Concern as a parent over manga

[ArmastusBridget]

Over the past four or five years of my daughters life she’s grown very interested in japanese manga and anime. Most of this started from watching pokemon, which I had no objections to, contrary to popular views on the matter. (Honestly, little critters posed no risk to any childs soul)

However, after getting back into this sort of stuff in her teenage years, she’s picked up more mature titles, and seeing T+ and M ratings on comic books can be rather unnerving for a parent.

So, I started reading some of the books she owns, and was shocked and appalled.
Not only are many of them sexual and violent, but the direct messages regarding faith are downright disturbing.
One of these manga series revolved around two siblings involved in an incestuous relationship, and, as the manga went on, brought in homoerotic elements, “corrupt” angels, and “good” demons, and ultimately deemed God a villain.

The series was called Angel Sanctuary, and was probably the worst thing I found in my daughters manga collection.

I really don’t know what to do about such filth

I’ve talked to her already about it, but I really want to get the message out there… We really need to guard what our kids are reading, before we run into such things our selves.

 

[shondrea]

…
…
…
Inb4 Sailor Kenshin and his rant about the glorification of evil in media and how all fictional characters should be pure untouched saints or evil devilspawn that dies horrible deaths in the nme of God

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

However, after getting back into this sort of stuff in her teenage years, she’s picked up more mature titles, and seeing T+ and M ratings on comic books can be rather unnerving for a parent.

As a guy who collects/reads as well as actually preferring T or M-rated manga, please tell your daughter that it is only ethical for her to read titles suitable for her age. And note, this is not something only the Christian anime fan would advise, but its a general rule for all enthusiasts.

So, I started reading some of the books she owns, and was shocked and appalled.
Not only are many of them sexual and violent, but the direct messages regarding faith are downright disturbing.

Just a quick question, how old is your daughter? Generally there actually three ratings for manga between T and M. You have:

T - 13+
OT (Older Teen) - 16+
M - 18+

In case that she actually qualifies for at least OT, I would also appreciate if you list some of these titles as some parents tend to misunderstand some manga (yes, even worse than the younger and more impressionable). I should know. I had this experience with my parents when I had to enlighten them that I wasn’t watching something that fit their childish stereotype of a “cartoon”.

One of these manga series revolved around two siblings involved in an incestuous relationship, and, as the manga went on, brought in homoerotic elements, “corrupt” angels, and “good” demons, and ultimately deemed God a villain.

The series was called Angel Sanctuary, and was probably the worst thing I found in my daughters manga collection.

I really don’t know what to do about such filth

I’ve talked to her already about it, but I really want to get the message out there… We really need to guard what our kids are reading, before we run into such things our selves.

Well on the bright side, I’m familiar with a lot of mainstream anime/manga. Angel Sanctuary however, isn’t considered as such. Its more on what I’d call the Seinen Fringe. Its anime/manga intended for more mature readers and is generally… well, I’ll just say “specialized” for lack of a better word.

Now back to the subject of your daughter’s suitability to read this, I seriously doubt she’s old enough. I think your best bet would be to tell her that and have her grow up a bit before she can tackle the hard stuff. I’ve personally run into my fair share of blasphemy as well but that only gives me an opening for deconstruction (yeah, try expecting a teenager to grasp that level of literary criticism ).

…
…
…
Inb4 Sailor Kenshin and his rant about the glorification of evil in media and how all fictional characters should be pure untouched saints or evil devilspawn that dies horrible deaths in the nme of God

… hmm okay. I wonder what kind of laugh is appropriate here? The Hot Arrogant Bishie laugh or the Cackling Underestimated Psycho laugh?

 

[rcjones]

Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

If manga doesn’t qualify, toss it and let the manga enthusiasts laugh at you any way they want.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

If manga doesn’t qualify, toss it and let the manga enthusiasts laugh at you any way they want.

Oh yes, let’s go to the path of the book burners. That’ll do Christianity excellent favors. Never mind the lost opportunities to utilize a medium to reach out and share the Truth. Never mind turning more people away from Christ. Let’s just all throw reason out the window, follow our burning zeal, and justify it all with nice sweet servings of persecution complex.

Excellent. Excellent indeed. Not like anyone’s had your idea before.

 

[edwest2]

Over the past four or five years of my daughters life she’s grown very interested in japanese manga and anime. Most of this started from watching pokemon, which I had no objections to, contrary to popular views on the matter. (Honestly, little critters posed no risk to any childs soul)

However, after getting back into this sort of stuff in her teenage years, she’s picked up more mature titles, and seeing T+ and M ratings on comic books can be rather unnerving for a parent.

So, I started reading some of the books she owns, and was shocked and appalled.
Not only are many of them sexual and violent, but the direct messages regarding faith are downright disturbing.
One of these manga series revolved around two siblings involved in an incestuous relationship, and, as the manga went on, brought in homoerotic elements, “corrupt” angels, and “good” demons, and ultimately deemed God a villain.

The series was called Angel Sanctuary, and was probably the worst thing I found in my daughters manga collection.

I really don’t know what to do about such filth

I’ve talked to her already about it, but I really want to get the message out there… We really need to guard what our kids are reading, before we run into such things our selves.

The thing to do about such filth is explain to your kids that it is indeed filth. Even American comics have become different, with hints of homosexuality. There is even a title called Dark X-Men, as if we need to be entertained by heroes that are less than heroic.

All parents need to know that most media for kids has been corrupted.

So read it, explain why it’s wrong and continue to reinforce the message. Kids and young adults often imitate their peers and the amount of clean and worthwhile entetainment out there is a lot smaller than it once was. Even fictional stories contain images and words that can cause confusion, as you clearly pointed out.

God bless,
Ed

 

[edwest2]

Oh yes, let’s go to the path of the book burners. That’ll do Christianity excellent favors. Never mind the lost opportunities to utilize a medium to reach out and share the Truth. Never mind turning more people away from Christ. Let’s just all throw reason out the window, follow our burning zeal, and justify it all with nice sweet servings of persecution complex.

Excellent. Excellent indeed. Not like anyone’s had your idea before.

Your statement was sad, pathetic and immature.

God bless,
Ed

 

[Suni_Moon]

Your statement was sad, pathetic and immature.

God bless,
Ed

Actually, no… It wasn’t. :ehh:
I think they might have snapped at the poster a little bit, but what they’re post actually said was very true.

 

[shondrea]

HEY

EDDIE

IT’S NOT FILTH

Doesn’t ANYONE read Decent Films? ANYone? Go read it and quit carrying on like a bunch of fundi protestants.

I’ve read Angel Sanctuary. Is it compatible with Catholic beliefs? no. But WHO CARES? Neither is Harry Pot- OH WAIT. i forgot. Y’all think harry Potter is sending kids to hell.

Seriously. AS 's only crime is that it’s excessively lengthy and wordy for a manga, but otherwise, it’s a well thought out story with dozens of intrigueing characters, some good, some bad., some neutral.

Also, DECENT FILMS. Somebody rad it please.

Let;s see, what was it JPII said? Even when they portray the most evil of sins and the darkness of the soul, artists give voice to the human need for redemption? Yeah. Manga is an art like any other. Just because it explores something dark and disturbing doesn’t mean it’s filth.

My Gosh, you guys are so scared of everything. What do you DO all day, sit there praying yoru roasries till the beads fall off, then stare blankly at the wall?

 

[cthulhubryan]

One of these manga series revolved around two siblings involved in an incestuous relationship, and, as the manga went on, brought in homoerotic elements, “corrupt” angels, and “good” demons, and ultimately deemed God a villain.

The series was called Angel Sanctuary, and was probably the worst thing I found in my daughters manga collection.

My son started into Manga as a way to try to help read. I’m NOT a fan of Manga but neither am I a book burner so I read it with him. While you do need to help your kids avoid the worst of the crud out there (in any form), any work read and discussed with a parent will probably do more to help both of you than any other form that is read as a way of sneaking around parents.

 

[Flavius_Aetius]

Sit down with them and calmly ask why she feels the need to read a manga about brother sister incest, and that portrays the entities of Heaven as evil and Satanic forces as good.

Best case you get a reason, worst it at least rattles them to realize what mockery their reading…

 

[rcjones]

Oh yes, let’s go to the path of the book burners. That’ll do Christianity excellent favors. Never mind the lost opportunities to utilize a medium to reach out and share the Truth. Never mind turning more people away from Christ. Let’s just all throw reason out the window, follow our burning zeal, and justify it all with nice sweet servings of persecution complex.

Excellent. Excellent indeed. Not like anyone’s had your idea before.

Christianity doesn’t need the favor of compromise with the world. People are not turned away from Christ. They already know God and do not acknowledge him as God nor give him thanks. They are not attracted to Christ by compromising him to the world.

You idea of compromise with the world is not new either.
What kind of truth do you preach that includes incest?

I gave up a career to be an unpaid evangelist and have been one for 28 years. I have never had to preach incest to reach the lost. And I have never had to claim persecution even when receiving death threats.

So I might suggest that you are aiming at the wrong target when you attack someone for suggesting a path of holiness.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

Christianity doesn’t need the favor of compromise with the world. People are not turned away from Christ.

Really? Then Christ shouldn’t have sent out His apostles. Christ shouldn’t have given them the gift of language. I mean if we’re to be soooo separated from the world, we shouldn’t try to make the world understand us in any way.

You might as well tell Christians to hole up in foxholes and damn the rest of humanity to hell like Jack Chick does.

They already know God and do not acknowledge him as God nor give him thanks. They are not attracted to Christ by compromising him to the world.

Uh, no they don’t. Seriously, do you even hang around people who are into the stuff I’m into? They know about a lot of things, religion isn’t one of them. Heck I once met a guy who confused Vatican I Catholicism with Fundamentalist Christianity. I got another idiot who gets his religious views from that stink hole known as 4chan.

Believe me, when it comes to theology, these people don’t know anything.

I gave up a career to be an unpaid evangelist and have been one for 28 years. I have never had to preach incest to reach the lost. And I have never had to claim persecution even when receiving death threats.

Where the bloody heck did I say I was defending/preaching incest!?
Frankly, I’ve seen other incest-themed manga and truth be told, they weird me out. Its probably up there with yaoi and yuri.

I was defending manga, which you genius have unjustly lumped with a single title. Read your statement again, had you said ‘the manga’ instead of just plain ‘manga’, I’d have been nicer and told you that Angel Sanctuary is not something every enthusiast is gonna recommend.

But no, you had to make a jab at both and made it out like all manga is like Angel Sanctuary while all of us enthusiasts are laughing, snide, anti-Christian liberals.

As far as claiming persecution, the fact that you go as far as to predict that the manga enthusiasts will ‘laugh all they want’ tells me a lot of how you actually relish at the thought.

P.S.

Nice reactionary remark Ed, as usual.

 

[NJJMBVB]

@the OP…
If you think it that what she is reading is against Church teaching and such, don’t let her read it…
It’s amusing that nowadays if you speak against a certain work of fiction of a genre, you are often labeled a book-burner…
You don’t have to go on a roaring campaign of manga-burning (indeed, that would be pointless as well as detracting to your goal), just use your common sense and say no…but also explain why.
Manga in general are not Christian because they come from the Japanese culture…this doesn’t mean that they are ANTI-Christian, however. But they are often technophobic, full of pointless lust-inducing fanservice, and just plain silly - just like a lot of western culture.
But this one is. It is anti-Christian, seeking to lower the divine to the level of man…hence the “bad angels” and “good demons.” A story using incest and showing how bad it is would not be anti-christian, but incest being viewed as natural, God a villain, etc, definitely is.
Its not that all manga are bad, just a lot of them are, just like a lot of popular culture is.
If you instill a good sense of Christianity into your daughter, and continue teaching her, she will know when to keep reading and when to, as some would say, burn the book

 

[edwest2]

Actually, no… It wasn’t. :ehh:
I think they might have snapped at the poster a little bit, but what they’re post actually said was very true.

The book burning part was true? I was responding to a woman who has real concerns about what her children are reading. As the mom, she has every right to evaluate this material and guide her kids. I work for a media company. Most of my friends are artists and writers. I understand what she’s concerned about.

God bless,
Ed

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

The book burning part was true? I was responding to a woman who has real concerns about what her children are reading.

And I was responding to someone who was clearly demonstrating a book burner’s attitude. A someone who, in case you were so over-reactionary to observe, was NOT the OP.

It’s amusing that nowadays if you speak against a certain work of fiction of a genre, you are often labeled a book-burner…

I don’t see anyone labeling the OP a book burner. Unless the usernames are boggled up on your monitor, the book-burning post was addressed to an rcjones. The username of the OP is ArmastusBridget

Manga in general are not Christian because they come from the Japanese culture…this doesn’t mean that they are ANTI-Christian, however. But they are often technophobic, full of pointless lust-inducing fanservice, and just plain silly - just like a lot of western culture.

Technophobic? Japan is one of the leaders in electronics and computer engineering as well as a major exporter of automobiles. Fanservice? Please note that the Bible has its own small share. (Book of Songs anybody?) There are also various kinds of fan service. Trust me, they ain’t all pointless. Furthermore, a grand majority of the pointless ones are found in comedy which is supposed to be ‘plain silly’. Only unlike Chick Tracts, such moments don’t take themselves seriously.

Its not that all manga are bad, just a lot of them are, just like a lot of popular culture is.
If you instill a good sense of Christianity into your daughter, and continue teaching her, she will know when to keep reading and when to, as some would say, burn the book

Aaaaaand here we have yet another example of blatant over-generalization. There are hundreds of titles out there (all mixed in genres and even more sub-genres). Have you read them all? If not, I suggest you stop and tackle every title as an individual case.

If you instill a good sense of Christianity into your daughter, and continue teaching her, she will know when to keep reading and when to, as some would say, burn the book

Yes I’m pretty sure I’ve seen plenty of atheists being told the same thing by their masters in YouTube with regards to the Bible.

Am I the only who sees the whole concept of burning books that disagree with your worldview to be utterly retarded? It serves no higher purpose than to inflate your head while riling up other people.

Indeed, what a fine way for different beliefs to discourse.

 

[rcjones]

Really? Then Christ shouldn’t have sent out His apostles. Christ shouldn’t have given them the gift of language. I mean if we’re to be soooo separated from the world, we shouldn’t try to make the world understand us in any way.

You might as well tell Christians to hole up in foxholes and damn the rest of humanity to hell like Jack Chick does.

Wow. I quoted a scripture that says think on good things and you gnash your teeth.

Uh, no they don’t. Seriously, do you even hang around people who are into the stuff I’m into? They know about a lot of things, religion isn’t one of them. Heck I once met a guy who confused Vatican I Catholicism with Fundamentalist Christianity. I got another idiot who gets his religious views from that stink hole known as 4chan.

Believe me, when it comes to theology, these people don’t know anything.

Apparently neither do you. I merely paraphrased Romans 1:

19 ¶ Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Apparently your addiction to manga leads you away from God’s word.

I was defending manga, which you genius have unjustly lumped with a single title. Read your statement again, had you said ‘the manga’ instead of just plain ‘manga’, I’d have been nicer and told you that Angel Sanctuary is not something every enthusiast is gonna recommend.

But no, you had to make a jab at both and made it out like all manga is like Angel Sanctuary while all of us enthusiasts are laughing, snide, anti-Christian liberals.

Since , you are so much more intelligent than I, I am sure you noticed the “If” at the beginning of the statement. Let me repeat it here so that we can be sure you caught it.

**If **manga doesn’t qualify, toss it and let the manga enthusiasts laugh at you any way they want.

Thank you for your great demonstration how your involvement with manga has given you more love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness,and self-control. You have done much to further your promotion of it.

 

[duchess453]

It’s something I’ve read some of. It’s not bad if your 17. And neither is all manga. My favorite was Full Moon for a bit. I used to love manga and love Japanese culture. Maybe moving her into some live action films, etc. as tha Japanese do have a interesting way of doing things. As far as that manga is concerned definitely chose more age appropriate titles like Full Moon, Romeo x Juliet, etc.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

Wow. I quoted a scripture that says think on good things and you gnash your teeth.

And you think scripture is full of ‘good things’ with its descriptions of war, plagues, torture, and persecutions? What of the threats of hellfire and damnation as well as the coming apocalypse?

Good things indeed.

Apparently neither do you. I merely paraphrased Romans 1:

19 ¶ Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Apparently your addiction to manga leads you away from God’s word.

Blind faith reading itself into an obscure passage in scripture. Come back to me when you’ve reconciled your readings with common sense. If all the knowledge of theology had been in-built, then I don’t see why people need to teach the Catechism or teach it to those who have grown ignorant of it.

Since , you are so much more intelligent than I, I am sure you noticed the “If” at the beginning of the statement. Let me repeat it here so that we can be sure you caught it.

Your little ‘if’ does not void your generalization. Do I have to educate you in basic grammar? You had your ‘if’ impose a condition for a whole genre that cannot be generalized. Again, you only said ‘manga’ not ‘the manga’.

Thank you for your great demonstration how your involvement with manga has given you more love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness,and self-control. You have done much to further your promotion of it.

And you’ve done much for the promotion of Christianity as a religion of reason, wisdom, and impartial judgment. I can see how reading the Bible all the time has done wonders for your faculty of logic, your ability to argue, and your capacity to word out your statements.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

So what are we all saying here? Corruption of souls through Robotech and Akira?