said “go to church”, rather, “be the church”. He said to love and forgive, but many of us still hate and hold grudges. Some servants we are!
Some of these crazy Kpop fans think about their idols every second of everyday. They follow them on social media, are always listen to their songs, watching their music videos, staring at their posters, and even dreaming about them. Jesus told us, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37) So we should honestly be just as obsessed as they are! Our God actually deserves the praise, worship, and obedience, so we should be more invested than them!
And last note on masters, I’ve seen a lot of bad ones in animes. They’re mean, selfish, unappreciative, angry and uncaring, yet their minions still serve them cheerfully and willingly. We, on the other hand, have a God that actually cares about all his servants. Our Master would actually be on the battleground with us. Most kings would never give up their lives for their soldiers, but our King already did. He didn’t have to, but He loves us that much!
While we can’t return the favor, we could honour Him by following Him, serving Him, and being willing to die for Him as well. 1 Samuel 12:24 says “Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.” Colossians 3:23-24 adds “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
Rest on Acts 17 which says “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And He is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man He made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from any one of us. ‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’” What an amazing master Christians have!
Finally, Ephesians 6:5-9 has words for both servants and masters. “Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.“
9. Different Worlds (And Why Ours Is The Best)
“For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him.” Colossians 1:16
Japan loves to create various kinds of fictional worlds. Some may be similar to our real world, but most have additional elements. People have powers like Sailormoon, or monsters walk around freely, like Pokemon. Some have a variety of different creatures and ways of life like Re:Zero and any other isekai anime. Anything you can imagine, there is probably an anime about it already.
A common question anime fans ask each other is, “What anime world would you like to live in?” Sometimes you get swept away thinking about the powers available or the exciting adventures you may get to partake in. As for me, when I consider the dark forces of that world and how deadly battles can be, all I can say is, “Thank God I live in THIS world’. I know I’d be dead in no time if born in most other worlds.
A show that many, myself included, are so excited to see the end of is Attack on Titan. The show features a city surrounded by walls and we are told they are the last human beings on earth. Outside of these walls are titans. They are 10-60 feet tall monsters who only wants to eat people and can cause destruction as well. People train to be soldiers to defend their city should they attack, but in every fight, the majority of these soldiers die.
I don’t want to spoil much because this is honestly a masterpiece with so many layers and plot twists. I honestly think everyone should watch it as it really gets you thinking about your own life and it’s a great conversation about who’s right, who is really good, how would you have handled this or that situation etc. If anything, I’m sure every anime fan is thankful they don’t live in that world…the characters in the show don’t even want to live in that world lol
Now, for some reason, people often ask ‘If there is a God, why is there so much evil?’, and it always blows my mind. The question itself gives you the answer. We are the source of evil. Humanity and our sinful nature is what makes living here so hard and so depressing. We make it hard for each other to be happy because we are selfish.
Whether you believe in creation or us being an accident, it is clear that we are not robots. Nor are we animals that run on instincts. We are beings that have a soul. We have so many different personalities along with the freedom of choice. From a biblical perspective, free choice is quite necessary. Without free choice, we can’t love anyone, but with free choice, we also have the option to rebel and hate other beings. If we want God to get rid of evil in this lifetime, He either has to forcefully change everyone or destroy us. Thankfully, He gives everyone time to choose and repent.
Some may go on to ask why God made Satan, but Satan aka Lucifer was an angel with free will as well. He chose to rebel against God and he wanted to take the whole world down with him. While he may have tempted Eve, she chose to go along with it. They both desired to do things their way and be a god, instead of submitting to the Creator’s image and will. I really like Melissa’s answer to this question in the video below. It’s the first question at around 1:00.
When I consider the variety of worlds out there through anime, it’s horrible! They have a more strict and heartless god. They have humans with immense power and weaker humans who live in fear. It is truly survival of the fittest. In some, everyone is a weird half-breed creature. In others, the elements are whack and everyone has to live in a bubble or die. Sometimes, there is a system in place that everyone is forced to live by and they really don’t have any freedom.
God certainly considered all the possibilities of realms and dimensions, and He decided this earth made this way was the best one. We have so much to see and enjoy on this earth, like fruit, beaches, and pets. He didn’t have to make us in His image nor give us free choice, but He did. While you may think the world could be better, it could also be way worse, so we should always be grateful for the God we have and the life we have on this planet.
And even though we used that freedom to rebel against him, He allows to live how we want in this lifetime, but he paid the price in advance for anyone who wants to return to Him. We don’t have to be ‘good enough’ to earn heaven, it is a free gift through faith in Him. We are so special to Him and so blessed to live in this world He created. Don’t take it for granted!
James 1:17 says “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows,” so “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
10. …But We Still Get To Partake In An Exciting Fight
“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:11-12
This world is certainly amazing and full of blessings and wonders as stated in the last point. However, when one has a carnal mindset and are stuck in the matrix of school-work-marriage-death, life can seem kinda boring or depressing. Some don’t even care to live that kind of life, but society pushes them to follow the status quo. It doesn’t surprise me that many people seek escapes through shows, games, cosplay, drugs, alcohol, and parties.
But what if I told you that this world is a lot more interesting and exciting than it seems on the surface? What if I told you that you can truly live like the protagonist and join God’s forces in fighting against evil and delivering people from the darkness?
I, too, was only focused on the physical world. I was only focused on getting a good job, surviving, and crossing things off my bucket list. But more recently, I was introduced to the reality of demons. As a Christian, logically, I knew if God and angels existed, so did Satan and demons. However, without any supernatural experiences of it, I was pretty ignorant of the spiritual war going on. I didn’t realize until then that people today are actually struggling with demons and spiritual strongholds, and only Christians through Jesus can deliver them.
It’s funny because, we claim to know and love God, which is an invisible spirit ruling over the earth….yet I don’t think most of us take these bible stories as a part of history. The flood, Jonah being swallowed by a whale, David being unscathed from the Lion’s den, Elijah being taken away in a fiery chariot, and so on. The bible constantly tells us that supernatural and unexplainable things can happen in this world. As stated in Point 3, when it comes to God helping us, we need to have such faith that anything is possible. We need to truly believe that!
If you haven’t watched it, definitely check out the original Superbook which is an anime (made in Japan). I think seeing these stories on screen definitely helps the bible come alive for a lot of people. It makes certain concepts easier to comprehend and we can truly learn real life lessons from these characters We also get a better glimpse into our Father’s character and we can see just how amazing He is! There is a newer American 3D version of Superbook and I’ve seen a couple episodes, but there’s something about hand drawn cartoons, you know what I mean?
Back to the battle, when you see how demons affected people in the bible, it’s clear that they can sometimes be the cause for people’s depression, schizophrenia, homosexual or suicidal temptations, and can even cause physical illnesses that lead to death. There’s many testimonies of people who really felt that was who they are, but once they were saved and delivered, all that was washed away and they were truly reborn.
Do note though, that sometimes it really is a brain disease or trauma that leads to these feelings, but for others, it may be due to a demon. Pills and therapy sessions won’t help them if it is spiritual. Definitely check out this video where Isaiah Saldivar, a deliverance minister, analyzes a Dr. Phil clip where he wants to have them diagnosed with a mental illness, even though the girl knew it was demons. Doctors are so eager to diagnose and give pills before even doing proper tests or considering alternative reasons for their problem.
Certain new age beliefs have gotten extremely popular in this decade and the witchcraft community has also grown so much. People are playing with tarot cards, Ouiji boards, crystals, and dreamcatchers which all open doors for demons. Some are more diligently learning to channel to work with demons directly. While some may try things out of curiousity or grief, they become attached to exploring the spiritual world through those means. Here’s a clip of Vanessa Hudgens from High School Musical talking about visiting a grave and talking to ghosts.
Once you invite these demonic spirits into your home, you really can’t get them out. You’ll notice some of them do things like burn sage so they can ‘rid their home of evil spirits’. It is clearly an ongoing issue for them. The reason people wore costumes for Halloween was to ‘scare away wondering spirits’. The world may think it’s all fun and games, but witches and those in the occult take this holiday very seriously.
Some may think their ‘spirit guide’ is an angel or a ghost of a loved one. But with time, the demon starts to reveal their true face and that person’s life gets darker. It’s common for demons to push people to cut themselves or sacrifice a loved one because blood makes them stronger. I definitely recommend watching the two testimonies below. They were both all for witchcraft and the power it gave them until they saw the light.
Our generation is very open to the blending of faiths as well. There are Christians who seek tarot card readings or mediums because they think God will speak to them through those means. While Yoga is a spiritual practice that worships the god Shiva, there are churches that are now offering ‘Christian Yoga’. As much as people defend yoga and say it is just exercise, Yogis say that Yoga is a spiritual act, and that you cannot separate the physical aspect of it. They are one in the same.
God warned us to not do as the pagans or gentiles do (Matthew 6:7, Leviticus 18:3, Ephesians 4:17, etc). Clearly, many do it anyways and stand by it. This is why God say that ‘His people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.’ (Hosea 4:6) We are falling for the snares of Satan and the philosophies of this world, which are not of God (Colossians 2:8). I now agree that even Easter and Christmas shouldn’t be celebrated due to their pagan ties and the traditions attached to the holiday today, like decorating a tree (Jeremiah 10:2-5)
And I know, I know, it all sounds crazy. But again, if you believe in the bible, you need to accept that this is the reality. When God laid down His laws to the Israelites, and later, the Jesus and the Apostles to the saints, they all make it VERY CLEAR that we should not do witchcraft, practice divination, or consult mediums (Leviticus 19:31, Exodus 22:18, Revelation 21:8, Galatians 5:19, 2 Chronicles 33:6, etc).
When King Saul consulted in a medium, he received a negative message from whom he thought was the late Samuel, but it was actually a familiar spirit who knew Samuel and was able to impersonate him. King Saul was distraught and this act resulted in severe punishment of his and his family’s death and nation’s defeat in the war (1 Samuel 28). We should only look to God for answers and seek Him for power, wisdom, and prophesies. Any other means of power or knowledge is more likely coming from the devil and his minions.
Don’t fall for the lie that this is a past issue, something that only people in Jesus’s time had to deal with. Spirits don’t die and disappear like humans do. They are still wondering around and are still causing trouble. The world has convinced us that clips of supernatural activity like exorcisms is just an act, that spirits and demons don’t exist. But just like the music industry, many people have made contracts with demons to become successful.
I used to watch Criss Angel and Long Island Medium a lot in high school. People always said it was just actors and camera tricks, but part of me always though some things were too unexplainable or emotional to just be a ‘trick’. I remember pondering about it cause it didn’t make sense! I haven’t watched em since, but took a look for the sake of this article. Just know that magic is very real. Don’t let your carnal mindset stop you from seeing the spiritual truth.
As an anime fan, once this reality hit me, I became more excited and motivated to dig into my bible and increase my faith. Not only am I chosen by God, but I get to take part in this war and help people! Praying isn’t just for the sake of my relationship with Him and to ask for forgiveness. It is a valuable tool that can help weaken Satan’s attacks and help aid other believers in their spiritual fights. The Bible says to put on the whole armour of God, and it does mean that literally.
Ephesians 6:14-18 reads “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.“
If you’re an anime fan who loves to cosplay and roleplay, why not join the real fight? Why not become a soldier of God? Why not join the side where our Master has already won the battle (John 16:33, 2 Chronicles 20:17, 1 Corinthians 15:57, Colossians 2:15)? As long as we are filled with the Holy Spirit, and we got the word as our sword, and as long as we are sober and aware of the devil’s schemes, we are unstoppable in this fight. “If God is for us, who could be against us?“ (Romans 8:31)
“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6:12
11. Getting A Glimpse Into The Future
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” Revelation 1:1-3
In anime, everyone, even the good guys, tend to be anxious about the future because they don’t know how things will turn out. They don’t know when the enemy will attack, they’re not sure if they’ll win the next battle, they’re not sure if they can pass this huge obstacle, etc. While some protagonists can stay hopeful and are usually the ones to encourage their allies, sometimes even they grow in doubt and uncertainty. This fear can greatly inhibit their abilities and it becomes hard to fight.
As much as the trope that ‘the good guy wins’ is usually the case, don’t think that they don’t lose battles now and then. Sometimes, evil actually wins and takes over, and you can see how depressed and distraught the heroes are. The citizens have lost faith in them and they don’t know what to do next. They know that they can’t give up and decide to fight anyways, maybe incorporating new allies and strategies, but you can tell that their level of courage and hope has dropped down tremendously.
But in some series where the person can either tell the future, or was sent back in time and thus knows the future, you can see that they live their lives differently. Instead of being discouraged or passive about upcoming events, they live with this kind of urgency. They are eager to either prevent the upcoming doom, or are more driven to make the prediction a reality. Some animes with this premise includes Erased, Orange, ReLIFE, and Tokyo Revengers.
In Erased, Satoru is a grown man but was sent back in time to when he was a child. He recalls that this girl in his class, Kayo, will be abducted and killed, so he takes this as a chance to save her life. He doesn’t know who the killer is, so all he can do is try to get close to her and watch over her. She is very cold and quiet, so it takes a while for her to warm up to him. He is also just a child, so he has restrictions as well. Regardless, he works fast because he only has a few weeks to prevent her murder.
Through the story, we see that she was picked on because she is poor. Adding on, she is neglected and abused by her mother at home and thus spends a lot of time alone, making her the perfect target for the killer. As Satoru works on developing a friendship with her, his friends also join in on helping her. His mother also steps in when she finds out Kayo is abused and makes a home for her. In the end, he is successful and Kayo is given a future. None of that could have happened if he didn’t know what the future held for her.
I also want to explore another anime Orange. This one is similar to Erased in that the main character, Naho, finds out a new classmate, Kakeru, is going to disappear and feels obligated to be his friend to prevent that. But unlike Erased, her present self receive a letter from her future self about what is going to happen and what she needs to do. She doesn’t believe it at first, and ignores the first command, but she finds out later that she really should have followed it.
As we go about the story, turns out all of her friend group got letters from their future selves and they were all working to prevent Kakeru’s death. Naho just had a bigger role to play as the other characters believe they she was meant to be his lover. They believed that if she ended up with him, he definitely would still be alive. Even the guy she originally married believes that Naho and Kakeru should be together and goes with the plan despite his feelings for her.
It’s interesting though, because their future selves can’t change their current timeline. They really have no benefit for letting their past selves know what will happen. However, they’re just hoping their past selves go down a timeline with less regrets. Having insight into the future affects people’s actions, and it’s even better when they are given instructions on what they should do to prevent or cause a certain future.
In our world, what shall I say? We humans are the same. We fear the future and the unknown. People were already struggling to find a job and feed their families, but Covid made things 5X worse. Hopelessness and depression went through the roof. And even now when the plague has somewhat blown over, we got rumors of wars, train derailments, other diseases, and who knows what else. It feels like there’s bad news everyday and people are going insane!
People who are in the Matrix are too caught up in this world. They’re trying to get out of this rut and rebuild their lives for a better future. They’re focused on the money and saving up for a mortgage and retirement. Life stresses them out because they figure they have no other choice but to live this life. Christians, on the other hand, know that God will take care of their needs, and that Jesus is coming soon. Like really, REALLY soon.
I know, I know…people have been saying that since Jesus left the planet 2000 years ago, but there are some prophesies that could only happen now thanks to the advancement of technology. For example, the bible says people wouldn’t be able to buy or sale unless they take the mark of the beast. This implies there is not only a one world currency, but also a digital currency that can be tracked. As long as there is cash, people can buy and sell from anyone secretly. Thanks to Covid, more people were pushed to go cashless and more people were forced to shop online.
As much as haters want to say Jesus didn’t exist, there is overwhelming amount of evidence and witnesses for Jesus, and I’m talking more than 500 accounts! That’s way more than a lot of other historical figures that people don’t question existing. Other scholars also don’t deny the existence of Jesus. I mean, we wouldn’t follow a calendar that has ‘BC’ (Before Christ), if Christ never existed.
People mock the bible and say it’s a fairytale, but not only is it historically accurate, but it’s prophesies are being crossed off one by one, like the drying up of the Euphrates river. It is living and it is true, because it was inspired by God, the only one who was around from the beginning of time and the only one who knows how this world will end. Definitely watch the video in Point 3 on why we should trust the bible, and the video beside it about the goal of science.
God doesn’t want His chosen people to be lost, scared or confused, and that’s why He lays everything out for us. And what I find super amazing is that, God is so omnipotent that He doesn’t need to hide His plans or the future from us. He knows and controls the universe! Even if the bible is the best selling book, even though Satan definitely knows what it says and what his end will be, no one can stop God’s plans from happening.
Satan, on the other hand, works in the darkness. He lies and deceives his servants. He will use people and then throw them away when convenient, as you see with some celebrities overdosing, committing suicide, or dying suddenly. Occults, secret societies and agendas are all hidden from the public. He doesn’t want the world to know his plans for taking over the world and getting people to bow down to him.
Satan knows his end is near and that’s why he’s been pushing like crazy. A couple decades ago, sex wasn’t something you’d show in a movie, especially not sex outside of marriage. That kind of behavior was despicable and looked down on…..but good luck finding a show with no sexual content these days. Sleeping around has been normalized and no one blinks an eye anymore. This goes for everything else. We have been so conditioned to accept sin and evil that Satan can now be bold with these themes in the media.
Satan has created so many fake religions, along with atheism that stems from Science. Many people who don’t do much research end up being agnostic as there are so many religions and they feel that they are all the same…and most of them are as they stem from pagan origins. Others just don’t care much about religion as they think of it as just a lifestyle or a means to control the masses. New age thinkers believe that one should just do what feels right, or what works for you.
There continues to be a push for a one world religion (coexist/interfaith religion), and many Christians who don’t know their bible and just follow others will end up going along with it too. Why? Because the one world religion and new world order is all about bringing people together. It’s all about unity and tolerance of differences. One gender, one race, one belief, one country, we are all the same! And to the normal person, that sounds pretty sweet! Who doesn’t want peace and unity?
But in Matthew 10:32-34, Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household“.
In John 14:6, Jesus also said “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” In John 15:18-20, he goes on to say “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.”
Remember, we are to be set apart. If you’re listening to world leaders and are ignorant to what the bible says, you’re going to be influenced into accepting agendas that go again God. I already showed you in the last section that evil is being loved and accepted these days. The USA keeps drifting away from it’s Judeo-Christian foundation and is now leaning more towards Satanic views.
5 years ago, a bakers won their case when they refused to make wedding cakes for a gay couples, but now, people are getting cancelled and arrested for anything that could be considered discrimination against the LGBT community. 10 years ago, most people believed that marriage was just between a man and a woman, but now, anyone can get married, and there are constant debates on ‘what is a woman?’ Back then, love was correcting and guiding people. Now, love is accepting people’s un-scientific AND un-biblical delusions.
Right now, there is a war against Christians. Freedom and acceptance trumps religion. Christians have lost their jobs and have been banned on social media for speaking the truth. They hate the light because they love the darkness and their deeds were evil (John 3:19). Jesus told us to expect persecution since He was on earth. If you are compromising or are part of the world, you’ll have an easy life, but Mark 8:36 asks “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?“
If you have the time, it’s totally worth watching TruthUnEdited’s History of Religion series. He is a biblical guy and that is the foundation of his videos, but he is well educated and does lots of research on other religions, pagan history, world maps, secret societies and symbols, the entertainment industry, and so on. I learned so much from him and his videos add so much context and depth to the bible, our purpose, and Satan’s ploys.
After being caught up on the world and current events, I can totally see why everyone will accept the Anti-Christ and accept the mark of the beast. It seemed unbelievable when I first read the bible a decade ago, but our world has done a full 180 since then. We are desensitized to evil and people actually love Satan and what he stands for.
The foundation of Satanism is to ‘do what thou wilt’ aka ‘do what you want’. He allows people to live how they want and to sin freely without guilt, without any judgement or condemnation. Essentially, live how you want without God’s influence. Heck, be your own god even! Be the center of your own universe and you can decide what is good or bad. Anyone who says otherwise is the evil one and should be silenced! (Sounds like Light from Death Note)
Look at the media right now. Sex, drugs, alcohol, lying, cheating, murder, homosexuality, broken families…we don’t even blink an eye when the topic appears in media or in real life. Yet, all these things is either against God’s image or His commandments. Others are blaspheming God character by claiming they believe the bible while pushing for things that are clearly against the bible.
The bible says God will send people to hell, but many don’t think ‘a loving God would never do that’. Yet, the lake of fire that burns for eternity is mentioned quite a few times. Go check out Revelation 20:10. The bible says Jesus is ‘the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me‘ (John 14:6), but Christians are coming around to the idea that other religions may be right as well and that there are many paths to heaven.
What I have noticed through the hundreds of videos I’ve watched the last few months is that, everyone, including some self-proclaimed Christians, has created their own idol. They created a god in their own mind based on their own feelings and beliefs. However, God is a person, and you can’t change his character, expectations for us, or plans for the world just because you don’t agree with them. He is what He is regardless of what you think. If you don’t know who He is, you need to read your bible and find out.
Continuing with Satan’s agenda, more shows and games are coming out in which we either sympathize with evil doers, or we are working for the bad side. The TV series Lucifer was actually so popular that it was the #1 most watched show on Netflix in 2021, even beating out Squid Game. I haven’t watched Lucifer, but Squid Game is just as bad when you think about it. All these people are so hopeless and desperate for money that they’d risk their life for a 1 in 456 chance of winning the price. You can of course expect lies and betrayal in this ‘game’.
Moving on, there’s a new cartoon series by Disney that came out named Little Demon, and it features Satan and his daughter, the Anti-Christ. Very subtle, I know. We got Sam Smith literally doing a Satanic ritual at the Grammys. Lil Naz X with his Satan shoe and his MV where I heard he twerked on the devil or something, and don’t even get me started on Demi Lovato’s new album. Apparently, the most downloaded Nintendo game recently was Cult of The Lamb…where you get to…make a cult…Satan really isn’t hiding anything anymore, but no one seems to care!
There are celebrities who say they love God, but clearly are worshipping another god, the god who they sold their souls to so they can become famous. Celebrities like Oprah and Steve Harvey claim to be Christian but are actually New Age/Interfaith believers and are leading people down the wrong path. As long as a celebrity claims to be Christian, people are willing to follow them and their unbiblical beliefs.
You got pagan moments at sports ceremonies. The Satanic Temple opened an abortion clinic and put up some weird creepy idol to honor the lady who started abortions. They claim that they need the blood of babies for witchcraft so it is quite necessary for them to have abortions. I even saw a trailer for a movie called Babylon. They don’t even have to be subtle anymore because the world is so immune to evil, but Christians need to WAKE UP!
I’m not even gonna let anime off the hook for this one. Little Light Studios analyzed a few animes to explore their dark themes, ties to the occult, and mockery of God. Sadly they have taken that series down for now, but my heart broke when I found out what the Shin Megami Tensei game was about through their video. The final boss is literally God. And not just any God, but the God of the bible as they reference him by his Jewish name. It’s not surprising since the game was based off the ‘Devil Children’ series, and Satan is your ally.
Honestly, a lot of what God says in the game is biblical. The kids are mad that God chooses to rule outside the earth and just watch. But God replies ‘I am always by your side. Your joy is my joy, your grief is my grief. The faithful walk together with me, that is the salvation I give’, and God urges them to repent and join Him. However, being influenced by Satan, they want their freedom. They want to do things their own way. Of course, the game goes on to really distort God’s image and character.
I cried a few nights thinking about all this, and I truly felt for God when I realized how much people really hate and reject Him. All He’s ever been was good to us. At times, I wished more people would seek Him and be saved, but when I see all that people say about God and what their true desires are, it’s clear that they only care to serve themselves. They’d rather live in sin and rebellion than repent and turn to God.
But for those who do seek God, who love Him and want to obey Him, He will help them understand His word and prepare for the perilous times ahead. He doesn’t want us to be surprised or caught off guard when he does unleash his wrath on the earth, so He gives us signs that we can look for and be ready for what’s coming.
We will not fear the future or the darkness ahead because we know that God has everything under control and that He will always take care of us. The last days will be scary and billions of people will die. We may even be persecuted and killed when the Anti-Christ gets in power, but we can look forward to the resurrection and Jesus’s reign in the new kingdom.
I know I mentioned us being servants earlier, but here’s a comforting verse to rest on: “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” John 15:15
12. It Will All Be Worth It (Salvation & Rewards)
“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.” James 1:12
There are various reasons why anime characters do what they do. While some heroes just aim to help people, some do have a goal or a mission that may lead to some kind of reward. Maybe it’s becoming a recognized Pokemon Master, getting the Dragon Balls so they can have their wish granted, or becoming the Hokage of their village. Sometimes, the character wasn’t even thinking about rewards, but it was given to them due to their courage and good deeds.
I know this isn’t an anime, but I think a great example is Mulan. She wasn’t able to bring honour to her family as she wasn’t able to land herself a husband. Later, China starts drafting people for the war. Her father was the only man in her family so he was expected to fight. She didn’t want him to due to his injury. If he was to go out, he would for sure be killed. Thus, Mulan dresses up as a man and runs away to join the army. She would get killed if found out, so her family stays quiet when they realize she’s gone.
While she becomes a decent soldier and was even the key to helping them win one of their battles, she was found out. They shamed her and left her behind. While left in the wilderness, she overhears the enemies plan and runs to her soldiers to warn them, but they ignore her. She decides to fight anyways and some of her friends in the army decide to join her to protect the country. Thankfully, the battle is won all thanks to her.
Mulan was only thinking about honouring her family, protecting her father, and saving the country, but due to her selfless actions, she was rewarded and honored by the Emperor himself. Her fellow commanding soldier also falls for her, so she was able to please her family by bringing a man home as well. She didn’t do anything for the rewards, but because she was so caring and diligent, she got them anyways.
When it comes to Christianity, we know that we could never earn heaven by our own works. Thankfully, Jesus offers salvation as a free gift through His sacrifice. Some take this to mean, ‘as long as I believe, I can live however I want’. I mean, what other motivation is there to live better if we are simply saved by faith? People are only focused on making it to heaven, so if they don’t have to work for that, why try?
The internet says over 2 Billion people are Christians, but it doesn’t feel like 1/4 of the people you meet are living set-apart lives, are following God’s commandments, and are completely loving and selfless. So, let’s be honest, most Christians take the gift of free grace and abuse it. They continue to live sinful lives and just ask for forgiveness every night, if they pray anyways.
Many non-Christians want to do what they want now and say they’ll turn to God on their deathbed. A real gamble. But a true Christian would be so thankful for the grace God has shown them and will aim to please him through their words, actions, and lifestyle as a form of appreciation. They start living more in the Spirit and will naturally do more good works.
I heard a phrase recently in a Youtube short that said, “It’s not Jusus+Works=Salvation, it is Jesus=Salvation+Works“. Salvation is all about our savior, not us, and works are a byproduct due to our faith and hope in Jesus. We want to love our neighbours and share the good news (gospel) so that others can experience the hope and light we have in Jesus and hopefully be drawn to God. We don’t do this to earn heaven, but because we are already saved.
Obviously, after reading the previous 11 points, I’m sure you see just how amazing and selfless God is. In return, we should be praying and studying diligently. We should ensure God is actually the master of our lives. Our faith and belief in God and Salvation should be so high that we have no doubts about Him and His promises. We should have the armour of God on and be ready for battle….but it is a hard battle. We constantly have to face our flesh and do good when others treat us with evil.
Considering God is our Creator, I’m sure He knows that humans need a little something to keep them motivated, and to encourage them when things get hard. God is full of gifts and he tells us to ask and we shall receive (Matthew 7:7). The bible also says “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart, and if we seek him diligently, he will give us the desires of our hearts.” (Psalms 37:4)
When being hated or facing hardship due to our faith, we can remember Matthew 5:11-12 which says “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.” For people who crave words of affirmation, being told “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23) by God himself is all they could ever want.
For others who only crave love and attention, God promises that he will always be there for you. He will never leave you nor forsake you (Joshua 1:5, Hebrews 13:5). While we may lose things on earth, we are actually storing more treasures in heaven (Matthew 19:21). Verses like these help us keep our eyes on God, and to consider Him in all we do here on earth.
Is there any better way to end an anime story than with the brave warrior being noticed and rewarded by their King? Or that kid who trained and worked hard for a decade finally earning the #1 title? They kept their eyes on the goal and worked hard until the end.
Let’s strive to be as dedicated and committed as these characters when it comes to their goals and missions. Let’s work hard to serve others and build the Kingdom of God. Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.“
Conclusion
I hope this article has been encouraging for my fellow Christian anime fans. I wasn’t really sure how I was going to piece this article together, but somehow I did it. I can only thank the Holy Spirit for getting me through it and helping me recall relevant verses for each section.
I know for many, ‘Christian’ is just a title they hold. Something they were born into and felt pressure to maintain. It’s just a religion to them and there’s no real passion to learn more or do the will of God. But if you’re an anime fan who has let your imagination run wild and you wished you could be the protagonist in some exciting story, well guess what? You are in the middle of that story right now! Consider this your wake up call.
God has chosen you and there is evil out there that is ruining people’s lives. You can be the light in the dark and help free these people from their chains. You can spread the message and give people real hope for the future. Put on the armour of God and get ready to fight in this spiritual war. And if you endure to the end, holding on to your faith in God, you can look forward to salvation. Guaranteed!
Anime characters may have their moments of doubt and may wonder if they can actually win against the biggest enemy, but you can have comfort in knowing that you’re on God’s side. He is omnipotent and undefeatable. We know the battle is already won because we know how this story will end. Talk about a confidence booster! We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. Never forget that.
The next time you watch an anime show that has some kind of battle between good and evil, don’t just watch it passively for entertainment. See what you can learn and adopt into your own life so you can improve as a Christian. While they may be fictional characters, they are relatable and there’s a lot you can learn about faith and courage by watching them. Look for the traits of Jesus in these characters and feel inspired to live by them.
I’ll finish this article by quoting my favourite verse, which was actually the basis of my first song release, Be Courageous. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
Time is running out. Stand up and fight the good fight, soldier!
Pingback: 15 Valuable Life Lessons You Will Learn From Anime ⋆ Chromatic Dreamers
Pingback: Is Anime/Japanese Music Safe For Christians? A Deep Analysis ⋆ Chromatic Dreamers
Pingback: Interview With Gaming & God : Bringing Christ To The Gaming Community ⋆ Chromatic Dreamers